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“Acceptable.”

He crosses his arms on top of the rubbery surface and rests his chin on their pillow as his body relaxes.

“The first thing that needs to happen when building a dam is temporarily redirecting the river. This means creating a diverting tunnel…”

As I detail the step-by-step process of how the Folk Haven Dam was constructed, Finn keeps his eyes on my face the entire time. I’m about to start on recent updates when a shout grabs our attention.

“Hey! Finn! Isla! Burgers are ready.”

Glancing over, I realize that Owen was the one yelling.

When did he get back? And when did the sun start to set?

“How long have I been talking?” I turn to look at Finn, who’s still staring at me.

“Not sure. Lost track of time. You hungry?”

At the hollowness in my stomach, I realize I am. “Yes.”

With a quick move, I fold my body and slip through the inner hole of the tube, sinking into the water, only to surface next to Finn.

“You distracted me,” I inform him.

The man grins before swimming toward the dock, towing the water toy behind him with one arm.

When we rejoin the party, I accept another drink from Moira—this one, a hard seltzer. The bubbles zing in a pleasant way against my throat, easing a soreness I didn’t realize was there. I must have talked for a long time. With so much noise going on now in this larger group, I don’t get the urge to speak. I gather my food and settle on a bench roughly built from a tree trunk. Ready to observe, telling myself to focus on Owen and figure out the best way to earn his lifelong devotion.

Normally, I would not approve of the idea of pursuing a man who hasn’t shown much, if any, interest. But there is a key component that makes our situation different.

Fate.

Well-known lore among selkies states that we will identify our mate when they save us from great danger. When I was sixteen, I almost died. Owen rescued me that terrifying night, and once I recovered from the experience, I realized the weight of his actions. The gods had spoken, and I listened as intently as anyone with true respect for their divine power would.

Owen would be my mate.

Of course, I was a child then, with plenty of life goals I wanted to achieve without the burden of matehood. So, I put it off. For a few years.

For fourteen years. I might have gone for fifteen if it wasn’t for the way my last relationship ended. The man had cried. A lot. Because he thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together and I only wanted the occasional sexual partner. Afterescaping that emotional display, I admitted the day had come to date the man fate had provided for me.

Today is that day. Or at least, the start of it. Because I am not the type of woman to shove someone out of the way to declare my intentions. I would rather Owen realize I am here and that we are destined to be together and then come willingly.

Eagerly would be preferred.

I’d opt for a mate to be excited about our pairing rather than resigned to it. Advice I might need to apply to myself now that I consider the idea.

I cannot say that I am particularly energetic about the idea of being with Owen.

He’s a good man. A good friend. He’ll make a good mate.

All of that is … good.

I like good, I remind myself.

As the sky darkens, people gather on the shore and the dock to watch the sun set over the trees. I spot Calder walking hand in hand with a woman exactly how he described, and I’m satisfied to know he found her. Once the light fades, partygoers either start to head home or settle around a fire Moira built in the large firepit.

I stay. The shrinking size of the group helps with my comfort level, and I still have a mission to complete. Not that I expect I’ll make much headway tonight as I watch Owen pull Ramona into his lap in an Adirondack chair across the way.

The size of this hill I need to climb to claim him only seems to grow, and I stifle a sigh.