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"Yes, but the saying doesn’t hold if the self-praise is true.”
Bonnie laughed again when the car slowed. "I don’t think it works that way. It was nice meeting you, Travis. Thanks for the ride and for the conversation. I needed this bit of fun to end a challenging day. Good luck stealing the employee.”
With that, she got out of the car.
Damn.
I was stunned. I hadn't been brushed off like that in a while.
A bit of fun. I was far more than that.
Icouldtake this as a sign to let it go. But that wasn’t my MO. Yes, I was here to convince Tim to join my crew. Business was business, but Bonnie didn’t live far from the hotel. And I was determined to see her again.
Chapter Two
Bonnie
“That’s it. You’re sucha good boy. I promise you’ll get better soon. I know this hurts, but it’s helping.” I spoke in a soothing voice as I applied ointment.
I was waist-deep in saltwater in the indoor pool. Oceanwell Rescue was one of the most renowned clinics for treating wildlife, even though this small town in Southern California was sleepy and not that easy to reach.
The dolphin we were rehabilitating got caught in a fishing net and had wounds that needed time to recover. Some would've healed on their own, but one in particular was very nasty and required sutures. I had to apply an antibiotic cream every four hours during the day.
I shuddered, as the water was perfect for my patient but a bit too cold for me. I usually worked with cats, dogs, and hamsters—mostly fur babies, as I called them—back home in Chicago, though we did get the occasional turtle at the clinic. Now I had the pleasure of working with my very first dolphin, and that required some sacrifices.
I discovered that dolphins, though fairly docile, were not as fond of cuddling as fur babies, but he still seemed to like it when I petted his fin. I'd nicknamed him Steve. The only downside to working with Steve was the water, and right now I wished my neoprene suit was thicker. Steve was energetically shaking with happiness. I’d learned to recognize this behavior as expressing joy, similar to a dog wagging his tail. I was applying the ointment whenever he remained still for more than a few seconds at a time.
The door to the pool area opened, and Dante came in. He was one of my coworkers and in charge of feeding the animals. He opened a trapdoor in the sidewall of the pool, and Steve swam out of my sight to enjoy his afternoon meal.
"It's lunchtime, huh?" I asked, pushing myself out of the water.
"Yes, it is. Some of us are going for a barbecue. Do you want to come with us, Bonnie?"
"No, it's so nice outside that I just want to grab something and eat it on the beach." It was January, so the weather wasn’t all that fabulous, not even here—but it was definitely way better than in Chicago, and it was sunny. “But thanks for including me, Dante.”
"Of course," he said.
