Page 41 of All I Desire

“Surprise me. Bye,” she whispers, disappearing behind her office door.

As I’m walking out, I pass by a man and a woman. They’re several years younger, dressed in casual beach clothes. Probably guests at the resort.

But the guy stares at me as if I’m an evil ghost. I’m not a confrontational person, but he’s gaping at me so hard that I’m tempted to ask what his damned problem is.

“Remy, don’t stare, that’s so rude,” the woman hisses, hitting his belly with the back of her hand. She takes his arm and the pair hustles out of the lobby and into the courtyard; I keep on going to the parking lot.

Odd. Isn’t Natalia’s brother named Remy? That’s not exactly a common name. Or perhaps I heard wrong. Maybe she said Timmy. And that guy looked nothing like her — he was beefy, dark-haired, and tan. Weird. Eh, whatever. He probably mistook me for someone else. That happens sometimes. I’ve been told that I have a generically handsome face.

Not gonna let it bug me. I’ve got too many good things going on. I fire up the truck and call Chloe on the speakerphone while driving back to my office at the executive airport on the other side of the island.

“Hey Dad.”

“Hey kiddo. I have a surprise for you. You like mermaids?”

“Yeah. Definitely.”

“I have a friend who knows some real-life mermaids here on Paradise Beach.”

“Dad. Mermaids don’t exist…” She’s put on her big-girl, matter-of-fact voice now. But I can tell she’s intrigued. She’s probably both rolling her eyes and grinning.

“I dunno. We’ll see. Just clear your calendar for when you get here. I think you’re going to love this.”

“Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m excited about a new start. I was thinking about that today.”

My heart both swells and aches from her small, hopeful tone. “Me too, kiddo. Me too. I think Paradise Beach is going to be really great for both of us.”

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