Page 8 of Mail Order Splash

“You amaze me, Aunt Victoria. Even here in Florida you know everyone.” I shook my head, smiling. “It’s no wonder you’ve found wives for my brothers and your sons.”

“You will do good to remember my powers.” She winked. “Why aren’t you dating anyone?”

“No one interests me. I mean, I have friends I hang out with and a few girls I see here and there, but nothing special.”

“What about the girl with the dolphin?”

“I didn’t even ask her for her name, and I have no idea what she looks like. She had on a wetsuit, head-to-toe.”

“Was her face pretty?”

I thought about it for a minute. “Yeah, I suppose it was. She had pretty blue eyes, but I only saw them for a second when she switched from her mask to her sunglasses.”

“So, she had pretty blue eyes, she saves dolphins, and you didn’t ask her name and you haven’t been able to stop thinking about her.”

“Nope, I didn’t even think about asking. That dolphin was in bad shape. It couldn’t even swim.” I leaned back. “I was thinking more about the dolphin all day, but I did think of her, too. Like, who was she?”

“I’m proud of you for helping her and for caring more about the dolphin than getting her name.” She patted my hand. “Your brothers would not have done that. They were players before marriage.”

“Not Kellan, he’s been fifty years old since he was ten.”

“Now, Dalton, he is the oldest so most of the pressure has been on him to show you all the way to act.”

“Yeah, I suppose so. That sucks for him.” I nodded to my left. “Speaking of Kellan, he’s giving me the ‘go mingle’ look.”

“You let me worry about him, but you should go mingle, too.” She stood from the table. “I’ll ask Dr. Garcia about the dolphin. Maybe he’ll know the girl, too.”

I kissed her cheek then went about saying hello to guests. Kellan nodded in my direction of his approval then went back to talking to some lady decked out in all Chanel.

These people only care about their appearances. She looks ridiculous.

“That snarl is going to stick to your face if you aren’t careful.” My cousin, Murphy, threw her arm across my shoulders. “But I agree with you.”

“Hey cous’. Agree with what?”

“Stop it. I saw you looking at the lady dressed all in Chanel. I wonder if those fake lips are Chanel too.” We both had to turn away so we weren’t caught laughing. “I see Kellan has you doing the dance tonight.”

“You got it. What about you?”

“Dear boy, my brothers do not run my life, but I am here because all Hawthornes show up for these events. It’s bad business not to.” She waved to a couple walking by. “If you hate doing this dance, why do you do it? You have your own money; do something else.”

“And be the only Hawthorne not in the empire somewhere? You have got to be kidding. I’d be the black sheep.”

“Then be the black sheep. I’m kind of a black sheep- okay, maybe more like light gray.”

“You are not. You run a lot of stuff and we both know it.”

“Yeah, I do, but I enjoy it.” She hugged me. “Do something else, cous’. Tell Kellan then tell my mother.”

“She’s scary sometimes. Does she know everyone everywhere?”

“Yes! And she knows everything. It’s creepy.” Murphy shivered for fun. “Seriously, talk to her, she has a way of helping.”

“Yeah, helping to get us all married.”

“That too. But, as you can see by looking around, she has done a perfect job of it.” She grinned wickedly. “She can find you someone perfect, too.”

“Why aren’t you married? Does she only have powers for the males in the family?”

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