Page 86 of A Line in the Sand

She looked him up and down, cheeks blazing with heat as her attention lingered on his bare chest. “And you typically dress like Neptune for bingo?”

“When I’m trying to make a grand gesture, I do,” he said, and his expression turned bittersweet.

She took a ragged inhale. Ursula peered up at her, wiggling with ecstasy. The puppy had clearly made up her mind to forgive and forget. Molly envied her ability to love with such an open, vulnerable heart.

She wanted to be like that. She wanted to live and laugh and love without regret. She wanted to see the world like her little dog did—beautiful and brand new every morning, even with its flaws. Maybe even because of them. She wanted it so bad that she took a step closer to Max, reached for his hand and squeezed it tight.

“I’m so sorry.” He pressed his forehead to hers, eyes shining as bright as the sea in high summer. “You, Molly Prince, are definitely not insignificant, scientifically or otherwise. The truth is that I’ve never met anyone as significant as you are. I’m in love with you.”

He lifted his fingertips toward her face. She thought it was to move a lock of hair from her eyes, but when the pad of his thumb grazed her cheek, she realized he was tenderly brushing away a tear. She was crying again—but this time they were happy tears, pearls of a different color.

“Someone call 911. I might be having a heart attack for real.” Opal let out a dreamy sigh. “This is the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen.”

“More romantic than when she saved him from drowning?” Mavis said.

Yes,Molly thought.More romantic than that, because this time, we’re saving each other.

“Oh, Wilson,” she whispered. “I love you too.”

Then she kissed him, and at long last, with her heart open wide, Molly the mermaid finally found her sea legs.