Page 80 of Bewitched By the Sea Monster
The kelpie shook her head, dropped into another curtsey, and dove into the depths of the pond.
“Well!” The man who ran the kelpie exhibit stepped out from where he’d been resting against the bleachers, and beamed at the crowd, waiting until the resonant applause quieted before he continued, “What a performance, huh? I’ll tell you, I’ve beenhere five years, and these lovely ladiesstilltake my breath away. Now, if you enjoyed today’s performance and you’re a big kelpie fan, don’t forget to check out the gift shop. The funds go not only to making the environment better for our lovely ladies”—he swept his arm over the pond—“but can also help us expand this experience in the future.”
And there it was again: that sour emotion, wriggling around inside my chest.
“Ooh, babe.” Jackson jerked my arm when the commencement speech ended and people began to move. “I didn’t realize Kianwas going to be here!”
“Who?”
“Kian Reed,” Jackson said. “We met him last night, rem—Oh, well, wait.” He squinted. “You were at the buffet when he gave me the cigar, and the smoke ring contest might’ve been after you left?—”
“Smoke ring contest?”
“But he’s a cool dude. You’d like him.”
I turned, shifting through the crowd to see who he was pointing at. My eyes instead snagged on the familiar forms of Melany and Sarah as they stood from the bleachers directly opposite us.
Melany saw me too, and she gave a great beaming smile as she waved.
“Melany and Sarah are here too,” I said. “This was a popular show today.”
This time it was Jackson’s turn to go “Whooo?”Like an owl. “Oh.Them,” he chuffed after he followed my gaze.
“Don’t be rude,” I chided. “They’re sweet people. I like them.”
“Of course you do.”
I whipped my head around, stunned by the harsh way he’d responded. “I’m sorry?”
Jackson shifted and stared ruefully down at his feet. “You like everyone,Pippi. But yeah. Whatever. We can go say hi to them too. But Kian’s right this way, so why don’t we hit him up first? I really think you’ll like him. We’ll be just five minutes. Then I’m all ears for girl talk.”
My smile was so forced it hurt. “Yeah. Okay. Sure. Where is he?”
“Right over here. C’mon.”
As we descended the steps, I caught Melany’s eye again. She cocked her head toward Sarah, motioning for me to join them.
I pointed at Jackson and shrugged.
And she laughed, waving her arm like she understood completely, before she pointed at the pond and gave me two big thumbs up. Behind her, Sarah huffed and tried to pull the“Oh-em-gee, I can’t believe I made this loony tune my life partner”sort of face, but she was smiling too. And when she slung her arm around Melany’s shoulders, pulling her in for a kiss…
My hearthurt.Suddenly, and viciously, as though someone had fired a bullet clean through it.
Jackson and I didn’t have that.
That warmth, and affection, andlovethat poured off Melany and Sarah, the way they looked at each other, full of adoration and awe.
Had Jacksoneverlooked at me like that?
Had I ever looked athimthat way?
My gut squirmed.
Oh no.
I turned to Jackson, searching for his eyes, his emotions, anything I could grasp on to. Anything that would tell me I was wrong.
But he had his gaze fixed on Kian. And even when I clawed at his hand, silently begging him tolook at me,he offered me only a brief, lukewarm glance.
