Fairy Tale Flirts 2! 5 Romantic Short Stories

by Scott, Lisa

  I looked for a shoe to throw in her direction, but unfortunately, I’m quite tidy. You have to be when you live on a boat. “I never should’ve told you,” I hissed. Tweens should be trusted with nothing, I thought. And certainly not matters of the heart.

  “Don’t fall,” she teased. “He’ll be watching.”

  “I never fall.” My family had been putting on water-skiing shows up and down the East Coast since before I was born. It was in my blood. Unfortunately, even though Ari was almost as skilled as me, at age twelve she still had the figure of a seven-year-old. She couldn’t play the role of a lusty mermaid until she filled out. Which was why here I was at twenty, stuck as the fish-woman on a stick in our family’s show even though I really wanted to do something else with my life. Out of boredom I was noticing hot dudes in the crowd.

  “Well, don’t be nervous. Not even one tiny little bit,” she said, closing the door with a giggle.

  “Ariel!”

  “What, Ariel?” she sing-songed back.

  This time I reached for a bed pillow and threw it. As if spending my entire life on a boat with my family wasn’t bad enough, we sisters all had the same name: Ariel, named after my mother. She died right after Ariel was born—the youngest Ariel, that is—the one outside the door tormenting me. Since my oldest sister came first, she went by Ariel. People called me Elle, and my little sister went by Ari. Good thing my parents only had three daughters. I don’t know what we would’ve called the fourth one.

  I took off my shirt and put on the bikini top featuring two large, fabric shells sewn onto each cup. Then I pulled the curly red wig off the mannequin head on my dresser and secured it to my skull with bobby pins and a strap under my chin. Even though I have long, curly red hair of my own, the hair on the wig is longer. And brighter—almost pinkish in color—with sparkling gems and little shells tucked in amongst the curls.

  After slathering on my thick, waterproof stage makeup, I did a few stretches and headed outside. I climbed the ladder down onto our motorboat that Dad would drive for the show. I’d done this routine so many times, I often wondered if I could do it in my sleep. I stopped keeping count two years ago, when I’d reached a thousand performances.

  Two other teams were part of the show, too. They followed us up and down the coast to the different venues. Larry and Mary Canterberry were in their sixties, but their tanned, leathery skin would have you guessing nineties. I suppose once upon a time they didn’t make sunscreen, or Larry and Mary had just chosen not to use it.

  Didn’t matter, though. Larry dressed up as a shark for his routine, and no one in the crowd had any idea how old he was. People loved his act. He actually started off underwater, then rose up fin-first as Mary took off in the boat.

  The Chester family had three kids and two boats. The two brothers and their sister were swashbuckling pirates who chased after the shark and tried to win my heart. While it might seem like one of those guys would be a perfect match for a girl who sailed from port to port with them, the Chester boys were as appealing as chum. Even now at ages twenty and sixteen, Jimmy and Bobby spent much of their downtime in farting contests—it was still funny to see who could make the biggest bubbles in the water. They played video games and ate cheese curls by the bagful. Ari totally had a crush on Bobby, the youngest, but would never admit it. It was a good weapon for me to have if needed.

  Their sister, Jessalyn, seemed too pretty to be related to them. She had long, dark curly hair that she tucked up under her pirate hat. With her fake beard, no one knew she wasn’t a guy. I’d caught her ogling my mermaid costume more than once. She often lobbied to add another mermaid to the show, but that idea was always shot down. If the dirty looks she flashed me could kill, I would’ve been barracuda brunch a long time ago.

  Dad fired up the boat engine and smiled back at me. “Ready?”

  “I’m always ready.” Even though water-skiing was a blast, the best thing about the show was the music. The soundtrack featured me singing. Sure, I lip-synched during the show, but hearing my voice ring out from the speakers was a thrill. If I didn’t have to spend my life on the water with my family, I might have been a singer. I usually took extra-long showers just to accommodate my private karaoke sessions.

  While the Chesters kicked off the show with their antics, Dad drove me over to the big faux rock installed in the cove. I climbed up the side of it and locked my right foot into the ski, waiting for my cue. All of us each used one ski—a slalom ski. It was easier for stunts.

  When the pirates stopped their play-fighting to notice me, Dad zoomed off in the boat, and I appeared to be gliding off the rock. I attached my free foot to the rope-tow so it looked as if I was riding across the top of the water using my tail. That was always good for a big round of applause.

  As I was zooming along, I scanned the crowd for Mr. Hottie. I’d seen him here at least ten times so far this season. He must really like Neverland Island. Or me? Was it me he liked? I wondered. I mean would a guy really stalk you like that without ever taking time to say hi? Who knew? I knew as much about guys as I did about neurophysics. I’d had a few dates here and there, but never a serious boyfriend. How could I, when I was always on the move? Sure, the Chesters found love in each port, then made their teary goodbyes when they left. But that was too hard for me. I hated goodbyes. Maybe that’s why I never got past hellos. Losing a parent when you’re young makes future attachments hard.

  It was time to focus on some of the trickier stunts. I went into a body slide, keeping parallel with the water, a plume kicked up by my feet, when I spotted Mr. Hottie sitting on the concrete ledge where people aren’t supposed to sit. I hoped he didn’t get thrown out.

  The pirates gave chase, so I pulled myself back up and did a 360-spin. Even speeding along the water I could see Mr. Hottie’s wavy red hair, and I thought about how cute we’d look as a couple. How often do you see two redheads together? I’d make bets our hair was the very same shade of red.

  Jimmy began skiing alongside me. This was where we were supposed to be falling in love. I looped my foot around the rope again so I could ski backward and reached out for him. It was all very romantic and lovely. Fortunately, the crowd couldn’t see him waggling his tongue at me. Might’ve ruined the mood.

  I glanced over to see if Hottie was watching. That’s when he stood up, shaded his eyes to look at me, and lost his balance, tumbling into the water. With bad balance like that, our kids will never get up on water-skis. I let go of the rope and quickly unlatched my foot from the ski. I swam to him as he bobbed in the water, and people above scrambled for help.

  “You okay?” I shouted as I got closer.

  “I’m fine, just embarrassed. There’s no CPR for the ego, is there?” He smiled and I smiled back. It was like we were in a teeth whitening commercial with all the grinning.

  I finally reached him and treaded water. Oh, he is handsome close up. “You’re the second one to fall in today. Maybe we should have the crowd join the show every performance,” I joked.

  “I was just trying to get a better look at you.”

  I wasn’t sure if he was teasing. Duh. Of course he was teasing. It’s not like I expected him to shout, “I love you, Elle!”

  As we bobbed in the water, I fought the urge to swim over and kiss him. “I’m not sure how you’re going to get back up there.” The amphitheater had been built right into the water so that the crowd would be close to the show. Now that it was high tide, the water was deep, and the concrete ledge he’d fallen from was a good six feet up.

  Behind me, the pirates and shark were improvising something, but I could feel everyone in the crowd watching me and Mr. Hottie. I was surprised women weren’t launching themselves into the water to get closer to him.

  “You’re amazing to watch. That’s not you singing, too, is it?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Well, not live. But that’s my voice recorded.” I adjusted my pretty pink hair.

  “Multi-talented and a hero on top of that. Ev
ery man’s dream.”

  I thought about dunking underwater so he couldn’t see me blush, but that’s when a security team ran over with a rope.

  He turned to me. “Guess this is where I leave. Sorry for interrupting your show.”

  “Any time.” I knew I should say something more—get his name, ask if I could see him again, find out if he wanted to live in a rubber raft with me on the sea, but spending your life on a boat leaves you with minimal social skills, so instead I watched him climb out. While the crowd applauded, I swam back to the rock where Dad had dropped off my ski. I reattached it and continued the show.

  Once we finished—with me standing on Jimmy’s shoulders waving to the crowd—I ignored Jimmy’s snide comments about his sore shoulders and his suggestion I lay off the bonbons. I returned to the boat and changed out of my costume.

  Ari bounced into my room. “That was crazy! He fell in the water. He, like, literally fell for you. Maybe he was inspired by the guy who jumped in for Aurora?” She sighed. “What was he like?”

  I clutched my wig in front of me, fingering a shell. “Handsome. Funny. Perfect.”

  “Well, not perfect. He may have an equilibrium problem or something,” Ari suggested.

  “I want to see him again. Like now.” I tossed aside my wig and changed into shorts and a T-shirt, then scrubbed off as much of the stage makeup as I could, ready to go out and find him. Performers weren’t supposed to mingle with guests, but this was an exception. An obligation. I needed to be sure he was okay.

  “Can I come?” Ari asked. “I could help you look for him.”

  “No. I’ll be back soon.”

  While she pouted, I hurried off the boat before my father could stop me.

  I looked all around the amphitheater and along the midway but didn’t see him. He’d probably left the park. Who’d want to walk around while soaking wet? I returned to the boat, where my dad was waiting at the top of the ramp, his big arms folded.

  “Ariel! Where have you been?” His beard always quivered when he shouted. You could gauge how mad he was by how much his beard moved. This looked like a six out of ten.

  I stomped onboard, refusing to look at him. “I was trying to find the guy who fell in. To see if he’s okay.”

  “You’re not supposed to be out with the crowds. If you need to get out and take a break, go to the Beach Shack.” That was the bar reserved for the staff. The place where losers went to get drunk and hook up. The Chesters loved it there.

  “Ugh. No thanks.” How would I find that guy again? My only chance to see him was during the show. Thinking about it for a moment, I realized I’d have to skip a performance and search for him in the audience.

  I bit my lip. “Daddy? Do you think I could take a day off? A whole day, not just a few hours?” Calling him “daddy” when I was younger used to get me much more mileage. At twenty, it sounded pathetic, but I didn’t have many weapons in my arsenal.

  “A day off from the show?” He laughed. “We’re able to book this show every year because we have a world champion water skier—you. You’re the star of the show. People aren’t going to come see A Mermaid’s Tale if the mermaid isn’t there. Who’d fill in for you?”

  “I’m not going to work here forever, you know.”

  “I know. Ariel left when she was about your age. We just have to wait for Ari to, uh…” He rubbed his chin. “To grow into the role.” He seemed pleased with his delicate choice of words. “But I can’t give you a day off. It’s in the contract we signed with Neverland Island. They want the world champion water skier performing every day. We could lose our place here if you don’t perform.”

  I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes. “No one should have to work every day.”

  “You get plenty of time off when we travel.” He patted my head like I was ten and went into the cabin of our houseboat while I stood on the deck, fuming.

  “I could fill in for you.”

  I spun around and saw Jessalyn standing on the pier. “You think you could do my routine?” I asked.

  “I’ve seen it hundreds of times,” she scoffed. “It’s not hard. If we have Ari play the role of my pirate, and I play the mermaid, no one will know the difference.”

  I shook my head. “My dad would never go for that.”

  “Don’t people get sick?” She faked a cough. “Especially after jumping into the water to save a stranger?” She pretended to sneeze.

  I squinted at her. “Why would you want to help me?” We’d once unknowingly dated the same surfer when our show was down in the Bahamas, and she performed some very intimate water tricks I wasn’t willing to do. That made it easy for the guy to choose between us. And we were only sixteen, the sea slut. That killed whatever little friendship we’d had.

  “I don’t want to help you,” Jessalyn said. “I want to prove I can do more than silly pirate stunts. Your role is so elegant. Let me practice after the shows today, and we’ll try it tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Let me talk to Ari.”

  ***

  “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!” Ari said, jumping on my bed. “I know Jessalyn’s routine by heart. I know them all by heart, really.”

  Then grow some boobs, already, so you can take my place, I thought. Our older sister was living in a fabulous apartment in New Royalton, working in an antique shop. I had never even spent a night off the boat. I was ready to live amongst the landlubbers.

  That evening, Jessalyn brought over her costume, and I handed over mine. “Thanks,” I said.

  Jessalyn arched an eyebrow. “No problem.”

  ***

  The next morning, I lay in bed trying to look miserable. I’d brushed purple eyeshadow beneath my eyes to help with the effect. Ari brought Dad in to see me. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  I coughed. “I don’t feel well.” Which was partly true. My stomach was a mess of knots just at the thought of talking to hottie man again. It was quite possible I would puke. “Ari had this great idea to play Jessalyn’s part, and Jessalyn could play mine.” I coughed again.

  Dad made a face. “Can’t you tough it out?”

  I shook my head. “Just see how it goes. It’s a good idea to have a backup. We should’ve practiced for this scenario before.”

  He twisted the bottom of his dark beard between two fingers. “But our contract says…”

  “It’s one time. Who’s going to find out?”

  Rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand, he sighed. “Fine.”

  I tried not to squeal, so I coughed again instead. “I might go out for medicine.”

  Dad left the room, and I changed out of my pajamas into a cute sundress, applied regular makeup instead of the stuff I used during my routine, and dashed out the door, hoping Mr. Hottie wasn’t too embarrassed to come back to the show the day after his plunge.

  I walked over to the amphitheater and looked for a gorgeous head of red waves. He wasn’t hard to find. This time he sat in the middle of the front row, a few open spots next to him. Keeping my cool, I walked down the steps and took a seat, leaving one between us. I glanced over at him and smiled. “Hi.” So simple, so clever.

  He smiled back. “Hello.” He returned his gaze to the water. He didn’t seem to make the connection that I was the woman who’d saved his rear the day before. Okay, he didn’t actually need saving, but I’d made the effort. Of course, my hair wasn’t pink today and I wasn’t wearing garish amounts of makeup. Maybe that was why he didn’t know who I was.

  “Great show, isn’t it?” I asked.

  “It’s my favorite. I watch it a few times a week.”

  I offered my hand. “I’m Elle.”

  Her turned to me and shook it. “Eric Prince.”

  Prince. Why did that sound so familiar? “Nice to meet you. How is it you’re here to see the show so often?” I asked.

  “I’m manager of Neverland Island. My father handed over the reins this year after I finished my masters.”

  I froze, but managed to gulp loudl
y. Oh, yes. The Prince family. “You’re the manager? Of Neverland Island?”

  “Yes, it’s my first year here.”

  “That must be really great.” My heart slammed against my chest. What if he figured out who I was? And that I wasn’t skiing?

  “You from out of town?” he asked.

  “You could say that. But I’m in town for a while.”

  “Where do you work?” His eyes were a much paler blue than I’d noticed the day before.

  “I’m not working. Right now.” At this point, I should probably fall in the water to shut myself up.

  He looked ready to ask another question when the show started.

  “Why do you watch this show so often?” I asked.

  He propped his elbow on his knee and settled his chin on his hand, not looking at me. “I’m in love with the mermaid.”

  My jaw dropped. I turned it into a yawn. “Do you even know her?”

  “No. But she’s beautiful, and you can tell by her performance she’s spunky and fun, plus she has an amazing voice. That’s her singing, did you know?” He pointed to the speakers at the front of the stage.

  “Wow, that is super-talented,” I said. “Why don’t you try to meet her?”

  “I haven’t read the entire park handbook, but I’m guessing my father wouldn’t be pleased with me dating the employees. Maybe when the season’s over.”

  I gripped the armrests. “No! That’ll be too late. You have to do it now!”

  He looked at me funny.

  I forced myself to calm down. “I mean, don’t the performers move on to different venues after the season? She could be gone forever.”

  He thought about it for a moment. “You’re right.”

  I nodded. “You should definitely meet her.”

  As the pirates zoomed past, we turned to watch the show. I bit my lip, wondering if he’d realize the regular mermaid wasn’t performing.

  But when Jessalyn zoomed by, he sighed. “Just look at her.”