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“You know that, and I know that,” he joked, trying to deflect the unexpected compliment. “But does she know that?”
Emmaline was silent for a moment before continuing. “Trust is something that has to be earned, obviously. But I know that I trust her. She’s not Crystal, and she won’t throw you into the void.”
His anxiety eased slightly at her reassurance.
“Does this mean you’re finally ready to admit that your interest in Jayna is more than professional?” Emmaline asked.
Sid cringed. “Is it that obvious?”
The corners of her eyes crinkled. “Only to those of us who know you well.”
He sighed. “My feelings for her have grown so intense, so quickly. And the harder I try to ignore them, the stronger they become.”
“That’s the way it is with soulmates.”
His stomach did a little flip. “You think Jayna is my soulmate?”
She hesitated, as though she hadn’t intended to use those exact words. But she didn’t take them back. “I think it’s possible. I’ve seen the way you look at her—and the way she looks at you. And I’ve seen how she inspires you to be the best version of yourself.” She nudged him playfully. “Have you thought about inviting her to join us at the Jubilee Ball? I’m pretty sure I could secure an invitation for her.”
He stiffened. “One step at a time, Em. I’m interested in her, and I think she’s interested in me. But it’s way too early for anything as public as the Jubilee Ball. Besides, her Merfest is that same night, and the reason we came to Manutai in the first place is so I can try and connect with the Order. The Jubilee Ball is my best opportunity for that, and it will be a lot easier if I’m there on my own.”
Sid looked down at his hands. “I need to be certain I’m not making another huge mistake. That’s the reason I was late this morning. I was setting up a full security and compatibility analysis on Jayna.”
“Oh, I see,” Emmaline said. Her voice was just a tiny bit teasing. “And making that call was so urgent you couldn’t wait until after the Merathlon?”
Sid shook his head. “I couldn’t risk doing this through a call. I picked Rosalind up at the airport so we could meet in person, but her flight was late getting in.”
Emmaline went rigid, and Sid glanced at her, concerned. Her eyes were huge, clearly registering shock.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You…you’re having Rosalind do this inquiry?”
He had expected her to express some concerns about his decision to involve Rosalind, but Emmaline seemed downright upset. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep you in the loop. I was planning to tell you after the inquiry came back. If there were red flags, then it wouldn’t have mattered.”
Emmaline fidgeted, which wasn’t really like her. “So, no red flags?” she asked.
“It’s too early to say. Rosalind thought it would take her ‘gators most of the day to collect all the data and generate a report.”
Emmaline relaxed slightly. “Of course. That kind of analysis takes time,” she said. “And…Rosalind didn’t have any information about Jayna up front?”
“No. She didn’t even know why I asked to meet with her as soon as she got to Manutai. But you mentioned she would be here, and I figured a discreet in-person meeting would be more secure than a call.”
“Right. That would explain why you just happened to have the masks of silence handy.”
After a moment, Emmaline abruptly stood. “I’ll be right back.” She removed her mask, handed it to Sid, and then all but ran from the stadium.
As he watched her go, Sid replayed their conversation in his mind, trying to figure out what he might have said that could have upset her. But aside from keeping her out of the loop in his decision to contact Rosalind, he couldn’t think of anything.
He turned his attention back to the pool, where preparations were being made for the final event. If he had inadvertently said something to upset his assistant, she’d let him know soon enough. But until that happened, he’d have to assume that her agitated state had nothing to do with him.
Chapter 20
Jayna turned towards the stands and gave Sid a small wave. When he waved in return, her chest filled with an intense fluttering that had nothing to do with the Merathlon.
She had been attracted to him from the moment she’d first seen him, but since coming with him to Manutai, there was a connection she could no longer deny. He was smart, caring, funny, and not above wearing a tail and singing the mermaid song to a bunch of children.
He was unlike any topper she had ever met. Yet he was a topper. And he owned Realms of Neptune. He was her boss.
