by Allie Burton
I slumped onto the bench built into the back of the small motor boat. With time, I probably could’ve gotten out of the whirlpool on my own. I had been making progress. Though it was nice, different, to have someone looking out for me. Warmth pooled in my belly and a smile landed on my face. No one had ever done that before.
Not the circus owners. Not the circus workers who I’d known forever. No one. Until now.
I tugged the towel tighter wanting to keep all this new-found warmth inside.
“We’re in the lifeguard squad’s rescue boat.” Cuda studied me as he started the motor. The breeze whipped the red windbreaker he wore. “I’ve got every right to ask questions.”
“Don’t mind Cuda. He takes lifeguarding seriously, like he’s protector of the ocean or something.” Chase plopped next to me with a lopsided smile on his face. He must be used to Cuda’s questions.
“I want to know why a girl is swimming in the ocean at night, by herself,” Cuda’s tone accused me like I’d done something illegal, instead of stupid.
Maybe I was stupid. Even with my powers, I’d almost been history.
I bit my lip thinking of an explanation. “It wasn’t dark when I went in.” A small lie.
The fog now blanketed any source of light. There was no moon, no stars. Just emptiness.
“You’re nosy.” Chase threw a towel at him.
Cuda caught it, keeping one hand on the wheel. “And you’re not?”
“If I could find an interesting story, I’d be all over it.” Chase trembled and put his arm around my shoulders. “I’m freezing. How about you?”
I nodded, unsure if I was answering yes or no. Heat flashed down my spine from the skin-to-skin contact. Being so close to Chase, I found it difficult to concentrate. “Story about what?”
“Nothing.” He glared at Cuda as if daring him to keep his mouth shut.
I wasn’t interested in stories. I didn’t believe in fairy tales because my life had always been more of a nightmare.
My mind returned to my near catastrophe. “Are whirlpools common in this area?”
“Not that I know of.” Chase bent over and picked up a big camera wrapped in plastic. “Got a few photos of the whirlpool before spotting you.”
“How did you find me?” Must’ve been a miracle. I shivered again.
He scooted even closer. “Cuda wanted to follow this little sea otter that kept swimming around the boat.”
“The otter wanted to play.” Cuda sounded defiant like he didn’t want anyone questioning his reasons. “He kept circling and waving with his paw.”
“Like wild sea otters play with people.” Chase’s sarcastic tone made fun of his friend.
I held my breath. Could Cuda’s sea otter be the same one who had played with me in the waves? Who wanted me to get out of the ocean? I gulped. The animal friend I’d thought had deserted me. The otter had known about the danger in advance and tried to warn me.
Staring at the black sky, I thanked my lucky stars I was alive. I praised Chase, too. And if the sea otter had helped? Well, I’d thank it, too.
* * *
Chase held a flashlight pinpointing the wooden dock as we got closer to shore. Cuda must’ve had a ton of practice because even with the waves the boat barely bumped against the supports. The boat cruised into place. Still holding the light, Chase climbed out. He tied up the boat and then held out his hand to me. “Drive you home?”
Placing my hand in his, I tried to stop the good-shiver that ran up my arm from his touch. Without success. I climbed onto the dock.
“Are you sure you don’t need a doctor?” Cuda jumped onto the dock beside us. He double checked Chase’s knots.
Doctors meant forms and questions. “I’m okay.” Wet, tired, hungry, and still a bit scared, but nothing a doctor could fix. “I just need sleep.”
Chase still had hold of my hand. “I’ll take you home.” He didn’t ask this time.
His take-charge attitude made me feel safe and protected but worried, too. I couldn’t allow myself to get too close. To become too dependent. What if I had to leave?
But after my near death experience I didn’t want to be alone right now. A few more minutes wouldn’t matter.
“I left my sweats on the beach.” I didn’t own that many clothes and couldn’t afford to lose the warm ones. “It’ll be gone if I wait until morning.”
“I’ll bring the flashlight and walk over to the beach with you, find your clothes, and then I’ll take you home.” His concern warmed my heart, even though I didn’t want these feelings.
“Okay.” I’d let him walk me to the beach and help find the sweats. Then, I’d think of a way to leave.
“Don’t go back in the ocean tonight,” Cuda warned as we walked down the dock.
“Quit worrying, Fish-man.” Chase waved the flashlight at him.
“Why do you call him that?” Pretending to need to take the towel off my head, I slipped my hand out of his. The first step to regaining my independence, to staying strong on my own.
My wet hair chilled my body in the cold night air. Or maybe it was because I no longer had direct contact with Chase.
“Cuda’s last name is Fisher and he’s totally into his job and the ocean.” Chase took the towel and tossed it on a lifeguard station. “They’ll put it away in the morning. Did you want to hold onto the other towel?”
“Until I find my sweats.” I clutched the white towel tighter. The frigid night air seemed colder than the frigid water. Plus, my swim suit was a little too flashy for my taste. The circus owners had picked out all of my swim suit costumes for the show. I didn’t have a choice. “What were you guys doing on the boat tonight?”
“Cuda wanted to patrol. I told you he took his job seriously.” Chase swung the arm holding the flashlight and the beam tossed light back and forth in the sand. “I invited myself along after you walked out on our date.”
“Sorry about that.” I did feel bad. I was so confused about Chase.
Liking his company. Fearing his questions. Wanting him near. Terrified of getting too close.
“Why were you swimming alone tonight? It’s dangerous.”
I thought I’d dodged his curiosity earlier. Guess insistence and persistence paired inside Chase. “I wanted to take a dip and stayed in a little too long.”
A lot too long.
“You probably haven’t met a lot of people in Mermaid Beach yet.” He bumped his shoulder into mine. “Anytime you need a swimming buddy, call me.”
Warmth shot across my skin. A slight touch or a long look from Chase had me reacting in strange and wonderful ways. I liked it, but I was afraid of the feeling, too. Maybe it was because he’d helped me tonight, and with the boy and the otter. Maybe it was because he paid attention to me. Maybe it was because he made me feel less alone.
More confusion. Common sense told me to stay away, to not make friends. But my heart, my emotions, struggled to stay separate. I enjoyed being with Chase.
We walked in silence for a bit. The waves crashed on the shore. In the darkness all you could see were the whitecaps rolling in. Kinda like my thoughts—crashing and rolling.
“So, how uncommon are whirlpools in this area?” Why had one happened where I happened to be swimming for the first time ever in the Pacific Ocean?
This may sound paranoid, but I wondered it if had anything to do with me. The circus owners had refused to let me swim in any natural body of water. I was only allowed in the circus tanks or the bathtub.
And I liked Mermaid Beach. Wanted to stay, even if I didn’t become friends with Chase.
He put his arm around my shoulders. “You must’ve been terrified.” His concern lightened a dark place in my heart and the little sparks that flared at contact burst into a bright flame.
“Whirlpools can happen anywhere, but they’re mega uncommon off the Southern Cali coast.” He adjusted his pace to match mine. “Good question to ask at the local university. I could contact a few professors.”
&n
bsp; “I’d like that.” I might get a few of my questions answered.
Chase stopped and faced me. His eyes held a curious light. He was interested in the questions, and possibly me. “Cuda mentioned weird occurrences happening near Mermaid Beach lately. Maybe global warming is contributing to ocean chaos.”
I smiled at the calming effects of his words. If Cuda had noted earlier disturbances, I didn’t cause the whirlpool. “What kind of disturbances?”
“He wasn’t specific. I’ll talk to him first, and then talk to the professors.”
“Let me know what they say.” I needed to learn about my new environment, both in and out of the ocean.
“I will.” Chase’s gaze glowed as if he’d spill his soul. “I’ll tell you everything.”
My body warmed from their light. For some reason, I didn’t think he was talking about research. I regarded the view beyond his shoulder. Even though nothing had happened between us, things were moving way too fast. In one day he’d become involved in my life. Too involved. I wasn’t ready for a relationship of any kind. I had to think this through, make a plan, decide if I could have a friend in my current situation.
“It’s getting late.”
“Yeah.” He took my hand and we continued walking toward the campground.
Our fingers intertwined like we had a special connection. Like maybe, just maybe, this meant something.
I’d never had a special connection with anyone. Not Bill and Carlita, the circus owners. Not any of the other circus workers. No friends, and certainly no boyfriend.
Tightness pulled low in my stomach like a stretched trapeze wire. I kicked at the sand. I might have never been to the beach before moving here, but I lived in the water. I spent most of my waking hours in the dunk tank at the circus.
The only time I’d been kicked out was the summer I turned twelve. It was the hottest summer on record and the circus workers had demanded their kids be allowed to cool off in my swim tank for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Bill and Carlita refused to let me join them.
So, I’d hidden behind one of the tent’s support poles and watched as about a dozen kids jumped and splashed water at each other. Two boys hit a blow up ball back and forth. A couple of girls pretended to be mermaids. Laughing and shouting, they’d been having so much fun.
Their playfulness called to me. I wanted to be part of that, part of them. I inched out from behind the pole.
One of the girls waved at me. “We’re playing mermaid. Come join us.”
My heart thudded in my chest. She was including me. Finally, I had a friend.
I rushed over to the edge and dove into the water. Undulating my belly, I swam like a real mermaid. I guess I stayed underwater for a bit too long to be considered normal because when I surfaced all the kids were staring.
“You’re the girl who does all those tricks in the show.” The girl who’d invited me stuck out a stubby finger as if pointing out a big flaw. “You never come out to play with us.”
I’d seen them through the window playing four square or hopscotch. Carlita wouldn’t let me play with them, or anyone. I was too busy practicing my show, cleaning the trailer, or cooking. Not a lot of time for anything else.
“My mom says you’re…different.” The second girl examined me like I should be under a microscope.
“You swim weird,” a boy said.
“You are weird.” A second boy threw the plastic ball at my face.
The ball bounced off my nose and hit the water. My eyes burned. My cheeks heated. I wanted to sink to the bottom of the tank and never come up again.
I still felt that way around kids my own age like Joe and the other teens at the miniature golf course. But not Chase. He made me feel special, even when he didn’t realize that I wasn’t special, just different.
Chase and I reached the beach in front of the campground. “The whirlpool happened right out there. You swam from around this spot, right?” Chase shined the flashlight up and down the beach in front of the campground. “What color are your sweats?”
“Red.” I glanced at the path that led to the tent area and took a few paces forward. “I don’t see the sweatshirt or pants.”
“Let’s look around.” He moved away and ran the spotlight up and down the empty beach. We searched for a bit. “I don’t see anything.”
“Do you think the waves took it?”
“Possibly. We can search again in the morning.” He strolled back over to me and took both my hands.
Sparks shot from my fingertips to my toes. I didn’t want to break our connection, didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to be alone again. But I also didn’t want to be made fun of or abandoned. Didn’t want to get close only to be burned. “I should get going. It’s been an exciting day.”
Exciting, terrifying, tempting.
His gaze gleamed with fascination and he leaned in a bit. “I’m glad you came to Mermaid Beach.”
I swallowed. “Me, too.”
“You’ve made life interesting.”
Weird, how his thoughts aligned with mine. “Interesting good or interesting bad?”
He reached up and took my chin in his hand. “Interesting good.” His fingers stroked the sensitive skin underneath. “I’ve wanted to do this since we first met.”
My eyes stretched like the canvas over a trampoline. His lips moved closer. My heart pounded. “Since I climbed out of the dirty lagoon?” Ugh. I shouldn’t have reminded him.
“Pretty much.” He gave me a lazy, lingering smile. “You were so brave.”
He thought I was brave. Thought I was interesting. My backbone folded upon itself and I wanted to slip to the ground. If he kept talking like that, I’d be like wet sand clinging to him.
He must’ve realized my need for support because he wrapped his other arm around my waist and held me against him. The warmth of our bodies mingled and heat flared between us. His scent of ocean and spice tickled my nose.
Closing my eyes, I sensed his lips move within a millimeter of mine, felt his warm breath, heard his beating heart at the same fast pace.
His mouth touched my lips and moved slowly, carefully, as if testing my reaction. I sighed at his sweetness. My body melted against his. Like a whisper-soft caress, his lips kissed me.
My first kiss. Ever.
Chapter Four
Phenomenally Fumed
My. First. Kiss.
My heart tripped. Warmth flooded through my veins. My insides went soft and mushy. I wanted to lean against him. Forever.
Forever?
Suddenly, my body froze. What was I doing? My eyes opened wide like the circus arena in the big tent. Being friends was one thing, but this—whatever this was—was not right. I barely knew Chase. He knew nothing about me.
I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him away. “I can’t do this.”
What I protested I wasn’t sure. The kiss? The friendship? Any kind of bond with another human being?
I twisted around and ran toward the path leading to the campground. I had to get away. To think. My breath came out in shallow pants. I tripped on the sand and fell to my knees.
I stood and scrambled up the small hill where the grove of trees broke the strong breeze off the ocean, and stared back.
Chase still stood in the same place, a thoughtful expression on his face. His hair blew in the wind and his arms dangled at his side. The flashlight beam focused on one spot of sand.
Shame flooded my veins, heating my body. I’d run away not like the sixteen-year-old I was, or the eighteen-year-old I pretended to be. I’d run away like a baby.
Not inconspicuous at all.
* * *
Swish. Swish. Swish. The scrub brush scraped against the blue concrete lagoon walls. Yellow caution tape circled the area saying “Keep Out,” but my boss had left instructions to go around and get inside. I’d clocked in before seven this morning to clean the lagoon before the inspection later in the day. While not big, the pool had a lot of wall space to clean.
I was still fried about my boss nixing my day off, but I needed the money.
Even wearing a mask, the chlorine-like scent burned my nostrils and my throat had that raw, scratchy feeling you get right before a cold. My hands hurt from gripping the giant brush and my sandaled feet squished in the small amount of dirty water left at the bottom of the pool.
“Hello. You down there.” Sarah Fowler, owner of the Mermaid Beach Boardwalk, called from the other side of the railing. “Are you from the custodial team?”
No, I wanted to inhale a few fumes. “Yeah.”
“I’ve got something for you to install.” She glanced around and then held up a box. “We need to get it done before the inspection.”
We? I arched a brow. I couldn’t imagine Mrs. Fowler climbing into the empty lagoon and doing the dirty work. Not in her flowered dress and high heels. With her hair pinned up in an old-fashioned bun, she looked like a mom from a classic fifties sitcom.
“What is it?” I set down the brush, walked over to the ladder and climbed up.
“New safety cover for the up-flow filter.” She handed me the box and I caught a whiff of her heavily floral scented perfume. “Instructions are inside.”
“But I’m not a gadget gearhead.” The Boardwalk had a fleet of guys who ran around and fixed the rides when they broke down, which happened often from what I’d observed.
“Should be easy. Just tighten a few screws.”
“But—”
“I wouldn’t normally ask, but all the mechanics are busy and this needs to get done. We want this lagoon to sparkle during inspection. Wouldn’t want The Mermaid Beach Boardwalk to get a bad reputation.” She sounded like a cheerleader at a pep rally. “Thank you for helping out.”
Back at the bottom of the lagoon, I opened the box and took out the cover, except it didn’t appear so new. The dented, white plastic had black markings like it had been hit by a blunt object. Made sense to replace the cover since I’d bent the old one, but you’d think the Boardwalk owner would’ve paid for a brand new one.
