Goddess of the Sea Read Online Free PDF Page B

mist-veiled mirror. Her petite body looked lithe and mysterious, as if she had trapped some of the moonlit magic within herself.
    â€œYou believed last night; believe today, too.” As she spoke something deep within her seemed to move, like smooth water over river pebbles.
    â€œMagic . . .” CC whispered.
    Maybe the night and the dream had been signs of things to come—things that would change—in her life. Maybe she just had to be open to change and answer when it called.
    â€œMagic . . .” CC repeated.
    She danced and laughed her way into the shower, loving the warm fingers of water that rippled down her body.
    She didn’t stop smiling the entire time she dressed and applied just a touch of makeup. The feeling wouldn’t go away. It was like someone had taken a key and opened up something inside her, and now that it was open, it refused to be locked away again.
    She stepped into her favorite pair of button-up 501 jeans. After listening to the decidedly cooler weather forecast, she pulled on her thick gray sweatshirt with AIR FORCE written in block lettering across her chest. Her feet felt light as she grabbed a V8 Splash from the fridge and hurried out of her apartment.
    The stairs that spiraled gracefully from her top-floor apartment were still damp from last night’s storm, which made CC’s smile widen. Everything looked preternaturally clear and beautiful. Her car was parked almost directly below her balcony, and as she unlocked it, she glanced up. Her lips rounded in a wordless O of delight. The light of the midday sun formed a halo over the rich green foliage that still sparkled with beads of rain, making her balcony appear more like something submerged in an ocean than something on land.
    Magic is happening . The thought sprang unbidden into her mind, and instead of questioning it, CC took a deep breath and let the enticing idea settle.
    The gate guard at Tinker’s North Entrance was checking military IDs, and when her turn came, CC rolled down her window and beamed a cheery “Good morning!” to the serious-looking young airman.
    The granite set of his face softened, and he returned her grin with an endearingly lopsided smile. “It’s afternoon, ma’am,” he corrected gently.
    â€œOops!” She grinned. “Well, everything’s so bright and clear that it still seems like morning.”
    â€œHadn’t thought about it till now, but I guess you’re right. It is real pretty today.” He looked honestly surprised at the discovery. “You have a good day, ma’am.” He waved her through the gate, but his eyes stayed fixed on her car and the lopsided smile was still painted on his face long after she’d disappeared.
    The Communications Squadron’s orderly room was located in the Personnel Building. It was a typical military structure, large and square and made of nondescript red brick. CC was pleased to see that a front row parking space was open. Usually the parking lot was ridiculously crowded, and she had to park far away down the street. The lawn surrounding the building and the hedges that bordered the entrance were meticulously manicured. The sense of obsessive neatness carried through to the interior of the building as well.
    CC pulled open the door and was greeted by the familiar smell of military clean. Yes, ma’am. You could eat off the floors, walls, ceilings and desks . . . literally. Directly in front of her a full-length mirror showed CC her reflection. She automatically read the words printed across the top of the mirror: DOES YOUR APPEARANCE REFLECT YOUR PROFESSIONALISM? CC started to grin sheepishly at her jeans and sweatshirt, then she did a fast double take.
    Had her eyes ever looked so big? Entranced, she stepped closer to the mirror’s slick surface. Her mother had always described her eyes as “cute” or “doelike.” CC usually didn’t give them much thought beyond