My gaze snaps to the red ticket between my brother's thumb and forefinger. I scan the final number and a surge of adrenaline shoots through me. It's a match.
Without thinking, I snatch the ticket out of my brother's hand and stand, holding the red slip of paper in the air with both hands like I've caught a prizewinning tarpon.
"Me! Right here. I'm the match." I let out a good old boy whoop and Andrew glances at me, confusion in his eyes.
"I decided to participate after all," I holler.
Andrew chuckles.
"Okay, then. We have a match! It looks like we're pairing Leilani Kostas with Remy Hastings. A mermaid and a fishing guide. Sounds perfect, doesn't it, folks?"
The room applauds, and I take a bow, a huge grin on my face.
I'm not a hundred percent certain of what I just signed up for, but the stunned look on Leilani's pretty face is totally worth claiming her as my prize.
SEVEN
Leilani
Is this really happening?
The man I kissed on the deck of a tiki bar — and then immediately erased from my phone — is my mentor?
He's a businessman? I thought he was a fisherman. Over the last couple of days, I've imagined him on the water with a fishing pole. Or on a boat, shirtless. And now he's here, in a white, button-down shirt and jeans.
I sink into my seat and clutch my coffee cup, the announcements of other mentor-mentee pairings continuing. How am I going to get out of this?
Do I want to get out of this?
I sneak a glance at Remy, expecting to meet his gaze or catch him looking at me. But he's not. Instead, he's leaning in toward a man who looks quite similar. Are they brothers? Same dark hair, same flashing, amber eyes. I think that guy had been at the springs the other day with him. Remy has an energy about him that the other guy doesn't. I can tell from over here. It's some kind of invisible magnetism that surrounds him, like an aura.
Or maybe that's my insides quivering just by looking at him. Ugh.
I blink, then stare down at the contest packet, reading the rules. None of the words soak into my brain. Oh dear. This could be dangerous, working with him.
After the other teams are announced — there are five teams in all, which means I have a twenty percent chance of winning ten grand, which admittedly would be pretty sweet — the Chamber president announces a break. The woman sitting next to me leans in. I'd met her earlier. Her name is Carmen, and she owns a paddleboard-watersports business.
"You are one lucky mermaid."
I muster a smile and stand. "Oh?"
Carmen gets to her feet. "You just got paired with Remy Hastings."
"Apparently so." I glance around nervously, wondering where he is. We're supposed to chat about our first meeting now, and it's why we're on break. I don't see him, anywhere. Odd. "What's so special about Remy Hastings?"
"Other than the fact that he's easy on the eyes, he's also related to the owner of the biggest resort in Cypress Grove. His family's owned the Magnolia Grand Resort for decades. First his parents ran it. Now Max, that's the oldest brother, runs the day-to-day, with the rest of the family involved. You get in with that family, and you'll have every guest at the resort visiting your mermaid bar. They love to recommend local businesses. The weekend the Magnolia Grand put a photo of my paddleboards on Instagram…" she made a little rocket noise while shooting her hand into a diagonal.
My jaw drops. "Really?"
"Really. Two years ago, his brother, Tate, was paired up with Maria Acevedo, the owner of Flamingo Groove. Her business went through the roof because he set up a partnership with the resort to offer discounts on her beach souvenirs to resort guests. There's even branded Magnolia Grand merchandise ather shop. You know, beach towels, potholders, fridge magnets. Super cute."
"Super cute." I nod slowly. So, this is a stroke of luck. "Wow."
Carmen leans in. "Just be careful. You're gorgeous. Remy's quite the flirt and has a reputation. Then again, most women wouldn't mind being under him as a mentee, if you know what I mean."
She winks lasciviously.
I press my hand to my chest and pretend to be scandalized, but all I can think is,of course.