Page 7 of Bewitched By the Siren
When the water has completely drained out, I grab the oversized towel from the floor where I dropped it and dry my tail, careful to smooth the scales downward and not drag thecloth up against the grain. I grunt as pain ripples through the appendage, and my body convulses in the tub as the tail splits and forms legs once more. I sigh with relief as the pain fades, then carefully stand before stepping out of the tub and gazing at my reflection in the mirror.
This is my life, and I owe Mom everything. I won’t leave, and I won’t take advantage of my gifts any more than I have to.
And Brendan Howser is just going to have to give up and go home, just like all the others before him.
CHAPTER FIVE
Brendan
It’sa new day and a new opportunity to get the job done. The sun is coming up as I step out onto my back deck, and I sit in one of the chairs to watch it rise while I have my coffee.Andto watch for any sign of Hali Weston next door.
It’ll be several days until I’ll get another chance to see her perform and get a recording for Julius, but I can’t just sit on my thumbs all week, either. I have to try to charm her. To get to know her, a little, and start to foster some trust between us.
But before I can do that, I have to get her totalkto me. According to Hali, we have nothing more to discuss. But I don’t give up that easily. Ican’tgive up until I’ve tried everything. I don’t know if Julius would actually fire me over losing this contract, but it’s not a chance I’m willing to take right now. Not when I’ve barely given this an effort.
The breeze picks up, and the cool, early-morning air feels amazing against my skin. It’s not as humid here as it was in Savannah, and this early in the morning, it actually feels a bit like fall out here. Lifting my cup, I drain the last of my coffee before looking over at Hali’s place.
There’s still no sign of her. Maybe she’s a night owl and likes to sleep in. I might have to wait hours for her to emerge. Heaving a sigh, I stand, then freeze when her back door opens and she steps outside.
Setting my cup back on the table, I dig into the pocket of my shorts for my container of mints. Popping one into my mouth, I shove the small tin back into my pocket and jog down my porch steps to the sand.
“Good morning,” I say as I meet her halfway between our two houses.
She pulls up short, a bit startled. Her expression immediately pulls downward, her eyes narrowed and her lips pinched as she greets me with a simple nod of her head. Unperturbed, I grin and fall into step beside her as he starts walking again.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Howser?” she asks after a long, exaggerated sigh.
“Brendan, please,” I say, keeping my voice chipper.
“Fine. What do you want,Brendan?”
Ouch. I think the daggers in her tone just pierced my skin. This is going to be even harder than I assumed it would be.
“I just thought we could hang out,” I say. “Maybe you could give me a tour of Circe Key. Show me all the local hidden gems.”
“No, thank you.”
“Ouch,” I say out loud this time, slapping a hand to my chest like she stabbed me while my steps stumble. Her stern expression falters, and I see the corner of her mouth twitch like she’s fighting a smile. I cock my head, adding, “That’s not very neighborly of you, Miss Weston.”
She shakes her head and picks up her pace, slipping between our two houses and heading for the street out front, leaving me behind. I hurry to catch up, falling into step beside her once more. Her lips aren’t twitching anymore, and she looks even more irritated than before.
“Do you ever give up?” she asks after several beats of silence.
“Never.”
She huffs out a breath. “Unfortunately, I have somewhere I have to be so I can’t give you a guided tour today.”
My lips turn up into a grin. “Not today” doesn’t mean “never.” Baby steps.
“Do you have another job other than performing atMemaw’son the weekends?” I ask, desperate to keep this conversation going as we walk further and further down the road.
Hali suddenly stops walking, and I skid to a stop beside her. Facing me, she crosses her arms over her chest and taps a toe against the gravel-strewn road.
“Are you stalking me, now?” she demands, her gaze like ice. “Trying to figure out my routine?”
I can’t stop the laugh that barks out of me. “I’d be a terrible stalker if Itoldyou I was stalking you, wouldn’t I?”
Hali cocks her head as her gorgeous green eyes narrow to thin slits. “That’s not a denial.”
