“Being my friend.”
Oz stared down at her with an expression she recognized but couldn’t acknowledge.
“I’ll always be your friend.”
The words meant more to her than he’d ever know. She inhaled, breathing in Oz’s scent, one of man and musk and spice along with the salt air and that intrinsically undefinable headiness that made Oz Oz.
Unease settled deep within her as awareness dawned.
She was upset because Ted had chosen his career over her—which was exactly what she had done to Oz.
Was this her payback? Life’s way of showing her how it felt?
She didn’t like it. Maybe because… it left her wanting more?
“Hello. Beautiful morning, isn’t it?”
Rayna Jo blinked and looked up at the man standing over her on the beach, but since he stood with his back to the blinding sunrise, she couldn’t make out much more than his shadow. She’d been so deep in thought she hadn’t noticed his approach.
She’d paddled until she couldn’t lift her arms for another stroke. Then she’d floated with the current, not caring where she wound up.
She’d roused when she heard the distinct sound of ocean waves and felt the current getting stronger. And no matter how badly she wanted to let it take her out to sea, something inside of her had demanded she beach the kayak and find the courage to live. Fight. For her daughters.
For herself.
No matter what the future might hold.
“I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you okay?” the man asked, not getting the hint that she didn’t want to talk when she hadn’t responded to his first question.
She nodded and forced herself to communicate. “Fine.”
“Did you sleep on the beach?”
Given what she no doubt looked like, she’d think the answer obvious. “I-I got lost kayaking. I needed to wait until dawn to get my bearings.”
“I see. Good thing you did or you’d have been in the Atlantic,” the man said, confirming her thoughts as he squatted down in front of her. “It’s just that way a little farther. No offense, now, but you look mature enough to know better than to get lost on the water. Mighty dangerous.”
She nodded and forced herself to meet his gaze, finding the man to be her age, with warm blue eyes and a head full of silver-white hair and only hints of dark remaining. “It couldn’t be helped.”
“I see. I’m Connor. Connor Sennet. What’s your name?”
“Rayna,” she said, leaving off her middle name for reasons she didn’t know.
Maybe… Maybe because Rayna Jo was that woman who’d accepted her husband’s behavior and wanted to disappear into the sea.
While Rayna—
Rayna battled the currents and the bugs and the night and the danger. Even more, Rayna battled the darkness of her mind and the fog threatening to overtake her yet again—only this time she’d won.
“Well, Miss Rayna, my house is behind you. I saw you sitting down here for a while and thought I’d check on you. How would you like some breakfast?”
“No, thank you. I couldn’t possibly—”
“It’d be my pleasure.” His smile coaxed her. “I’ve never found a mermaid on the beach. The least I can do is feed her breakfast.”
A mermaid?
She blushed, knowing how utterly horrible she must look after her night of crying and anger and finally tearful acceptance that nothing was in her control. It never had been. “Maybe I could use your phone? To call my family.”