Page 88 of Taking the Heat

‘That!’ I squealed like a car alarm. ‘There, over there! Did you see it? Nik! Oh my god!Dolphins!’

A pod of shiny bodies surrounded our boat, leaping and playing in the pressure wave under the bow. I raced to the front of the yacht and leaned out as far as I dared. The happy creatures darted around each other, vying for the best position as they launched into the air.

‘Oooo! I love dolphins!’

Nik laughed at me. ‘You girls, you’re all the same. I’ll tell you a secret, cuz.’

He gestured me closer, and I took the bait. ‘What?’

‘I love them too!’ Nik pointed to the inside of his upper arm, where, among the clustered tattoos of his tribal sleeve, a dolphin lay disguised. ‘I’ve been bringing all my dates out here, ay.’

‘Ha! That’s awesome!’

‘Do you want to go in?’

I’m pretty sure there were dogs back in Australia who flinched when I screamed. ‘Yes!’

The captain slowed the yacht, and Nik and I grabbed snorkel masks. ‘Have you ever used tail fins?’ Nik asked, holding up what looked like two flippers melded together.

‘No. Do they work?’

‘It’s like being a mermaid; you kick both legs together and you go further on less energy. The Navy developed them—’

‘You had me at mermaid.’ I snatched a pair up, admiring the blue rubber, childishly glad it matched my blue and silver swimsuit.

The dolphins seemed to vanish as we jumped in the water, but with my ears under the surface, I could hear clicks and pops, indicating they were still nearby. Without the jet skis around, the sea was a much gentler place as Nik and I kicked away from the boat.

I lost track of how long we spent diving under the surface, following the pod around. The younger dolphins were very interested in us, coming close enough to touch before speeding away again. With their wise black eyes and smiling mouths, they seemed to enjoy our company as much as we did theirs.

The dramas of the last few days washed away as Nik and I played with the sea mammals. Honestly, it’s pretty hard to worry about anything when you’re swimming mermaid-style in the warm ocean, surrounded by dolphins. I don’t know if I believe that dolphins can cure the sick, but they certainly left me feeling amazing.

The pod finally moved on. Nik and I swam back to the yacht where we rubbed down with gigantic fluffy towels.

‘That was brilliant, Nik. I can see why you’ve done that on every date.’

We sat at the waiting table, where a Greek-style feast was laid. Nik slathered tzatziki on a pita, saying, ‘Yeah, it’s good, ay! I want to bring my little man back here. He loves whales and stuff; he’d lose his mind if he got to pat a dolphin.’

I popped a salty black olive in my mouth. ‘Tell me about him.’

‘Tane … he’s amazing.’ Nik’s face lit up. ‘He’s starting school next year, but I’m telling you, man, the kid is already so smart …’

We scoffed down our lunch while Nik regaled me with stories about his little sidekick and how he planned to use his winnings to open a foundation promoting Maori cultural awareness back in New Zealand.

When the food was gone, I asked, ‘So, what about Meghan? Have you guys spoken about what’s happening next?’

He leaned back in his chair, muscles rippling under his beautiful dark skin. ‘Nah, bro. Not really.’

‘It must be really hard to not know what’s going to happen with Callum and all that going on.’

‘It doesn’t matter to me.’ Nik laced his fingers behind his head, the picture of contentment.

‘What do you mean? You guys are stuck in this crazy triangle, and I’m pretty sure she loves both of you. Doesn’t that upset you?’ I couldn’t imagine how Nik could feel so relaxed.Unless …‘Don’t you love her?’

Nik raised an eyebrow in amusement. ‘Man, of course I love her. I’m not upset, because that won’t change anything. It’ll just make things harder for Megs, and that’s the last thing I want, ay.’

‘Oh. So, you’re giving up?’

‘Course not! I’d cut my little toes off for that girl! I just meant, I’m not gonna make her feel bad. But I’m in this for her heart, and I’ll fight until she sends me away, and even then, I’ll still keep trying. When you love someone, you fight for them.’

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