“I didn’t mean the show,” Irma said.
“You mean… like here? On Siren Island?”
“You’ll do well here.” Irma didn’t bother to elaborate, instead squeezing her shoulder once more as Cherylynn bounced over, a cookie in her hand.
“I’m sorry, y’all, I just had to get some food in my stomach.” Cherylynn grinned and the ladies of the Laughing Mermaid beamed right back at her. “Pleased to meet y’all.”
“I like you too,” Jolie decided.
“You two are the only ones speaking to us,” Mirra agreed.
“The rest are too intimidated by you. I just want to know how you got your hair to look like that?” Cherylynn asked and in moments they were deep in discussion about hair products, humidity, and saltwater.
“What brings you to the show, Avery?” Jolie asked. “If this isn’t really your thing?”
“It was a dare,” Avery said, practicing her lying skills.
“That’s a lie. But I think you have your own reasons for doing so, plus you’ve been really nice to us, so I’ll let it pass,” Jolie said, idly twirling a lock of her midnight hair around her finger.
“Um…” Avery said, her cheeks tinging with heat once more.
“Jolie. Not everyone has to share their secrets right away. Give her time to open up.”
“Thank you, and I’m sorry,” Avery admitted. “As a rule, I don’t lie. It’s just… complicated. Can we go with that? I’d like to have friends here and I think you could be them. I don’t want to go into that based on mistrust, but I can’t tell you my reasons for being here – not yet.”
“That’s fair. I’d like to be your friend as well,” Jolie decided. “Especially if I can borrow those earrings sometime.”
“Sold,” Avery said, and Jolie took her hand, shaking on it.
If only Avery could understand why it felt like a current of electricity ran through her palm at her touch. Meeting her eyes, she found Jolie studying her, as if waiting for her to say something more.
Instead, Roman chose that moment to appear at her shoulder.
“Interview time, Avery.”
“Wait, what? I thought tonight was relaxing and getting to know each other.”
“I mentioned earlier tonight would also included interviews as we’re taping. Which means it’s your turn. Let’s go.”
“Fine,” Avery bit out and waved a little goodbye to the ladies.
This was going to be a disaster.
Chapter 8
“Why do I have to be the first for an interview?” Avery grumbled as she followed Roman to a chair sitting across from a cameraman.
“Who said you were the first?”
“It feels like I am.”
“You’re not.”
“Fine, but still. Can’t I get some food? Work up to this?”
“No, you’re doing your interview now.”
“How many of these will I have to do?”
“How long do you plan to be on the show?”
“Are these really necessary?”
“Avery!” Roman’s tone was sharp. “Seriously, have you ever seen a reality show? They always interview people separately from the filming. It provides backstory. It gives narration. It helps the viewers get to know the people on the show better. It’s just part of what we do. I’m not punishing you.”
“Fine, fine, sorry. I’m cranky. I didn’t eat much today,” Avery said, settling into the chair and shooting a pouty look at the cameraman.
“I totally understand. I get hangry all the time,” the cameraman said, nodding in agreement.
Avery beamed at him. “See?”
“You may eat. In ten minutes. Let’s just get through this,” Roman snapped.
Avery sighed. “Fine. What do you want me to say?”
“Tell me who you are.”
“Hi, I’m Avery Deluca. I’m twenty-seven years old, I live in Des Moines, and I’m a environmental engineer with a focus on building sustainable and ecologically friendly infrastructures.”
“I was not expecting that,” Roman said, surprise crossing his handsome face.
“Why? Because I’m a woman?”
“No, I was just surprised at the specific focus of your career.” Roman shifted in his seat.
“So what did you think I did?”
“Trust fund baby?” Roman shrugged.
“No, Roman. I work for a living. Very hard, mind you. And I’m proud of what I do.”
“As you should be. I just wasn’t expecting it, is all.”
Avery sat silently and waited, refusing to give out any other details of her life while Roman paged through his questions.
“Avery, are you religious?”
“Nope.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t believe there is any one way to practice spirituality.”
“So you’re spiritual?”
“I suppose.”
“What led you to believe in the spiritual nature of this world?”
Avery just looked at him as a vivid memory of being in a coma flashed through her mind.
“I think there are too many instances of unexplainable ‘otherworldly’ type things to dismiss the existence of another plane of the universe. However, I don’t like joining groups and I don’t think there’s any one particular religion that has it right or wrong. I think most people are searching. I do think there is something more out there; I just don’t need the rules of a religion to lead me to those answers. Some people do – they enjoy the comfort and framework of a religion to practice their faith within. I’m just not one of them.”
“Very pragmatic of you. And yet, not, if you do believe in another plane of existence.”
“I suppose.”
“Do you believe in soulmates?”
“I haven’t thought about it much.”
“So… yes? No?”
“I guess there could be someone meant for you. How do you define a soulmate?” Avery demanded, fed up with his line of questioning.
“I define it as someone recognizing intrinsically that another person is meant for them.”
“But how can you be meant for someone else? Aren’t you meant to follow a path true to yourself? Your needs? Your beliefs? Saying you are ‘meant for someone else’ implies ownership, doesn’t it? I don’t want someone to own me,” Avery said, batting the idea away with a wave of her hand.
“But wouldn’t your soulmate know that about you, then? And give you freedom to be you?”
“But that still implies that things are predestined. Do you believe in destiny or fate?” Avery studied Roman. She barely noticed the camera guys smiling at them.
“Can’t I believe in both?” Roman parried.
“That’s evading the question. Not all soulmates are fated to meet. So what happens then? They wander, forever looking for their partner? They chose the wrong path and missed their chance?” Avery argued.
“Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps we have several soulmates,” Roman said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Well, let me know when you meet yours, because I’m dying to know how fate led you to them.” For some reason, Avery was getting increasingly angry. As an engineer, she didn’t leave things to chance. For Roman to make it seem like everyone was one missed connection away from finding their soulmate was preposterous. “Interview over.”
Without looking back, Avery stood and strode away, her eyes on the buffet table even though she no longer felt hungry. She knew if she didn’t eat soon, she’d probably rip someone’s head off.
“Hi, I’m Beckett.” The bachelor stopped in front of her and offered his hand. Avery quenched down the urge to brush past him and instead gave him a tight smile.
“Hi, I’m Avery. And I’m absolutely famished. Excuse me while I grab some food. I’ll catch up with you after.”
Avery didn’t wait for his answer, nor did she see him turn and smile approvingly after her.
All she wanted was food, a good book, and her bed.
Chapter 9
It didn’t look like she would get to her book anytime soon, Avery thought as she crammed another bite of rice in her mouth. She wasn’t sure why she was just so annoyed with Roman. The man, by all respects, was just doing what was required by his job. But she certainly hadn’t been expecting him to jump right into deep questions – shouldn’t he have been asking her what her hobbies were or where her favorite travel destination was?
Perhaps it was just the reminder of her accident that had caused her to get her back up. Avery took another bite from her delicious plate of mixed grill, veggies, and rice, and stared out past the bonfire toward the water. Most of the women were hovering around Beckett anyway or trying to pose for the cameras, both of which held zero interest for Avery. Instead, despite how much she tried to shove it aside, her mind wandered back to the experience she’d had while in a coma.
Most would say it was the drugs. Being medically sedated into a coma certainly could steer people to that conclusion. But she’d never told anyone other than her sister about her experience, so it wasn’t like she’d let anyone weigh in on the topic either way. After experiencing… what she’d experienced, Avery had comfortably let the excuse of medical drugs stand in place of what she now knew to be absolutely true.
There were spirits and magic in this world. Not just in the next world, but here and now, actively participating and guiding people about their everyday lives. In all honesty, Avery struggled with the fact that she actually believed this; she tried her best to shove it deep down inside of her and never crack open that particular box to examine too deeply. But she couldn’t shake what she knew in her core, and that was… well, that was that.
They had come to her in her coma, her spirit guides. Apparently she had a team of them working on her behalf. They’d shown her the accident, everything that had happened while she’d been blacked out. It was like she’d watched a video of it all from afar. She saw how scared everyone had been, and just how her guides had assisted in little ways to make sure she made it to safety.
One of the guides, a warm female energy, had promised her she’d wake from her coma and that she had big things to do in this world. That love waited for her. And that she should go on with life, promising to take risks and live fearlessly. In doing so, she’d be rewarded with a life rich in adventure and love.
Had Avery followed that advice? Not until now. She’d hidden her head in the proverbial sand as she’d worked through the long recovery after her accident, as well as the lingering trauma that surrounded it. Every once in a while, she felt like she was getting a nudge from the spiritual realm to follow a different path, but thus far she had largely ignored it.
“Is the food not to your taste?”
Avery straightened at Irma’s voice at her shoulder. She paused, taking in the sheer force of this woman’s presence. There was something about her – equal parts terrifying and soothing – that had Avery’s full attention.
“No, it’s lovely. I’m just in a mood, I guess.” Avery shrugged, pushing the plate away and leaning back in the wicker beach chair she’d commandeered.
“Mind if I join you?”
“Of course not. I’d love to talk to you.”
“Thank you.” Irma sighed as she adjusted her skirts around her, sinking gracefully into the chair next to Avery and taking a small sip from her drink.
“You must love living here. From what I’ve seen so far, the island is really beautiful.”
“It is. This is home and always has been. I suspect I’d feel like a fish out of water anywhere else.”
“I can see the appeal. Beautiful sunsets, easy island pace, beach parties…”
“Well, it’s not always a party. There are a lot of inconveniences to living on an island. Break your iPhone? You can’t just take it to the Apple store. Looking for certain ingredients? They may not have arrived at the grocery store this week.”
“Ahh, sure, I see.”
“But I’ll argue that having fewer choices makes for a more peaceful life. One of the things I hear is that people spend their time at all the malls rushing from errand to errand to buy more, more, more. People are just filling their existence with running to the store, buying stuff they don’t need, and then going home to flop in front of the television. Here, we don’t buy as much of that stuff – well, partly because it’s expensive to ship in, but also, we don’t need it. Life is more about connecting with other people, or experiencing nature. A day doesn’t go by that I’m not in the water at some point. It feels incredible to be connected to nature on such a level.”
“I suppose that makes sense. The more choices you have, the more overwhelmed you are. Although don’t you miss Starbucks?”
“I’ve never had Starbucks, so it isn’t something I could miss.”
“I suppose. Their coffee is overrated anyway. There’s a small coffee shop by my work that focuses on sustainable practices, as well as eco-friendly cups and to-go containers. I try to use them as much as possible, because it aligns with my beliefs.”
“It’s nice to see a shift in people’s thoughts lately. I think it’s important to honor nature. Especially the sea. Everything leads downstream to the water. Mother Sea is everything to me,” Irma said, a wistfulness tinging her voice as she looked out to the waves.
“She terrifies me,” Avery admitted before clamping her mouth shut. Why was she giving up all her secrets?
“Is that so? Did something happen to make you feel that way? Or is it just that you’re unfamiliar with being around the ocean?”
“I… I had an accident,” Avery said, meeting Irma’s eyes. “It wasn’t in the ocean, but it’s made me very fearful of water ever since.”
“I hope, for your sake, that you’ll be able to move past that. The ocean can heal.”
“What do we need to heal?” Beckett stood over them, and Avery leaned back in her chair to look up at him. Cherylynn was right – he was very handsome, even if he wasn’t the type of guy she usually went for.
“I’ll just leave you two to chat,” Irma said, gracefully rising and squeezing Avery’s shoulder before melting into the crowd. Beckett dropped into her abandoned seat, his long legs spreading out in front of him, and turned to smile at Avery. She found herself smiling back, and she was keenly aware that the cameras had begun to circle them.
“Nothing, really. Irma was just talking about her love of the ocean and how she finds saltwater to be healing.”
“I can agree with that. If you could see these kid’s faces once I get them in water – it’s like they’ve had an out-of-body experience. The weightlessness of the water and the freedom of movement it gives them lifts the restrictions they face every day in their wheelchairs or crutches.”
“It sounds like you really make a difference in their lives.”
“I hope so,” Beckett said, dragging a hand casually through his hair and shooting Avery a killer grin. “It feels really great to see their smiles and hear their laughter once they’re comfortable in the water.”
“How long have you been running this organization?” Avery admired his commitment to his non-profit, yet a part of her wondered if he was one of those guys who loved talking about the good things he did in order to get approval from others. Maybe it was shitty of her to think that of this man she’d just met, but she couldn’t help but question his motivations.
“Just over two years now. It was an offshoot of my surf camp. It sort of evolved naturally, but I’m glad to be able to offer it.”
“What’s a surf camp?”
“What… what do you mean?” Beckett looked at her and gave a little derisive snort, which immediately set Avery on edge. Just because she didn’t know what his camp was didn’t mean he had to be rude.
“What is it? What do you do? How is it run? Is it a day camp? A week camp? For adults? Children? Do people stay overnight? Do they camp on the beach in tents? Do you train professionals? That’s what I mean,” Avery said, barely stopping herself from ro
lling her eyes at him.
“Ah, I see. It’s a camp for kids where they can learn to surf. It’s a week long or more, depending on how long their parents want to get rid of them.” Beckett chuckled, and then winked at another girl who was hovering at the edge of their seating area.
Already annoyed with him and this conversation, Avery abruptly stood. Beckett looked at her in confusion.
“I’m going to get more food,” Avery said, even though her plate was half-full. “And it looks like you want to chat with this woman anyway.”
“Aw, Avery, are you jealous?”
Avery was so startled by his question that she let out a booming laugh and tossed her hair over her shoulder.
“Not in the slightest, Beckett. Enjoy your evening.”
Enjoying the disgruntled look that crossed his face, Avery wandered away from him, looking for a place where she could rid herself of her plate. Normally she would have eaten all her food, but the night’s events were making her lose her appetite. Grabbing another glass of champagne, despite what she’d promised herself, she glanced back at the party. The women had gravitated toward the fire and Beckett, beginning to dance in the sand as the alcohol kicked in and the music grew louder. Knowing nobody would miss her, Avery turned the other way, her toes digging into the sand as she walked toward the water.
She wasn’t running away, exactly, but she did need a breather.
All she could think was that she’d been an absolute idiot to come here. Staring out at the water, trying to ignore the ripples of fear that pulsed through her as she looked at the dark waves, Avery saluted the ocean with her glass.
“Here’s to breaking out of my comfort zone.”
Chapter 10
“There’s that comfort zone I keep hearing about again,” Roman said from behind her.
Avery sighed, turning to glance at him over her shoulder. “I thought you were doing interviews.”
A Good Chance (The Siren Island Series Book 3) Page 5
