Free Evergreen (Mer Tales, Book 2) by Brenda Pandos Page A

“I’m supposed to be in the pool working out, but I had to talk to you first.”
    “Oh, well then don’t let me keep you.”
    What? Keep me? My stomach rolled over. Something had changed. He’d never voluntarily get off the phone. And now he wanted to hang up. He didn’t feel the same for me anymore, that’s why I’d felt the shift in the hallway yesterday.
    “I guess,” I looked at the floor, holding back a giant sob.
    If he didn’t love me anymore, I didn’t know how I’d stop this horrific ache in my heart. I slid against the wall and crumpled to the ground.
    “Lanski! Are you in here?” the coach called.
    I swallowed hard, fighting back a near panic attack.
    “Yeah, Coach? Sorry. I’ll be there in a second.”
    “I’ll—I’ll let you go,” Fin said quickly. “I love you, Ash. Always remember that.”
    His words smacked me across the face. Did he mean it? Or was he saying that to hold me over until he officially broke things off later? “Okay, yeah. Me, too.”
    “Call me after school?”
    “Sure.”
    I hung up and clutched the phone to my lumbering chest. Luckily the water would hide my tears, but I was terrified at what he’d tell me later.
    “I meant today, Lanski!”
    I swung wide the bathroom stall door and darted for the pool, only to remember I hadn’t changed into my suit.
    :::
    My damp hair fell around my shoulders, making my sweatshirt wet, as I held my phone with clammy hands in my darkened bedroom. The moment I’d dreaded was here, and a vulnerable sinking feeling Fin was about to leave me hit hard again. What was I thinking putting all my hope and trust in a… fish?
    He’d called three times already, though I’d said I’d call him first, but I didn’t pick up. If what I’d suspected was about to happen, I wanted to speak to him alone in the dark.
    My pulse whooshed in my ears. Maybe he knew I was lying. Maybe this was a test. Should I come clean about Colin and Alaster? What if all mermen were crafty liars who liked to kiss girls and string them along? Did he ever intend to marry me?

    The display read FISH and the ringtone poured out the sad song of My Jolly Sailor Bold I’d programmed special for him.
My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing that can console me but my jolly sailor bold.
Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be,
Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea.
    I sighed, identifying with the lyrics. I’d been pierced and only Fin could console me, and now he was about to leave me.
    “Fin.” I said, answering on the last ring. My voice shook.
    “Ash, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
    “No.” I swallowed hard. “I’m okay.” The silence lingered painfully. “You wanted to talk to me?”
    “Of course I do. I always want to talk to you.”
    I sucked in a controlled breath. “Then why didn’t you call last night?”
    Fin paused for a moment. “I couldn’t.”
    I wanted to tell him I didn’t believe it was because his phone wasn’t charged. Something else happened and he wasn’t telling me the truth.
    “Don’t be late again, Fin,” I heard his dad speak gruffly in the background.
    “Yeah,” Fin mumbled. “Don’t worry.”
    “Late again?” I asked. The only phone call he’d been late on and tore his jeans was earlier in the week. “What does he mean?”
    “I had an incident the other day—it was nothing.”
    “An incident? What happened?”
    Fin took a deep breath. “I got shot.”
    I nearly dropped the phone. “You what? When?”
    “I’m fine, Ash. My leg is healing fast,” he said quickly. “It happened last night. I—I didn’t want to tell you, but I think you felt something and you sound upset, so—yeah.”
    I flopped into my pillows on my bed and put my hand over my racing heart. “Oh, Fin. I can’t believe this. Yes, I did feel something—like you were torn from me.”
    “I wanted to tell you. I didn’t want to upset you. I’m sorry.”
    “How