by Scott, Lisa
The lady nodded. “I only bring these out for certain people. I don’t charge much for them, just twenty dollars. I’m more interested in helping people find love than making a quick buck.”
Alana nibbled her lip. Something about the smell of the place, the way the light slanted through the window illuminating the necklace, sent her insides humming. “You really think this is going to work?”
The lady shrugged. “It has for others. It’ll help you find your true-blue love.”
Alana looked at it again. It was a pretty necklace, and she’d pay twenty dollars for it even if it didn’t promise love. Alana shrugged. “What the heck? I’ll take it.” She pulled a twenty-dollar-bill from her wallet and handed it to the woman. When she moved to put it on, the woman grabbed her arm.
“Stop! You must speak your wish first.”
Alana held the charm.
“Over your heart, dear.”
Alana held the necklace in her hand and pressed it over her heart. “I want to find a boyfriend,” she mumbled, embarrassed.
The lady chuckled. “You don’t want just any type of man showing up, do you? You need to be specific about his qualities and characteristics. And you need to say it with conviction.”
Alana blinked a few times, thinking.
“I’ll give you some space dear,” the woman said, “but ask for exactly what you want, because that’s what you’re going to get.” She bustled away.
Alana looked around, but no one was near enough to pay her much mind. She gripped the charm tightly and held it against her chest. She closed her eyes, thinking about what she wanted in a man. “I want someone who makes me glow,” she said, remembering the couple at the beach. What qualities did she like in a man? “I want someone tall.” She scanned her mind for images of total hotness, then remembered the hunk, Jamie, from the novel Outlander her office book club had just read. “Someone tall and handsome with red hair. Scottish,” she said, her heart fluttering at the thought. “Yes, with a wonderful Scottish accent. He has to be adventurous. Brave. Strong. With nice, soft hands. Oh, and funny.” She took a deep breath. “Someone who takes my breath away. So that’s it, rock. Can you get me that in two moon’s time?” She giggled to herself, fastening the charm around her neck. Outside, the wind chimes tinkled again.
She opened her eyes. So where is he? she thought with a laugh, glancing around the store.
Joey and Lauren were still poking around in the marble barrel while Marianne haggled over a stack of dishes. Alana was fairly confident they hadn’t seen her casting a love spell in the back corner of the shop, so she went over to the kids. “What are you looking for?”
“The lady told us there are special purple cat’s eyes marbles in here and we can keep one if we find it,” Joey told her.
“No luck so far,” Lauren said.
Smart lady, thought Alana, keep the kids busy with a tall tale. Then she blushed, wondering if the woman had pulled a similar trick on her. She fingered the necklace, feeling silly now that she’d purchased a love charm.
Noticing how many marbles the kids had spilled on the floor, she picked them up. Then she tried on fancy, old hats. The kids joined her.
“Think I’ll be able to buy a pirate’s hat at the aquarium tomorrow?” Joey asked.
“Argh, I don’t know, mate,” Alana said, doing a very bad pirate impression.
“I want to see the penguins,” Lauren said, walking around as if she were a penguin herself.
Alana copied her and made what she thought was a penguin squawk. “We’ll head there first thing.”
“You can come with us tomorrow?” Joey asked.
Alana nodded, dropping the penguin routine. “I took the whole week off while you guys are visiting me. Family’s important. I don’t get to see you often enough. Next time you visit, you’ll probably be three inches taller. Bet I don’t even recognize you and walk right past.” Alana smiled, though her heart ached as she chattered with the children. She wanted nothing more than to have her own kids. While she knew she could be a single mother, she wanted to share the joy of parenthood with someone. Say, the tall redheaded Scotsman she was bound to meet soon thanks to her new charm.
She laughed to herself and took the kids to the register so they could pay for the small trinkets they’d picked out.
“Are we getting lobster next, Aunt Alana?” Lauren asked.
“Does a lobster have a stomach?”
“Yes?” Lauren guessed.
“Wrong. It has two.”
While the kids discussed that interesting tidbit, Alana led them out the door to her car and touched her love charm, sending one last wish to the heavens: “Make him good with kids, too,” she said. “A kid whisperer.”
***
Doug let out the breath he’d been holding as the beautiful woman and her niece and nephew left the shop. “Alana,” he whispered to himself. It felt nice rolling off his tongue. He could imagine himself saying her name on the phone. Calling it out across the beach or a park to catch her attention. He’d been looking through a crate of old photographs on the floor when he’d heard the old woman’s love charm sales pitch.
He’d froze, entranced by the woman’s reluctance, then quick acceptance, that the charm may indeed be real. And he was thrilled to learn she was looking for a tall, redheaded Scot. It wasn’t often that women listed “redhead” as one of their top desires in men, and this time he was in luck. He did have red hair. He was six-foot-two, which is tall in most people’s books, and he had Scottish ancestors. But no accent, just a neutral American delivery he’d developed for the voice work he did. He’d wiped out his Boston accent years ago. Did a very fine Scottish version, though, when needed, which wasn’t that often, just in the occasional audio book.
His toes tingled, but maybe his foot had fallen asleep, he’d been squatting so long. Once he heard Alana sending her love wishes to the universe, he didn’t have the heart to stand up and embarrass her. But now he couldn’t stop thinking about her. She’d been so sweet and funny with the kids. And she treasured family, just like he did. In fact, he’d just been visiting his grandmother on the Cape before he needed to return to Boston. But most importantly, Alana was single, and obviously anxious to end that status, just like he was.
He took a few photos to the register, wishing he knew where Alana and her family were going for dinner. Did he have the guts to go to the aquarium the next day and hang out by the penguins until she showed up?
He got in his car, thinking for a few minutes. He did like the aquarium. Penguins were cool. He could take the day off and do his voice work in the evening. Alana hadn’t noticed him at the antique store, so it wasn’t like she’d think he was stalking her. They’d bump into each other at the aquarium, and the rest would be history. Maybe she’d be so thrilled to meet a guy who met most of her requirements that she’d overlook the fact he was missing the accent. It seemed a bit desperate the more he thought about it, but how else would he ever find her again?
He ate dinner alone at a small restaurant overlooking the water. He’d been hoping maybe that’s where Alana and her family had been headed, but they never showed up.
Solo dinners had become more commonplace for him, unfortunately. He’d been single since he proposed to his girlfriend a year ago—and she’d turned him down, realizing, no, he wasn’t the one.
He tipped back his beer and attempted to forget that horrible day. Everyone tried reassuring him it was for the best, saying thank goodness he found out when he did instead of marrying someone who didn’t love him. Still, he hadn’t gone out of his way to meet anyone after that. Alana was the first woman who’d caught his interest since then.
And if that wasn’t a good reason to go to the aquarium the next day, he didn’t know what was.
***
Doug arrived at the aquarium right after it opened and headed to the huge penguin display so he wouldn’t miss Alana. He’d been watching the funny little birds swim and eat for quite a while. He tried counti
ng them all—he thought there might be eighty or so, it was hard to keep track—when he finally saw Alana and her family walk in. An hour and a half had passed since he’d arrived, and now his heart was pounding like he’d been running a race. What the hell was he going to say to her? Should he try to bump into her? Ask her a question?
Yes, maybe that was the best bet, he thought. But what? What could he ask her?
Swallowing hard, he considered a few different questions: Don’t I know you? Do you know where the restroom is? No, that was stupid. Have you been on the whale watch tour? Hey. That might be a good one.
He stood and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, not quite believing he was doing this. He walked near the railing where Alana and her family stood, hoping to move closer to her, when she turned and looked at him.
He smiled.
Her face paled as she looked him up and down. Then, she fingered the charm hanging around her neck.
“Hi,” she said. “Are by any chance Scottish?”
He nodded, ready to tell her about his father’s grandfather who immigrated to America. “Aye, I am.” He sucked in a breath. He’d just delivered his best Scottish accent. Blimey! Wait, no. Blimey was Irish. Why had he faked an accent? He was going to have to backtrack, tell her he was kidding.
“You’re Scottish?” she said, almost in a whisper. She gave him the once-over again. “And you have red hair, like…”
“Like who?” Inwardly, he groaned. The accent had come out again.
She shook her head. “Never mind. Are you visiting Boston?”
The look of desire in her eyes nearly killed him. He knew he should clear things up right away, joke about his job as a voice actor, but instead he said, “No. Moved here with my folks years ago, but have not managed to lose the accent.” His stomach turned. Now he was making things up! Why was he doing this?
“Oh, don’t lose the accent. Don’t you dare.” She kept smiling at him, while her sister watched the two of them with a smirk.
“I don’t know. Might just disappear one day,” he said nervously. Did that ever happen? Could he hit his head or something and then pretend to suddenly sound American? He stuck out his hand. “I’m Doug MacLachlan.” Thank God for his Scottish surname.
“Alana Landrey.” She shook his hand, and he squeezed it. “Are you here alone?”
He cringed. Yeah, it might seem weird to be a grown man at the aquarium by himself on a weekday. Hadn’t planned an answer for that. “I am. Love the penguins. Stop here every now and then. Might go on the whale watch tour later.”
“I haven’t been here in a while, and this is the first time my niece and nephew have been here. Can we tag along with you since you know it so well?” she asked.
“Aye, that would be great.” As soon as I grab a map…
“Aye,” she said, swooning a bit. “I can’t believe I met you so soon.” She blinked rapidly a few times. “I mean, I can’t believe I met a guy from Scotland. Here.”
Yeah, me neither, he thought. “Life’s strange sometimes, no?”
“It is. Very, very strange. We’re going on the whale watch tour, too, if you’d like to join us.”
“Sounds fun,” he said.
“Aunt Alana, can we go see the jellyfish?” the boy asked.
“Sure. I just met a nice friend who’s going to show us around. Guys, this is Doug MacLachlan. He’s Scottish!” She smiled. “Doug, this is my sister Marianne and her two kids Joey and Lauren. Her husband, Jeff, is back at the hotel doing work.”
Marianne shot Alana a look that Doug pretended he didn’t see. “Nice to meet you Doug. Mind if Alana and I chat real quick before we move on?”
“Go right ahead. I’ll feed the kids to the penguins if they misbehave,” he said with a wink.
Alana stared at him, and Marianne yanked her aside.
***
Alana squealed softly as they stepped behind a big fish tank.
“I can’t believe you’re trolling for men at the aquarium,” Marianne said, peering at her kids on the other side of the tank.
“That’s not just a man. He’s perfection. He’s Scottish. Scottish, Marianne. You read Outlander. You know what I’m talking about.”
“Want us to leave you alone? Get lost in the shark section?” Marianne asked.
“Would you?”
“No!” Marianne said. “I was kidding. Let’s see how he does with the kids before we declare him perfection. Bonus points to Mr. Hottie if he doesn’t throw them overboard on the whale watch trip.”
Alana and Kim headed toward Doug and the kids, standing by a huge tank. They were making fish faces at each other, Doug waving his hands next to his face like they were fins.
Marianne smirked. “Well, you always wanted kids. Looks like you found yourself one.”
When Alana walked over, Doug blew up his cheeks, then let out the air. “Puffer fish,” he told her.
“Oh, fish charades, is it? How about this one?” She folded her hands in front of her like she was praying, then looked up.
“Um, a shark with the fin in front?” Joey guessed.
Alana frowned. “That’s not even a thing.” She widened her eyes and softly sang, “Ahhhhh.”
Doug snapped his fingers. “Angel fish!”
“Yes!” Alana high-fived him.
Joey lined his arm along his face and stuck it over his head.
“Fish with a question?” Lauren guessed.
“One-armed shark?” Doug guessed.
Joey dropped his arm and rolled his eyes. “A narwhal. Duh. Come on, let’s go look at stuff.”
The kids ran ahead to the sea turtle exhibit, and Marianne chased after them.
“What do you do for a living?” Doug asked as they walked along. “Professional charadist? Charader? Is that a thing?”
“I don’t know.” She laughed. “I’m a paralegal for a divorce attorney.”
“Oh, that probably leaves a girl down on love.”
“No. It’s sad, though, to see lives unravel the way they do. And it’s not always about cheating. Financial problems ruin a lot of marriages. Little lies that turn into big problems.”
Doug nodded. “Lies are bad.”
“What do you do?” she asked.
“I’m a freelancer. Work for a bunch of different advertising agencies. That’s why I’m able to make my own hours and come to the aquarium whenever I like.”
She swallowed hard. “Are you a model?”
He laughed. “No. I do some copywriting and other things.”
“Doug come here!” Joey shouted, waving him toward a tank.
Doug hurried over. “Oh, a lobster. Had one for dinner last night,” Doug said. “Yummy wee things.”
“Does a lobster have a stomach?” Joey asked, with a twinkle in his eye.
“No,” Doug said seriously. “It has two.”
Alana put a hand on her hip and gave him a look. Was that a sign? She’d just explained the same thing not even a day ago. “I’m impressed. Not many people know that.”
Doug shrugged. “Recently learned it,” he said.
Time flew by as they toured the aquarium, and Alana kept bumping into people and walking into the edges of the tanks; she couldn’t keep her eyes off the guy. And she couldn’t believe her charm had worked! Did she dare tell Marianne about it? She had the living, breathing proof right in front of her that it was legit. But still, it seemed…weird. Desperate, almost, that she’d made a wish for a guy.
And that it had come true. She touched her necklace and could’ve sworn it gave her a shock.
They were watching a tank of sea dragons when Alana asked, “So, you’re single?” Just to be sure. With her luck, he was married with a mistress. She hadn’t thought to add he should be single when she made her wish.
“Aye. Proposed to my girlfriend a year ago and she said no. Have not been interested in dating since then.” He looked her up and down. “But then, maybe I just haven’t met the right lass yet.”
“Who wo
uld say no to you?” Alana wondered aloud.
“A girl who didn’t like my bushy red eyebrows, I suppose.” He waggled them for good effect.
“I like them very much. They frame your eyes nicely.” She liked everything about him.
And the kids liked him, too. “Doug, come here and look at this fish!” Joey shouted, tugging him away.
Doug looked back at Alana with a smile and followed the kids.
“Do you think he has a kilt?” Marianne whispered. “That would seal the deal, wouldn’t it?”
“I can always get him one if he doesn’t,” Alana said.
They grabbed a quick lunch, then bought tickets for the whale watch. After climbing aboard the boat, they snagged seats on the top deck. “I’ve never seen a whale before. In the wild I mean,” Doug said.
“Maybe it’ll be your lucky day,” Alana offered.
“Oh, it’s already been a lucky day.” He smiled at her, and her heart squeezed.
“I feel the same way.” Her voice came out light and breathy.
Then Joey wedged himself between them and tapped Doug’s arm. He wiggled his arms and legs.
“An itchy dolphin?”
Joey rolled his eyes and wrapped his hand around Doug’s arm, squeezing tight with his fingers.
“An octopus?” Doug guessed.
“Yes!” Joey fist bumped him, while Marianne shared a smiled with Alana.
As the boat headed out to sea, Joey and Lauren ran to the side for a better look.
Alana shivered from the chill in the air. She hadn’t thought to bring a jacket.
“Here.” Doug took off his sweatshirt and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” She snuggled into the warmth of it, noting the subtle scent of his cologne lingering on the material. She smiled at him, then noticed he was shivering. “Want to go into the covered section?”
He shook his head. “Great view from up here.”
She leaned into him. “I’ll try to keep you warm.”
***
They saw nearly a dozen whales, but poor Doug spent most of the trip leaning over the railing on the lower deck, vomiting. Alana fetched him cups of water and rubbed his back.
“I’m so sorry,” he said weakly as the boat returned to the aquarium.