“Think? Not sure. Hope? Maybe.” Karlo lets out a mirthful chuckle and cuddles close to RJ. I’m looking forward to celebrating the shark man’s nuptials soon. “I’ve always loved marine life. I’ve always respected monsters.”
“Right. So it makes sense that we would end up with Maritime Monsters. Duh,” I say. Our group of six laughs again, and I cuddle closer to Reed. He gives me a meaningful look, but before I can say more, a little version of him appears at our table.
“Do you want me to take your guys’ picture? Your dad said it would be a good idea, Mr. Allen, so you wanna?” Aisen asks with an excited smile. He’s holding his DSLR camera, a boy after my own heart. He’s nearly outgrown his suit, sprouting faster and faster as most sixteen-year-old boys tend to do.
“Sure!” Ardsley says.
“How about on the dock?” Tyson points behind us. “Jumping into the water?”
We chuckle, and Ardsley carefully removes Tyson’s jacket. “Only if you take this off.”
“So that I don’t get the suit wet?” Tyson asks.
“No.” Ardsley pops open his shirt, exposing Tyson’s dark skin and pert pecs over a white tank top. “I just like looking at you.”
Our group laughs, and I take off my jacket. “Hey, keep it PG. The kid is here!” I say.
“I’m not a kid,” he mutters, half-smiling.
“Let us go take this photo, Aisen Sung,” RJ says. He taps Aisen’s shoulder and shifts. Our little group saunters to the dock, but Reed hangs back.
“What’s up?” I ask, toeing off my shoes.
“Nothing, I was…thinking about what you said.” He puts his hands in his pockets, and his demeanor grows shy.
“What?”
“About ending up with a maritime monster.”
I strip down to my undershirt. “Is that a problem?”
“No. I just realized we’re not technically engaged.”
My brow furrows in confusion. “Um, okay?”
Reed takes my hands and squeezes them. “I don’t want you to think I don’t want to.”
I shake my head. “I’ve never thought that, sweetheart.”
“I simply want the timing to be right. And we’ve been so focused on this wedding, then Karlo got engaged, and we’ve only been dating for one year, eight months, and two days, so like?”
“Reed!” I say with a giggle. He shuts up, and I take his face. I kiss him slowly, listening to waves cresting yards away. “I don’t question your commitment to me. We can get married or engaged when the timing is right. It won’t change my love for you.”
My boyfriend smiles and pecks my lips again. “Done deal.”
“Besides, if you take too long, I’m popping the question myself.” Our laughter is broken up by Aisen hollering in the distance.
“Stop being gross and come take this picture!” he says with a wave. Our friends are all lined up at the dock, Ardsley and RJ in their monster forms.
“Well?” Reed asks. I turn back to see him already in his kraken form. “Shall we?”
I put out one arm, and he wraps a tentacle around it. “Lead the way, sea monster.”
Seconds later, the six of us stand at the dock, ready to jump in. Aisen and Ardsley’s dad stands at a smaller dock, parallel to us, with cameras ready. We’re framed by the twinkling lights as well as the night sky.
“I love you, Reed Sung,” I murmur.
“I love you more, Skyler Dillinger. And I’m gonna spend the rest of my life with you, too, just you wait.”
