by Munt, S. K
Lincoln’s mouth and heart dropped simultaneously.‘What?!’ he demanded. ‘Ivyanne I’m not here to fire you-’
‘I know.’ Ivyanne looked up at him from under her lashes, the twinkle extinguished from her eyes. ‘But I was going to resign anyway. At least this way, the other staff will know not to mess with you.’
Lincoln felt like any optimism he’d had left was disappearing down a plug hole. ‘But why are you leaving?!’ His day was quickly sliding the scale from bad to apocalyptically dismal. Already, his throat felt tight. ‘There’s something between you and I-you must see it!’
‘I do.’ Ivyanne smiled sadly. ‘But I see the pointlessness of it too. I spoke to my mother this morning and we’ve agreed that being here is no good for me. It’s making me question things I have no right to question.’ A lock of her wet sandy hair fell in front of her eyes and she plucked out a small piece of brown seaweed. ‘Before I came here I was confused-but now I’m lost.’
‘So stay and let me find you.’ Lincoln stepped forward, his muscles twitching with the need to reach out and pull her against him, to trap her there. ‘You can’t go.’
‘Lincoln I have to.’ She gestured to the air between them. ‘This can’t happen. The reasons why it never would have worked out for you and my sister apply to me too-I’ve already explained this! And so did she! Why can’t you just accept it?’
‘Because you won’t give me a concrete explanation as to why two consenting adults in this day and age who feel what we feel can’t be together.’ He wanted to tell her about the tattoos he’d noticed, but knew that if he started raving on about the investigating he’d been doing, she’d only run faster.
Ivyanne rested her head against his chest. ‘There’s a reason Lincoln but I can’t tell you. And if you knew-you’d run screaming in the opposite direction.’
‘Then tell me.’ He insisted. ‘If it’s enough to freak me out then terrific-I’d like nothing more than to be free of these feelings!’
‘It’s not my secret to give away.’ She lifted her large green eyes to his. ‘I care about you, Lincoln-you know that. But it’s not enough.’
‘You care about me?’ he repeated, finding it hard to catch a breath. She kept saying no no no and yet he was drawn to her as though captured in a magnetic forcefield. ‘That’s all I get? You’ve changed my life! You have to know that I love-’
‘Ssh!’ she whispered, placing a finger to his lips. ‘You’re not in love with me-you love who you were back then with her, and I remind you of it all. But the past is the past. You’re still that awesome guy, and I know you see that now.’ Tears sprang to her eyes. ‘You’re sexy and powerful and wonderful-and yes, I want you so badly that sometimes.....’ Ivyanne closed her eyes briefly, as though summoning strength from within. When they opened, her gaze was serious.‘But the things you think you love about me are special effects, okay? I’m a lie.’
‘Bullshit! You’re everything!’ With one quick moment he batted her hand away from his mouth and clasped it in his own, using it to pull her into him, and against him. Then, before the moment could be lost, he pressed his mouth against hers hungrily, using the other hand to press her face into his, trapping her there.
The kiss sent a shockwave through him, and when she shivered delicately in his arms and moaned into the back of his throat, he felt the magnitude of the shock triple. Her lips, so sweet, so full and searching, ignited a fire in his heart, eradicating his nervous system.
‘I love you.’ He whispered against her mouth, twisting his hand in her hair before pushing her up against the wall. Ivyanne moaned and slapped him on the shoulder in protest at the declaration but he deepened the kiss until she went slack with surrender and clung to him like she was the one drowning.
‘God...Link!’ She turned her head to the side, and he saw the tears streaming down her profile. ‘I love you too!’ Her voice hitched on the words and Lincoln felt his soul levitate. He kissed away her tears before forcing his mouth back on hers. She tasted like salt and ecstasy. Their lips moved in synchronization, and Lincoln felt like he was going to float away in a dream. Suddenly, he was a youth again-the smell of leaf litter on the rainforest floor was sharp in his nostrils, the feeling of waves crashing over his ankles as Ivanna laughingly taunted him to follow her back into the sea as cool and refreshing as it had ever been. Ivyanne’s hands felt like sunlight on his skin as he sat in the lifeguard tower, counting the hours until he could be with his mermaid once more...
Shocked by the similarity of the kiss, thrown by the tricks his mind was playing on him, Lincoln actually broke his hold and stumbled back, mind reeling. ‘Iv-’ he began, but couldn’t finish. His hand went to his mouth, as though a memory were pressed there. ‘That-’
Ivyanne’s eyes were wide and glistening with tears. Her own fingers went to her lips, and she stepped backwards into her room. ‘That was a kiss good-bye-and nothing else.’ She whispered, tears spilling over. ‘I’ll be gone by morning.’ With that, she slammed the glass door shut between them. Seconds later, the curtains behind it were pulled across, blocking him out.
Lincoln exhaled, leaning heavily against the glass door. ‘I’m going to work your secret out you know!’ He called, knowing she could hear him. ‘I’m going to crack the code and then, you will let me into your life!’
There was no answer. He turned and slumped over the porch railing, just as he had done every after fights with Adele. But this wasn’t a fight-it was akin to a nervous breakdown. And now he had a ticking clock in his heart. How was he going to convince her to stay when she’d barricaded herself in her room? How many hours did he have left until she walked out of his life forever?
What just happened? He thought, his mind racing. Why couldn’t I say her name? Whatever distinction there was between his long lost love and the girl in his employ had vanished the moment she kissed him back. His mind as so jumbled with thoughts and accusations and voices that he couldn’t even tug on one to examine it and distinguish it from the others.
He stared down at the ground for a full minute, only snapping out if his daze when he heard the shower being turned on inside. He blinked, and realized that he was staring down at Ivyanne’s bikini. Only something wasn’t right about it. He squatted, tentatively lifting it, conscious that anyone who saw him would think he was a pervert.
‘What the...?’ he whispered, lifting it closer to his face. His attention was drawn by something shiny on one of the larger flaps of wet, sandy fabric. ‘Scales?’ he said, in disbelief. And it was. At least fifteen scales, shimmering in pale lilacs and pastel green, glimmered up at him from the inside of the lining. He dropped the bikini onto as though it had burnt him, stumbling backwards off her porch.
My Mermaid, he thought again. Head spinning, Lincoln took off, as though he could out-run the insanity boxing him in.
⁓
Tristan walked along the sand beside Ivyanne as the confessions poured out of her like a damn had burst, shaking his head in dismay as she recounted every word-every kiss- every feeling she had ever exchanged with Lincoln Grey. Sometimes her voice would strain past the tears, and sometimes her eyes would begin leaking-but the whole time, she kept her chin up and her words concise.
‘So there you have it,’ Ivyanne finally managed, after a twenty minute monologue that had sent his brain spinning in all sorts of different directions. ‘Now you know what a liar I am, and why I am the way I am.’
‘Ivyanne....’ Tristan exhaled heavily. They had been walking along the right hand side of the beach, until they reached the bluff. When it was clear that Ivyanne was only halfway through with her story, they had continued up the scraggy incline, to the look-out, then back down the other side. Now, they were facing the main beach for the town of Seaview. The roofs of houses dotted the lush hillside, and two dozen boats were moored at a small private jetty at the other end of the bay. He could see that halfway down the beach, a group of surfers, most likely locals, were building a bonfire of their own. Surfboards
jutted out of the sand.
But everything around hims seemed blurred, like he was in a nightmare set in a watercolor. Knowing how strong Ivyanne’s ties were to her human made his heart shrivel in pre-emptive surrender.
‘That is a lot to take in,’ he said honestly. ‘If your mother knew all, why didn’t she warn me what I was going up against?’
Ivyanne looked out at the water. ‘Well I guess she respected my privacy in that aspect- if nothing else. Or maybe she was afraid you’d say no to going up against a human rival.’
‘Well, at least Marcus knows that you’re onto him...’
‘You think?’ Ivyanne smiled, tugging on Tristan’s to drag him along. ‘I’m tempted to start randomly kicking bushes, in case he or Ardhi are lurking in one, spying on us.’
Tristan allowed himself to be pulled a long for a few more feet, before gently tugging back his hand. He continued to move forward, but crossed his arms across his chest. A gesture which wasn’t lost on Ivyanne.
‘You’re mad at me, aren’t you?’ she asked, staring at him from the side.
‘A little,’ he admitted. ‘I mean, how angry did you get at me last night over Adele? About my past and all that, when your past is the real issue?’
‘I was jealous,’ Ivyanne said quickly. ‘That’s no excuse, but it’s my reason. And as far Lincoln...I wasn’t lying when I said I knew we couldn’t be together. I mean all I really wanted was for him to benefit from what I could do for him-and then forget me so I can forget him. But he just won’t let go.’
Tristan stared glumly down at his crossed arms, feeling hopeless. He was shocked by how crushed he was to know she’d coveted the human for years. ‘I would have stayed away if I’d known you were that into someone else.’ He eventually said. ‘Whether you intended to be with him or not just change the fact that I walked onto a battlefield that someone had already won. I’m not mad-I just feel like I’ve been cheated.’
‘I didn’t think I could tell anybody!’ Ivyanne exclaimed. ‘I really didn’t. So I was just hoping that I could, you know, get over it. Fall in love with someone else...’
‘Well, sorry if I failed you there.’ Tristan said bitterly. ‘Guess I’m not the Romeo everyone hypes me up to be, huh?’
Ivyanne took hold of his shirt and stopped walking, dragging him back. ‘Tristan, don’t.’ She said, her eyes a shade of Jade in the pinkish light. ‘I won’t have another man’s bruised ego on my head!’
Tristan allowed her to wrestle him to face her, but gazed broodingly past her shoulder, to the horizon. He said nothing-the lump in his throat prevented him from it.
‘Tristan! Come on...’ she wheedled. ‘Look at me.’
But he couldn’t bear to, so he shook his head slightly.
‘Tristan! You thick-headed....argh!’ Ivyanne’s voice rose an octave as she stamped her foot, send a shower of loose rocks down the embankment. ‘Can’t you tell when a girl is opening her heart to you?’
Tristan’s heart skipped a beat. He allowed himself to peek at her, gauging the earnestness in her eyes for authenticity. And when he saw the gleam of affection within their depths, part of him melted.
‘Keep talking.’ He whispered, taking her in his arms. ‘You officially have my attention.’
24.
Ivyanne placed her hands tentatively on Tristan’s waist, and with that tiny gesture, he felt the spark between them burn his skin.
‘Tristan, I like you. A lot.’ She tugged him gently closer. ‘I’m telling you all of this because I trust you. Am I in love with Lincoln? Yes. By human terms, he’s the love of my life-’
‘Maybe you shouldn’t keep talking,’ Tristan muttered, feeling that lump rise again.
But Ivyanne smiled. ‘By human terms, I said. But I’m not human, am I?’ Her skin and hair glowed russet from the rosy sunset. ‘I’m not ready to marry. I have to get over him first, otherwise I’ll always feel like I’m acting.’ She took another deep breath. ‘But I resigned to Lincoln this afternoon. Tonight, I’ll say it again to Chase, so I know it’ll be taken seriously and then, I’m out of here.’ She swallowed. ‘And I’m never coming back.’
Tristan felt hope tugging at his heart. ‘But how will that make a difference?’ he asked softly. ‘You’ve had over a decade to forget him.’
‘Yes, but I have at least twenty five more decades to fall for someone else. As far as my life span goes, I’m an infant. I’ve spent the past twelve years sulking, but that’s done with now. Before I had no choice in who I married, so I stopped choosing to do anything. Now, I want to be happy.’ She smiled tentatively. ‘Besides I’m not being pulled away this time-I’m leaving because I know it’ll never be.’ She touched his cheek. ‘I know that I can love somebody else, if I give him a chance....’
‘Me?’ Tristan whispered, unable to believe his ears.
‘If you’ll wait for me.’ She bit her lip and then released to smile impishly, touching one of his curls gingerly. ‘Yeah I think so.’
Tristan stared at her, confused. ‘When you say wait... do you mean: Hide my head until you can look at it without picturing another guy?’
Ivyanne chuckled. ‘Of all the things I’d want from you, hiding that pretty head is the last.’ She flashed him a brilliant smile. ‘You can do whatever it is you were doing before I came along. We’ll still have our freedom-but with a promise on the horizon.’
‘So… would we be engaged?’
‘No. Definitely not.’ Ivyanne shuddered. ‘I’m not making anything official until the wedding date is set. Being on the mainland has cured me of a few things, but not the belief that whoever slides a ring onto my finger and goes away is probably never going to come back.’
‘What if you stop falling for me?’ They were walking again. Tristan realized that he was sub-consciously leading her towards the marina. ‘I mean, it’s possible.’
‘It’s possible that you might fall for someone else.’ Ivyanne said simply. ‘Don’t all lovers take that risk?’
Tristan wet his lips. ‘What kind of timeline have you got in mind?’
Ivyanne shrugged. ‘Maybe I’ll need ten years, or maybe I’ll be fine in two. Keep your little prince charming act up and I might be okay in three weeks-’ She smiled. ‘But when we’re looking at a possible three hundred year life span, don’t you think the worst case scenario is kind of child’s’ play?’
Tristan thought it over. They passed the group of surfers, who were in the process of spraying the un-lit bonfire with something, and he noticed both himself and Ivyanne getting appreciative looks. Her proposition made a lot of sense. And yet-she wanted to retain some distance. How could he bear to grant her that now that he knew what life was like when it revolved around her? How was he going to sleep at night knowing that everything wonderful in his life was postponed?
‘Your silence isn’t very encouraging,’ Ivyanne suddenly piped up as they approached the docked boats. ‘I really thought you’d like the idea.’
‘It’s growing on me,’ Tristan took her hand, and began to lead her to the first jetty, wondering if she could hear his heartbeat accelerate as his thoughts became plans. ‘But there is a flaw in it.’
‘Which is....?’ Ivyanne’s brow furrowed as she looked around. ‘Tristan, I think this is trespassing.’
‘Nah,’ Tristan said, leading her towards the furthermost mooring. ‘Anyway, like I was saying.... the problem I have, naturally, is on the sexual front.’
Ivyanne’s face turned red. ‘I assumed as much.’
He nodded. ‘Can you blame me? We’ve been hanging out for a week and I’m already losing my mind. If you think I can wait ten years for you, then you have lost yours.’
‘It might not be that long-’ she began to protest.
‘But it could be,’ he pointed out. ‘You’re a complex young lady. I’m not going to risk my mental health on your ability to make a concrete decision any time in the near future.’
‘Mental health?’ Ivyanne scoffed. ‘Why are mermen so
dramatic?’
‘Evolution.’ Tristan shot back. ‘Our testosterone tells us to call the shots but, as mer, we are at the mercy of you females when it comes to breeding.’ He elbowed her. ‘Whereas you girls are wired to nest, hunt and gather independent of us if need be! It’s the one thing about our race that is so unnatural so yes, our excess energy has to be channelled somewhere while we wait to be needed! And I guess it goes straight to the heart.’
‘Very concise, Mr Loveridge.’ Ivyanne said with an approving smile. ‘So how do you propose to level the playing field between us and stop you from carrying on like a chick?’
‘By showing you this boat.’ Tristan stopped at the end of the dock, motioning out to the sleek white yacht bobbing in the peach-tinted water. ‘Nice huh?’
‘It’s okay,’ Ivyanne said, with a shrug. More than likely, she was comparing it unfavorably to the grandiose fleet of sailboats her own family kept docked all over the world. ‘It’s motorized though, yeah? Guzzles the gas?’
‘Well this isn’t a sailing kind of coastline.’ He smiled at her. ‘Want to see inside?’
Ivyanne furrowed her brow. ‘Isn’t going for a walk on a private dock enough rule breaking for today?’ she asked.
But Tristan laughed. ‘It’s not breaking and entering Ivyanne. I pay a lot of money to keep it here.’
She jerked her face around to face him. ‘It’s yours?’
‘Sure is.’ He said with pride. ‘I got it last week so I’d have somewhere to squat if you got me kicked out of the resort. Now I’ll have a portable hotel room every time I come up the coast. Which sounds likely now, if you mean what you say.’ He took her hand, wondering if she could feel his throbbing pulse through the spot where their wrists touched. ‘Come on. I’ll show you round.’
Ivyanne allowed him to pull her along, staring around at the open deck area in awe. It was all pale timber panelling and sleek white couches. ‘It’s really nice,’ she admitted, glancing above to the flybridge. ‘I like all of the solar panels on top. Did you do that?’