Page 87 of Meant to be Mine

He grinned. “Among other things.”

“Why didn’t you have the party on your yacht then?”

“Because the cleanup is a nightmare,” he said. “You get a couple hundred people on a boat, things get messy. Food everywhere, drinks spilled, someone always ends up puking overboard. I’d rather let someone else deal with that.”

“Practical.”

Callum appeared with Victoria at his side. She looked stunning in a white sundress, her hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail.

“There you are,” Callum said, clapping Drew on the shoulder. “Thought you might bail.”

“And miss free food? Never. Plus this is a Blackwell Summer event. So my attendance is mandatory.”

Victoria hugged me. “You look amazing,” she said. “That color is perfect on you.”

I smiled at her. “Thank you. You look gorgeous.”

“This old thing?” She waved a hand dismissively, but she was smiling, too.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” Drew said.

“Mom insisted she watch the baby and Victoria is hoping to work her magic and talk up the charity,” Callum said.

“Smart.” I smiled.

Victoria winked. “Little champagne, sun and ocean breeze, and people are far more generous.”

Cleo found us a few minutes later. More compliments on the dress, more champagne pressed into my hands. The yacht’s engines rumbled to life beneath us and I felt the subtle shift as we pulled away from the dock.

I walked to the railing and looked out at the marina getting smaller behind us. The water was a deep blue, the sky cloudless except for a few big fluffy clouds on the horizon. The breeze picked up as we gained speed, lifting my hair off my shoulders.

Drew came to stand beside me, his arm sliding around my waist.

“Not a bad view,” he said.

“Definitely.”

He smiled. “You don’t get seasick, do you? I didn’t think to ask.”

“I’m good. Just want to take it all in.”

The yacht cut through the water smoothly, heading out toward open ocean. The coastline stretched to our left. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

“Thank you for bringing me,” I said.

“Thank you for coming.” He kissed my temple. “Want to explore?”

“Yes.”

We wandered through the yacht hand in hand. The main deck had the outdoor lounge we’d started in, plus a covered dining area set with a long table. The second level had a smaller, more intimate lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows and a full bar. The third level was open to the sky with lounge chairs and another bar setup.

Everywhere we went, there were people. Laughing, drinking, eating from the endless trays of appetizers the crew kept circulating. I recognized more faces now. The rich, powerful, and beautiful people of the west coast all in one place.

But I wasn’t overwhelmed. Not with Drew beside me, introducing me easily, steering conversations away when I looked like I needed a break. He knew me well enough to read the signs. We ended up on the third level, away from the densest clusters of people. Drew grabbed two champagne flutes from a passing server and handed me one.

“To yacht parties,” he said, raising his glass.

“To yacht parties,” I echoed.