Page 49 of Third Time's the Charm

“Just a little.”

“Wh-what are you doing here?” Cynthia finally asked.

He turned his attention completely to her. “We had a date.”

She stared at him some more. So I intervened. “So I hear you had an interesting lunch the other day.”

Ned kept his eyes on Cynthia. “I thought it was fun.”

“Fun?” Cynthia half-shouted. “My dad called you a snake oil salesman and a Casanova.”

Ned grinned. “The first one I expected from a man everyone calls the Pirate King. The second one I didn’t hate.”

Oh, he was good.

Cynthia sputtered. “He was horrifying!”

“He was testing me.”

I bit back a smile. It was fun watching these two. The chemistry was off the charts and even though I knew Ned for all of a minute, he was clearly a smart, nice guy. And if he could go toe-to-toe with the Pirate King, then he wasperfectfor Cynthia.

“What?” Cynthia threw her hands out.

Ned shrugged. “It’s a guy thing. Especially an alpha father thing. Push some buttons, see if you get a reaction. If not, try some insults. Get the other person riled up.”

I had a feeling Ned didn’t get riled up.

“He’s protective of you, Cynth. I don’t mind that at all.” He reached for her hand.

She took it. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easy.”

I was about to slip away when the Mermaid Squadron marched into town square in three lines. They wore their costumes and makeup, but over them they had white t-shirts that had a picture of the Pirate King with a red circle and slash over it.

“Oh no,” Cynthia groaned.

Ned pulled her to his side. The first line marched chanting, “Bright young women!” The second line marched in chanting, “Tired of swimming!” The third line marched in, “Ready to stand against the Pirate King!”

Someone yelled, “Then don’t swim anymore!”

Luckily this wasn’t a demonstration. They marched through the square and back off into the night. “Well they made their point,” I muttered.

“He’s going to apologize tomorrow if I have to drag him to every mermaid’s house myself.” Cynthia seethed.

“Let’s dance!” Someone loud yelled from the back of the crowd. The band picked up their instruments and the first notes of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” started the night off right.

I drifted through the crowds alone now. My “single and ready to mingle” partner was very much not single after all. I danced with a group on the makeshift dance floor, having a great time with the friends and neighbors I’d known most of my life.

Did I need a man? Hell no.

But I wanted one.

And like a present, Jack appeared at the edge of the dance floor wearing a light blue linen shirt and a giant smile.

“Well hello.” I danced over to him.

“You look like you’re having fun.” He kept his hands in his pockets.

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