Page 20 of Tides of Love

Now the compound that had grown to several sprawling buildings with cheerful signs and white walls covered in fish murals was an attraction on par with the amusement park. Giant sea pens were built into the inlet, each one marked with the same golden logo Lucky wore on his shirt.

Antonio walked up to the ticket booth shaped like a giant piece of coral. “Hi, I’d like one admission ticket and is there a special ticket required for the mermaid show?”

The teen working the booth shook her head. “No, though if you would be willing to make an additional donation to the Mermaid Reef Fund, every penny goes to protecting our local reef structures.”

“Then let’s do that.” He placed a hundred-dollar bill on the counter. The currency in Paradise had various island images on them but the hundred-dollar bill in particular felt fitting since it had a picture of a sea turtle. The teen put a stamp on the back of his hand that looked like a green starfish and gave him a pamphlet.

Antonio read over the map but as he entered the aquarium, there really was no need. It was impossible to miss the crowd of children gathered in front of a massive tank built into the back wall of the main room.

Maybe Lucky really was a mermaid.

His tail was iridescent white with each scale delicately lined in gold. The long, frilled, silicone fins were a mix of gold and white and shimmering pink. Lucky wore a top made of strand after strand of pearls and golden chains, all pinned down by a chain that wrapped around the dip of his waist. The same dip Antonio’s thumb had traced during that night of passion…

A crown of coral and crystals was pinned into auburn curls. He really did look like a mermaid princess. Lucky blew bubbles to the children as kisses and pressed his hand to the glass. A few times, as Antonio moved closer, Lucky swam up to get air.

The moment Lucky saw him, he was gifted one of those warm smiles that made his heart skip several beats.

Rainbow reef fish swam around Lucky who offered some food pulled from a pouch around his hips. It was covered in shells to make it look like something a proper mermaid would own. When the sailors named Sirena Reef, surely they were imagining Lucky.

Music played through the room before a voice came over the intercom. “Thank you all for stopping in for the mermaid show! Our resident mermaid princess has some very important work to do but he’ll return for another show next week. If you would like to learn more about our mermaid’s work and how we protect the reef he calls home, please be sure to look for the mermaid symbol on plaques placed throughout the exhibits or visit our website!”

Lucky waved eagerly and blew more kisses to the crowd of eager children. He did a flip to ecstatic cheers before vanishing through the top of the tank and out of sight.

A door beside the tank opened to reveal a smiling employee in a red shirt showing the Marine Center logo. His black hair was pulled into a ponytail with braids interspersed through the strands and glittering with gold accessories. “If everyone would like to wait a few moments, our mermaid princess will make a rare appearance with the help of Paradise’s very own Antonio Saavedra.”

Caught off guard, he blinked dumbly as the young man stared at him expectantly.

The cheers of the children pulled him from his stupor. He stepped through the doorway, holding it open for the omega who slipped past him. “Come on, Lulu is this way. I’m Jack, by the way. Lucky’s been talking non-stop about you, so I just had to see what the fuss was about.”

Jack. Lucky’s Jack. Lucky’s twin brother Jack.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. Lucky has spoken highly of you.” Bowing his head, he was struck by how much Jack looked like Teague Wilde. He had the same warm brown skin and black hair as the man plastered on page three of the pamphlet still folded in Antonio’s hand. He tucked the pamphlet away hurriedly and offered his hand to the omega.

Jack cocked his head to the side and smiled like he knew something Antonio didn’t. He bypassed Antonio’s offered hand to grab his wrists and lever his arm up and down. “Highly is a word! I doubt he had as many nice things to say about me as he does about you.”

Antonio wasn’t entirely sure he understood but Jack let go of his arm and motioned for Antonio to follow him through the employees only area.

Up a flight of metal stairs, Antonio found himself on a platform that extended over the massive tank. It was a good thing heights didn’t bother him. Lucky was sprawled half out of the water, drying off his upper body with a towel.

“Found your boyfriend, dearest princess.” Jack teased, trotting across the platform with ease.

Lucky’s head jerked up, with a smile so wide that Antonio had to swallow down the desire to kiss him. “I’m so glad you made it!”

“Me too.” Counting down the days to his next day off had been painful. “I hear I’m supposed to escort the mermaid princess?”

Lucky laughed, nodding, “I need to get from here to the other side of the aquarium where the breakroom is. Normally, I’d just change up here and take the back way but we’re actually introducing some new fish that were rescued from a pet shop and the temp tanks are blocking the hall…” Lucky waved his hand, “Sorry, it’s a whole thing. Long story short, I need to walk past the kids, and I hate ruining the magic so I was hoping you might be interested in playing helpful knight?”

“I would be honored, but it seems more accurate that I play the dashing sailor making off with a beautiful mermaid instead.” He crouched down to Lucky’s level.

“Oh my, a daring pirate captain has come to steal me away?” Lucky’s arms curled over his shoulders, slim fingers stroking the back of his neck.

Jack made a gagging sound in the background. “Could we hurry this along before the kids get antsy? Vámonos!”

“Go take care of the fish, Jackie!” Lucky huffed, waving his brother off who shrugged before making a big show of stomping off. “Twins, what can you do with ‘em?”

“I should be asking you that.” Antonio snorted, “Is he mad or…?” He didn’t want to make a bad impression.

“No, absolutely not. He just likes to drive me crazy.” Lucky smiled, a teasing gleam in his eyes, “But he is right, we shouldn’t keep the kids waiting. Even if I’d like to drag you down for a swim.” The way Lucky glanced from his lips to his eyes and back again made him think it wasn’t a swim Lucky had in mind.