“EMMETT,” Miri called from outside the low older building, just off the highway before the town border. Across the parking lot and down the hill was a small cove. This one was rockier than the other beaches and not as calm, but I knew from some of my morning runs that the most spectacular sunrises could be viewed from here. I always enjoyed running past this area.
Until I learned this building housed creatures of the underworld.
“Emmett,” Miri called again, and I got out of my car.
Look, I liked Miri. She was a lovely person, very sweet, and did a ton of charity work in Queen’s Cove. She was an incredible asset to our community. I couldn’t think of a bad thing to say about the woman.
She was persistent, though, I’d give her that. When Miri phoned with the details about the turtle rehab, I had told her that regrettably, Div had already booked me a visit with the local hospital. She said she had already confirmed with my assistant.
Miri might be an evil genius.
“Good morning.” I put on a bright smile as I approached, my stomach churning.
Miri clasped her hands together. “Good morning, handsome. Your darling is already inside.”
“My who?” I asked, frowning. “Oh. Avery.”
Miri laughed and slapped my shoulder. “Come on, let’s go in. The reporter is already here.”
I stared after her as I held the door open, and she breezed past me. “The who?” I asked for the second time.
“Emmett,” Don O’Rourke greeted as I walked into the lobby of the small office. Don was the reporter for the local paper and news blog. It was a small paper run by one guy, who usually hired a summer student during the busy season. His camera hung around his neck, and he gave me a big grin. “Ready to get up close and personal with some turtles?”
I rubbed the back of my neck and swallowed. On the drive over, my stomach had tightened into a knot.
Beside Don, Avery pressed her lips together and glanced down, trying not to smile. She had done her hair differently; it was tied up into a ponytail instead of down around her shoulders like usual.
“Can’t wait,” I told him, giving him a quick, tense smile and stepping over to Avery. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her to me, pressing a quick kiss onto the side of her head. Her hair smelled amazing, that freshly washed scent of women’s hair products. “Hello, sweetheart.”
“Hello, darling.” Her tone was dripping with self-satisfaction.
Miri caught sight of the ring and gasped, reaching for Avery’s hand. “I haven’t seen the ring yet. Oh my god.” Miri gave me a flat look. “It’s gorgeous. Emmett, you have incredible taste.”
Avery tilted her hand to study the ring and her eyes fixed on it. Yesterday, I walked in on her in her office, admiring it. She shook her head and glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. “I don’t know how he found it.”
I smiled, and satisfaction spread throughout my chest. “I have my ways.”
Seeing Avery admire that ring made me a happy guy. The day I got her greenlight on the engagement plan, I paid a visit to Hannah. In the musty little bookstore, Hannah flipped through the pages of a book on vintage jewelry, pointing out the shape and style Avery was drawn to. I drove to Victoria three hours away and scoured jewelry stores for something vintage, something people would believe Avery would want. Did I drop a bit of money on the ring? Sure I did, but the second her eyes lit up, that didn’t matter as much.
Miri looked between the two of us. “Have you picked a date yet?”
“We’re still thinking about it.” Avery shrugged. “Probably next year or the year after.”
I had the urge to put my arm around her again but stopped myself.
Something weird had been happening lately—I’d been thinking about Avery more and more.
First, it was that awkward kiss for the photo Miri took. I thought about how my mouth brushed her cheek and the mouthful of hair I got. I had desperately wanted a do-over, because I was Emmett Rhodes, and I didn’t do bad kisses.
I got the do-over when I proposed to Avery in the restaurant. The way her soft mouth felt under mine, fucking hell. She was so soft and sweet, and her hair was like silk around my fingers, and it still wasn’t enough. That kiss was too chaste. I was Emmett Rhodes, and I didn’t do chaste kisses.
So, I needed one more do-over, and it was going to be a good one. I didn’t know when it would happen but I was sure we’d have an opportunity at some point. As soon as we had our do-over kiss, I could stop wondering and thinking about her and her body and what her tits looked like, and I could focus on the election.
“Can I interest anyone in some snacks before we begin the tour?” Miri asked, pulling out a tray of tarts from behind the desk. “Scott helped me make them last night.”
Rule number one of running for mayor: if someone offers you food, you accept. Allergy? Don’t care. Picky eater? Shut up. Full off the smoothie, three eggs, and avocado toast you ate an hour before? Choke it down, buddy.
“Absolutely.” I accepted a tart and took a bite. I didn’t recognize the texture of the filling.
“These look great,” Avery told her. Perfect, Avery. Exactly like that. “What are they?”
“These are the turtles that didn’t make it,” Miri replied, and I choked and spat half the tart out into my napkin.
Avery put her hand over her mouth, either in shock or laughter or both.
“I’m kidding!” Miri trilled, laughing. “They’re mincemeat.”
Avery and Don began laughing at me and my face went red.
“You got me,” I told Miri, grinning at her. It felt more like baring my teeth at her, and her eyes widened. “Shall we begin the tour?”
“Great idea,” Miri concurred, and we entered the facility. Miri led us past the reception area and further into the building, chatting about the rescue organization as Don took notes, Avery asked polite questions, and I tried not to look too hard through any of the windows we passed.
“How do the turtles find their way here?” Avery asked.
Miri nodded with enthusiasm. “Some are injured by boat propellers in the harbor, some are hit by cars, some are attacked by animals or sharks, and people call us and we send someone out to scoop the little guy up. Some are cold-stunned by sudden drops of temperature.” She stopped at the door and gestured for us to go inside. “And sometimes, people just can’t give their pet turtle the love and affection it needs. We take pet turtles as well as sea turtles. Let’s go say hello to some now.”
Eugh. My stomach turned.
“I’m just going to go make a quick call—” I started, but Avery’s arm looped through mine.
“He can make the call later.” She looked up at me. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and revenge under the fluorescent lights. “Come on, Emmett, let’s go touch the turtles.”
I stared down at her with an expression I hoped conveyed how much trouble she was in, but the expression she wore conveyed how much fun she was having with this. This was a game to her. Me being grossed out by turtles was a goddamn game to her.
Miri opened the door, and we stepped into a room filled with large tanks. My gaze darted to Miri, the floor, the ceiling, Avery, to Don’s camera as he snapped pictures, anywhere but those slow-moving slimy things behind the glass. Avery’s arm was still entwined in mine, and her other hand rested on my bicep. I could feel the warmth of her hand through my shirt. Maybe she thought I’d make a run for it. Or maybe she wanted to find an excuse to touch me.
The thought sent a little spark down my spine.
She was just trying to sell it, this fake relationship of ours. She wasn’t doing this because she wanted to.
I glanced at her delicate hand and the ring I bought her. I didn’t mind this part, the touching. Not one bit.
“—doesn’t have a generator so during the last outage, all the tank-heating equipment lost power,” Miri was explaining, “and the turtles were so cold.”
“Did you hear that, Emmett?” Avery glanced up at me with an overly sympathetic expression. “The turtles were cold. Isn’t that awful?”
I nodded. “Yep. That really sucks. Isn’t the ocean pretty cold?”
Miri laughed and slapped my shoulder again. “Oh, you.”
I shot Avery a confused expression and she bit back a laugh. “Oh, you,” she mouthed when Miri and Don weren’t looking, and I suppressed a laugh. She tried to unlink her arm, but I put my hand on it to hold her there.
“You becoming mayor would save the turtles, Emmett,” Don noted, writing. “I’m going to put that in the article.”
Avery beamed. “Please do.”
“Yes,” Miri gasped, slapping her forehead. “I didn’t even think of that. How could I not think of that?”
“Emmett,” Avery said, in a tone that told me she was up to something. “Does your campaign have a mascot?”
“Oh. My. God,” Miri’s mouth dropped open. “Avery, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
I breathed through my nose. The election. Being mayor. Will and his family returning to Queen’s Cove.
Avery nodded. “Turtle mascot?”
“Turtle mascot!” Miri cried, clapping her hands. She turned to a tank and unlatched the lid.
My heart dropped through my stomach. On instinct, I took a step back, but Avery held my arm. She was stronger than she looked. I bet that woman hit the gym regularly. A flicker of wonder at what she looked like naked flashed into my mind, but Miri turned around with a disgusting turtle, and I forgot all about naked Avery.
“Look,” Miri gazed at the wrinkled creature with adoration.
“Uh…” I winced. “Wow. And he is… something.” My stomach turned again, and I regretted eating breakfast. The turtle’s arms were splayed out like it was skydiving, and its weird eyes stared into my soul.
“Her name is Elizabeth, after your mother. She made a donation a couple months ago. We name a turtle after everyone who donates.”
Don gasped. “I have an incredible idea.”
“What?” Avery asked, and her eyes flashed with entertainment. I flexed my arm under her hand in warning, and her nails dug into me, but instead of hurting me like she intended, I found it strangely hot. The hair on the nape of my neck stood up.
“I can see it in my head—mayoral candidate Emmett Rhodes vows to keep turtles warm,” Don revealed. “With a picture of Emmett holding the turtle. Front page!”
“Yes!” Miri nodded and stepped toward me with the creature.
“No,” I blurted out.
Miri and Don gave me a funny look. Avery raised her eyebrows at me, that playful smile still on her lips.
“I mean,” I began, “Avery should be in the photo with me, being my fiancée and all.” Yes. Right. If I was going down, she was coming down with me. “Holding a turtle of her own.”
Avery shrugged. “Sure. Sounds great.”
Damn it.
“Look at us, putting our heads together,” Miri beamed. She took another step toward me, holding the turtle out like she was handing me my newborn baby. “Don’t make any sudden movements or she’ll bite you.”
“What?” I said in a higher pitch and Avery shook with laughter, but it was too late. Miri practically threw the thing at me, my hands came up, and I was holding it.
In my hands.
A gag rose up in my throat.
It was so cold and wet.
The underside of its shell was like a wet balloon.
My stomach lurched. I hated this. This was hell.
Miri unlatched another tank and I looked down at Avery, barely containing herself. “You will pay for this,” I breathed.
She winked at me and my mouth gaped open. Winking was my move. Not hers. Mine. I didn’t like this.
“Here you go.” Miri held another turtle out, which Avery accepted from her.
Don held up his camera and snapped a picture. “Say cheese.”
“I think you’re supposed to say that before the picture,” I told him.
“Let’s do one where we’re kissing the turtles,” Avery suggested, and everything I ate that morning thrashed in my stomach.
“Great idea.” Don lifted his camera up again. “Emmett, lift your turtle up to your lips like Avery is.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled before lifting the awful thing up to my face. I made direct eye contact with it, staring into its beady little eyes. I felt bad for the turtle. She didn’t want to be doing this, either. This was humiliating for both of us.
“Purse your lips, Emmett,” Miri instructed, nodding. “Like you’re kissing her.”
Avery nudged me. She could hardly contain her grin. “Yeah, Emmett, give Elizabeth a kiss.”
“I’m going to be sick,” I whispered.
I didn’t actually kiss it. Neither did Avery, I was pretty sure. We just held them close to our lips and pretended. The second the camera flash went off, I put that thing back in Miri’s hands and rushed over to the sink to wash my hands. I probably had salmonella poisoning from holding it. Cold shivers ran up and down my spine, and every few seconds, a gag rose in my throat.
A few minutes later, the tour was over, and Avery and I waved goodbye to Don and Miri as we left.
“Come back soon,” Miri called after us.
“Not fucking likely,” I said under my breath.
The second Miri went back inside I wiped my hands on Avery. “That was disgusting. I can’t believe you made me do it. I can still feel it on my hands.”
She was howling with laughter. “I can’t believe you did everything we suggested. I didn’t actually expect you to kiss the turtle.”
“What?” My face crumpled into horror. “Are you kidding?”
Avery couldn’t breathe, she was laughing so hard. She was doubled over, leaning on my car. “Oh my god.” She straightened up with tears in her eyes. “This has been the best day ever, and it isn’t even lunchtime.” She grinned at me. “Speaking of lunch, how about you come by the restaurant, and we’ll make you some mincemeat pies?”
“I’m never eating again,” I told her, and she dissolved into a new round of laughter. “You’re still coming to the engagement party tomorrow, right?”
Her laughter subsided, and she nodded. “Of course. Six?”
“Five or five-thirty. It would be better if you were there when people started arriving.”
She nodded again. Her deep blue eyes were so bright out in the sunlight. “Alright.” She checked the time on her phone. “I have to go, see you later.”
“See you.”
“This was fun.” She leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before turning, walking to her car, and driving away. I stood there the whole time, watching with a dumb, confused look on my face.
I glanced around the empty parking lot. There was no one around to convince of our relationship in that moment. Avery did that because she wanted to. I narrowed my eyes, the feel of her soft lips on my jaw replaying again and again in my head. An image of Avery in my bed, naked, flashed through my head, and my cock ached.
Shit.
I had a thing for Avery Adams.
