Page 44 of That Kind of Guy

“Oh. My. God,” Miri’s mouth dropped open. “Avery, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

I breathed through my nose. The election. Being mayor. Will and his family returning to Queen’s Cove.

Avery nodded. “Turtle mascot?”

“Turtle mascot!” Miri cried, clapping her hands. She turned to a tank and unlatched the lid.

My heart dropped through my stomach. On instinct, I took a step back, but Avery held my arm. She was stronger than she looked. I bet that woman hit the gym regularly. A flicker of wonder at what she looked like naked flashed into my mind, but Miri turned around with a disgusting turtle, and I forgot all about naked Avery.

“Look,” Miri gazed at the wrinkled creature with adoration.

“Uh…” I winced. “Wow. And he is…something.” My stomach turned again, and I regretted eating breakfast. The turtle’s…arms? were splayed out like it was skydiving, and its weird eyes stared into my soul.

“Her name is Elizabeth, after your mother. She made a donation a couple months ago. We name a turtle after everyone who donates.”

Don gasped. “I have an incredible idea.”

“What?” Avery asked, and her eyes flashed with entertainment. I flexed my arm under her hand in warning, and her nails dug into me, but instead of hurting me like she intended, I found it strangely hot. The hair on the nape of my neck stood up.

“I can see it in my head—mayoral candidate Emmett Rhodes vows to keep turtles warm,” Don revealed. “With a picture of Emmett holding the turtle. Front page!”

“Yes!” Miri nodded and stepped toward me with the creature.

“No,” I blurted out.

Miri and Don gave me a funny look. Avery raised her eyebrows at me, that playful smile still on her lips.

“I mean,” I began, “Avery should be in the photo with me, being my fiancée and all.” Yes. Right. If I was going down, she was coming down with me. “Holding a turtle of her own.”

Avery shrugged. “Sure. Sounds great.”

Damn it.

“Look at us, putting our heads together,” Miri beamed. She took another step toward me, holding the turtle out like she was handing me my newborn baby. “Don’t make any sudden movements or she’ll bite you.”

“What?” I said in a higher pitch and Avery shook with laughter, but it was too late. Miri practically threw the thing at me, my hands came up, and I was holding it.

In my hands.

A gag rose up in my throat.

It was so cold and wet.

The underside of its shell felt like a wet balloon.

My stomach lurched. I hated this. This was hell.

Miri unlatched another tank and I looked down at Avery, barely containing herself. “You will pay for this,” I breathed.

She winked at me and my mouth gaped open. Winking wasmymove. Not hers. Mine. I didn’t like this.

“Here you go.” Miri held another turtle out, which Avery accepted from her.

Don held up his camera and snapped a picture. “Say cheese.”

“I think you’re supposed to say that before the picture,” I told him.

“Let’s do one where we’re kissing the turtles,” Avery suggested, and everything I ate that morning thrashed in my stomach.

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