Page 69 of Mail Order Splash

Doc and I tended to Solitaire while Josh kept Netty occupied. She was either worried or wanted my attention.

“You did the right thing bringing her in. Give it a week to heal up so she isn’t a target, then she should be alright to release.” Doc sat on the edge of the pool. “What are you going to do with her?”

“Miss Netty will have to stay and keep Solitaire company.”

“I don’t think she’s complaining. Josh gave her almost a whole bucket of fish already.”

“If she stays then she has to work for her food, not real work, but might as well teach her more commands.” I grabbed the volleyball we had floating for the rescues. “Josh, raise the net. Let’s see if she can do it. Dalton, you wanna play?”

“I’m dried already. Can I do it from here?”

“Good point. Alright, we’ll do that later. How about we see if you can jump up for me?” I climbed the ladder to the platform over the pool then held a fish out.

“We start with her going up for food while giving a command. Eventually, they learn the command without the treat, or that the treat comes after.” I could hear Josh explaining it to Dalton. “It really comes down to her desire to get that treat in Kleine’s hand.”

“Good girl.” I clapped when she came all the way up for it.

I played with her and practiced commands for ten minutes, then tried it without a fish. She didn’t disappoint. She was, as expected, a quick learner. My favorite part of the platform work was diving off and entering the pool with the dolphin.

“Bravo!” Dalton cheered when I came back up. “That was cool.”

“Thanks, it was fun. I miss that, and Netty is a performer, for sure.” I tossed her more fish. “How’s Solitaire doing with eating?”

“Not as hungry as Netty, but eating,” Doc answered. “Come sit with me, Kleine, I want to talk to you.”

“You want to know what’s going on, why Dalton is hanging around still, and how Victoria knew we got a call.” I dangled my feet in the water next to him. “Let me start by saying I had to do it. There was no other way.”

“You’re smart. If you had to do it then it had to be done, but what did you do?”

“I met with Kellan Hawthorne. Dalton had asked for his help, for me.”

“That had to be hard for him, since they haven’t been getting along.”

“Yes, so when I went to meet with him and another attorney, they wanted me to sell this place to them and I would be CEO.”

“Tell me that isn’t what ‘it’ is. I would have helped you.”

“I said no, a hard no. Then he chased me to the lobby and asked me to marry him.” I leaned a shoulder into him. “I figured you found out because of social media.”

“No, I figured something had happened because of the people here last night and now tonight.” He pushed his shoulder back against mine. “Bold move on both your parts but, from what I know of the city and how they function, it was a strategic move.”

“You’re not mad at me, then?”

“No, you have a good head on your shoulders. I assume it’s a marriage of convenience.”

“It is, but Murphy pointed out that we needed a big wedding and the works so if we felt differently in a year or so and we stayed together, that I would be disappointed in a courtroom wedding.”

“Also a smart girl.”

“So, with that, will you walk me down the aisle? It can’t be anyone else.”

“I’ll walk you anywhere you need me to. I’ll also be here if things go south, you know that, right?”

“I know, and I think it’s time you retired or cut back. Why don’t you let me help out in your office.”

“Because you like things in the water. I don’t even get goldfish. I got a turtle once, but a land turtle.”

“I still like the land animals too.” I laughed when Netty splashed water on us. “She is so playful. Remember when we had dolphins like her that did tricks for customers, and they loved it?”

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