Page 71 of Ensnaring the Siren

“You’re enough. You’re more than enough.” Nireed pulled her into a fierce hug.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Reid hugged his mom, and waves of white-frosted, auburn hair pressed against his cheek. Her light, floral perfume filled his nose and reminded him of days past. “This was a pleasant surprise.”

She patted his back. “Missed my boy.”

The hostess showed them to a booth near the back of the restaurant, but Reid wasn’t complaining. Between the regular tourist bustle and local, noontime lunch crowd, the place was crowded, but it was quieter back here. “So, what’s new?” his mom asked, unrolling a linen napkin and laying it across her lap.

Reid followed suit. “I’m not really sure where to begin.”

“Bad news first. Save the best for last.”

A waiter stopped by to introduce himself and fill their water glasses, but he was gone as soon as he’d arrived. Too many tables to serve to linger any longer. And yet, it gave Reid just enough time to think through what he wanted to say.

This was a short trip. Telling his water-fearing mom about interacting with people-eating mermaids was not on the table. So instead, he said, “There’s no bad news to share. Just a heavy caseload is all. Should ease up once summer’s done.” While there was no guarantee of that, he didn’t want his mother to worry.

She studied his face a moment before putting on her glasses and picking up a menu. “Do you want to talk about any of the cases?” She asked it casually, but he noted the concern.

“Standard stuff stacking, really.” Another lie. “I think I’m just ready to take some leave.”

“Any good news then?”

He rubbed a hand behind his neck. “Yeah, actually.”

His mother peered at him from above the rim of her glasses, a smile forming. “That’s a special someone sort of blushing.” She smacked his arm playfully with the menu. “Don’t leave me in suspense. Tell me.”

Annaliese Kruetz, daughter of longtime Marquette County judge Greta Roth, did not leave such things up for debate.

Despite his best efforts to keep it cool, a shit-eating grin fought its way to the forefront. “It’s brand new, but I’m seeing someone. She’s no one like I’ve ever met before.” There. That was one truth at least.

“Tell me about her.”

“I don’t know. She’s playful. A little mischievous. Could easily kick my ass.” He sipped his water, giving himself time to think. “She’s observant. Misses nothing and is probably the most literal person I’ve ever met, but it makes her sweet and thoughtful too. Feels like she can stare straight into me sometimes, you know?”

His mother’s smile grew. “She sounds delightful. A local?”

“Sort of. More…regional.”

“I’d love to meet her, you know, once it feels right.” She was trying to play it so cool, but he could tell she was chomping at the bit for more information. “What’s her name?”

“Nireed.”

“That’s…” she trailed before her expression darkened, every bit of her body language tensing. “A strange name.”

The waiter chose that time to return to take their orders. Reid picked at random, and his mom seemed to do the same, before handing over both their menus with a tight smile.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. It’s just I’ve heard that name before. Read it in an article, I think.”

Shit. Was his mom putting two and two together? She read articles from scientific community publications sometimes. It wasn’t beyond reason she’d have read the ones coming out of this area, what with all her business trips here. And the pieces about merfolk and Nireed’s captivity would be the most notable ones.

But if that were the case, why would she be so cagey about it?

Conversation for the duration of lunch was amiable but stilted, and he got the distinct sense that they were both trying too hard to keep it going, much of it either small talk or things they’d already spoken about over the phone in the last few months.

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