It seems we’re both more tired than we thought.
15
This is weird.
The soft hum flooding my ears from the earbuds Finn chucked my way earlier makes things way more awkward as I linger a few paces behind him and hisdate. An aquarium wouldn’t have been my first guess when it came to where he would have taken this woman who I don’t know a thing about. Sure, I like aquatic animals as much as the next girl, but this is . . . not about me. Not really.
I stare at the glass in front of me and watch as a massive turtle swims by, gliding through the water toward another one. The lighting on this floor sucks. It creates a dark, moody energy that has me looking over at the couple far too often. It’s not overtly romantic, but with all of the dark corners and the lack of other people here, it’s a breeding zone for daring touches and quick kisses.
Over the last twelve hours, I’ve tried to prepare myself for what it would look like if he did tug her into a quiet corner and lay one on her. Surely, it wouldn’t bother me. It wouldn’t be the first time that he’s been with someone, and despite his lack of dating life over the last couple of years, I’m not naïve enough to believe he hasn’t been having sex. Yet despite those reminders,I hardly got any sleep. The images that flooded my mind were intense. I fear they’ve been seared into my eyelids.
“So, since this place was your idea, does that mean you’re a shark kind of guy?”
His date’s voice crackles in my ear, making my shoulders pull back. I ignore the impulse to look over at them and continue eyeing the two turtles instead. Adjusting my grip on my purse strap, I try to exhale the swarm of angry bees in my chest.
“That depends on which kind we’re talking about. A nursing shark? Sure. A great white? I’ll have to disappoint you there.”
“You know, most shark attacks are caused by humans being where they shouldn’t.”
“Most, but not all. I’ve swam with some before, but never on my own and sure as hell never with the kind that could swallow me in two bites. I can’t say that I feel all that calm around a jaw full of blades.”
She laughs so softly it’s almost a giggle. “Fair enough.”
I hear footsteps on the shiny floor and turn my head to see them stepping out of this section. My feet tingle as I stay rooted in place for another minute before following. The lack of heels on my feet wasn’t exactly a style choice, but more of a “spy technique,” as decided by Finn. Instead, I’ve paired a simple pair of leggings and a zip sweater with black sneakers that scuff the floor in a way my pumps never do. The point of the change was to eliminate the click-clacking sound, yet I feel like the scuffing might be worse.
I’m out of my element here, and the more I pretend otherwise, the tenser I feel. His date’s conversation topics and innocent little giggles aren’t helping in the slightest.
“Watch your step; it’s a bit slippery,” Finn warns her.
Rounding the corner, I wince when my sneaker squeaks against the floor. The couple’s already halfway up the steps to the second floor, too far to hear my slip-up. When I see Finn’spalm on her back, stabilizing her, my knees lock. I stare at them until they’ve made it up and out of view.
It’s . . . innocent. Normal, even. Finn’s one of the good guys, and this is just him proving that. There’s no reason for my temperature to be spiking or the soles of my shoes to be sticking to the wet floor and delaying me from following.
I’m just giving them a moment alone. That’s it.
“You’re a lifesaver, Finn.”
His easy laugh fills my ear and travels down my neck and spine, encouraging me to move. “Let’s go this way. They’ve got manatees over here.”
“What about the fish? Let’s check them out first.”
I reach the staircase and start my ascent, listening closely for Finn’s response. Despite suggesting his date take place at the aquarium, he’s never been a huge fan of fish. Not since his cousin dumped two cans of fish food into his tank and killed the ones he had when he was nine. He found them all floating the next morning.
“Sure,” he agrees.
The tightness in his voice doesn’t escape me. Still, he goes along with her and doesn’t use her suggestion as an excuse to write her off. My gut tightens. Yeah, that’s something I would have done.
An excited scream comes from behind me before a group of kids rush past me. The tallest of them is carrying a stuffed shark under his arm, and I crack a smile as who I assume to be their parents come up from behind me and follow at a quick pace.
Finn turns and glances behind him before the kids reach him and his date. The sunglasses and cap shield his face well enough, and while I think I feel his gaze land on me, I can’t see it. A beat later, he looks back at his date and smiles.
The sign sticking out of the wall says the fish are to the left, and I hang back a few feet while he heads that way, the womanhe’s with in tow. She waves at the boy with the shark, and he flashes a toothy smile before taking off in the other direction, toward the manatee exhibit.
There’s something sharp digging into my spine as I follow them. My skin’s clammy, and I pull my hair up when it becomes too uncomfortable sticking to my neck. The woman reaches for Finn’s hand, and I swallow, trying to will this discomfort away.
Finn hesitates for a second when she takes his hand, but then he’s letting her thread their fingers and pull him further from me.
“You know, I was a bit nervous coming today,” she admits.
