Page 22 of Something Real with the Sea Monster (Kraken Cove #3)

TWENTY TWO

Tegan

“I’m seeing Jack,” I whisper to Mia across the café table, looking around through my dark glasses as if the whole town didn’t see me do a walk of shame in yesterday’s clothes back up the hill to Mia’s house this morning.

Mia’s eyes widen, and she claps her hands excitedly. “Oh, you are? Oh my god. This is so perfect. We’re basically going to be sisters!”

“Shhh. Not like that.”

The mournful expression on Mia’s face is enough to bring all my guilty feelings welling to the surface again.

“I mean I don’t know yet what it is. I’m trying not to rush it. You know?”

“Oh. Right. But you are a thing?”

I nod cautiously. I’m still not clear on exactly what that thing is, but it’s something. “Only what about his fated mate?”

Mia’s expression grows serious. “Yeah, I get it. But you know there’s time. You haven’t known each other very long. I don’t know if all krakens glow for their fated mate straight away. Maybe for some it happens later?”

I blink. “Glow?”

Her eyes widen. “I thought you knew.”

“Maybe he thought so too,” I mumble. Wouldn’t this be something he should have brought up by now?

“Well, a kraken male has a physical reaction to his fated mate. His tentacles glow when he’s shifted. You have seen Jack shifted, haven’t you?”

“Ah, yeah.” My mind runs back over the way he looks in kraken form. Green skin, purple tentacles, fins on his neck and under his arms. Gills on his neck. But does he glow?

“It only happens when they’re near their fated mate.”

I snort. “Well I’m pretty sure we’ve fulfilled that requirement.”

“OK, well, were his tentacles glowing?”

“Um… I don’t know? I was kind of paying attention to other things.” I was too busy screaming from all the orgasms he gave me, to be honest. “Besides, I don’t really know what kraken tentacles look like normally.”

“Hmmm. I guess that’s true. You’ve seen Luke shifted when he was near me but it was daytime.”

I nod. You wouldn’t think this would be so complicated. “Anyway, he would have told me if I was his fated mate. That’s the whole point. That’s how this started. He was looking for his mate because he hadn’t found her yet. He wouldn’t have been doing that if he knew it was me all along.”

“You’re right.” Mia looks crestfallen. “But don’t give up hope. Besides, it’s not everything. Do you guys have good chemistry?”

I grin. “You could say that.”

“Then you’ve slept together?” She glances at her phone. “I want to hear all about it, but I have to go meet Luke at the place he’s working on in ten minutes. He asked me to paint them a mural in their living room, and I want to measure the space and check the lighting. Can we chat more later?”

“Of course.”

She gives me a hug as she stands to leave the café. “I’m so excited, Teegs. This is the best news I’ve had all week.”

I give her a halfhearted smile. Somehow the shine has gone off it already.

I’m left thinking about what she said. Wouldn’t I have noticed if Jack’s tentacles were glowing?

That seems like a thing a girl would notice.

Not that it changes anything. I mean, yesterday I didn’t think I was his fated mate. Nothing has changed.

Only imagine years down the track if we were together and he started suddenly glowing for someone else? That’s too awful to contemplate. I could go years and invest my heart in the relationship, and would it be over just like that? Would he leave me if he found his true mate?

I push aside the rest of my sandwich and take the long way to work, trying to buy myself time before I have to see Jack.

I don’t know what I want to say to him, but I know I’ll blurt something out as soon as I see him.

By the time I get to the Inlet Views, I still don’t know.

I want to ask him why he hasn’t glowed for me, but that’s ridiculous.

He doesn’t have any control over it. I really want to ask if he can see this lasting if we’re not fated mates, but I’m too scared of the answer now I’ve let myself care.

An unfamiliar car pulls up in the carpark and I hurry inside, assuming it must be new guests who want to check in. I want to talk to Jack before they arrive.

When I open the door, Jack looks up in surprise and closes the screen of his laptop suddenly. “Oh, ah, Tegan. Hi. You’re early.”

I narrow my eyes. “Yeah. Why do you sound so guilty?”

“Guilty? I was just looking at the um… footage we got of the spa.” He coughs. “I’m not sure we’ll be able to use it for promotional material, though. Not most of it, anyway.”

“Why not? What’s—” Then I remember. “Was it filming the whole time?”

His cheeks color. “Yep.”

My bad mood evaporates, and I grin. “Oh really?”

He nods.

I take a few steps closer, watching him speculatively. “And you were watching that at work?”

“I couldn’t help it.” He lowers his voice. “It’s the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.” He shifts, stepping closer to the counter as I try to get a good view of his crotch to see just how hot he thought it was. I might need to see this video.

The bell over the door rings, and we both look over.

I expect the guests I saw pulling into the carpark earlier.

Instead of guests, though, I recognize Noah from Luke and Mia’s wedding.

His dark hair is cropped on one side of his head and falls into a long fringe over the right side of his face.

He has a tattoo which looks like a tentacle on his neck and piercings all up the shell of his ears.

“Hey, Jack!” He gives Jack a bright smile.

“We’re here a bit early. Their flight got in ahead of schedule. ”

Behind Noah, an older couple file into reception.

Jack’s parents, I realize. Joanne’s gray hair was longer at the wedding.

It has been cut into a short, breezy pixie cut, and she has large sunglasses pushed up on top of her head.

But it’s Rob who looks most changed since I saw them last. At Luke and Mia’s wedding, I remember Luke’s father looking old and weary, with dark circles under his eyes.

Today he’s standing straight and his smile looks relaxed and happy.

“Jack! How are you? The place looks fantastic.”

I guess we’ll have to watch the video later. I’m disappointed for a moment until I see the smiles on everyone’s faces.

Jack comes forward from behind the counter to hug his parents. “Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. Good to see you. Do you remember Mia’s friend Tegan?”

They turn to me with smiles almost as warm as they greeted Jack with, and I’m reminded how Mia always talks about how friendly and welcoming they are. “Tegan. So lovely to see you again. You’ve been helping Jack out around here while we were gone?” Joanne says.

“Yeah.” I have half a second to feel awkward, wondering if they know or if Jack is going to tell them.

Then he steps close and puts his arm around me, pulling me against his side. “More than helping, Mom. Tegan has been amazing. She’s responsible for all the good changes. And I’m hoping she’s going to stick around a lot longer.” He gives me a little squeeze and a smile. “To be with me.”

I flush. Is this what meeting the parents feels like? Because the chorus of excitement and hugs and the flurry of questions feels good. It feels really good. And having Jack’s arm around me almost the whole time and feeling like a real part of it feels best of all.

“You didn’t tell me your parents were coming back today,” I whisper to Jack while Rob and Joanne are saying something to Noah.

He colors. “Ah, it kind of slipped my mind. I mean I knew it was today, but I was a little pre-occupied.”

I giggle.

“And you’ve been doing renovations?” says Joanne, breaking into our little moment.

Jack starts explaining about the hot tub and the social media campaigns and the new website, and Rob just shakes his head. “We should have retired years ago and left all this to you, Jack. Sounds like you’re doing a better job than we ever did.”

“You want help with your bags?” says Jack, deflecting. I wish he’d let people compliment him more.

“Hang on a moment; I want to see all this social media stuff. I’ve got a lot to learn, from the sounds of it,” says Joanne.

“Oh come on, Joanne, that can wait until we’ve all had a cup of tea, can’t it?”

“It’s no problem; I can show you now.” I’m just about to pull out my phone when Joanne goes around the desk and opens the laptop.

Jack turns, holding out his hands. “Oh wait, you don’t want to—”

It’s too late. The screen is already open, and Mrs. Wilson’s mouth drops open too.

“Oh my god!” She tugs the sunglasses down over her eyes and squints at the screen more closely.

“Oh my god. Jack, you’re glowing!” She stands and drops the sunglasses onto the counter, beaming at both of us like she hasn’t just seen our homemade porn movie.

I blink. Glowing? That’s not what I expected her to say, and then I remember. I stare at Jack. “Glowing? Really? And when were you going to tell me?”

He shifts uncomfortably, but he’s got nowhere to hide. “Ah, I can explain.”