The group staggered in and took their seats. It was clear from the droopy eyelids and shuffling feet that the ladies had managed to consume their share of beer the night before even while carrying out their clambake duties.
Darinda sat next to Mona on the sofa sectional. In the last few days, Mona had noticed that she was one of the brighter and more observant Mermaid Society members, and her heart was in the right place. Darinda had become Mona’s right-hand ’maid this week, and it was obvious there was real potential in her, possibly even the makings of the society’s next president.
“Are you all right?” Darinda leaned in and patted Mona’s knee. “You don’t look so good. Is your arthritis bothering you today?”
“I have a lot on my mind this morning.”
Darinda cleared her throat. “Sit down, everyone! We need to get started! Let’s move it, people!”
Since those words hadn’t been uttered by anyone but Mona for the last twenty years, the room went silent. Mouths hung open. Mona knew her friends well enough to be sure their response had nothing to do with jealousy. Not even a little. No one coveted the job of president of the Bayberry Island Mermaid Society. That’s why Mona’s unanimous reelection every two years was like that of a banana republic dictator—not exactly a shocker and greeted with a celebration that was mostly for show.
Mona glanced over her shoulder at Darinda and smiled. It felt good to know someone had her back for a change.
“Thank you, Darinda.” Mona waited for the women to get settled. “As usual, if you take the last of the coffee, please put on a fresh pot. All right. Let’s get started.”
Polly opened one eye and raised her hand, rocking back and forth a little. “I’m not going to be able to work the crowd at the reenactment today. I’m not feeling all that great.”
“I’m not either,” Layla said.
“Me either,” Abby said.
“That’s not why I called this meeting. I don’t give a rat’s ass if anyone works the reenactment. You’re grown women. You know your responsibilities as Mermaid Society members, and you can choose whether or not you feel like honoring them.”
Someone’s foot slipped off the coffee table and hit the floor with a thud.
“Uh, where’s your binder, Mona?”
She shrugged at Izzy’s question. “I don’t know. In the kitchen, I guess.”
“Want me to go get it?” Izzy began to get up from the sofa.
“No need. Let’s just get on with the meeting, okay? I’m sure we all have better things to do.”
Mona paid no attention to the exchange of glances, the head shakes, and the widening eyeballs. “This is only partly about society business, so let’s get that issue out of the way first.” Mona cupped each knee in a palm and straightened her spine. “This has to do with Rowan.”
“No shit,” Polly said. “She and the Man Grab were Velcroed to each other all night last night.”
“I thought they looked incredible together,” Izzy said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rowan happier,” Layla said.
“I know!” Abby did three quick fist pumps. “I think we’ve got our ‘something big’ to brag about. Just like Darinda predicted, our Man Grab was affected by the Great Mermaid, and she sent him to Rowan! How perfect is that?”
“Did you see how he looked at her?” Layla waved her arms around. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a man so smitten. It was like he—”
“Stop.” Mona sighed. This was exactly what she had wanted to avoid. But of course the Mermaid Society members would focus on any possible connection between Rowan and Ash’s new love and the Great Mermaid’s magic—that was the whole point of the group. But Mona needed to nip this in the bud.
“I have a special request to make of all of you. I want us to step away from Rowan and Ash. No talk of the Man Grab or the Great Mermaid’s powers, or Rowan falling in love. Please. I’m asking you for this not as your president but as Rowan’s mother and your lifelong friend.”
“Ooookay.” Polly set down her coffee mug. “Did I miss something? Did something happen I don’t know about? Why the sudden change of heart, Mona?”
Mona chuckled. “You’re right. Something has happened to me. I realized last night that Rowan’s happiness is more important to me than being right about the mermaid. I realized that Rowan and Ash have a right to their privacy. Even if their love is connected to the legend, we have no right to shove that concept down their throats. So I want us to back waaay the hell away from them. Give them their space.”
A collective gasp went up through the room.
Abby looked as if she might cry. “But I thought we agreed we needed something to inspire the island, make people believe in love again.”
“You know what I think?” Mona smiled sadly. “I think if people want to believe in love, they’ll make that decision on their own. I’m sick of shoving love down people’s throats, and I will certainly not allow my daughter to be bullied like that again.”
“Holy shit.”
That was the first time anyone had heard Darinda curse.
“But, Mona . . .” Darinda frowned. “Isn’t that our charter? Isn’t that the reason we’re here, to help people remain open to the possibility that magic exists and that love is magic?”
“Absolutely.” Mona nodded. “But not this time. Not with Rowan and Ash. Is everybody clear on this?”
Polly whistled. “I can’t wait to hear the second reason this meeting was called.”
“Well, then, I’ll get right to it. I won’t waste anyone’s time.” Mona looked into the faces of each of her friends so that they would know she meant business. “Ladies, I’m giving up my fight against the Mermaid Island Resort. I’ve decided we should all just sell.”
The room erupted. A few women stood up and hooted with happiness, and others sat motionless and stupefied. Someone’s coffee cup got knocked over in the fracas. Somebody whispered that they were going to be rich. Darinda grabbed Mona’s forearm and squeezed so tight it was painful.
“Mona! No!” Her face was twisted with disbelief. “You can’t do that!”
“I can and I will.”
“Hold up. Hold up.” Polly stood—a little wobbly—and sliced her flattened hands through the air like a referee. “Can we all just remain fucking ladylike here? There’s got to be a good reason for this one-eighty turnaround, so let’s give Mona an opportunity to explain. Thank you.” Polly sat back down.
“‘Fucking ladylike’ is an oxymoron,” Izzy said.
“Please just hear me out.” Mona felt her chin quiver. She knew she’d have to be quick about this because her emotions were right at the surface. If she dwelled on it too long, she would surely burst into tears.
“As you all know, I’ve worked for more than a year to stop the resort plans. It’s no secret that it’s taken a toll on my family, my marriage, and my relationship with my friends and neighbors.”
No one moved.
“But yesterday I realized what my stubbornness was doing to Rowan. She’s trapped here. She’s miserable. It’s like I’m holding her prisoner in the Safe Haven, and it breaks my heart to see how I’ve backed her into a corner. It wasn’t all that long ago that I was a young woman in love, knowing . . . sure that . . . all I’m saying is that I had the right to make my own choices, even make my own mistakes. Because it was my life, no one else’s.”
Abby sniffed. She was crying. Mona pressed on.
“I’ve been fighting to save the house because I thought I was preserving our family heritage and way of life, but instead I’ve just hurt the people I love. The place is falling down, and there will never be enough money to restore it. I’ve put an impossible burden on my daughter and have only added to the burden of my friends and neighbors. It’s time to let the whole ridiculous thing go.”
“But what about the environment?” Darinda looked crushed.
Mona shrugged. “Maybe we can work with the developers to limit damage to the ecosystem
. They might even be willing to do another environmental assessment.”
“But the island will never be the same,” Izzy whispered.
Mona smiled sadly at Izzy. “With or without the resort, the island is going to have to change. We can either work to maximize the positive impact of development, or we can sit back and watch the island slowly die.”
Darinda shook her head. “This is terrible.”
“I need a little time to arrange for a meeting with the developers to be sure the offer is still on the table, so I will ask for your discretion until then. Can I count on that?”
One by one, the members of the society stood and formed their sacred circle. Each woman placed her right hand above her heart and recited the pledge of secrecy, their lips moving in silent unison, their expressions solemn.
* * *
Ash headed toward the marine yard. When he rounded the corner and the Provenance came into view, his eyes scanned nervously over her clean lines, narrow beam, and elegant sloop rigging. Though an old crane had moored alongside his boat, its motor wasn’t running and Sully was nowhere to be seen.
Ash’s heart beat fast. He worried about whether Sully had been able to remove the old inboard engine without problems. And he worried if he’d know how to properly align and mount the new one, whether he did any maintenance to the bilge hoses while he was under there and if he knew enough to get the throttle linkages right. Now that he was no longer concerned about closing the Jessop-Riley deal, it made him cringe to think of the trauma he’d put the Provenance through. The next time he got behind the wheel, he’d make it up to her.
As soon as Ash reached the boat, he climbed aboard, poked his head down into the cabin, and sighed with relief. Sully had been smart enough to protect the floor around the engine compartment with a piece of plywood. It looked like the old motor had been removed without issue. Nothing in the cabin appeared to be damaged, and there was no sign of oil leaking.
“Mr. Wallace?”
Ash climbed up to see Sully standing on the dock. “Everything go okay taking it out?”
The mechanic shrugged. “Went fine. You got the boat from your grandfather, you say?”
“That’s right.”
Sully shook his head. “Well, he took mighty good care of her. She’s beautiful. All new chrome fittings, pristine rigging, cabin restored to original specs. And I’ve never seen an engine compartment so clean in all my life. That engine was only about ten years old, by the way, with plenty of life left in it. Shame you ruined it.”
He smiled. Grandfather Louis had been dead fifteen years. The meticulous care, cleaning, and restoration of the Provenance had been Ash’s doing, but that would go unsaid.
“Is the engine here? Did you double-check all the measurements before you ordered it?”
“Should have it by lunchtime, and, yes, I did.”
“Wonderful.” Ash smiled at Sully but got no response. “And the chain plate?”
“Coming in today, too.”
“Fabulous.” Ash looked around the dock, acutely aware of how uncomfortable Sully was with conversation. “Do you feel good about dropping the engine into place and mounting it? Would you like me to come by to help?”
“Nope. I’ve done a hundred of these.” Sully looked down at his feet. “So, are you planning on leaving tonight?”
“Uh, no, actually. There’s been a change of plans.”
He looked up. “Tomorrow, then?”
“No. I’ve decided to stay awhile.”
“How long?”
“I’m not sure yet, but do you think she’s going to be ready to take out for a sea trial by late Thursday morning, weather permitting?”
Sully frowned. He scrunched his lips together in thought. “You can’t keep her in this slip for the long term, you know.”
“I understand, and I’ll be happy to compensate you for your inconvenience, but would you mind if we discussed all this in a few days?” Ash stepped onto the dock, shaking Sully’s oil-stained hand. “Thanks again for your excellent work.”
As he walked away from the marine yard, Ash felt Sully’s curious gaze on his back. He couldn’t blame the guy for staring. When he’d arrived on the island five days before, Ash had been an incompetent boat owner with deep pockets. Three days later he’d morphed into a nervous sailor who couldn’t leave fast enough. And today he was talking engine specs and his plans to stay indefinitely.
Though he had no personal experience with this sort of thing, he figured his behavior might be typical for a man who was falling in love.
Ash smiled, shoved his hands in his pockets, and headed into town. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a large crowd forming at the public dock, where it looked like yet another mermaid legend production was in progress. How many variations on the theme could there possibly be?
He slowed his pace enough to see that it was only a promotion for the adult theater troupe’s reenactment, starting soon in the museum. A real-life historic fishing boat served as the stage for the promo, but he noticed the costumes were from the parade, the props were from the children’s play, and some lines of dialogue were straight out of one of the brochures. The Bayberrian recycling ethic was exemplary.
He continued walking at a decent clip, aware that there was a lot on his agenda that day. He wanted to pay Hubie Krank a visit, but before that, he needed to pick up a couple bottles of wine from the liquor store—one for tomorrow night’s cookout with Rowan’s family and the other to share with Rowan during Thursday’s sail.
Ash felt a grin spreading across his face. He’d never taken a woman aboard the Provenance. It had never occurred to him that he might want to reveal that side of himself to a woman.
Rowan was different. He wanted her to love his classic sloop. He wanted Rowan to experience her comfortable, sweet ride, feel how firm she was at the heel, and sense what a delightful companion she could be out in the open sea.
After all, Rowan had shared her home and family with him, so it was only fair to reciprocate. Ash was immensely proud of the Provenance. She was the only family he had left.
It occurred to Ash that he needed her support. Maybe if he told Rowan the truth while they were out at sea, on the deck of the Provenance, Rowan would be more open to what he had to say. At least she couldn’t run away.
* * *
“I think he’s really great. Nat feels the same.”
Rowan sighed with relief into the cell phone, resuming her job buffing and sorting flatware in the dining room. “Thank you, Annie. I’m thrilled to hear you say that.” It was important that they both liked Ash, since Rowan couldn’t even imagine how awkward it would be if they didn’t. Annie and Nat were getting married soon, and though Rowan tried not to worry too much about the future, she desperately hoped that Ash would remain in her life.
“But you’re cool now with him being the Man Grab? I know it was shitty to find out the way you did. I felt bad that I didn’t give you a heads-up.”
Rowan opened the drawers to the old sideboard and put the flatware away. “I’ve gotten over my shock. I know I shouldn’t have flipped out the way I did, but honestly, I just couldn’t face the idea that Mona would come at me again the way she did with Frederick.”
“I understand.”
“Anyway, there’s nothing for you to feel bad about, Annie. You had no way of knowing Ash was the stupid Man Grab, but my mother sure as hell did.”
“I know you’re pissed at her.”
“Ugh.” Rowan slammed the drawer shut. “Sometimes I feel like I’m being suffocated by Mona—by this whole place.”
“I know, sweetie. But having Poseidon around has got to put a spring in your step on this fine summer morning. Am I right?”
Rowan laughed. “You’re right—it’s a lovely morning, but I’m not doing much springing, let me tell you. I’m so tired I can barely keep from falling over. Not that I’m complaining. At all.”
Annie giggled, then sighed. “Well, I have to say, you sound incredibly
happy. I’m . . .” Annie paused. Rowan heard her sniff.
“Are you crying?”
“No,” Annie snapped. “Well, maybe a little. But I’m just so happy to see you happy! It’s been a really long time, and . . . Oh, Rowan! Nat has been such a blessing in my life, but all I’ve been able to think about the last eight months was that you should have the same sort of blessing. I’ve been praying for you to find happiness.”
It was Rowan’s turn to cry. She wiped her cheek with the back of her wrist. “I don’t know what I would have done without you these last couple years, Annie. Well, the last thirty years, really.”
“I feel the same.”
“I think maybe Ash is the one.” Rowan began to walk toward the kitchen, but lowered her voice so that Mellie and the maids wouldn’t hear her. Her interest in Ash might be public knowledge at this point, but she could at least try to keep her most private thoughts between her and Annie. “The more time I spend with him, the more I let my guard down and just let it happen; you know what I mean?”
“I do.”
“He’s so attentive and loving. He makes me laugh. I miss him when we’re not together. Oh—he wants to take me sailing Thursday if his boat is fixed.”
“That sounds fun. Nat and I are going to the Mermaid Ball Thursday night. Would you two be back in time to join us?”
Rowan laughed. “Dear God, Annie. I haven’t been to the ball in years!”
“But wouldn’t it be fun? The four of us?”
Rowan wasn’t sure how to answer Annie, since she suspected the ball wouldn’t be Ash’s idea of a good time. Costumes were required, and Ash had made it clear that he didn’t do costumes. So she’d have to give the situation some thought. “Maybe we’ll go. I have to talk to Ash first and see.”
She headed through the swinging door to the kitchen, where she knew Imelda was busy doing prep work for tomorrow’s breakfast. She looked up from the chopping block and smiled at Rowan.
“Tell Annie I miss her.”
“Mellie says she misses you.”