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Walt
Ittookmea moment to get comfortable on the yacht. I know it’s not the one I used to have. The layout is different and we’re in a different country, but I couldn’t fight the urge to check every corner for lurkers. It helped having my wife and family with me because I would have been jumpier on my own. Even now, I’m still not fully relaxed although my brother and son are trying to distract me with music.
“You know what being on a yacht makes me think about,” Rowe prompts.
“Boats and Hoes?” Whit teases.
Rowe cuts his eyes at him but has a smile on his face. “Since we’re all committed to the women on the boat, it’s not a good analogy.” He releases the chuckle he’s trying to hold. “Still funny, though. No. I was talking about a different music video.”
I think it’s great that the boy bands aren’t Rowe’s style, but he’s really been humoring me.
“I’m still in looooove,” he sings to get my attention again.
“Ah,” Whit confirms with a nod. “Got to love New Edition.”
Rowe plays the song, and it relaxes me some more. The girls are on their own side, doing their own bonding. I admit, we got pulled into the song, singing it like we’re making a video until our women started doing their best Charlie’s Angels impressions with the captain.
All three of us looked at them like they’ve lost their minds but quickly settled when the food arrived. We fall into a basic conversation about nothing serious, but I keep noticing how Whit is chewing… aggressively. While I’m sitting next to Everie and Rowe is next to Sparrow, Whit sits across from Moonlight. He stares at her like he’s trying to read her soul while she pretends not to notice.
Interesting. The tension makes me wonder if he still feels like she’s keeping something from him. He’s sensitive to such things and wouldn’t let it drop easily.
“What day do you have to return to college?” I ask Rowe to put a subject that would interest Whit on the table.
“I’m not returning.”
Everyone’s eyes fall on Rowe. “What do you mean?” Whit probes, placing his full attention on Rowe.
“Not in person,” Sparrow quickly adds for the table.
Rowe nods as he chews. “Too much going on. You just returned from the dead and now this shit with Jones.” he shakes his head. “We switched to fully online for the fall semester.”
I can’t argue with that. It’s not like they dropped out of school, and we missed a lot of time. Whit expression eases a little as he considers what Rowe is saying. “It makes sense,” he finally says. “But Jones is in capable hands.”
“I know. I’d rather be around, just in case.”
“Does Bear know you’re staying in Glenn Royal this fall?” Moonlight inquires as she looks at Sparrow.
“Yes. I’ll spend my time between home and being with Rowe. I’ll have to go back for Spring since I’m not good at online math. I need the lectures.
Moonlight nods, satisfied. She’s still not making eye contact with Whit. I don’t think their disagreement is anything major. If it was, Whit would have told me about it.
I’m standing by, watching everyone one in the water. Jumping off the yacht into the water didn’t appeal to me. I don’t know if it’s something I was never into or if it’s because of the night my brain refuses to remember. My anxiousness returned the moment I got to the edge. My palms sweat; my heart pounded so hard that I felt faint. I gripped the rail and took a few deep breaths to calm it. I didn’t jump, and no one pressed the issue.
Watching them have fun is enough for me for now. Rowe and Everie laugh about something. I love seeing her carefree moments and am happy that they’re more often. I tilt my head as I watch with a smirk. Everest is Rowe’s stepmother. The realization amuses me, and I don’t know why. She looks up at me as if feeling my amusement.
Everie’s smile is full of the love she has for me, and fuck, I’d marry her again right now because of it. She swims back towards the yacht to make her way back to me. I wrap a towel around her once she’s on the deck and pull her to me. She moans when I drop my lips over hers, taking a kiss like they breathe life into me.
“Thirsty?” She asks me once we pull apart. “We never got around to a celebratory drink.”
She holds my hand as she leads me to the bar. We toast to each other and drink simple rums and cokes. Others join as we finish the other drink. Everie points at a bottle of whiskey.
“Oh, that bottle looks interesting.”
I stare at the bottle, fixated for some reason. The amber liquid picks up the setting sun and gives me an ominous vibe. Everie grabs it and the closer the bottle gets to me, the more distance I want.
“Um. I’m good for now.”
Standing, I pat the seat I was in to invite Whit to sit. He can bond with his sister-in-law, and they can drink together. They line up the glasses, then Everie pours some in each glass. They take a sip as the other glass sits untouched.
“Oh, I think you’ll like this, “Everie insists.
I shake my head, but Whit grabs the other glass and stands. “Actually, you do like this. It used to be your favorite brand.”
He holds the glass out and the scent of it fills me with equal parts of rage and fear.
“I said I don’t fucking want it!” I knock it out of Whit’s hand. The whiskey spills, but the glass doesn’t break. I take a step back as I get several worried glances. “I’m sorry,” I mumble as I continue to put distance between me and everyone.
I cannot shake the bad feeling or anxiousness that’s been riding me since the beginning of this activity. Backing up, I go towards the rooms. I need to lie down. My breathing is uneven and I’m light-headed.
I hate this feeling. I don’t like it at all.
