Page 96 of Shark Bait

Damn. “If you don’t like her, why did you bring her to see Mom and Dad?”

“Levi insisted.”

“Levi?” I say a little louder.

“What?” Levi says from a spot next to my aunt and across from Denver’s girlfriend.

“Nothing,” I say.

Levi shrugs and throws a roll at Denver’s girlfriend.

She catches it with a smile that makes her face glow. Levi winks at her.

Now, Levi is flirtatious and a playboy, but even he wouldn’t “make eyes” with Denver’s girlfriend at our Thanksgiving table. I glance at Denver, who looks at me dead in the eye. “Our girlfriend. Our business.”

GOOD LORD.

Just when I thought my life was interesting, Denver tells me he shares a girlfriend with Levi.

Denver picks up my buttered roll and shoves it into my gaping mouth. “Eat.”

I chew like a good doggy, still stuck on theourgirlfriend part but he’s moving on.

“We’re thinking about renting one of Mike’s new cabins, but,” Denver whispers, “he looks familiar. I can’t put my finger on it, but that’s making me hesitate for some reason.”

Oh no. Have they met? Of course they met! I forgot. They had to have met since they both arrived in the same van under the bridge. I don’t know why Denver doesn’t recognize Shark.

I prop my hand under my chin, pretending I’m looking at Mike. “He looks like a…dude. Many guys look like him.” And that’s Shark’s ruse. Shark wants to appear as an everyday man who lives an average life integrated with his new community. He’s a newcomer who is having dinner with the family next door. These are all the things he didn’t have growing up as a child.

As my aunt chats him up, he strokes his beard. It’s the beard! And the hair. Denver can’t recognize the hitman he might’ve met back then because they look nothing alike. This man is a completely different person, with warm brown eyes and steady,strong demeanor. Hell, if I hadn’t seen Shark when he grows his beard and hair, I wouldn’t recognize him either.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Denver says. “Hey, Mike, how long before you have a cabin ready?”

“In the spring.”

That’s music to my ears. “Which property did you buy?” I ask. There’s so much land around here, but it’s all bought up, and we know who owns what.

“Mom’s and Pop’s,” my dad says. “Bought the whole farm.”

My breath catches in my throat. My parents have been trying to sell my grandparents’ property for years. They were going to use the money to help Denver and Levi with their music, but when they couldn’t sell it, I took Falena up on his offer. The fact that Shark bought my grandparents’ old farm just makes me love him even more.

“I’m so glad that space isn’t going to waste,” I say, barely able to hold back my emotions.

“Me too,” he says.

“Me three,” Dad says. “Of course, now that Denver doesn’t need the money from the sale, we don’t know what to do with the cash.”

“I know,” Levi says. “You can give it to me.”

Dad shakes his head. “You have enough. We’ll build something for your sister, since the deadbeat who knocked her up won’t help with their daughter.”

“Carl,” my mom says. “Let us enjoy our meal.”

“I’m enjoying it very much,” Shark tells her.

“I’m curious,” Aunt Emmy Sue says. “Why still wear that loafer’s ring?”

“Because it’s a Nino ring,” Denver and Levi’s girlfriend says. “Sorry. It’s just that I work as a jewelry appraiser, with diamonds specifically, and I couldn’t help but notice her Nino ring.” Her pretty blue eyes light up when she leans over to catch my gaze.“There are only nine of those in circulation, hence the name. If you want to sell it, I could probably get you a couple hundred thousand for it.”

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