Page 54 of Mail Order Splash

“Of course we did. We see everything in this building, and I knew you would win the girl.” She walked to us with her arms open. “This is good, very good.”

“Why don’t we sit down and get a new plan because, within fifteen minutes, it wlll be all over social media. There will be paparazzi at the seaquarium and your home.” Kellan went back to his chair. “Aunt Victoria has given me her take on how this can go with you as a Hawthorne. Now I need to combine it with real time legal jargon for the fight ahead of us.”

“Will this harm the Hawthorne name?” I asked into the hectic room. “We can still back out.”

“We won’t be backing out but, unfortunately, you will not have a long courtship or an extravagant Hawthorne wedding.” Kellan made notes on his pad of paper.

“I believe you didn’t have one either, Kellan, nor was any of our family in attendance,” Aunt Victoria said.

The office intercom blasted into the room, then Murphy’s face popped up on the main screen on the wall. “I can’t believe you two. You couldn’t tell me this was happening today so I could be there?”

“It wasn’t planned,” we all said simultaneously.

“Right, you had an extra ring in your pocket. Oh, nice choice on the ring.” She switched gears. “Mom, this has you written all over it. Where was my call? I had to see it on tiktok.”

“It’s on tiktok?” I gasped.

“She got all of us with this and we played right into her hands,” Kellan grumbled. “I do not like being fooled.”

“Hush, I didn’t fool you. I might have outsmarted you, but never fooled.” She winked at me.

“She smoked you two. Dalton, I warned you,” Murphy laughed. “Let’s have dinner on the yacht. We have a wedding to plan.”

“Not sure there will be a wedding. We need to hurry this along,” Kellan cut in.

“We have time for a wedding. There are two weeks before the lien deadline. You can begin your dance with the legal shuffling. In the meantime, this Saturday should suffice,” Aunt Victoria ordered. “Kleine, normally this would all be in the bride’s hands to choose, and you will have choices, but the date must happen.”

“I will do whatever you tell me. You all are going way out for me and I’m nobody.” Kleine squeezed my hand. “Are you certain?”

“Very,” I whispered in her ear. “Relax and enjoy the ride, I’ve got you.”

“Very well, dinner on the yacht tonight. The venue has been reserved already as well as the florist and the designer is standing by for the gown.” Aunt Victoria picked up her purse. “You can all close your mouths now. When have I ever not been prepared.”

Aunt Victoria paused next to Kleine on her way out. “Don’t worry, dear, we will figure this all out tonight. You’ve done a good thing for your family. I am proud of you.”

“Thank you.” She reached for my aunt in a hug.

“Six o’clock, and I want pasta.” The elevator doors closed on her request.

“I need to get some work done. Will you be alright if I have a car take you back to the seaquarium?”

“Yes, I don’t need a baby-sitter. I swim with sharks, remember?”

“The sharks you will encounter when you leave here are a much worse breed. They are relentless and you can’t get out of the water to get away from them.” I texted the car to be out front. “I’ll walk you out.”

“Kleine and Josh, when asked, it would be best if you say you have no comment, at least until we have a gameplan,” Kellan instructed. “The city will know about this within the hour and it will get more logistical.”

“I will stay inside until dinner, unless I get a rescue call. Oh, I am scheduled to work at the animal clinic the next few overnights.”

“You will both need a bodyguard until this stuff dies down.” Kellan pushed the buzzer on the table. “I won’t be leaving here until tonight. I’m sending mine with you. Bobby, I need you to escort Dalton’s fiancée and friend home and stay with them for today.”

“Will do, boss. Are they coming out the back like you do?”

“Yes. Give them ten minutes.”

“I don’t want security on me but will ask Bobby to get two for them,” I responded.

“Dalton, a Hawthorne cannot get engaged like that display without a whole storm happening. You need coverage, too, even if it’s to clear a path to actually move around,” Kellan disagreed. “Seriously, we all have one, why don’t you?”

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