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“I was just saying—”
“You were just making fun of my situation and then turning around and being judgmental. Grow some empathy, Ash. It’s hard for me, too. I can’t just fuck a guy because it would be good for me to stay with his daughter. He’s my boss. If we do anything, it has to fucking mean something!”
Ashley held her hands up and took a step away from the counter. “Okay, okay. Sheesh. Bite my head off, why don’t you?”
“I’ll cover your celery in peanut butter if you don’t stop trying to tell me what to do,” Jessica warned.
“How dare you!”
“Full. Fat.”
Ashley mimed a gasp. She waited a moment as Jessica drained her glass, then came around the counter to give her a gentle hug.
“You’ll do the right thing. I know you will. Hopefully, the right thing ends up being the painless thing.”
Jessica pinched her lips together, then sighed. “It never does. At least I get to spend some time at the zoo.”
***
“This is amazing!” Cara exclaimed as one of the overly perky young tour guides led them to the open arena with a pool already brimming with eager dolphins.
Jessica blinked her eyes and kept her sunglasses on, even inside. She wasn’t hungover –would never do that on the job – but she was exhausted. She’d tossed and turned all night, not falling asleep until close to sunrise. With only ninety minutes of napping, she’d had to jump up, shower, and force a fresh-faced smile onto her lips. Her head was thundering from lack of sleep, but as long as Cara was happy, she could smile and keep moving. The sunglasses kept the sun’s glare from stunning her in the daylight and hid the dark circles under her eyes from Brent.
“I thought we could meet the dolphins privately, sweetie,” Brent said.
He was dressed in jeans that clung to his hips deliciously as well as a loose flowing crimson button-up shirt that gave her just a hint of the trim physique underneath. His blond hair contrasted nicely with his sharp blue eyes, and even at 9:00 a.m. and exhausted out of her mind, Jessica wanted him. God, she was in so much trouble.
Maybe Ashley had a point. She was old enough to make her own choices…
Cara giggled as she eased next to one of the trainers. Just then, one of the dolphins pushed out water through its blowhole, creating an instant fountain. The girl squealed and rubbed her wet face. “Jessica! Jessica! Did you see?”
She frowned and struggled for the correct response. “Yeah, maybe you’ll need a towel after this.”
The trainer, a thin woman with her hair pulled back in long, white braids, shook her head. “I think all of you will need towels after this. Come on up, Mr. Sanderson and Miss…?”
“Just Miss Billings,” Jessica replied. For a moment, it felt weird. Jarring. Not that she’d been working for Brent very long. But some small part of her mind did really wish that she had more to her title than just a random “Miss”.
Dumb thoughts there, Jess.
“Well,” the trainer said, and Jessica could hear just a hint of a Southern lilt in her voice. “Then come on up!”
She scurried up to the platform, imminently glad she’d worn sneakers for the slippery surface, and settled down next to a still-dripping Cara. Brent, even though he wore loafers, seemed to have a bit of surreal grace. He moved up on the slippery platform without missing a beat.
The trainer stroked the dolphin’s back once they were all there.
“Now, this is Dinah. She’s four years old, very smart, and born here. All the sea mammals here have been captive born. We don’t wild catch anything. If we need more for breeding, we exchange with other zoos or wildlife facilities. We can’t return them to the wild.”
“Why not?” Cara asked.
“Because they don’t have the instincts anymore,” the trainer said. “But our dolphins have tons of space, lots of fresh food, and each other to play with. They love to learn tricks too because it helps keep their brains active. Right, Cara?”
Cara nodded, her hair sliding from her face in a wet chunk. Well, at least her eyes were fully visible again. After the session, they’d have to get her a towel… and probably a T-shirt from the closest souvenir stand. “Yup!”
“They are very curious animals and really smart. They’re up there with monkeys and pigs.”
Cara nodded again, eyes glittering. “I knew they were smart like dogs and apes and things. But pigs?”
“Are actually really smart animals too,” the trainer said.
“But they don’t have as many brains as an octopus,” Cara replied.
“No, that’s true,” the trainer said.
