“Maybe we’re both having a fresh start,” Jacqueline suggested.
“I like that. As for what happens next, I’d suggest we sail off into the sunset,” Arlo said, one hand stroking up Jacqueline’s back to cup the back of her head, “but it’s the wrong time of day for that.”
Jacqueline bit her lip. A whole day of sailing with Arlo, watching the sun travel across the sky, the slow build of sensuous anticipation as they found a place to weigh anchor for the night and go to bed…
Arlo groaned. “We have an audience,” he whispered in Jacqueline’s ear.
“Oh.” Jacqueline twisted to look past him, to the beach. “So much for sailing off into the sunset. Tally’d probably kick up another fuss if we were gone that long, anyway, and I don’t want you struck down by another migraine just when you got over that one.”
Jacqueline brushed the backs of her fingers over Arlo’s temple. She’d meant it light-heartedly, but he frowned.
“I don’t know what it is. Harrison isn’t as badly affected.”
“Maybe he just needs a longer exposure. You said you had her banging on your skull all day Friday.”
“True…” His eyes caught hers, warm and tender. “You care about them.”
“Of course I do! How could I not? I don’t think I’ll feel like I’ve done my job here until they’re settled. And I’m glad the Sweets are going to look after them until we track Eric down.” She slipped her arms around his waist. “You say they half-raised you and given how you turned out, they must know what they’re doing.”
“Right.” Arlo’s jaw tightened. “Yes.”
He pulled her close again, his arms strong around her. Jacqueline sighed happily. Even just being held by Arlo made her feel safe. Grounded, somehow, even though they were on the water.
For the first time in a long time and despite all the magic, and dragons who messed with electricity, and seal shifters who gave people psychic headaches, Jacqueline felt as though she’d finally found a piece of the world where she fit perfectly into place.
16
Arlo
Jacqueline was so obviously happy as Arlo rowed them both to the beach that he couldn’t tell her what was weighing on his mind.
The Sweets.
Dorothy and Alan Sweets had taken care of him when he washed up in Hideaway a hopeless, helpless teenager, that was true. But their ironclad protectiveness for shifters was matched by an equal lack of trust for humans. He had to warn Jacqueline that things might get tense when she met them and he told them who she was.
Later, he promised. When we’re not around everyone. When she’s had a chance to get to grips with… everything else.
The Sweets were away for the weekend. He had time.
He helped Jacqueline out of the rowboat and shot Harrison an accusing glare over his shoulder. The kids’ excited anticipation was so intense he could almost see it.
“Don’t just stand there like you don’t know what’s up,” he growled.
Lainie laughed and clapped her hands together. “No, you don’t get off that easily! We want to hear you say it.”
“You all already know?” Jacqueline leaned against Arlo as she got her footing on the soft sand.
Dylan was jumping on the spot. Tally was standing next to him, in human form, and every time he jumped she bobbed up and down in imitation. Even Kenna was failing to hide an ear-to-ear grin.
“How is anyone meant to keep any secrets around here?” Jacqueline asked, laughing.
Arlo’s chest constricted. Luckily, Harrison answered for him.
“If you want to keep something like this a secret, you need to be a bit subtler about it than Arlo here. Even the kids picked it up. Right, Kenna?”
A prickle of uncertainty zipped off Kenna, but she caught it so quickly Arlo wasn’t sure if he’d imagined it.
“Yeah,” she said out loud, shrugging. “It was pretty obvious. He looked like he’d been smacked in the face with a fish.”