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“Yet, here we fucking are,” he smirked. “Listen, Jake filled us in. Your mom will likely behave herself or find herself locked in a stateroom crying into her mink coat.”
“That’s what I’m concerned about,” I said. “I don’t need her shit anywhere around my friends or me. This is fucking ridiculous.”
“Oh, chill out,” Cameron said, his smile mirroring Collin’s.
I grinned at him and Collin, “So, the two top neurosurgeons are going to solve all my private family issues, and I have nothing to fear with that woman embarrassing Nat or me tonight?” I took another sip. The reality of Nat and I finally getting along well, our relationship moving smoothly before this blasted me tonight, was a reminder that I was scared shitless that Heidi could fuck it all up.
Why the fuck did we bring her along again?
“It’s Nat, man,” Cameron reminded me. “I’ve yet to meet any woman who can shake her. She’s fucking impervious to people trying to cause any kind of trouble with her.”
I smiled, appreciating Nat’s beautiful smile from where I stood, then looked back at the two men standing with me. “Natalia has already had enough of what my mother has to offer. Trust me on that. You haven’t met Heidi, and I dread introducing you to her.”
“Have another glass, Spence,” Collin grinned. “Relax a little. We’ve all got this.”
“It’s what I’m afraid of,” I rolled my eyes, then checked my phone when it lit back up again.
Stephen, you fucking dick! I thought. Seeing my brother’s name light up my phone reminded me that I needed to ring back the private investigator. Steve could wait for me to chew his ass out later, but it was a great excuse to dismiss myself from the stern of this yacht for a short time.
I walked over to where Nat stood with the ladies. Shockingly, they all talked pleasantly while my mother fawned all over them.
It looks like the lone wolf can’t hunt alone, I thought, knowing Heidi was outnumbered in wealth, status, and intelligence. She might’ve come from old money, but she’d never accomplished anything alone, unlike these women.
“Steve just called. I’m going to speak with him for a moment in our room. Will you be okay with her while I’m gone for just a moment?”
Nat turned and walked me toward the door leading to the ship’s interior.
“Listen,” she started, “don’t start feeling like you need to babysit my emotions around your mother.”
“It’s not you that I’m worried about babysitting if that is how you see it. Although, I haven’t forgotten how she got to you the night of the wedding, and you never told me why.”
“It was nothing. I was just starting to fall for you or something like that, I’m sure. I was vulnerable, and she said the right thing at the right time. I was fine then, and I’ll be fine now.”
“Nat,” I went to argue, “she’s calculated.”
“I know that,” she leaned up a kissed my chin. “The night of the wedding, she just struck a chord at a time when I wasn’t expecting to be deep into my feelings. Don’t worry about that now. Go and do what you’ve got to do.”
Nat winked and walked away, leaving me to stare at her graceful figure and the perfect way she held herself as if she were the owner of the yacht and not Jacob Mitchell.
I blew out a breath, my stress flowing out with it, and I walked into the yacht toward the elevators of this floating palace. Thank God I was calmer, most likely due to the liquor and the delicious fragrance working together to soothe my frazzled soul.
At least I could think now, and that’s exactly where I needed to be to hear whatever Jeff had to say.
I rang him back and was relieved when he picked up my call on the second ring.
“Jeff here,” he said.
“Hey, it’s Spencer Monroe,” I started. “Sorry, I’m just getting back to you, Jeff. A lot of random shit came up today. I don’t mean to disturb your Friday night.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re pretty high maintenance, Monroe?” his low, rough voice came down the line.
“Yes,” I responded. “My girlfriend loves to remind me.”
“That’s the same girlfriend whose dad I’m working on?”
“Very same,” I responded, “and we’re coming down to the wire on this, so whatever you’ve dug up, I need you to send it to me as soon as possible. If it’s more money you need, and that’s why you called two times in a row—”
“It’s not more money, but the records aren’t pretty,” he said. “If she isn’t already aware of what I’ve found out, I hope you know what you’re doing by telling her.”
