Avery

Nothing made me happier than my dad cracking jokes about the Sacramento Kings’ shitty defense. It meant he was feeling better. And I got to hear it because of Hayden’s generosity in letting me use his satellite phone. He couldn’t have been more thoughtful or concerned. I’d also called my aunt and between the two of us we’d arranged for some additional care for my brother to ease the strain on my dad. He’d been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and although apparently it was easily managed with the drugs, I wanted him to take it easy.

“All crew, all crew in the mess—five minutes,” the captain announced through my radio on my nightstand.

I groaned and peeled myself off the bed. All-crew meetings mid-charter were rarely a good thing. Usually it meant there was a serious complaint or an unexpected change of plans. Surely Hayden would have told me if something was wrong? He’d started to ask Skylar for things here and there, but I hadn’t seen him properly interact with anyone other than me and I kinda liked it that way. It was ridiculous but I didn’t encourage him to ask Skylar for things. I liked to be the one who got him what he needed. It was my job to ensure guests had everything they wanted, and he was the only guest on this charter, so it made sense I would be his main point of contact. I was the chief stewardess. He was a guest.

A guest, so I shouldn’t be kissing him on the top deck while watching fireworks and sipping champagne.

A guest, so I shouldn’t be playing our kiss over and over again in my mind.

A guest, so I shouldn’t be wondering if he’d ever kiss me again.

I blew out a breath, smoothed my hair back into a ponytail and headed to the mess.

“How’s your dad?” August asked as I appeared at the doorway.

I slipped onto the banquette. “All over the Sacramento Kings and their shitty defense, apparently.”

She laughed. “Sounds like he’s getting back to normal.”

Neill high-fived one of the engineers while Eric tried to explain why the joke he’d just told was funny. With twelve of us in the tiny space, it was loud but good-natured.

“Settle down,” Captain Moss said as he appeared. He was only ever in the mess for mealtimes and meetings, so the crew often hung out here when we were on break or off shift.

Everyone quieted, and the banquette filled with five others while everyone else leaned on counters and against doorways.

“We’re switching things up a little,” Captain Moss said.

People exchanged glances and murmured. There hadn’t been many changes this charter.

“Mr. Wolf is going ashore tomorrow and staying overnight in a hotel,” he continued.

It wasn’t unusual for a guest on a longer charter to go ashore overnight, or to stay at a particularly nice hotel or a friend’s villa. That wasn’t what had my heart thumping in my chest. I just didn’t understand why Hayden hadn’t said anything to me. I saw him regularly throughout every day. He’d discussed business with me, he’d kissed me but didn’t mention he was going ashore overnight? It didn’t make sense.

The room grew quieter as everyone waited for Captain Moss to continue. There were two possible scenarios when a guest left the boat. We could end up detailing the yacht from anchor to radio mast, or we could be getting time off. It all depended on how decent the captain was.

“As a result, we all get a day off,” Captain Moss said.

Everyone whooped and cheered and despite the uneasiness spreading through my body, I couldn’t help but smile at their joy. Even the corners of Captain Moss’s mouth threated to curl into a smile.

“Settle down or I might change my mind,” the captain said.

The whooping calmed but the excitement was still palpable.

“Tender leaves this boat at ten tomorrow morning and collects Mr. Wolf from shore at nine a.m. the following day. That means you have to be back on this boat, sober and ready to work by eight. Do I make myself clear?”

Everyone grinned from ear to ear, nodding their agreement, and tossed the occasional “Yes, sir” into the excited atmosphere for good measure.

Twenty-four hours in Taormina? That was twenty-three more than I’d ever had before, and if I could have chosen the one place in the Mediterranean to have a day off, Sicily would be the place.

“I want this boat perfect before you go, so get your Q-tips out,” Captain Moss warned.

I elbowed August when she groaned. When she’d first started, I’d told her that the bathrooms needed detailing and explained I wasn’t joking when I said every inch needed to be cleaned with Q-tips. She’d nearly passed out, but she’d done a good job. She might be a bit flighty and a little too noisy, but she worked hard and that was what mattered.

“Captain,” I called as he made for the exit. “I’ll stay if you—”

“No. I’ll be on board. You’re to have the day off with the rest of this lot.”

I glanced behind me. The crew had already begun to plan the following day, the boys talking about the bars, the girls, the beaches and cocktails.

“But I don’t mind—”

“Take a freaking day off to relax, Avery. This is a gift. Take advantage of it.” Conversation over, he swept out.

“Avery,” Skylar called. “Isn’t Taormina your dream destination? This is fate. There’s bound to be a ton of rich, handsome men waiting for me on shore.” She squealed and turned back to the table.

Taormina was the place I told everyone about. I’d only managed an hour on shore a couple of times and always yearned for longer. The idea of a whole day there was almost too good to be true

For a split second I remembered my conversation with Hayden about always wanting to come to Taormina. He wouldn’t have remembered that, right? This wasn’t about me, was it? In another lifetime, we’d go together, explore the narrow streets and the amphitheater, sit in the piazza with the beautiful people while being overlooked by Mount Etna. But that wouldn’t be this lifetime.

“The boys are just going to drink all day, aren’t they?” Skylar came up to stand beside me and we watched them plan which Italian beers they were going to order.

They’d been weeks without alcohol. I was sure they’d make up for it. “I’d say so.”

“I want to lie on a beach. Dinner and drinks in the evening. Somewhere glamorous. Where the beautiful people go,” Skylar said.

“Should we get a hotel?” Eric called out to us. “Then you don’t need to worry about us wrecking the boat if we come back hammered.”

There was no way I was going to book a hotel room. I needed to save every penny.

I put on my best, professional grin. “I don’t need to worry about you wrecking the boat because you know if you do I’ll kick your ass so hard you won’t sit for the rest of the charter.”

Eric’s smile faltered, but he nodded and turned back to the table. “I think we should definitely pay for a hotel.”

“Sounds good. Then we can order drinks from the beach. And we have somewhere to change for the evening,” August said. “I want to eat pasta in Italy. I’m sure it must taste different, right?” she asked, turning to me.

I smiled. Eating pasta in Sicily sounded just about perfect, even if it was at a table for one. Maybe with some Chianti while people-watching in the piazza, even without Hayden. I tried to hold back a smile, not wanting to get too excited in case Captain Moss came back and told us he’d made a gigantic mistake.

“Ready to top up your tan?” August asked as she came toward Skylar and me, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

I could totally understand why the girls would want to laze on the beach for the day, but I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity I had to explore even if I had no one to share it with. I was going to take my dad’s advice and take some time for myself, be a tourist, get waited on in a restaurant. I was going to think about nothing but the sun and the buildings and how beautiful everything was. And then Hayden kissing me under the fireworks would no longer be the best thing that had happened to me in seven years.