Fated - A Mermaid's Curse 2 (9 page)

“
They’re probably using a conference room,” says Carol.

“
Of course. I’m sure they are.”

Carol leads me to her car and drives off. We end up at a clothing store.

We walk in and Carol starts to look around. “Please, just get whatever you’d like,” she says.

“
Oh, I couldn’t,” I say and then remember that I have nothing else to wear. Then I look around, feeling lost, swamped by clothes that are too fancy.

Carol laughs to herself. “What was I thinking?” she mumbles. “You’re no older than my daughter. Come. We’ll go to the store next door.”

I feel more comfortable as soon as we walk in. Carol says I should look around and get whatever I would like as she picks up a few things to send her daughter. Blake said we’d be here for two days at the most so I just get enough for those days.

I look over at Carol who is smiling at me. “Are you sure this is okay? It’s just that all my things were at the island and I have nothing with me.”

“
Oh, sweetheart, of course! I’ll send a message to our housekeeper and ask her to stop by the store to pick up toothbrushes and other necessities for you.”

When we finally leave the store, I’m exhausted. And somehow I ended up with extra clothes. At some point, Carol asked that I held her things while she ran to the store next door. When she returned, she had a dress and shoes in the bag, which I had yet to see. She said it was a gift and that I would need it for dinner. She said she hoped I didn’t mind. I didn’t understand why we didn’t just go to the store afterwards, at least not until I saw the price tag. Money is something new to me, but I know that was entirely too much.

When we get back to the house, I see Blake’s car on the driveway and my heart skips a beat.

The house is big, really big, yet, simple. Carol says that I can leave the bags and someone will get them for me. As we walk the short distance to the front door, I notice that there are a lot of flowers everywhere. Carol catches me looking and says, “I’m a bit obsessed with gardening, especially since Jane left for school.”

She smiles at me and opens the door. I see Blake stand as soon as he sees me and I rush to his side. He puts his arms around me, “Did you have a good time?”

I look over at Carol and smile. “Yes, I had a great time.”

“
So, how did it go?” asks Carol.

“
Great!” says Mr. Jones. “Mikaelis is a new client. We’re signing the papers over dinner tonight.”

I look over at Blake, “Yeah. Dad should be happy, but I guess that means we’ll head back either tonight or first thing in the morning.”

I nod at him and catch Carol watching us.

“
Actually,” she looks at her husband and winks, “why don’t you stay for a few days. Mike can tell your dad that he needs your help with other things. That will give you and Arianna some alone time.” She now looks at me and winks.

Mr. Jones looks confused, but shrugs. “It’s not a bad idea. Please, do stay. Besides, I still want the full story on how the two of you got together.”

“
Mike!” Carol scowls him.

“
What? I’m curious!”

She shakes her head at him.

“
Blake, Arianna, I’m sure you need rest. Come. I’ll show you the guest room and will fill Mike in on everything his gossiping self wants to know.”

Mr. Jones lets out a laugh and Blake reaches for my hand, as we follow Carol to the guestroom.

Carol wastes no time in leaving us alone. When we walk into the room, I find mine and Blake’s things are already there.

“
So,” says Blake, “sounds like Carol is well informed about us.”

I tense and look at him. “Is that okay?”

He nods. “Of course. I’ve known them since I was a little. Mike has been dad’s partner since then. He runs the office here in town. They’re good people.”

“
I can tell,” I smile at him.

He sighs. “We have a few hours before dinner. We should rest before we have to get ready and leave. I know you had a long day and I’m not sure I can stay awake a minute longer, no matter how many cups of coffee I drink.”

“
Okay,” I say.

I’m still wearing the same clothes from last night and I can’t wait to change. I go to the bag of clothes and grab a tank top and shorts that I got while out with Carol.

I start to change in front of Blake and I hear him groan. I put the tank top on and hear him say, “I wish I wasn’t this tired,” he says. “Well, that and you need to rest. I know that with everything that happened—”

I rush to him, putting my lips on his because I don’t want to talk about it and I don’t want to bring up what we lost because of what I am. His arms go around my back, he reaches under the back of my shirt and his fingers graze against my skin, sending chills all over my body.

When we stop kissing, he says we really should rest, but I can see his concern for me. He takes his shoes and his shirt off and I freeze when I see the tattoo on his chest. Then I slowly move my hand up while he watches me. I run my fingers against the outline of the tattoo.

He flinches when I touch it.

“
It’s still healing,” he says. “I got it because it reminded me of you,” he says. “I kept thinking about the day when you and Molly were playing, and the story she made up when she was in that accident about seeing you as a mermaid, but also because,” he sighs, “you are my fairy tale, Arianna, and the mermaid represents that. You’re just too good to be true.”

I freeze knowing that is far from the truth. Knowing that I have flaws that he needs to know about and how there are things he will never be able to have for as long as he is with me.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath to keep myself from crying. Then I open my eyes and smile at the way he watches me.

“
If you don’t like,” he says, “I can get it removed.”

“
No,” I say and smile. “I love it. I was just surprised, that is all.”

He smiles back at me as he reaches into his pocket, “I can’t believe I almost forgot to give this back to you.” He opens his hand to reveal the mermaid necklace he gave me. He moves my hair to the side and puts the necklace on. I run my fingers over the chain and stop over the mermaid pendant. For a moment, I’m glad that he had something of mine other than the ring that Bram gave me.

“
Are you okay?” he asks.

“
Yeah.” I take a deep breath and walk toward the bed.

Blake takes his pants off and follows me to bed. We get under the covers. He sets the alarm and pulls me to where I’m laying against his chest, right next to the tattoo and where I can hear his heartbeat. He runs his fingers through my hair until we both fall asleep out of exhaustion.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

We sleep right through the alarm.

We wake up to a knock on the door.

Blake looks at the clock and sees that we have an hour before we have to leave for dinner. “Shit.” He pauses. “We’ll be out soon,” he yells out.

“
Okay,” we can hear Carol from the other side. “I just wanted to make sure you were up. We’re leaving in about forty-five minutes.”

“
Okay,” says Blake. “Thanks.”

He leans over and kisses my forehead. “Why don’t you go and get in the shower while I check my email.”

I nod and walk into the bathroom. I turn the water on, and when I get in, the feeling is no different then the first time taking a shower after leaving the ocean behind. The water’s temperature needing to be adjusted and the way it hits my skin are things that I will never get used to. I close my eyes and try to think of the ocean, of how the water calms and relaxes every part of my body. I’m just starting to feel that when I hear Blake yell at someone.

“
That is absurd and you know it! ... No, I’m not disrespecting you to your face. You know I’m with Arianna. You even said that was fine as long as I was still working for you, which I am and that she didn’t come to the house… Of course I want to keep mom and Molly in my life. That was never a question, but bringing Brooke to dinner just for appearances is ridiculous!”

I turn the water off. I freeze and tense as I hear every word he says. I can’t believe what I’m hearing and in a way, I knew all of this was too good to be true.

“
You know, what? Fine, dad. If she wants to meet us there, whatever, but Arianna is coming, too… Of course she is here and I’m sure you already knew that! … Why else? No, I’m not trying to be disrespectful, okay. I don’t understand what difference it makes for Mikaelis that Brooke is there with me, I mean… why put on the act when he’s already signing the papers… yes, I know… he’s friends with Brooke’s dad who referred him to us. Yeah… fine.”

I stare at myself in the mirror wondering if things will go back to how they used to be in the beginning; yet, I can’t ask Blake to change. I can’t ask him to do something that will jeopardize his relationship with his mom and Molly. Still… I can’t keep myself from getting mad.

When I hear footsteps around the room and then approaching the bathroom door, I turn quickly around and lock the door.

“
Arianna,” says Blake.

I don’t say anything.

“
You heard me on the phone, didn’t you?”

I take a deep breath and swing the door open. He has this apologetic look that is a mix of hurt, regret, and everything else bad.

I still have the towel wrapped around me and as much as my brain is telling me to walk past him and throw a fit, my heart can’t stand to hurt him for something that is not his fault.

Blake just watches me as he looks for the right words.

I bite my bottom lip, then let go and sigh. “Should I stay here while you go to this dinner?”

“
Absolutely not,” he says. “I want you there with me. I’m done playing his games. If she wants to meet us at the restaurant, fine, but I’m bringing you.”

I smile at him and feel my body relax. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist. “Thank you,” I say.

“
Why are you thanking me?”

“
Because I couldn’t endure a minute of thinking of you and her alone.”

He could have made a million comments about my being jealous, which I was, but he didn’t. He simply leaned down and kissed me, then pulled away slowly and told me that he was going to get a quick shower and that we had to get going.

I open the bag from Carol to find a black dress inside of it. I put it on and look at the mirror. The straps are thin, it is low cut, yet elegant, and it comes to right above my knees. I really do love it. I then grab the shoebox and freeze when I see the pair of heels. I start to panic knowing that I can’t walk in these.

I hear a soft knock on the door and this time I open it, holding my shoes on one hand.

I find Carol standing in front of me.

“
Oh, you look wonderful, Arianna.”

Then she sees the look on my face and asks what’s wrong.

And there are so many things wrong, but I start with the shoes and I look from her to them. “I can’t walk in heels,” I say.

She giggles. “I guess I should have checked with you first, huh?” She pauses for a second. “Come with me. You can borrow a pair from Jane. You’re the same size.”

I follow her into this room that is twice the size of Blake’s apartment. All white furniture and very organized. Carol opens the walk in closet and waves me in. I gasp as soon as I see the size and everything that is in it.

Carol smiles. “I always told her she keeps too much stuff around. Twice a year I have to practically make her go through everything and donate some things. Anyway… you can find all her shoes down there.” She points to the back of the closet, walks in and grabs a pair of shoes. “Here. These will look great!” she hands me a pair of flat shoes, black, which I put on.

She looks at the heels. “This is really too bad,” she says, looking at the heels. “Why don’t you put them on anyway and see how you feel walking around in them.”

“
I—hmm—okay,” I give in.

I put on the pair of heels and I feel like I did the first time I walked with legs. I stop to take a deep breath and concentrate knowing that if I had done that I could do this too, but once Carol tells me that walking with heels on carpet is easier than smooth floor, like the one at the restaurant, I know this won’t happen.

I sit on the bed, take the heels off and put on the flat shoes again.

“
There is something else bothering you, isn’t there?” she asks.

I nod and have to fight back the tears. “Blake got a call from his dad earlier. He says that Brooke has to be at the dinner with him, especially because her dad recommended this client.”

She shakes her head, “Sometimes I wish I could slap that old man. What did Blake say?”

“
He couldn’t argue with that, but Blake said that he wants me there either way.”