I’m still trying to remember how to form sentences, but she doesn’t seem to notice.
She laughs at her silly words then leans into my chest. “Good thing I’m only a sea nymph.” Then she frowns. “What’s wrong? Is there guac in my teeth?”
“No…” I shake my head to restart my brain. “You’re beautiful. I mean,reallybeautiful. I’ve never seen anything like you.”
Clearly, my brain is taking the slow lane. In the meantime, Gina’s cheeks turn a pretty pink color, and she smiles up at me.
“Thank you, kind sir.” Rising onto her toes, she kisses my cheek. “Maybe we’ll save the keel-hauling for another day.”
I’m about to suggest we find a secluded place for me to slip her my keel when Gavin walks in the front door wearing a black sailor shirt with a big red collar.
He’s wearing some kind of prosthetics that make his forearms look huge, and he’s holding Lucy in a bright red canvas bag. A teeny white sailor’s cap is on her head, and I get it.
I point to them. “Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Sweetpea!”
“It’s Swee’pea, sailor.” He growls, putting a small pipe between his lips. “Get it right.”
“Oh, Popeye!” Haddy skips up beside him, bending one knee and kissing his cheek.
Gigi laughs, but I catch her arm, turning her to face me. “I need some help with this.”
I gesture to the front of my shirt, which is hanging wide open, and her bottom lip drops. She quickly closes her mouth, fixing her eyes on my shirt.
“Let me see.” She lifts the thin strings, and her fingers graze my bare chest as she slowly tries to tie the laces.
Her nose wrinkles, and her cheeks turn even pinker.
“What are you thinking about?” My voice is low.
“Your chest is like a sculpture.” She exhales a fluttery laugh. “Why are these laces so hard to tie?”
I reach up to cover her hands with mine. “Leave them. I’m sure a pirate wouldn’t care if his shirt wasn’t laced properly.”
Her eyebrow arches, and she blinks those pretty green eyes up at me. “As someone who knows?”
“A lot of pirates settled in South Carolina.”
“I thought your family was so straight and narrow.” She tilts her head. “Your father’s a sheriff.”
“Yourfather’s a sheriff, and he dresses in drag and gives lap dances.”
Her head ducks forward, and she laughs. “It’s true!”
I put my thumb on her chin, lifting her face to mine. “I really want to kiss you right now.”
“What would happen if you did?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never kissed a magical sea creature before.”
“Or have you?” She reaches up to cover my palm with hers, lowering my hand.
Then she turns and walks back to the kitchen, looking over her shoulder. “I’d better check on your daughter.”
My eyes slide down the length of her body in that thin, form-fitting dress. It’s the grown-up version of the one my daughter is wearing, and I think about Maddie and Gina.
I think about my daughter having a mother for the first time. I need to have a chat with my little girl. Soon.
Heather’s voice at my shoulder pulls me back to the present. “See something you like?”
