“Are you going?” Adrian asked. He raised aneyebrow.
Isa shook her head and looked down at the water. “I’m not sure. I’m expected to go. But I haven’t really made upmymind.”
There was an awkward silence, one Adrian broke out ofnecessity.
“I, uh… I need some clothes,” Adrian said. “I know it sounds weird, but I don’t have any, besidesthese.”
Yeah, because you wear scales most of the time instead of pants,Isa thought, but she asked instead, “Where are yourclothes?”
“It’s a long story. But let’s just say I don’t have anything to wear and nowhere to sleep for the next fewnights.”
“You can stay with me,” Isa blurted out. “Idon’tmind.”
Adrian’s eyes brightened. “Really? You surethat’sokay?”
“Yeah,” Isa said. “My dad won’t notice you’rethere.”
He really wouldn’t. Having someone around besides Lupe would be nice for a change. Adrian would be a blast to hangoutwith.
“We can go to the mall,” Isa suggested. “Ihavecash.”
“I’m not going to make you pay,” Adrian said, as if it offended him. “Waithere.”
Adrian went back to the same cove Isa had gotten his clothes from. He came back with a wallet that looked stuffed full ofbills.
“I have a ton of money,” Adrian said when he caught her looking. “I just neveruseit.”
Hm. A ton ofhumanmoney. He had resources, despite being a merman. His dad must be very important. Whichremindedher…
“What does your dad do again?” Isa prodded as they walked back to her car. “I don’tremember.”
“I didn’t really tell you.” Adrian had gone quiet. “It’s a familybusiness.”
“Oh, really?” Isa left the question open-ended, so he was forced toanswer.
“He’s… kind of a boss. He tells people what to do all day. It’s really not my thing,” Adrianmumbled.
So his dad was some sort of ruler of mermaids. Which had to make Adrian a prince. Isa’s dreams were practicallycomingtrue.
Hold on, Isa. Princes don’t just wash up naked and perfect on the beach for girls to find. There has to be a catch to him.Isa decided that by the end of their extended weekend, she’d find out exactly what was the downside to Mr. Wonderfulhimself.
When they got to the mall Isa figured Adrian would want to go to all the high-end stores, but Adrian was boring. He stuck to tank tops in different colors, shorts and jeans, and ignored accessories entirely. He thought hats were dumb, though Isa insisted he’d want one to keep his head out ofthesun.
“You know, most dudes I know wear expensive clothes to show off,” Isa said as Adrian grabbed another plain tank. “You know. Logos. Namebrands.”
“I’m not a flashy kind of guy. What do I need to show off for?” heasked.
“Girls,” Isa said instantly. “All the guys I know are obsessed with impressinggirls.”
“There’s only one girl I want to impress, and she doesn’t care about clothes,” Adrian told her. He tweaked her nose, and Isasmiled.
They had their first official argument as boyfriend and girlfriend when it came to pick outswimwear.
“I don’t like wearing swimsuits. I don’t need one.” His nose wrinkled as Isa held up a pair of trunks, decorated with black palm trees against an orangesunset.
“Clearly, as you were tanning on the beach buck-ass nude this morning. And it’s Florida. You need a swimsuit. Youwantto show everyone the boys?” Isa asked as she shoved the suit in his face. “BecauseIdon’t want anyone to see them.”Anyone but me, that is.He’smine.
Isa wasn’t sure where this sudden territorial-ness had come from. She hadn’t been the jealous type before, but it was a whole new story withAdrian.
