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“That’s... impressive. Thank you for doing that.”
He huffs out a laugh, amused by my gratitude. “For donating blood?”
“Yes, Ryan. I know how crucial it is. Vivian needed several transfusions, and even though we lost her, I’ll always be thankful for the effort.”
“You’re welcome then,” he rumbles.
My thoughts swirl in my head like a flock of restless birds.
Does he build yachts for all his women or does this mean he likes me a little bit more?
“So, do you like it?” He asks, and I hear a hint of concern under the teasing smile.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Ryan, it’s unbelievable. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Magnificent,” I whisper the last word.
He smiles widely, the grooves in his cheeks appearing. Suddenly overwhelmed, I throw my arms around him again. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure. Ever been on a yacht before?”
“Just boat cruises and ferries, nothing like this,” I confess. Not even on Xavier’s. The girls have kept planning to take Xavier’s on a spin but we never managed to.
“Well, it’s about time my wife experienced her first twin hull,” he says with a grin, leading me toward the yacht.
Approaching the gangway, the yacht appears even larger up close. “Come on, I’ll show you around.” He leads me up the short stairway to the deck.
I pause and look around again, marveling at the massive deck before focusing on the grand glass doors. It’s like a floating mansion.
“Can we go in?” As beautiful as the outer deck is with its multiple seating and dining areas, I can’t wait to see what the inside looks like.
“Of course, take the first look,” he encourages.
As we near, the massive glass doors to the dim interior glide open. I step over the threshold, and I’m immediately blinded as all the lights flicker on, revealing over a dozen people, their faces alight with joy. “Congratulations!” they cheer.
Startled, I stagger back, but Ryan is quick to catch me.
“Surprise, baby!” His voice is warm, wrapping around me like a comforting blanket amidst the shock and sudden bursts of laughter.
“Oh my! I can’t believe this!” It’s not just a few friends; it’s all of them, both mine and Ryan’s.
Bonnie and Sabrina step forward, their grins stretching from ear to ear.
“Guys! Did you do this?”
Bonnie, sporting a belly that’s starting to compete with a watermelon, shakes her head and nods at the man behind me.
“Ryan!” I spin around to catch his mischievous smirk. “You devious man!”
“I know how much you’ve been missing your friends, Stella.” Ryan’s eyes twinkle with excitement.
“And we weren’t going to waste such a splendid venue,” Bonnie chimes in, looking around. “I mean, look at the size of this place!”
“We might as well re-enact a wedding reception since we missed yours.” Sabrina hugs me to her side.
Xavier comes forward, pushing an amber liquid into Ryan’s hand and a cocktail in mine. “Mocktail, he whispers.
Oh crap. He still thinks I’m pregnant.
Xavier then cups a hand around his mouth and bellows, “Nora, Alex! Bring it in!”
