Pretty in Pearls: A Forgive My Fins Novella (HarperTeen Impulse) by Tera Lynn Childs Read Free Book Online

would hire a new apprentice.” And not just because that would relieve some of my guilt.
    “I will.” She picks up a spool of ribbon, one shade darker than the lavender satin, and holds it up against the dress-in-progress. “As soon as I find a candidate with the promise and the passion.”
    In other words, never. No one ever lives up to Mom’s standards.
    “Can I at least do something to help?”
    I expect her to say no, because she always does. She doesn’t want to take away from my fledgling career in politics. She’s always wanted something more for me.
    So it’s a total shock when she says, “Actually, you could do one thing.”
    “Anything,” I say with a smile.
    “I’m running low on pearls,” she says, and my stomach turns inside out. “Could you run to Paru’s stall for me tomorrow?”
    Mom’s back is to me, so she can’t see the look of pure horror that I’m sure is on my face right now. Really? Of all the things, all the trimmings she might need or all the tasks she could ask me to do, it’s this?
    I have to do something about this luck of mine.
    “Sure,” I say, trying not to sound like it’s the end of the world. “How many do you need?”
    “Two thousand should get me through this season. I’ll leave a list on the kitchen counter.” She throws a grateful smile over her shoulder. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
    I smile back, but mine’s not nearly as cheery.
    “No problem.”
    Yeah, no problem at all.

     5
     
    T he fact that it’s daylight this time as I approach the stall in the back corner of the market only makes it feel like there’s a spotlight on my humiliation. Oh look, there goes the mergirl who chased that hot merboy out of town, only to find out he couldn’t like her.
    Yeah, something like that.
    Maybe he won’t be there. Maybe he’s not working the stall and I will find Coral waiting for me instead.
    But as I round the corner, past the shellfish stall with the counter I hid behind the other night, now full of clams and oysters and every possible bivalve in the seven seas, the first thing I see is a flash of red. The vibrant scarf he uses to keep his hair out of his face is visible from a league away.
    Way to keep up the winning streak, luck.
    My mission is simple: get in, get the pearls, and get out. As fast—and as humiliation-free—as possible.
    If my luck doesn’t cooperate this time I’m going to make a visit to the Trigonum Vortex—what the human knows as the Bermuda Triangle—so I can make it disappear altogether.
    There are several other customers swimming around the stall. That’s a good sign. With so many other merfolk around, it can’t become some kind of crazy scene. Of course that means there are more potential witnesses to my future humiliation, but I’m going to try thinking positive. It can’t make things worse.
    Riatus is helping another customer sift through a display of mint-green pearls.
    “My Maggie loves seafoam green,” the older mergentleman says. “I want to find the perfect one for our anniversary.”
    Riatus peers down at the pearls, inspecting them closely like it’s just as important to him to find the right pearl. Finally, he plucks one out. “This looks like seafoam to me, sir. I’ll bet your Maggie will adore this.”
    The customer beams, clearly pleased with the selection.
    I enter on the other side of the stall and head for the cash register at the counter. They’ll be over here in a moment so the gentleman can pay, and then I can intercept Riatus before he gets involved with another customer. I don’t want to draw out this visit any longer than I have to.
    “Normally a pearl like that runs fifty starbucks,” he tells the gentleman as they approach the counter. “But today is your lucky day. We’re running a discount on all green pearls. It’s a bargain for twenty.”
    I grumble to myself. Riatus knows how to be charming when he wants to be.
    Not waiting to see the gentleman’s face, Riatus turns to swim