“It makes perfect sense. If you choose us to build this tank for you, then you should know how it’s being done. This isn’t a small undertaking either. I can see why you’d want to know what it entails. And how your money is being spent. Frankly, I’m surprised more people don’t take the initiative. Generally, I’m the one who has to do the inviting.”
“Oh. Good.” That was a relief. Then he thought about what she’d just said. “Does that mean you were going to invite me?”
“Yes, actually. In fact, I almost asked if you were psychic because I literally have you on my list of people to call. I was going to see when you were available.”
Fortune favored the bold. He grinned. “How about right now?”
That was another test. Those with something to hide generally wanted time to prepare. Granted, they could also be busy, too, but their response to his impending visit usually gave him a little more insight into their company.
“Oh. That’s soon. But great. I mean, there’s not a build going on in the shop right now. We’re prepping for one, but there’s nothing really to see on it. Even so, I can still show you how we do things. You can see the new stock that came in earlier, too. I’m here until five. When do you want to come by?”
“How about twenty minutes from now?”
“That works. I’ll see you then. Do you know how to get here?”
“I have your card. I’ll just plug the address into my GPS.”
“Right. Okay. See you shortly.”
He hung up and smiled at Bowie, who was giving him a disapproving look. “I’m just going to see how things operate. I’m about to spend a lot of money with her company. That’s not a weird thing to do. I do it all the time.”
Bowie continued to squint in that way he had, which to Ethan felt like he was questioning everything.
“Well, I have done it before. And I ended up investing heavily in two of those businesses.” Ethan scratched at one of the cat’s neck wrinkles, something Bowie really seemed to enjoy. “I know, it’s partially an excuse to see Undrea. And a way of procrastinating having the talk with Nina.”
He frowned. That was a lot of it. The procrastination part. But so was wanting to see Undrea. That was the biggest part. He had to find out if this chemistry between them was real or imagined.
Maybe he wasn’t really interested in her. Maybe it was just the newness of someone like her. A beautiful woman with brains. He shook his head. “That’s not it, Bowie, my man. That’s selling her short.”
He picked up a little mouse toy and tossed it. Bowie took off after it. There was so much more to Undrea than being smart and beautiful. One of the things Ethan liked most was how comfortable she seemed to be in her own skin. She was easygoing in a way that made it seem like she wasn’t trying to be anything but herself.
Undrea was just who she was with nothing to hide. Unlike someone else. Bowie came trotting back with the mouse in his mouth.
Ethan took the mouse and tossed it again as he glanced toward the first floor of his house, his mind shifting toward Nina.
She wasn’t really trying to hide anything, but she did put a lot of effort into the face she showed the world. It wasn’t her fault she was who she was. Nina Hascoe was the child of old money and the result of a distinct set of values given to her by parents who were also children of old money.
People who grew up in that world were bound to look at things differently than those who’d scrapped and climbed and scrounged for everything they’d earned.
Nina was just someone with a wall up. A wall built of platinum bricks.
He didn’t fault her for it. She hadn’t asked to be born into that stratosphere any more than he’d asked to be the child of a single mother struggling to keep her head above water.
Their experiences growing up were as different as chalk and cheese, an expression he’d picked up from Trevor, a British buddy of Ethan’s from his college days at MIT.
Trevor had also told him Nina wasn’t the woman for him.
Turns out, he was right. Ethan would have to call Trevor soon and tell him the news. Bowie had curled up on the floor with the mouse and was chewing its tail off.
It wasn’t just the difference in Ethan’s and Nina’s childhoods that made it seem like they weren’t meant for the long haul. He needed a partner who wasn’t interested in what others wanted them to be. He’d much rather someone interested in what they could become that would make themselves happy. Someone content in their own skin.
Undrea seemed like she was already there. She genuinely seemed happy with who she was.
And he wanted to know more about that. About her.
He shifted the anti-gravity desk back to a seated position and reached down to give Bowie one more scratch. “I won’t be long, bud, I promise.”
Then Ethan got up, grabbed his wallet and keys and headed downstairs. He’d just about reached the door when Nina called out.
“Ethan, is that you?”
“Yep. Headed out for a bit. Won’t be long.”
Dressed in cropped leggings and a strappy tank top, she appeared from the room they’d set up as a yoga studio. Her hair was twisted up in a messy bun that still looked good, her face aglow with the sheen of sweat. “Where are you going?”
He wasn’t going to lie, but he put on his sternest business face. “I’m going to inspect that aquarium company. I want to see what their setup is like. How they run things. That tank isn’t going to be cheap. I need to have faith in them.”
She smiled oddly. “All right. Have fun. Could you stop by the grocery store on the way back? We’re almost out of almond milk, and I don’t think there will be enough for smoothies tomorrow. I can have it delivered, but that’s really all we need.”
He nodded, relieved she hadn’t asked to go. And instantly felt guilty about it. They had to talk when he got back. “Sure. Almond milk. Got it.”
“Thanks, honey.”
“You’re welcome.” He slipped out. She was acting odd. She never called him honey. She hated pet names. What was going on? Did she still think he liked Undrea in a more romantic way?
He exhaled hard as he got into his SUV. What did it matter? Very soon, Nina was going to be his past.
And right now, all he wanted to think about was his future.
Undrea stared at her office phone for a moment before hanging it up. How had Ethan called at the exact moment she’d been about to call him?
She didn’t want to say or think or breathe the word, but in the light of everything else going on, there was only one answer that made sense.
Magic.
He had to be under the influence. Just like she was.
Their only hope was to not like each other, because Undrea was not going to give in to her magically induced feelings and break up his relationship. That wasn’t who she was. Or ever wanted to be.
Although not liking each other wasn’t really their only hope. Mattie would figure something out. Which made Undrea wonder why hadn’t she called yet? Was it really that hard to research merfolk lore?
Undrea dialed Mattie’s number.
She answered with, “If I had found anything, I would have called.”
Undrea braced herself for Mattie’s response. “He’s coming over.”