Atlantis Riptide

Atlantis Riptide - Chapter Seven B

Chapter Seven B

Intended Interference

When we reached the surf, Chase jumped out and pulled the boat to shore. He acted like my champion and guard. The wall around my heart, the one I’d tried to rebuild, crumbled at his thoughtfulness. Not even my circus parents cared like this. They hadn’t cared at all.

Never a gentle touch. Never a hug. Never an encouraging word.

Instead I heard, “Practice again.” “Make it perfect.” “Stay underwater longer or you won’t get dinner tonight.”

They’d never showed love. I bit my quivering bottom lip. Maybe because my circus parents weren’t my real parents at all. They kept a million secrets from me, controlled me, and lied to me.

Mr. Plankson entered the surf and helped Chase pull in the dinghy. The binoculars he wore around his neck got caught on the oar. “What the heck were you doing stealing my boat?”

“If I stole it, I wouldn’t be returning it.” Chase yanked on the rope. “It was an emergency. Pearl was drowning.”

I sat straighter and glared at Plankson. “I fell off the rocks.” The rocks he’d sent me to clean.

“Should’ve asked permission.” Plankson’s gruff voice sawed on my nerves.

“No time. She was underwater forever. I thought she’d drowned.”

Plankson examined me. “How long?”

I waved my trembling hand in a fake careless move. The last thing I wanted was Plankson getting suspicious. “Not long at all. Just seemed like forever.”

“It took me at least five minutes to row out—”

“Chase.” I grabbed my arm in pretend pain. “My arm hurts.”

“We need to get you to emergency.” Concern immediately lit his face. He splashed over and held out his hand. “Can you walk?”

I wanted to shut him up, not create a new problem. I didn’t like the way Plankson watched me, or the way he’d been snooping around my tent. “I don’t need a doctor. The scratches only sting.”

“I’ve got antiseptic in my office.” Plankson’s offer to help raised my suspicion higher. Did he feel an ounce of concern for my accident?

Chase took my arm and helped me walk up the path from the beach, following Plankson. “Are you sure about the doctor? You almost drowned.”

“Shh.” My gaze drifted to Plankson’s back. I swung my head back and forth. “Not now. We’ll talk when we’re alone.” My terse toned tried to convey the urgency.

“But?”

“Please, Chase.” I gave him a pleading look. “Later.”

When we reached the office, Chase settled me on a lawn chair on the porch while Plankson went inside. He came out with antiseptic and bandages and handed them to Chase. Then Plankson locked the door, and mumbled something about breathing and bleeding, before walking away.

The man’s actions contradicted. One minute angry for stealing his boat, the next helpful. He’d sent me out on those rocks. Unease shivered across my mind. Something didn’t add up.

Chase kneeled beside me, his dark head bent over my left leg. I wanted to run my fingers through his wet hair. Wanted to wipe away the worry he’d had. About me. Wanted to tell him that there’d been no need to risk himself to save me. I wasn’t going to drown.

“This is going to sting.” He poured antiseptic on one of the larger cuts.

I winced.

“Did that hurt?” His eyes were the deepest blue I’d ever seen, out-coloring the sky and the ocean.

Honest eyes. Chase had no hidden secrets or agenda.

Unlike me. I swallowed the knot in my throat, almost choking on my frequent lies. “No, but it should hurt more. I deserve it after what I said about pretending to like you.”

He continued to clean my wounds, one cut at a time. Every spot he touched, my skin tingled. “No one deserves to get smashed against the rocks.”

I skimmed his shoulder with my fingers, unsure of his reaction. Sure, he thought he’d saved me, but any decent guy would do that even to a girl they hated. “I shouldn’t have been so mean. Especially to you.”

The one person in my life who’d been nice with no ulterior motive. Who liked me for who I am, not what I could give him. Who cared about my well being.

His hands stilled and he shot me a confident-and-a-bit-cocky smile. “Spend tomorrow with me. There’s a cool beach called Shell Cove where a lot of the locals hang out. I’d love to show you.”

My shoulders sagged wanting to go, knowing I shouldn’t. At least I had a real excuse. “I’ve got to work.”

“Only in the morning.” He finished with the first leg and started on my left arm. “We can leave after your shift,” he paused. “Then again, with the way water disasters follow you...”

“They don’t follow me.” Well, they had but he didn’t know about the incident in Nebraska or the time I saved a man from the circus.

“First you rescue that boy. Then, you almost drown. Twice.” Chase held up two fingers. “Water emergencies stalk you.”

“I love water, especially the ocean.” Although, since moving to Mermaid Beach the scary incidents had multiplied.

Was it me or coincidence? Cuda had said strange things were happening even before I arrived on Mermaid Beach. Still, I had to consider the danger.

“The water sure doesn’t love you.”

Chase was wrong. The ocean and I had an affinity in a way I couldn’t explain. The waves welcomed me. The salty water felt like silk against my skin. The underwater scenery was like a familiar tapestry.

Similar to the feeling I have with Chase. Holding my breath, I beheld his familiar features. His strong and serious face. His sparkling eyes. His tug-at-my-heart smile.

Chase got me, or at least the part I shared with him. Somehow he understood when I put on a fake and angry face for the world. He just doesn’t know how much I have to hide.

“I’m drawn to the water.” Like I’m drawn to Chase. “And there’s a good reason.”

Was I about to reveal to Chase my biggest secret of all?