Fairy Tale Flirts 2! 5 Romantic Short Stories

by Scott, Lisa

  Dad scooted his chair closer to me and took my hand. “My greatest fear when your mother died was that I wouldn’t do a good job raising you three girls. And if you’ve found a man you care about and a life you love, then I can put that fear to rest. Ariel has found her way, and so have you. That makes me very happy.”

  I flung my arms around his shoulders. “So you won’t be mad?”

  “I’ll be mad if we don’t Skype once a week. But I don’t want you following an old man on an old boat the rest of your life. Let’s give Ari her time in the sun now. I think she’ll be happy with this a few more years, then who knows? We’ll go where life takes us.” He kissed my head. “Good luck. You’ll be great tomorrow.”

  ***

  I spotted Eric’s bright head of hair in the audience as I stood off to the side of the stage. I resisted waving to him because I was already nervous, and I needed to focus. I waited until five after ten because there are always stragglers showing up late, but then I waved to the crowd as I walked onstage. “Good morning ladies and gentleman and congratulations! You are the very first people to see the brand new, exciting Mermaid’s Tale.”

  The crowd applauded, and I glanced at Eric, who gave me a thumbs-up.

  “My name is Elle, and I’m here to tell the tale of the mermaid who wanted to be a girl, and the girl who wanted to be a mermaid.” That was the cue for Mr. Chester, who started driving the boat with Jessalyn in tow. And then I started singing, telling the tale of Ari, the girl who dreamed of living in the sea, and Jessalyn, the girl who dreamed of living on land.

  Ari ran down the stairs of the amphitheater onto the stage, looking out over the water longingly. Then Jessalyn skied past and I sang about her dreams to live on land. Jessalyn climbed onto the faux rock that we’d moved in front of the stage. Then Larry skied out, dressed like King Titan while I reverted back to story-telling mode.

  “Hearing their desires delivered at exactly the same time, King Titan arrives to grant their wishes.” Then I paused so Ari could dive into the water, where she’d unfold the bottom of her skirt that was tucked up in her waistband and secure it around her feet so it looked like a mermaid tail. Jessalyn dove into the water from her rock and did the opposite, undoing her tail and tucking it under her waistband so it looked as if they’d been transformed.

  Jessalyn climbed a ladder onto the stage, while Ari stuck the ski on her foot in the water. Then Ari was off skiing with Jessalyn watching. Jessalyn dashed through the audience, pulling people up to dance in the aisle while I sang about the delights of being on land. I looked over at Eric and the pride on his face almost made me stumble over my vocals. I focused on the shark brothers who kidnap Ari, and then on Jessalyn, who gave up her life on land to return to the sea to save Ari.

  When the show was over, the crowd jumped to their feet, applauding and whistling while I sang the closing rendition of, “Everyone Wants to be a Mermaid.”

  Afterwards, as the crowd filed out, Eric swept me into a hug. “I can’t believe you did all that in two days. It was amazing!”

  Tears pricked my eyes. “Well, everyone helped. They were very excited about it.”

  “So you’re not skiing in the show?” He looked confused.

  “I love singing, Eric.” I couldn’t hold back my smile.

  He reached for my hand. “They’ll love you in the Bahamas. Is that your next stop?”

  I bit my lip. “I’m not going to the Bahamas.”

  “No?”

  “I want to stay here. With you.”

  “You want to give up life on the road? Stop traveling with your family?”

  I squeezed his hand. “I love working with you. I love singing. I want something different. If that’s okay with you.”

  “If that’s okay with me? I fell in the water trying to get a better look at you, and now you want to stay here with me?” He hugged me. “There’s so much more we can do to the park to bring the magic back. You’re going to help me do that, Elle.”

  “But I’m going to sing while I’m still here. Mary is going to take over the act when everyone leaves.”

  He stepped back and looked at me. “You’ve spent your life on the water. You sure you’re not going to miss it?”

  I shrugged. “If I do, I can always do this.” I grabbed his hand and jumped into the water below, pulling him in with me. Laughing, we sputtered to the surface.

  “What was that for?”

  “I wanted you to kiss me in the water that day. So here’s your second chance.”

  As we bobbed in the gentle waves, Eric’s salty lips found mine. “You’re right. Not everyone wants to be a mermaid. I just want the mermaid.” He slid his hands around my waist.

  “You’ve got her.”

  He cleared his throat. “Do you think you could keep the costume, you know for special occasions?”

  I laughed and pushed him underwater. Then he pulled me down too, and we kissed beneath the waves.

  Say My Name

  Patti looked up from her mountain of crumpled tissues and wrinkled her nose. “That’s what you’re wearing to Neverland Island?”

  I did a quick three-sixty in front of her closet door mirror, taking in my tight black pants and off-the-shoulder shirt. I kicked up my high-heeled sandals, pleased with the getup. “What’s wrong with it?” My hair still held its curls after an hour in hot rollers and half a can of Aqua Net.

  Her lips twitched. “You look like Sandy from Grease. At the end, when she’s at the carnival.” Her cynical scowl appeared. She’d made that face so often growing up, my mother warned it would freeze that way. Mom had been right. Patti had two permanent creases in her forehead. “Are you trying to copy slutty Sandy because you’re going to an amusement park?”

  My older sister had always been critical of my outfit choices. I balled up a fist and planted it on my hip. “What? No! Well, maybe. When Sandy showed up looking like this, she got everyone’s attention, and if you want me to find your scummy ex, I thought this would work.” I took another look in the mirror at my tight outfit. If I were going to a movie-themed costume party, I’d win a prize for this ensemble.

  She rolled her eyes. “Are you also going to flick a cigarette on the ground and grind it with your shoe?”

  “Tell me about it, stud,” I mumbled. Yeah, that might be too much. I made a mental note to leave the pack of menthols at home. I didn’t smoke anyway, and good thing. Those suckers were expensive.

  Patti sniffed loudly. “Well, Devon likes women who are hot or rich. That’s what I heard him say on the phone. ‘Hot or rich. Either one will do.’” She snatched a tissue from the box, blowing her nose loudly. “I had the rich part down, you’ve got the hot part down for sure, Colleen. If you find him, he’ll fall for you like that.” Patti snapped her fingers, and then started crying again.

  I sat on her bed and rubbed her back. “Patti, it’s not like I’m going to fall for him. I’m just trying to bust him, turn him in to the police. I’m sure you’re not the first woman he’s swindled. He needs to be stopped.”

  She shredded a tissue, the pieces fluttered into her lap. “I know. And I really appreciate you doing this. The cops said there was nothing they could do because I willingly gave him the money and jewelry. You’re my only hope for revenge. I’m sorry I don’t have more for you to go on.”

  I reached for the only snapshot she had of her lying, cheating scumbag ex, Devon. His hand obscured most of his face in the picture, but I could see one bright blue eye and a tumble of dark hair between two blurry fingers. I’d been suspicious when Patti had found a gorgeous, younger millionaire boyfriend. Hot young rich dudes don’t usually seek out forty-something women who prematurely wear support hose.

  In the entire month they’d dated she talked about him every day, yet I never met him. Now guilt hounded me for not voicing my concerns earlier. It was just that Patti had seemed so happy with him—until he convinced her to invest in a new business he was starting, and then he disappeared with the cash and jewelry
she’d given him.

  “No tattoos or piercings?” I asked.

  “No. And while he told me his name was Devon, I overheard him on the phone that day saying something like ‘Yo, you can count on me, I’m Rumple Stilt Skin.’ Or maybe it was ‘Rum and Spilled Sin?’”

  I blinked at her. “You dated a guy who said, ‘Yo?’”

  She ignored my comment. “Maybe he’s in a gang and that’s his nickname. ‘Rummy Steel Shin.’ It was an odd name.”

  “Super helpful,” I said. “But you’re sure he said he was going to be running a gold operation at Neverland Island?”

  Patti nodded. “None of it made sense to me at the time. I was going to talk to him about it, but he disappeared the next day. I don’t know what a gold operation is, but I’m sure it isn’t legit if he’s part of it.”

  I pulled out a tube of bright red lipstick and slicked on another coat, as if I could layer on confidence. I paused. “Was Sandy wearing a scarf in that scene?”

  Patti rolled her eyes. “You’re thinking of the chick at the car race.”

  I snapped my fingers. “Right, right.”

  “Are you sure you can do this? You’re not the best liar. When Claudia asked Mom if Santa was real, you had to run from the room and avoid her the rest of the day.”

  “I didn’t want her to learn the truth from me.” My little sister had cried buckets when I filled her in on the tooth fairy. I wasn’t going to spoil Santa, too.

  “And the time the cop gave you a ticket, you volunteered that you’d been talking on your cell phone right before he pulled you over for speeding. And then you told him my car had a busted tail light back home.”

  I stood and gritted my teeth. “Well, this is my chance to become an expert liar. I’m up for the challenge. But how am I going to know for sure it’s him?”

  “You’re going to have to get him to say his name. His gang name—Rumpy Stillman. Or whatever.”

  “All right. I’m on it. And while I’m chasing bad guys, your assignment today is to get dressed for the first time this week.”

  Patti burrowed under her lacy pink comforter, sending wadded-up tissues and candy bar wrappers spilling to the ground.

  I took one last look in the mirror. “Neverland Island—where you’ll find your happy ending. Here I come.”

  ***

  Heads turned as I walked through the amusement park at Neverland Island humming “Summer Lovin’” to myself. A guy selling kettle corn whistled at me, which was surprising, given his missing front tooth. Three teenaged boys followed me down the strip of vendors, giggling and pushing each other my way, as if I was a prize they’d win if only they could knock me over.

  I stopped and looked at them. “Seriously?”

  Their faces turned beet red, and they hurried off.

  I paused to check out a guy standing outside a jewelry shop. His dark hair was pulled into a ponytail, and he looked shifty. But he wasn’t hot. Thunder rumbled overhead. I swore to myself and glanced around for a shop that might sell umbrellas.

  “Hey, you work down at that X-rated candy shop?” a guy asked me. “I was wondering if they had lollipops shaped like—”

  “Sorry, I don’t work there!” I walked faster, thinking maybe I should’ve gone for the sweet Sandy look instead. But that probably wouldn’t have attracted the attention of Devon—or Runkled Spillman.

  Maneuvering in my high heels on the dusty, uneven pavement was hard enough. Trying to outrun the rain was impossible. When the first drops hit, I headed for an ice cream stand with an awning. But then the sky opened, and rain fell like cold bullets. I swore out loud this time, and someone reached out and pulled me into a doorway.

  “You can wait in here until the storm passes by,” said the good-looking guy whose fingers were now clamped around my elbow.

  “Thanks.” I looked up at him, and goose bumps appeared faster than the rain had. Bright blue eyes smiled at me, and his face was framed by dark, curly hair. Judging by the way my insides instantly said, “Yes, oh, yes, I will do you right here and now, several times if you’re up for it,” I thought there was a very good chance this could be Patti’s guy—either that, or I was channeling Slutty Sandy.

  I felt a little wobbly. He must’ve noticed, because he pulled out a folding chair from behind the booth where stuffed bears and fuzzy dice hung from pegs.

  I sat down. “Thanks.”

  “Can’t imagine it’s easy walking around in shoes like that, especially here. But I like it. I like all of it.” He crossed his arms and smiled.

  Oh, this sounded like Patti’s guy. My clothes were stuck to me, and my hair was slicked across my cheeks and forehead. I waited for a joke that had something to do with being wet, but to his credit, he didn’t go there. “I’m, uh…Sandy,” I said, mentally kicking myself for not having coming up with a better pseudonym before.

  He smirked. “Yeah? And I’m Danny. Danny Zuko.”

  Guess he’d seen the movie a few times, too. “Ha, ha. No, really, what’s your name?” I asked.

  He stared at me for a moment. Thunder rumbled in the distance. “Junior.”

  “Junior what? Nobody is actually named Junior.”

  He shrugged. “That’s what everyone calls me. So, I’d say that’s my name.”

  Not at all like Rump and Shell Fin, but he probably wouldn’t give it up that easy. I felt annoyed, but then I remembered I needed to seduce this guy, get him to try and swindle me, and reveal his name. Probably wasn’t going to happen in a day. I ran my fingers through my hair, sweeping my damp tresses over one shoulder. I tried to make my voice sound breathy. “So, Junior, what do you do here?”

  He watched me, amused. “I’m running the guess-your-age-and-weight booth.”

  I looked out the window of his little shack and saw the giant scale. “You better not guess either one for me.”

  He laughed, and I was dismayed that it was a wonderful sound that left me tingling. I’d have to ask Patti if her nether regions buzzed when Devon had laughed.

  His phone rang. Snapping his gaze away, he reached for it and answered, “Yo.”

  My heart thumped at that one little word.

  Scratching his head, he turned his back to me and lowered his voice, but I could hear him say, “Twenty-four karat?”

  I struggled to swallow, unsure what to do. This was the guy. No doubt. I hadn’t expected to find him so quickly. But I still had to get him to try scamming me. I took a deep breath, reassuring myself I could do this. I’d taken on persistent telemarketers and I’d scared off door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesmen, so netting a criminal should be no sweat, right?

  Finished with his call, he slid the phone back in his pocket and looked out the window. “Storm’s passed, and while I’ve got many more questions for you, I’ve got to be somewhere. You going to be around?”

  “Oh, yes. I’ll be here for quite a while. There’s a Grease celebration going on today. I guess the fried food stands are sponsoring it. That’s why I’m dressed like this.” The lies were rolling like a freight train. Patti would be proud.

  “Cruise on by if you get the chance.” He looked me up and down. “One-fifteen.”

  I narrowed my eyebrows then felt myself blush. He was ten pounds off. Well, more like thirteen. Or fourteen.

  “Am I right?” he asked.

  I tipped up my chin. “Yes,” I said, lying again. “You guessed it right on the nose. You win.”

  He plucked a little teddy bear from a peg and tossed it to me. “Take this anyway.” He walked out the door, waited for me to follow, then locked it behind me. He pulled down the metal cage in front the prizes.

  He winked. “See you later, Sandy.” He walked away whistling “Hopelessly Devoted.” You’d think a guy like him would be whistling “Greased Lightning.”

  Shaking my head, I watched him go. One-fifteen my butt. He knew how to charm a woman, all right. So why the hell was my heart beating so fast?

  Clutching my little bear, I strolled around the
park, peeking at the different vendors, wondering where and how this gold operation might be going down. I sampled food at a few stands. A lot of stands, actually. Junior probably would need to add five pounds to his guess next time he saw me.

  How was I going to get him to scam me? This was about more than making him think I was hot. I needed to make him think I had money. I stopped inside a store that sold jewelry and makeup and all sorts of glittery things that made women go, ‘Ohh.’

  I picked out a few flashy rings and a thick chain of fake gold. While I cashed out, I noticed more jewelry beneath the glass counter.

  The girl ringing me out snapped her gum. “That’s the real stuff under there. We buy and sell gold and silver. Good prices.”

  A curtain hung in a doorway behind her, and I could hear voices in the room beyond.

  “Do you have things for sale back there?” I asked.

  “Not exactly,” she said, tapping at the register. “Twenty-two eighty.”

  I paid her and left the store with my new items, planning to wear them the next day. Had Junior been in that back room? Had he seen me? And what scam could he possibly be running here at the park?

  I walked by his booth. He wasn’t there, so I watched the mermaid show at the amphitheater to kill time. Then I returned to the row of vendors and games where Junior’s booth was located and found him trying to guess the age of a little kid.

  He spent a minute looking at the boy, even getting out a tape measure to see how tall he was while the kid giggled. Junior wrote down his guess on a piece of paper. “All right. I’ve got my guess. How old are you?”

  “Seven.”

  Junior slapped his forehead and groaned, showing the little guy his paper. “I said ten. You win. Pick out a prize.”

  The kid ran over to the prizes and spent at least five minutes hemming and hawing over which stuffed goody to pick.

  I walked over to Junior and whispered, “You’re not a very good guesser. You must’ve gotten lucky with me.”

  He winked at me. “I’d love to get lucky with you.”