Page 16 of Mail Order Splash
“I promise, I’ll leave it to the professionals. Love you.” I slid my cell into my back pocket.
The crew was ready to go, as I knew they would be. It paid to have people around you who got things done. Eli would point out that they were there and ready because I pay them and he’d be right, but I also thought they were happily employed.
“We’ll be waiting on Eli. He should be here any minute,” I instructed the captain as I jumped on board. “Wait, that speeding car sound, that should be him.”
His sports car zoomed around the parking lot until it came to a stop. He jumped out without opening the door of the convertible, making his way to the boat along with a carry bag. Then he stopped to speak with a girl on the dock.
Please tell me he didn’t bring a girl with him. Come on, Eli, not on this trip.
“That girl is very pretty. Why haven’t I met her before now?” He jumped into the boat. “I almost invited her to join us, but remembered we had a romantic trip planned.”
“I’m glad you refrained. I wanna look for sea life in distress, not listen to a socialite complain about her hair or too much sun.”
“What you really mean is you want to look for your rescue girl without another girl on the boat and that’s cool with me, she had good vibes.” Eli lounged in a chair. “Did you even get her name?”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing her but, honestly, I truly enjoyed rescuing that dolphin. Don’t you wanna do it again?” I took a seat next to him. “And, no, I didn’t get her name.”
“Sure, it was good, but I don’t have any longing desire to be in the deep ocean again. We got lucky we weren’t eaten.” He pulled his cap down, blocking the sun. “Your game is weak, bro. Why didn’t you get her name? That’s not like you.”
“Not sure, I guess I was focused on the dolphin. Truthfully, I don’t think I would recognize her if I saw her out of the water.”
“How could you? She had all that gear on. I have to admit, I especially liked the knife between her teeth.”
“What is wrong with you?” I laughed.
“You’ve known me since grade school. You had your chances to get away from me years ago.”
“Sometimes I question myself on that.”
We’d been out on the water for a good hour when I realized I should have asked for the coordinates of the rescue day from my yacht captain. Mostly, I hadn’t asked because I thought I’d remember but, clearly, that memory had left me.
“We’re not in the right area. Does this look the same to you?” I asked Eli.
“It’s water and more water so, yeah, it looks the same to me.” He hadn’t even looked due to his eyes being closed.
I left him there in his state of oblivion to call the yacht captain. He, of course, had the coordinates and, in moments, we were off to the area we had encountered the rescue. I promised myself I would at least get her name the next time so I could contact her later to see where she took Netty.
“Dalton, we have Coast Guard ahead. Do you want to approach?” the captain asked. “They may send us away.”
“No, keep going. That’s exactly where I want to be.” I stood, covering my eyes with my hands to see better. “Eli, it’s the rescue boat. She’s here.”
“It might not be her, but I’m game to go see.”
We stayed back while we unloaded the jet skis then headed in the direction of the other boats. Before we got very far, the Coast Guard boat was upon us, instructing us to go back.
“I wanted to see if I could help. I was out here the other day and helped with a dolphin rescue,” I called up to them. “She let me name it, even.”
“I can’t have you getting closer and upsetting the rescue.”
“Can you at least ask her if the guys from the other day can be of assistance?”
“Stay here; I’ll ask.” He turned his boat away.
“It looks like we are denied. How will you meet her now?” Eli leaned forward on the jet ski. “We could follow her at a distance once she’s done.”
“That’s just creepy and I told you already, I’m not here solely to meet her.”
“Ah, yes, but you didn’t say ‘not to meet her’.”