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“Don’t tell me the party started without us?” A voice yelled out.
We turned to find the owner of the ship, Rowan Carter, standing on the plank, with a big grin on his face.
George stepped forward and greeted his brother-in-law with a hug.
“Not likely. We were congratulating Charlie. He’ll be your captain this morning, leading us out of port,” George explained.
“Moving up the ranks. Congratulations!” Rowan leaned forward and gave Charlie a hug.
Rowan was a real estate billionaire from London, but surprisingly laid back. So was his American husband, Andrew, who was just as kind and welcoming as Rowan. I’d heard all about how the couple met when Andrew came to work for him on this ship.
Funny enough, they weren’t the only ones who’d found love on this yacht.
There was George and Rafe, of course. And Rowan’s best friend, Dylan, and his fiancé, Max. And finally, my boss Alex, and his boyfriends, Aiden, and Jared. Their relationship began on that infamous trip to Thailand.
According to Andrew, the ship had a love spell on it. Anyone who boarded was destined to meet their match, or in Alex’s case, matches. It was a cute tale, but I didn’t believe in such things. Despite my Irish upbringing, I wasn’t a superstitious man (sorry, Ma).
Still, it was kind of romantic when I thought about it.
Then I remembered that I had no business thinking that way.
I turned to Rowan, who, like the rest of us, was dressed in casual shorts and a t-shirt, his wavy blond hair windblown. Andrew stood beside him, his arm around Rowan’s waist.
“Rowan, Andrew,” I greeted them and nodded. “I’m happy to serve as your primary for the next two weeks. Any issues or concerns, please let me know.”
Rowan smiled at me and removed his sunglasses. “Thanks Kiernan. I think Alex is being overprotective in this case, but I’ll concede to him when it comes to the safety of my family and friends. We didn’t spot any paparazzi following our group when we departed London, but you know how these things go.”
“I’ll be on the lookout.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Rafe. Running past the other guests on the dock, he vaulted over the plank, and launched himself at George, wrapping his legs around his husband like an octopus, nearly toppling him over.
After a rather lengthy kiss, George pulled back with a pink face and a bemused expression.
“God, you two. Get a room already!” Aiden called out.
Rafe turned and gave him a middle finger. “Admit it, Aiden. You’re jealous.”
“I have two boyfriends, Rafe. Two,” Aiden laughed in return. “Whatever fun you have, I double it. If anyone’s going to be jealous, it’s you.”
“They’ve already started,” Dylan muttered as he shook his head, his straw cowboy hat pushed back.
Dylan Aylmer was a Hollywood actor and Rowan’s best mate. Like Andrew, he was a humble guy, with a genuine smile and a soothing Texas drawl. His husband, Max, was a college professor and writer. Max looked the part with dark-rimmed glasses and a button-down shirt.
“How y’all doing?” Dylan asked as he greeted us in turn. “Charlie, did I hear George say you’re gonna steer this floating mansion?”
“That’s right.”
“Better you than me.”
“Quite right,” Aiden commented as greeted me with a nod, his booming British accent echoing on the wind. “Dylan had a difficult enough time parking a mini cooper at the airport, never mind a ship.”
“Play nice,” Andrew teased but Aiden just rolled his eyes.
“Yes, Aiden, what he said.”
That comment came from Jared Elwood.
The Hollywood director was smaller in stature than his partners, but he was no less commanding. Jared had a wide smile and an intense charisma that drew your attention. I could see why Alex and Aiden fell hard. Both men looked at Jared with a possessive intensity that couldn’t be denied.
