Page 50 of A Line in the Sand

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“Looking for the wine glasses.” He peered into the cabinet where Molly kept Ursula’s treats. The puppy dropped her bone on the tile floor with a clatter and began spinning in hopeful circles.

“Something tells me that a wine glass is the last thing you need.” Molly rolled her eyes. “Where have you been for the past few hours?”

“At the dog beach with Mavis, Ethel, and Opal.”

Uh-oh. Molly crossed her arms. “Did they happen to have a thermos with them?”

“They certainly did.” Max fumbled with a box of puppy biscuits. Treats spilled onto the floor and Ursula yipped as if she’d just won the canine lottery. “How did you know?”

Molly slapped the dog treat cabinet door shut. “Trust me. I’ve been there. Never again. Those women can drink anyone under the table.”

“But I’m not under the table. I’m right here.” Max gave her a thoroughly charming, lopsided grin as he weaved a little on his feet. “And I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine. You look…” Molly’s gaze swept him up and down.

He looked sort of adorable, actually. His slightly disheveled state reminded her of the times she’d seen him with his guard down—at the dog beach when she’d rescued him, and again the night they’d saved the sea turtle together…even this morning under the pier when he’d almost kissed her. Moments when he’d dropped the professor act and she’d gotten a glimpse of the real him.

“Yes?” he asked, ducking his head to force her to look him in the eyes.

Molly took a sharp inhale. She couldn’t think with him so close like this. It was disorienting, like trying to walk on dry land after hours at sea.

“You look like a mess and you smell like a distillery.” Lies, both of them.

He smelled like salty ocean and cool island breeze, like summer itself. Something deep inside Molly made her want to just tip her face back and soak up the sun.

But she couldn’t. Sheshouldn’t. This was supposed to be a truth-telling mission. Her parents were leaving tomorrow, and she was running out of time to do the right thing.

Max looked at her long and hard, until her cheeks went warm. The beating of her heart seemed even louder than Ursula’s teeth crunching away at her pile of dog biscuits. “I thought you were going to say I look like Captain America. Or rather, he looks like me. That’s what your Turtle Team said.”

They weren’t wrong, but that was totally beside the point. Molly planted her palms on Max’s chest, intent on pushing him away. For some dumb reason, they just stayed there.

She bit her lip. “Please stop calling themmyTurtle Team. I don’t work at the aquarium anymore, remember? Pretending that I do is just making everything harder.”

“That’s just it. I wasn’t pretending out there a few minutes ago. Wedoboth work at the aquarium…or we will, as of tomorrow. I want you to come back.” He pressed a hand to his heart. “Pleasecome back.”

They were the words Molly had been hoping for since she and her friends first conceived their ill-fated costumes and cupcake assault on bingo night. This was it. She’d won. She could go back to doing what she loved best. Max had even saidplease, which for him was borderline begging. Wonders never ceased. Molly should have been elated beyond all measure.

Then why did she suddenly feel so…so…hollow?

“Molly?” Max regarded her with a penetrating gaze. “I was really hoping you’d be happy about this.”

“I am. I just…” She shook her head. “Why now?”

“The grand prize money from SandFest gives the aquarium some breathing room, and who am I kidding? The visitors miss being greeted by a mermaid. Your throne has been sitting there empty, and…”

“You mean mermaid grotto?” Molly forced herself to breathe. This wasreal. She was in shock, that’s all. She just needed a minute to take it all in.

“Mermaid grotto. I stand corrected…again. I also want to go over that spreadsheet of yours and start working on some of your fundraising ideas. They’re good, Molly. I know we can do this. With the prize money, we’ve bought ourselves some time. Now maybe we can get the aquarium back on track. Together.” He grinned a boyish grin—open, vulnerable, unguarded.

Molly could have kissed him. In fact, it was taking every last shred of her self-control not to.

Max tilted his head. “What do you say?”

Yes.Of courseher answer was yes. A small part of her wished this wasn’t happening after he’d been drinking, but she couldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. This was her chance to get her life back. Besides, Max could have chosen to do anything with that prize money. He wouldn’t ask her to come back if he didn’t truly think she needed to be there. She was important, glittery fishtail and all.

“I say yes.” Molly grinned from ear to ear. She couldn’t quite help it, and before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around Max and hugged him tight.

“Thank you,” she whispered into the warm crook of his neck, and then she realized what she was doing: hugging her boss.