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“Is he a good boss?”
“The best. Although, he never comes around. Either, he Zoom calls to check in or he sends Soren home to rest for a few weeks. Soren is like Indiana Jones of marine biology. He’s currently out on the Atlantic, physically protecting a reef from poachers.”
“Wow. Impressive.”
“Not to brag, but he’s also my bestie.”
He says it with an adorable smirk that makes me laugh and swoon at the same time. No, I can’t. I won’t. Falling for my boss is not something that I can let happen. That would highly derail my cross-country journey of discovery. I shake my head, following him again, this time through storage rooms and the gift shop. The other side is closer to the entrance and has another tank with a huge bay door into the canal.
“I saved the best for last,” he whispers. As we approach, two adorable manatees come into view, and I gasp and clutch my necklace in love already. My heart squeezes, and I can’t help the high-pitched squeal of excitement—although, I try.
Milo laughs, the deep bass seeming to bounce off the walls and dance over my skin. I bite my lip, refocusing on the beautiful creatures that already hold a dear place in my heart.
“What are their names?”
“Well, that big guy and I go way back. Marty meet Meno. Meno, this is Marty,” Milo says, introducing us.
“Hello, handsome,” I tell him, and as if he knows, he swims over. I cautiously place my hand to the water, and Milo gives an approving nod.
“Oh my god.” My heart soars when his rough, prickly snout fills my palm.
“Be careful, or he’ll fall in love and start stalking you all over the island,” Milo jokes. This man is such a mystery. Like a buried treasure, just waiting to be explored…by someone else, of course.
“And, um, that beauty?” I ask, pointing to the shy manatee sticking to the far side of the tank, closest to the bay doors I’m assuming open to the ocean.
“That pretty girl still needs a name. Marty found her a little worse for wear, and she still hasn’t come around to the idea of being here.”
“Well, we have to help her!” I declare, standing taller and feeling renewed. I’ve been searching for my purpose, and it feels as if this is it. Something about this place is different. I can feel it in my bones.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Milo grins wide now, and it’s contagious. We must look like loons because, seconds later, Marty splashes us and knocks us out of whatever intense moment we’d fallen into. That’s exactly how it feels around Milo. As if I’m falling into something amazing. Something great and life changing.
“I’ll think long and hard on it, beautiful. Something this important won’t be taken lightly,” I tell her and take the outstretched bucket of veggies from Milo.
I wish my Mom could see me now. She would fall over laughing. Old me didn’t get her hands dirty, but she was unhappy, and this new me can’t stop smiling.
“What do you think, Marty? Think we can get you the girl?” I ask with a few strategic scratches under his chin. He rewards me with a mouthful of water all over my front.
I gasp in shock, not expecting a showering, but it’s Milo rumbling laugher that warms me, despite the cold water.
“Oh, you think that’s funny, huh?” I say, splashing him, but he dodges me easily and walks off, nodding. A few short seconds later, he’s back with a towel.
“Thank you.”
“No problem. That’s going to happen a lot around here, but you still have time to bolt if you want.”
“Nice try, but you can’t get rid of me so easily.”
“Okay, then. Dry shirts and towels can always be found in my office, if you need ‘em.”
“Cool. Thanks.”
“Yep. Shall we move on to chores?”
“Sure.”
As I follow behind Milo, he points out the food and medicine for all the animals currently in our care, where to find cleaning supplies, and all the things I’ll be responsible for cleaning and on what days. The chores are fairly distributed, which I find odd, considering he’s the brains and muscle of this place. I expected to have to do all the dirty work, but Milo is fair and honest and the total and complete package. Swoon. Why is my boss so insanely attractive? It’s not fair.
Hours go by, and the sun is setting. We’re out on the boat dock, sorting some recycling, when I finally look past the hulking, bearded dreamboat and notice the splashes of orange and pink sunshine over the horizon. Looking at my watch, I realize how late it’s gotten.
