Those thoughts were completely erased from her mind when she realized Adrian was lying on the beach in front of her, passed out and completelynaked.
Isa’s first thought was how freaked out she was that Adrian didn’t have any clothes on. She wondered if she should look away, if Adrian was going to sprout a tail right in front of her, or if she should just turn and make a run for it. But on second glance (she really couldn’t help it) Isa realized something waswrong.
He didn’t look right. Helooked—dead.
Isa immediately panicked. She rushed forward and fell to her knees at Adrian’s side, breathing hard and trying not toscream.
Oh God. Oh God, oh God, he’s dead. He’sreallydead.
Isamaria poked him to see if he was still alive. He shifted. A bout of hope rose in her chest and Adrian rolled over, opening his eyes andcoughing.
“Adrian!” Isa said. She worried over him, not sure of what to do or how to help. “Are you all right? What happened?” Countless scenarios swept throughherhead.
“Clothes,” he gasped, and he pointed at the cove in the distance. “There. Under—arock.”
Isa wasted no time. She ran to the cove and tiptoed around the sharp rocks that led inside the cave. There underneath a strange looking ledge were a pair of sandals, jeans, and a whitetanktop.
Isa ran back to the beach with the clothes in hand and tripped twice on the way back to Adrian. He was on his hands and knees trying to get up. Isa helped him. Adrian pulled his clothes on, though he needed Isa’s arm to keep himsteady.
She was worried about him. Yeah, she had to admit Adrian had a cute butt, among other things, but this was anemergencyhere.
“You need to go to the hospital,” Isa said. This was like a replay of what had happened to her, except now she was on the other side of it, and it was farworse.
“No,” he gasped. “I’ll be allright.”
It was true. Adrian was recovering before her very eyes, just slowly. She was about to ask Adrian why his clothes were so far away from him when she remembered that he was probably a merman. It would be obvious for him to hide clothes in a place nearby where he could get to them, but also where they wouldn’t befound.
“What happened?” she repeated, feeling like a brokenrecord.
“I went for a swim. Took in too much salt water,” he rasped. “Good thing I washed up onshore.”
Isa knew he was lying, but at the same time, she didn’t want to question him when he lookedlikethis.
That body, though. Adrian was aperfectten.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” Isa repeated, lookinghimover.
“I’m sure,” Adrian insisted. He was able to stand on his own this time, without help. “Sorry you had to see melikethis.”
“I tried not to look at anything,” Isa said, not wanting to make him feeluncomfortable.
“Doesn’t bother me what you saw.” Adrian smiled roguishly at her, and she giggled. “Thanks for helpingmeout.”
“I couldn’t just let you lie there,” Isa said. “You had me superworried.”
“I’m cool now.” Adrian looked at her. “What are you doing up soearly?”
“Couldn’t sleep. I had a lot on my mind.” She shrugged. “The beach helps methink.”
“Me too.” Adrian stuck his hands in his pockets and looked out at the water. “Though not sleeping is a bad thing to do when you’ve probably got school and work togoto.”
“No, don’t mind it. I’ve got the next three days off, from work andschool.”
“Really?Why?”
“The Seaside Ball,” she said glumly. “The whole town practically shuts downforit.”
All she’d been hearing from her friends lately was about that stupid ball. It was in three days, and Isa had received an invitation. Not surprisingly, she’d been signed up for the Coral Queen vote. Isa didn’t know the two other girls on the list, but she hoped whoever they were, one of them would get pickedinstead.
