Shore to Please

by Annette Mardis

  Dani looked so relieved that Tara thought her friend might melt into a puddle on the floor. Tara reached over and squeezed Dani’s hand in a supportive gesture.

  “Any other questions, Helen?” Kenshin pressed. “It’s late and everyone’s exhausted.”

  “I’d like to talk to Tara if she doesn’t mind. And Flipper, at some point.”

  Reliving her ordeal was the last thing Tara wanted to do. But Helen had always been fair and had stood up for her during the debate, and Tara felt she should repay her.

  “Tell you what. I’ll answer your questions until they tell me I can go in and see Flipper.”

  “That’s very gracious of you, Tara. I’ll try to make this as painless as possible. Are you ready?”

  Tara took a deep breath and held tight to Dani’s hand. “As I’ll ever be.”

  Chapter 40

  Flipper came home late the next afternoon after a seemingly endless round of questioning from media outlets as near as his backyard and as far as Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, and even Miami. The hospital’s public relations department arranged the news conference in one of its meeting rooms. Wesley, Tara, and Jo, whose clipped responses offset the aquarium director’s verbosity, joined Flipper in front of the bank of microphones.

  Mercifully, the pain in his head had faded to a dull throb. Flipper clutched Tara’s hand like a lifeline and told the crowded room how his fiancée had turned into Xena, Warrior Princess and saved them both as he lay in a lump on the bedroom floor. When Tara recounted her story yet again, his insides churned and gurgled so loudly that people close by regarded him with alarm.

  Now, finally, he was stretched out on his couch, a bed pillow beneath his aching head and a dolphin patterned fleece throw tucked around his body while Tara buzzed about like a fly at a picnic. Which wasn’t to say she was being a pest. But her inability to settle herself was making him more anxious. He snared her arm and tugged her down until she all but fell on top of him.

  “Lie here with me for a while,” he urged.

  “I can’t.” Unease marred her beautiful face as her gaze darted around the living room.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I can’t justify doing nothing while Dani and Kelsey finish putting this disaster zone back in order.”

  “Sure you can. That’s why they’re here. Right, ladies?”

  “Right,” they answered in unison.

  “See?” Flipper continued. “Now humor me, honey, so I can close my eyes and try to decompress. We’ll order pizza later after Evan and Jo get here, crack open a couple bottles of wine, and raise our glasses to finally seeing an end to this ordeal.”

  Worry still creasing the corners of her eyes, Tara did as he asked. He slung an arm over her waist and kissed the top of her head.

  “Mmm. Now, isn’t this much better?”

  “I wish putting it behind us was as simple as saying the words,” she replied.

  “I have no delusions that we’ll write it off as a bad memory and carry on as if nothing happened. At least Higgins is off the force and facing criminal charges, those other two maniacs are in jail, and Jane’s nowhere to be found. Larry Clybourne’s lying low, although I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last of him or others like him.”

  “Probably not. I wonder how long it’ll take before we stop jumping at every sound in the night.”

  “A while. By the way, Wesley’s willing to foot the bill for both of us if we decide we need professional help.”

  “How magnanimous of him.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s not doing it out of the goodness of his heart, trust me.”

  “I was being sarcastic.”

  “I know you were, Tara. He and Ken are at least saying and doing the right things, which is a definite improvement.”

  “I suppose. But it won’t be easy for me to forgive their boorish behavior, especially toward you. And Kelsey.”

  “Every time I think about the way they treated you, I want to stuff my paycheck up their…” Flipper caught himself before she could scold him. “You get the idea.”

  “Go ahead and say it. You want to cram your paycheck up their asses sideways.”

  He propped himself up on an elbow and regarded her with surprised amusement. “Tara Langley! Do you kiss your stud of a fiancé with that mouth?”

  The corners of her lips tipped up in a smile, and she planted one on him.

  “I most certainly do. After everything we’ve been through, crude language seems both appropriate and the least of our worries. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  He kissed her again. “I do. Speaking of that, I think we should set a wedding date. The sooner the better.”

  “Really? You don’t think we should wait until after Aaron’s case winds its way through the court system?”

  “No,” Dani and Kelsey shouted, and Flipper laughed.

  “You probably could guilt Wesley into letting you have the special events pavilion for free,” Dani suggested. “And who knows, maybe he’ll throw in the catering, too. It’s the least he can do.”

  Kelsey nodded. “Jo and I are thinking of exchanging our vows on the beach in back of the aquarium, too.”

  Dani’s mouth formed an O, and the room went silent.

  “If you don’t mind us copying you and Evan,” Kelsey quickly added.

  Dani squealed—causing Flipper to wince—and collected Kelsey in a quick but fierce hug.

  “Of course not. This is so exciting! Congratulations!”

  Tara hopped off the couch and, as they embraced, Kelsey whispered, “Thanks for keeping my secret.”

  “Now there’s a fantasy come to life,” Flipper teased, watching two of his favorite women hug. “I’m next, Kelsey.”

  A moment later, as they held each other, he swallowed the lump in his throat.

  “I’m really happy for you and Jo.”

  “Looks like we both ended up with the person we were meant to be with,” Kelsey said. “Would it be weird if I asked you to be my man of honor?”

  “I’m not sure what that is, but how could I say no?”

  “It’s like a maid of honor, only it’s a guy.”

  “I wouldn’t have to wear an ugly dress, would I?”

  Kelsey laughed. “Of course not.”

  “Then I’m in.”

  “There must be something in the water at Gulf Shore Aquarium,” Dani noted. “We’ve become sweetheart central with all these happy couples.”

  “Poor misguided souls,” Flipper kidded, motioning Tara back to lie at his side.

  While the women speculated about who would get an engagement ring next, he bolted upright on the couch, the color leaching from his face. A stream of curse words spewed forth before he could stop them.

  Tara’s eyes widened. “Flipper, what in the world is the matter?”

  “I just remembered I haven’t given you a ring. If I didn’t have a concussion I’d slap myself in the head. Damn it. What kind of man asks the love of his life to marry him and doesn’t buy her a freaking ring?”

  She kissed his check and began rubbing his neck and shoulders.

  “The kind of man who’s had entirely too much on his mind lately. Now relax before you pop your stitches.”

  He swung his legs to the floor. “There’s a jewelry store down the street from the aquarium that’s open until nine. Let me grab my shoes and car keys and we’ll run over there before Evan gets here and demands to be fed. I’m telling you, Dani, that guy can be a bottomless pit when someone puts pizza in front of him.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  Flipper patted his pants pockets in confusion.

  “Didn’t I just have my keys? And my wallet? Where’s my wallet?”

  “On the dresser where you left them,” Tara informed him. “You didn’t have that stuff at the hospital, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah.” He blinked. “I’m feeling a little dizzy, baby. Maybe you’d better drive.”

  She pressed him gently but firmly back dow
n on the couch.

  “As soon as you feel better, we’ll go ring shopping,” she promised. “But right now you need to rest. You suffered a concussion, remember?”

  He winced as his temples throbbed. “As if I could forget. Maybe I will take a short nap until the human garbage disposal arrives. But only if you’ll keep me company so I know I’ll be safe.”

  “Safe?”

  “Yeah. Nobody will bother me when I have my Xena to protect me.”

  “Xena! Xena! Xena!” Dani and Kelsey chanted.

  Tara shook her head and gave a mock frown. “You people are nuttier than a box of peanut brittle.”

  “Yeah, but you love us anyway.” Flipper pulled her close once again.

  “I certainly do. You, most of all.”

  Publisher’s Note

  Please help this author’s career by posting an honest review wherever you purchased this book.

  About Annette Mardis

  A veteran newspaper journalist, Annette holds to the adage “write what you know.” She’s a native Floridian who fell in love with dolphins while watching Flipper on television. Now, she volunteers at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where she educates guests, leads tours, gives presentations, and recently joined the stranding (rescue) team. She also immortalizes her pets in her books, including Ozzie the African grey parrot, affectionately known as a “little boy in a bird suit.”

  Annette loves to interact with her readers through social media. Learn more about her and her writing and sign up for her newsletter at www.AnnetteMardis.com.