Page 61 of Mail Order Splash

“One fresh lemonade, coming right up.”

I slipped into the bathing suit that I’d brought in case I needed to be ready for a rescue, then made my way to the pool deck. I’d seen it the day we had lunch onboard, but I hadn’t realized it was saltwater, which made me chuckle, thinking about my merman theory.

“Do you mind if I share this deck with you?” Charlie asked. “That hot tub is beckoning to me.”

“Absolutely. I was hoping for some company. Oh, unless you don’t like to converse with your clients.”

“That’s one way to say it but, no, I talk to everyone. No sense not to.” He slid into the warm water. “Now, that feels good. It’s the best way to keep an eye on my ‘employed’.”

“Am I being observed all the time?”

“You most definitely are. See that drone overhead?” He pointed way above the top deck. “Keep an eye on it. Any second now, Bobby is going to ping that thing with a bb gun.”

“You would destroy someone’s property like that?” I sat on the edge with a towel around me, looking up. “I feel bad.”

“That is invasion of privacy. If we allow it, then tomorrow there will be ten of them and each one would take your picture a thousand times, then publish the worst one they can piece together.”

“Destroy it.”

Chapter Sixteen

DALTON

The clock on the wall had clearly lost its ability to tell time. Whenever I looked up at it, the hands had failed to move, or so it felt. Several times I reached for the phone to call Kleine but had no real reason I could give for the call.

“Mr. Hawthorne, I’ve organized some interviews for tomorrow morning. Should I vet them first?” Delores stood at my door.

“Good idea, Delores. I want her to have the last say, but make sure her choices have the required education for the list I gave you.”

“Yes, sir. Will you be leaving soon?”

“I’ll be a little longer.” I looked to the clock again. “You go on home.”

“Should I call for a car?”

“Yes, let them know to be here at five-thirty.”

Kellan had sent me a few emails with questions about the marriage, a prenup, and how we could approach the city. I hadn’t considered a prenup but, being that it was a marriage of convenience, he was correct in assuming that I would want one. I answered back that I would want her compensated well and that the seaquarium was all hers, as was everything to do with it, from there on out. I made it clear we were the financial backing only and I wouldn’t change my tune on that.

“Mr. Hawthorne, before I go, will there be any social media response from your office?” Delores stood purse in hand.

“I’ll let you know what our response is in the morning. Until then, it’s mute.”

“Very well. Good night, sir.”

“Aunt Victoria, I was about to leave the office.” I answered my ringing cell. “Did you have more trickery in mind?”

“Are you displeased with the outcome?”

“No, I’m not nervous or anything. It feels right.” I felt my eyes roll. “You already knew that, though, because you’ve been playing matchmaker.”

“I merely suggested you help a girl out who really needed it and, in the interim, you get Kellan off your back about not being passionate enough.”

“Pretty proud of yourself.”

“Naturally. I do have an impressive track record,” she replied. “I was calling to ask you about a honeymoon.”

“This isn’t a real marriage.”

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