Page 5 of Something Real with the Sea Monster
I curse under my breath. Out loud I say, “I know, Mom. Thanks for the reminder, though. Don’t worry about it. You two have a great time. We’re doing great here.”
After a few more minutes of reassuring her, I manage to change the subject, and soon they’re telling me one after the other about their flight and how long they spent on the plane and how the airport was so crowded.
“OK, Joanne, let him go now. If I don’t get some water on my skin, I’m going to crack.” Dad’s voice is muffled, but then heobviously takes his hand away from the phone to speak to me. “Jack, pass on our love to Lukey and Mia. Noah and Olivia saw us off at Sydney, but their flight doesn’t land for another few hours. God knows how they do it. And you just give us a yell if you need anything, won’t you?”
“Sure, Dad. Love you.”
“Love you too, son.”
I hang up the phone and shake my head. I absolutely will not be calling them. Not for anything short of the Inlet Views burning to the ground. They need this holiday. It’s the longest break they’ve taken all their lives, and they deserve it. Now that Dad’s cancer is finally in remission, they deserve to enjoy themselves.
If that means I have to work a few long days here in the meantime, that’s fine by me. Though my aching feet and throbbing temples are arguing otherwise.
The bell over the door rings, and I look up to see Luke and Mia walk in carrying three large pizza boxes. “Hey, Jack. You look like you could use about three square meals. Did you eat today?”
I hold up my half-eaten apple and shrug. “No time.”
“Well, that’s where we come in. Come on, flip the sign over. Time to take a break.” I think about the fifty more things I should be doing, but they can wait. All the guests are checked in for the day, and I do need to eat.
We turn the ‘open’ sign around until it reads ‘please call our mobile’ and head upstairs to the four-bedroom unit I share with my parents. It’s a little cool on the balcony this time of year, but worth it for the views over the inlet. Luke grabs glasses and plates, and I sink into a deck chair and put my feet up with a sigh.
Mia hands me a pizza box. “Anything we can help with?”
“No. You guys have your own shit to worry about. I’ve got this.” I mean, I think I do. I have to. I’m the one who said I’dhelp Mom and Dad around the hotel when they said they needed it. It only made sense to move back in. I studied business at school. I always knew I’d be the one to take over the family bed-and-breakfast when the time came. I just never thought it would come so soon.
And I guess I never thought I’d be doing it alone. But a kraken’s fated mate doesn’t come around every day, and I’ve never been the type to settle.
Luke hands Mia a glass of wine and the pineapple from his pizza and plants a quick kiss on her forehead. I have to repress another sigh. There’s no one in the world who deserves love as much as my little brother and his mate, but boy it’s hard to watch sometimes.
“You know, you should consider hiring some more help around here,” says Luke around a big bite of pizza.
He’s not wrong. I could use the extra help, but finding the right person in a small town like Kraken Cove is challenging and things have only just started picking up. What if business takes another turn for the worse?
“Oh!” Mia fishes her phone from her pocket and glances down at the screen for a moment. “Oh, that was Tegan. She’s here already. Just driving into town. Hey, Jack, do you mind if my friend joins us? She’s staying with us for a couple days.” She lifts the phone to her ear when I nod. “Bad breakup,” she mouths. There’s no time to ask more questions even if I had the mental energy because the next moment Mia is speaking to her friend on the other end. “Teegs! We’re with Luke’s brother Jack up at his place. Head down toward the inlet and find the Inlet Views. I’ll meet you out front.”
THREE
Tegan
Luke’s brother is hotter than I remember. That’s the first thing I think as I see him.
Mia looks between us. “Tegan, Jack. Jack, Tegan. You remember each other from the wedding?”
He holds out his hand in a sweet old-fashioned gesture. “Hi, Tegan. Good to see you again.”
He’s got a short dad-beard situation going on, though I remember him as clean shaven. The beard suits him. He’sdressed in smart jeans and a clean white shirt. Neat, but casual. Boy-next-door charm. His smile is tired, though. It’s the sort of smile that, on a cute guy, usually makes me want to see if I can brighten it.
I can’t help it, OK? I’m permanently ovulating. But that’s old Tegan. New Tegan isn’t looking at cute boys or men or whatever we’re calling this quietly masculine guy who’s just that bit older than me and has a deep, rumbly voice which vibrates my lady parts and makes my nipples stand up and pay attention.
Nope. Not doing that. “Yeah. Same.” I shake his hand and make myself look away.
I pour myself a large glass of wine and grab a slice of pizza, finding a spot beside Jack on an outdoor plastic chair. “Wow, I can’t get over the sunsets here.” I glance over my shoulder then back at Mia who grins.
“It is amazing, huh? It’s so good to see you. How long do you have off work?”
I shrug. “Dunno yet. I’m not sure if I’m even going back.”
“Really?”
