Page 56 of Stranded With the Grumpy Mermaid

Her mouth trembles.

"But then we’re together and everything is new and beautiful in the world again.”

I reach for her hand.

"And that's the part I want for the rest of my life. Coming home to you."

I go down on one knee. The planks are damp. I could not possibly care less. The box comes out of my pocket and I open it.

"Dr. Nerissa Marsh," I say. "Will you marry me?"

She's stunned. Actually stunned. Both hands have come up over her mouth, and above them her eyes have gone glassy and bright, and for once I have absolutely no idea what she's about to do.

Then the first tear goes over the edge.

My heart stops.

"Yes."

The word comes out wet and cracked and completely without hesitation.

"Yes?"

"Yes. Obviously yes. Rafe. Ask me again."

"Marry me."

"Yes!” She's laughing now, and crying, both at once, at full capacity. "Yes!”

I laugh too, because apparently breathing has become optional.

She holds out her left hand. I slide the ring onto her finger: a simple band and a stone that catches blue and green when she moves it. Then she grabs me by the collar with both fists and hauls me up off my knee, and she kisses me with that fierce confidence I love so much.

I wrap her up. I kiss her back. I hold on. She's laughing against my mouth, and I can feel her heart pounding through both our jackets.

Somewhere above us, applause breaks out.

I lift my head, and there they are: Fergus at the New Belle's rail with both deckhands beside him, all three clapping.

Neri looks at the assembled audience. Then at me.

"You told him?"

"I required logistical cooperation."

"He asked for five minutes alone on the pier," Fergus booms down, entirely unrepentant. "And thank every tide he finally used it, because I've been sitting on this since Tuesday and another week would have finished me. I'm a sea captain, girl, not a vault."

The laugh comes then, the full famous maelstrom of it, rolling across the water loud enough to lift six gulls off the pilings. Neri buries her face in my shoulder and shakes, and it takes me a second to be sure she's laughing too.

"Congratulations, aboard, in that order!" Fergus bellows, wiping at his whiskers with the back of one furred hand. “Or you’ll make an old selkie make a fool of himself.”

Neri turns toward Fergus looming over the rail.

“You’re crying,” she says.

Fergus looks personally offended. “Crying, me? That’s dust in my eyes, girl. Don’t flatter yourself. Now, get aboard before I revoke the boarding permission.”

I pick up our bags. She takes my hand and we board together.