Page 17 of Seashells and Daiquiris

"That's very convenient for a man who needs me to kiss him on a full moon."

Something flickers in his expression, like he’s worried now. "I'm not making this up, Freddie."

Dove is absolutely hearing about this as soon as I leave. “So what does this mean? I just follow you around for three weeks like a duckling?"

He doesn't answer right away, and instead stares into his coffee for a while as if it might have the answer.

"Last night, after Thalassa's message, I started thinking." He pauses, glancing up at me periodically. "The shell has latched to thirteen people before you. Thalassa never once changed the rules for any of them. Never added a caveat, only to send messages every now and then when she seemed particularly jealous of one. She saw you in her pearl and immediately added a rule that says you can’t be far from me.” He looks up. “Which she would not say that unless she was compelled to. She doesn’t want anyone near me.”

"What are you saying?"

He takes a breath. "I'm saying the shell might be right about picking you. I can't confirm it, not until the full moon. But Thalassa is agitated and you said you dreamt about it.” He holds my gaze. "In thirteen matches, that’s never happened."

The café has some natural sounds around us, mostly of the machines being used and some chatter around us. I’m thankful for it, because I need this moment of silence.

“Can you be explicit in what your saying,” I state, gripping the mug tighter as my heart feels like it’s in my neck.

"You might actually be my soulmate.”

I swallow my spit like it’s cotton. “And the sea witch knows?”

"She suspects."

"And now she's trying to hurt me."

"Low-grade stuff. Testing boundaries. But yeah."

“Why would she text you to be close to me, then? You’d think she’d want us a continent apart.” To be honest, I can’t even wrap my head around this. But so far, the shell is real, and so was my terrible morning.

“I honestly have no idea⁠—”

“The closer you bond, the more fragile my shell becomes.”

Liam seems to hold that thought for a while before raising his brows and nodding. “That sounds like something she’d add.”

“What if the shell breaks?” I ask, staring at my purse.

“Then his heart is forever gone.”

“Would be nice if you just answered all questions.”

Silence, again.

“That’s my heart you’re talking to,” Liam quips, and when I glance back at him, I can see he’s got a playful look in his eye. I give a weak laugh, as it clearly took me way too long to hear what he was saying, and now I’m embarrassed.

I sit back to take in the gravity of it all. I look at this absurdly beautiful, heartless merman who ordered me a latte, who is telling me his crazy ex-girlfriend is sending bad vibes at me through the ocean…

Who says I’m his soulmate… so that mean he’s mine?

“I’ll be honest, I can’t wrap my head around it,” I say, fidgeting with the mug, “So maybe we can just be near each other and pretend the other doesn’t exist, so the shell doesn’t break.”

He shrugs a bit. “Not the worst idea.” He tilts his head. “So where are you staying while here?”

That almost-smile again. "Dove's beach house."

“Oh, Dove?” He nods a bit, and those strong fingers manipulate his own mug. “So do you want to stay there, or with me?”

“Hot.”