Page 3 of Mail Order Splash

“Well, Tom, was it? Are you a strong swimmer?” I grinned, thinking about my mermaid thoughts and the ridiculous names they gave.

“Scholarship for water polo. I can tread for hours,” he boasted.

Or is it because you’re a mermaid?

“You should let them help. It’s getting late and we have a little over a mile to tow her in,” Josh called out while he prepared the boat to start going. “I don’t like you in the water all that way.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time, Josh. Let’s start going so I can see if she is secure on the floaters. Tom and Jerry, we’ll gladly accept your offer.”

“I’m gonna let the yacht know to follow us, then catch back up with you. You’re not going very fast.” They climbed on their jet skis and sped off.

I suppose I should take back the slander for jet skiing right at us and, bummer, there went my mermaid theory. He clearly has legs or he must if he can be out of water.

“She’s slipping and not fighting to stay on or get away,” I yelled, only fifty feet from where we started. “Toss me some of those straps. They’ll be better than rope on her wounds.”

Josh had been leaning over the edge helping me to wrap the straps under her when Tom reappeared from out of nowhere. I glanced around, not seeing a jet ski, and immediately my mermaid theory kicked back in.

“Toss me a bottle of water, Josh, I think I’ve had too much sun.” I shook my head as if that would clear the crazy thoughts, then chugged half the bottle. “Do you need a drink?”

“No thanks, I had one on my way back to the yacht.” He smiled.

Did his teeth just sparkle? I’m losing it.

“Kleine, you ready to go?” Josh went back to the helm.

“I can help put the straps on while he starts pulling.” Merman swam up to me and the dolphin. “We’re gonna get you to safety, girl.”

“Where’s your jet ski?” I asked. “Did you swim all the way back over here?”

“That would be a long swim; I’m not that good,” he chuckled then answered. “Eli is towing it. You looked like you could use help and you must be tired by now.”

“You meant Jerry, right?” I grinned. “Who are you and why are you?”

“I told you, I’m Tom and he’s Jerry.”

The sun is definitely getting to me. No one has eyes that color, and who looks like that, anyways?

Chapter Two

DALTON

It had been a usual day on the yacht. The sun glistened off the ocean in all its glory, like spinning crystals. I liked my friends, but sometimes the whole scene was too much. Being out on the water was my stress release, so I would put up with the partying. That particular day, my brother decided to join us, to my surprise. I hadn’t invited him or told him we were going, which only meant he wanted me trapped so he could give me yet another earful and, as predicted to Eli the moment his car pulled into the marina, we had another argument, which had led to jumping on my jet ski and taking off. As always, Eli followed me, so I wasn’t surprised to find him behind me.

“Dude, where are you going? We’re in the middle of the ocean.” He caught up to me. “The girls won’t like it if that pretty face of yours gets chewed up by a shark.”

“Nah, they’d still hang around for the money, so what do I have to lose?” I slowed down to talk to him.

“Your face!” Eli stared at me without even the slightest smile, then revved his engine. “Come on, then. If you wanna do this, let’s go.”

Eli had been my best friend since grade school- more like boarding school. My dad wouldn’t have ever considered letting me go to a public school or stay home like a regular kid, but that’s where I met Eli, so I guess I had him to thank for that.

“You’re supposed to talk me out of stupid things, man, not encourage them.” I spun my jet ski to spray him with water. “Where are we going?”

“You tell me, hot shot, you’re the one who started this.”

I looked around, suddenly realizing Eli hadn’t been wrong suggesting we might get eaten by sharks. Heck, out there could be creatures we didn’t even know of. I’d never actually done that before, but I kinda liked it. It felt like freedom might feel.

“Let’s go see what that boat over there is doing.” I pointed to our left side.

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