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“Call me when you’re docked!” I shouted.

She gave me a thumbs-up.

I was completely frazzled. Rattled by the near accident. My hair was windblown and I felt like I was starting to get a little burnt too. This was not how I wanted to start this date.

I watched Maddy for a moment. Then I turned and made my way across the lawn toward the side of the mansion and around the garage. When I got to the top, Justin stood there in the courtyard, leaning against his car.

CHAPTER 8

JUSTIN

The moment Emma came into view, my entire world slipped into slow motion. My brain took a screenshot. I felt the moment freeze and save.

She was beautiful.

I’d seen pictures, we’d video called, but it didn’t even begin to make me ready for this.

Long brown hair, a white top, leggings. She was smiling at me, this easy, comfortable smile, and the closer she got, the more paralyzed I felt. I couldn’t even will my legs to walk to meet her. I wasn’t standing by my car, waiting for my date. I was in the middle of a road, watching the headlights of a Mack truck coming right at me.

I liked to consider myself a pretty level, confident, easygoing person. I didn’t get flustered or anxious about dates. But everything I knew about myself prior to the moment I laid eyes on her was no longer true.

I was a nervous wreck. Instantly.

She closed the distance between us. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I said a little breathlessly, hoping that I didn’t actually sound breathless.

Then I was just staring. Wide-eyed and mute, like a human Justin wax figurine.

She didn’t seem to notice. She came in for a hug. The hug we’d agreed upon in the survey. But I was not prepared.

She wrapped her arms around me, and I processed her in split seconds. Shorter than me. Soft. Warm. Her hair smelled like flowers. This is what she feels like. This is her…

“You smell good,” she said, breaking away.

“Thanks. You too,” I managed.

“God, I’m so frazzled,” she said. “You should have seen us trying to dock the boat.”

My mouth was dry. “What happened?” I asked.

“We almost beached it. It was like a comedy skit.”

Her phone rang. “Oh, hold on. I have to leave my ringer on in case Maddy gets in trouble trying to get back.” She looked at it. “It’s her.” She swiped and put the phone to her ear. “Maddy? Are you okay?” She listened for a second and then glanced at me. “Okay.” Then she hung up. She nodded over her shoulder. “Can we go down there really quick?”

“Sure.”

She turned and started back the way she came. We made our way around the side of the enormous house until we had a view of the lake.

There was a short brown-haired woman in a pontoon just offshore. She raised binoculars to watch us.

“Is that her?” I asked.

“Yeah, that’s her,” she said, looking amused. “She must have found those in the boat. Go!” She made a shooing motion with her hands. “Call me when you’re docked!”

She turned back to me shaking her head. “I think she wanted to see you.”

I gave Maddy a wave over Emma’s shoulder and the woman’s smile vanished. Then she dragged a finger across her neck in the universal sign for I’ll kill you.