Page 27 of Third Time's the Charm

Why did he have to cock his head like that, run his eyes over me that way? I couldfeelhis gaze, just like I always could. He looked young again. Happy and hopeful and carefree. Like the fun guy who was up for any of my bad ideas.

I missed this Jack and I had to remind myself he was gone. Oh sure, he may come around and visit for the holidays, but once he was back on that ice, Coach Cassidy would rear his ugly head.

I did the calming exercise my therapist taught me. I relaxed my shoulders, slowly released my breath, and let calm wash over me. “Nothing Jack. I feel nothing at all. Now, is this my box?” I grabbed the closest one and started for the door.

Jack’s eyebrows were both raised and his eyes danced. “I still feel quite a lot, Berlin. I’ll be seeing you soon.”

I gave up the cool act and scowled at him as I backed into the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Behind him, Conchita shook her head and looked to the heavens.

Yeah, I was a big fat liar.

* * *

Other than a stray dinner party,my giant dinner table was never full like it was tonight. Harrison and Paris sat on the right side, Melly and Lia sat on the left, Cynthia and I sat at the ends. Food was spread from end to end and laughter filled the air.

“So wait, you all did marine lab?” Cynthia asked the table.

Harry, Paris, and I all nodded.

“Huh,” Cynthia muttered. “And here I thought I was special.”

“Paris and Harry only did three day trips. I got lucky and was here five days.” There was a research lab where students could come and learn about Keys ecology. There were labs, snorkeling trips, and more.

“That’s right.” Paris was on her third glass of wine and constantly smiling. “You were the barracuda whisperer.”

Cynthia’s eyes rounded. “Oh what’s this story? I haven’t heard this one!”

“It’s nothing special.” Just the reason why I always wore a knife when I dove. “I seem to have some sort of siren call for barracudas. Have since I can remember. If I’m in the water, they come swimming.” At first I was terrified. Barracudas are nasty. But now I was just cautiously scared. “So many followed me when I was at marine lab, that one of the researchers used me to get some close enough for a study she was doing.”

Cynthia sputtered. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

I wished I was. “Nope. Not even a little bit. We can go snorkeling on the reef next week and you’ll see. Shark, ray, shark, and thenbam!Barracudas all around. I’m a better bet than a chum bucket.”

“It must be your radiant skin,” Paris laughed.

And that got me laughing too. “Yes, I glitter when in water, like an aquatic vampire.”

Melly patted the table. “What does that mean, Aunt Berlin?”

That only made Paris laugh harder. “You might want to take the wine away from her, Harry.”

Paris gasped and grabbed the bottle.

“It means barracudas like shiny things. They’re attracted to them. So we were joking my skin must be extra shiny.”

Melly nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t want shiny skin like you if it means barracudas will come after me.”

“I think you’re safe. I’m the only Anderson with shiny skin.”

We cleared the table and got most of the food put away before we let Melly and Lia release the kraken (aka Doug, Rattlesnake, Skeeter, and Transit.) Lord knows if we let them out any earlier it would have been chaos. Maybe even a military coup where Rattlesnake seized the turkey on behalf of cats everywhere.

I started the two coffee pots. Harrison and Ryker both wanted caffeinated coffee, while Paris and I wanted decaf, so two pots it is! Then I pulled out the freshly whipped cream and opened the dessert box.

And stared.

They were all chocolate. Every single one. “What the fuck?”

Paris looked over my shoulder. “Where’s the Key lime?”

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