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Sid felt a surge of jealousy at the excitement in Jayna’s voice. He’d considered warning her about his stepbrother on the ride out to the yacht, but that would have made him sound petty.
Besides, it wasn’t like Peter would hurt Jayna. Sid was more worried that he would take a liking to her, turn on the charm, and then it would be like Crystal all over again.
Sid and Crystal had been together for nearly a year before she betrayed him with his taller, buffer, richer stepbrother.
He had known Jayna for less than a week, and his feelings for her were already so much more than he had ever felt for Crystal. Losing Jayna would be devastating.
He tried to tell himself he was overreacting, but he couldn’t shake the insecurity his stepbrother inspired.
His mother intercepted him before he made it up to the deck. “Obsidian, you’ve seen the view from the crow’s nest before. Come have a chat with your mother.”
Her tone didn’t allow for any argument, and after a hesitant glance towards the upper deck, he turned and followed her. Brianna’s jet-black hair was down and flowing, and she wore a tasteful bikini under her thin robe. She looked fit and well and wore her fifty-five years like a badge of honor.
She settled onto a plush blue sofa and shook her head. “You’re looking rather glum for someone starting a relationship with a beautiful young woman. Don’t tell me there’s already trouble in paradise.”
“No. It’s just…” The sound of Jayna’s rich, beautiful laughter interrupted him, and his gut tightened at the thought of her climbing to the crow’s nest with Peter.
“You’re worried that she’ll be like Crystal.”
Sid felt a rush of heat. “Jayna is nothing like Crystal.” But the intensity of his protest was as good as an admission.
“Come here, son.” She patted a spot on the couch next to her, and he obediently sat. She pulled him close and kissed the side of his head. “You’re a good man, Obsidian, and I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
“That makes two of us.” His mother’s concern for him reignited his own fears. “But you think Jayna’s going to hurt me?”
“Oh, no! Well, not intentionally. From my research, she seems like an honest and genuine girl. But things don’t always work out the way we hope they will, so go into this with your eyes wide open.” She leaned in and whispered, “If it makes any difference, I kinda like her.”
He hadn’t expected mother’s blessing, nor did he need it, and the relief he felt when hearing he had it surprised him.
Another peal of Jayna’s laughter, this one much farther away, made his heart ache. He was already too far gone.
“Of course,” his mother continued, “my blessing isn’t the only one you need. Do you have any clue as to what the Cerulean Order thinks of your latest catch?”
Sid’s heart jumped at the mention of the Order. “No. What have you heard?” The Order prided itself on secrecy, yet Sid’s mother always seemed to know the unknowable. She’d been the one to inform Sid about his nomination for membership—and that the debacle with Crystal had put that candidacy on indefinite hold.
She rolled her eyes. “Some of the old lumps think she’s a bit erratic and probably not the best influence on you. But overall, the opinions are generally favorable.”
Sid fought back his concern. “What kind of bad influence? What’s wrong with her?”
She scowled and waved away his concern. “There’s nothing wrong with her. Not everyone liked your singing merman bit, that’s all. Someone felt it was undignified.” She said the last word in a deep, melodramatic voice and then rolled her eyes again.
Sid groaned. He had worried that losing himself in the merman role would eventually come back to bite him. And it had.
“But I thought it was delightful. And the way you interacted with those children made your mother’s heart proud.” She reached out and took his hand.
Sid barely noticed the gesture.
The Order saw his merman performance as undignified. Sure, the Service Day activity was a lot of fun. And he had gotten some positive press. But he was trying to build a reputation as a solid, dependable professional and philanthropist, and he could see how Merman Marevitrum would be at odds with that image.
Sid thought back to Emmaline’s suggestion that he take Jayna to the Manutai Jubilee Ball. The idea had been growing on him, but now he had second thoughts.
He’d already missed one opportunity to connect with members of the Order during the Jubilee Service Day. The ball was his next best chance, and if the Order didn’t approve of Jayna, taking her as his date wouldn’t be a good move.
His thoughts were interrupted by a scream, followed by an enormous splash.
Peter yelled. There was panic in his voice.
Jayna!
