Dolphin Key with a
celebratory drink.”
Claire glanced at her watch. “I don’t really have the time. I
promised Carol I would pick up my groceries before the supermarket closes.”
“Not a problem, we can do that on the way. In fact I’ll even carry them home for you as
long as you don’t tell Beth. I don’t want her to think my male chauvinist
tendencies have softened.”
“In that case…”
“I can do better than that. I have transport or, to be more
precise, Claire has transport,” Daniel interrupted, suddenly wondering if
putting Claire and Scott together had been such a good idea after all. It was one thing for work colleagues to get
on well, entirely another when they got on too well. He hoped that wasn’t about
to happen here before he made a move of his own. Surely Claire would see Scott
for what he was. A great guy, a good worker, but emotionally on the shallow
side. Someone who appeared to want a good time without any responsibilities,
and someone whose looks and physique ensured that he usually managed to get it.
Banishing such uncharitable thoughts, he smiled at Claire’s
questioning look. “Come and take ownership of your company car,” he said.
Gathering up her bag and sweater, she followed him outside
to where a customized green and yellow golf cart was parked. It had the company
logo on the side panel. Daniel grinned at her stunned expression.
“Carts are mainly what everyone uses around here so the town
doesn’t get clogged up with cars and trucks. Even the police use their own
version for local patrol. It will only do twenty kilometers an hour max but
that’s not a problem in a place this size. Also it doesn’t pollute, and it’s quiet, both things that are very
useful for us when we’re anywhere near a wildlife habitat.”
Claire gave a disbelieving shake of the head. “This place gets more and more surreal by the
minute, but I love it.”
He handed her the keys. “I’ll talk you through it. It’s
really easy to drive but you must remember to follow all the normal traffic
rules.”
Claire gave a joyous laugh as she turned on the
ignition. Memories of the summer her
father had decided to take up golf flooded back to her. Memories of early mornings full of bird song,
of wild flowers growing along the edges of the greens, of rabbits, and
squirrels, and an occasional fox, and of the exhilaration of being in total
charge of her father’s golf buggy even though she was only thirteen years old.
“Come on! What are you waiting for?” She swung the buggy in
a wide arc so that it was pointing downtown, back towards the supermarket.
“You’re obviously way ahead of me on this,” Daniel said as
he jumped into the passenger seat with a smile of approval. Not to be outdone,
Scott swung in behind with a loud whoop of enthusiasm, and the three of them
drove down the road at a steady ten kilometers an hour. When they reached the
supermarket Claire parked the golf cart with a flourish to the joint applause
of her passengers.
Sending a silent thank you to her father, she grinned at
them before hurrying into the shop to collect her groceries.
* * *
Two beers, a tuna salad, and three pages of the book she was
reading later, and Claire was sound asleep, her bedside light still burning. It
had been a very long day!
* * *
Too tired to be seriously affected by jet lag, Claire slept
without waking until six o’clock the following morning. Then, resisting the temptation with some
difficulty, she showered and dressed before she pulled back the drapes and
stepped out onto the balcony. As if they
had been waiting for her, a group of dolphins immediately flipped into action
and chased one another across the bay. The water streaming from their backs
turned to iridescent silver in the early morning sun. Transfixed, she watched them until they
disappeared, and then hurriedly prepared her breakfast and spent the next
thirty minutes
celebratory drink.”
Claire glanced at her watch. “I don’t really have the time. I
promised Carol I would pick up my groceries before the supermarket closes.”
“Not a problem, we can do that on the way. In fact I’ll even carry them home for you as
long as you don’t tell Beth. I don’t want her to think my male chauvinist
tendencies have softened.”
“In that case…”
“I can do better than that. I have transport or, to be more
precise, Claire has transport,” Daniel interrupted, suddenly wondering if
putting Claire and Scott together had been such a good idea after all. It was one thing for work colleagues to get
on well, entirely another when they got on too well. He hoped that wasn’t about
to happen here before he made a move of his own. Surely Claire would see Scott
for what he was. A great guy, a good worker, but emotionally on the shallow
side. Someone who appeared to want a good time without any responsibilities,
and someone whose looks and physique ensured that he usually managed to get it.
Banishing such uncharitable thoughts, he smiled at Claire’s
questioning look. “Come and take ownership of your company car,” he said.
Gathering up her bag and sweater, she followed him outside
to where a customized green and yellow golf cart was parked. It had the company
logo on the side panel. Daniel grinned at her stunned expression.
“Carts are mainly what everyone uses around here so the town
doesn’t get clogged up with cars and trucks. Even the police use their own
version for local patrol. It will only do twenty kilometers an hour max but
that’s not a problem in a place this size. Also it doesn’t pollute, and it’s quiet, both things that are very
useful for us when we’re anywhere near a wildlife habitat.”
Claire gave a disbelieving shake of the head. “This place gets more and more surreal by the
minute, but I love it.”
He handed her the keys. “I’ll talk you through it. It’s
really easy to drive but you must remember to follow all the normal traffic
rules.”
Claire gave a joyous laugh as she turned on the
ignition. Memories of the summer her
father had decided to take up golf flooded back to her. Memories of early mornings full of bird song,
of wild flowers growing along the edges of the greens, of rabbits, and
squirrels, and an occasional fox, and of the exhilaration of being in total
charge of her father’s golf buggy even though she was only thirteen years old.
“Come on! What are you waiting for?” She swung the buggy in
a wide arc so that it was pointing downtown, back towards the supermarket.
“You’re obviously way ahead of me on this,” Daniel said as
he jumped into the passenger seat with a smile of approval. Not to be outdone,
Scott swung in behind with a loud whoop of enthusiasm, and the three of them
drove down the road at a steady ten kilometers an hour. When they reached the
supermarket Claire parked the golf cart with a flourish to the joint applause
of her passengers.
Sending a silent thank you to her father, she grinned at
them before hurrying into the shop to collect her groceries.
* * *
Two beers, a tuna salad, and three pages of the book she was
reading later, and Claire was sound asleep, her bedside light still burning. It
had been a very long day!
* * *
Too tired to be seriously affected by jet lag, Claire slept
without waking until six o’clock the following morning. Then, resisting the temptation with some
difficulty, she showered and dressed before she pulled back the drapes and
stepped out onto the balcony. As if they
had been waiting for her, a group of dolphins immediately flipped into action
and chased one another across the bay. The water streaming from their backs
turned to iridescent silver in the early morning sun. Transfixed, she watched them until they
disappeared, and then hurriedly prepared her breakfast and spent the next
thirty minutes
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