AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No! I don’t know,” I say, flustered. “Mom, there’s nothing to tell.”
“Ellie!” she yells, dragging out the last syllable of my name.
“Mom, I have to go! We’ll talk about it later,” I say, walking past her. I rush to the front door and leave. I hear my mom yell something to me as the door closes, something along the lines of “be safe.”
I walk to the sleek car waiting for me on the street. Hank, now waiting by the car, opens the door to the back passenger seat. I slowly climb in and whisper a “thank you” to him before he gently closes the door behind me.
After a silent and awkward drive, we pull up to the marina along the sparkling blue water with a line of lavish yachts parked up to the dock. Hank gets out, opens my door, and gestures for me to exit. As I slowly step out and smooth my hands across my dress, I look up to see Rhylan walking toward me. He looks so comfortable and relaxed. His white linen shirt, loose and casual, clings to his broad chest with every sweep of the ocean breeze while his strong arms are exposed right up to his elbows, just below the folds of his rolled-up sleeves. The unkempt mess of his hair only makes him more endearing as his face brightens with a smile that’s radiant and beaming. Even with his unruly hair creating a shadow shielding his eyes, I see how blue they are, almost identical to the ocean behind him.
“Hi,” he says and breathes through his smile, ducking his head. He remains coy, with his head hung low and his hands in his pockets. He looks at me with a sideways glance as his smile turns into a charming chuckle.
“Hello.” I smile at him. I nervously bring my hand up close to my chest and wiggle my fingers to wave at him.
“I hope the ride in was okay. I had to take care of some things here.”
I nod. “It was fine. Thank you.”
“Um… I thought we could make use of some privacy, so I got us a boat for the day,” he explains as he gestures towards the boat parked up to the dock.
“I–I’m sorry,” I stutter. “A boat?”
He turns towards said boat behind him, but it isn’t just a boat. It’s a yacht. And not just any yacht. It’s the kind that extremely wealthy people own and buy on a whim. The kind that I would have to do a Google search to see what they look like and never actually see in person. Rhylan must sense my surprise.
“Ellie, meet The Ladybird.” When all I do is stare, open-mouthed and speechless, Rhylan’s face changes. “I borrowed it for the day from a friend. It’s not mine,” he explains in a poor attempt to humble himself.
“Oh.” What am I supposed to say to him? He has aboat. Or, no, it’s not his, so I guess that’s supposed to be okay? I feel so flustered.
I sigh and look up at him. “Uh, okay. Let’s get on this little ladybird,” I say, my voice all squeaky and high-pitched.
Rhylan reaches for my hand to guide me onto the yacht. His fingers interlace with mine, and his thumb grazes the back of my hand. Our eyes meet where we connect, somehow reassuring me and encouraging me to trust him at the same time. When he pulls my hand towards his mouth and gently kisses the back of it, my stomach quivers with butterflies. All the shock and surprise from a minute ago has dissipated as I look up at him and smile, letting out a small laugh as I follow his lead.
We climb the steps to enter the yacht. It’s so much brighter up on deck, as if the wood plankings are made of mirrors, reflecting everything under the sun. I use my hand to shield my eyes and try to refocus my vision.
“May I take your things?”
The sudden voice catches me off guard. When I turn, I see a woman dressed in a neatly pressed uniform, all colored in deep navy, extending her hand towards me. When I stare blankly, her smile tightens, her hand nudging towards the jacket slung across my arm.
“Oh,” I whisper softly. I hand her my jacket as she reaches for my purse and turns towards the lower cabin to store my belongings.
Another woman dressed in an identical uniform approaches, her hand balancing a silver tray holding a bottle of champagne wedged in an ice bucket and two tall glasses. And I suppress a sarcastic “of course” when I see a third woman follow her steps carrying a large tray of fruits and chocolates, all arranged intricately. They carefully place everything on the long table next to me, one that I haven’t realized I’ve been backed into as I take everything in.
I take a seat on the cushioned bench outlining the table, sitting right at the edge, and wait as Rhylan speaks to a man who looks like the captain in his embellished hat and uniform. They both turn and approach me.
“Hello, my name is David Aoti. I will be your captain this afternoon. The waters are clear, as is the weather ahead of us, so I have no reason to doubt a steady and uneventful journey for us,” he says, reassuring me more than Rhylan.
I nod quietly and remain in my seat as Captain Aoti walks away, and Rhylan takes a seat next to me.
I hear music start to filter through the air. As I begin to assume it’s coming from some hidden sound system strategically placed throughout the deck, I notice a woman sitting in the shaded corner. Her hair is pulled into a tight bun and a large cello is straddled between her legs as the deep timbre tunes of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” start to pour over us.
“Is that Elvis?”
His brows lift. “You’re familiar.”
“It sounds beautiful.”
“Champagne?” he asks, his hand already reaching for the chilled bottle.
I smile, one that doesn’t quite reach my eyes, followed by a low hum that’s meant to be a yes. He makes a show of unwrapping the tightly bound foil, revealing the lodged cork. When the pop of the cork startles me, he reaches for the glasses and fills them as the foam overflows the lip.
