“Sure thing. And hey,” she said, offering me a kind smile. “I know it’s all overwhelming right now, but don’t worry. Everyone here is harmless — albeit a little crazy, too.” She chuckled. “We get rowdy sometimes. We laugh and joke and pick on each other. We’re like a big, misfit family. And you’re a part of that family now.”
I smiled in return, though I didn’t feel like part of the family. I thanked her all the same, waiting until all the focus was on the shots being poured before I excused myself. I took the stairs two at a time up to the main deck, and as soon as I passed through the salon and out onto the open deck, I heaved a sigh of relief.
The salty air was cool but pleasant against my hot skin. The only sound up here was the waves, and I smiled at the peacefulness of it, making my way leisurely to the bow of the boat. Resting my arms on the railing, I let my head fall back, closing my eyes and inhaling a deep breath.
Something squeezed in my chest once I was alone, a foreign but noticeable pinch that I couldn’t decipher. I’d been feeling it build ever since Joel and I left the States, like my body was trying to tell me something.
It was such a strange time in my life — an in-between state of being that left me wondering where I belonged, or if I belonged anywhere at all. I was no longer a student, defined by the university I attended or the major I declared. Yet, I wasn’t an adult, either. I didn’t have a job or a home of my own or a plan for what would happen next.
Like a leaf on the water, I felt adrift, floating without purpose.
A heavy exhale left my chest as I blinked my eyes open, and when I did, I found a sky full of stars above. My breath caught at the sight. Sure, there were beautiful night skies in Colorado, especially if you hiked out into the Rockies and got away from the capital. But these stars were bright and twinkling, the Spanish shores quiet and dim in comparison.
I wasn’t sure how long I stood there looking up at the sky, but it was long enough for my neck to start hurting. I rolled it a few times and rubbed the back of it with one hand before I turned toward the boat, leaning my back against the railing.
Then, my eyes caught on a different light shining above.
The owner’s suite was on the next deck up, the windows large and wide, offering sweeping views of the water. There was a soft, warm glow coming from the lamps inside.
And a silhouette of a man.
It was hard to make out more than a shadow, but it looked like Theo had his hands in his pockets, his shoulders relaxed, his hair a bit mussed. From this angle, I couldn’t be sure where his eyes were focused.
They were probably on the sea, or perhaps the stars. Maybe he was watching the shoreline, the twinkling lights of the homes peppering the land. Maybe he was looking over his yacht, noting what his hard work had bestowed him.
But that pinch in my chest painted another scenario.
And I swore I felt those magnetic eyes on me.
I woke the next morning to Joel wrapped around me like a bear, his arms and legs tangled with mine, a thin sheen of sweat forming where our skin met. I didn’t mind the warmth, though, and I snuggled into him until he groaned and peeled himself out of bed far too early for my taste. But he had work to do, and he was out of the cabin before the sun had fully risen.
I took my time, showering and trying to tame my hair before dressing for the day and making my way up to the main deck. Bagel in hand, I snuck up to the sun deck while it was still vacant and took some stunning photos of the sunrise. I played with the aperture and shutter speed, varying the focus from the yacht to the water to the shoreline in the distance.
“Enjoy the peace while you can.”
I jumped, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw Wayland. He smiled and leaned his elbows on the railing next to me, sunglasses-covered eyes cast toward the shore.
“We’re landing in Saint-Tropez a little earlier than we thought,” he said. “And Theo just informed me we’ll have our first guests onboard.”
“Oh?” I asked. I liked that Wayland was talking to me. He didn’t seem to talk much to anyone other than Captain Chuck, and he had a thick, unique Jamaican accent that I could listen to all day.
He nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, Theo is a wonderful owner and we’re all lucky to work for him. It’s much better than a charter,” he added with a shake of his head. “That said, he has some… interesting friends and business partners. So, just be prepared.”
I chuckled. “Well, I can just disappear into my cabin.”
Wayland smiled my way, clucking his tongue. “Ah, no such luck, I’m afraid.”
I arched a brow.
“Captain asked me to inform you that you’ll have your first assignment onboard this evening,” he said, tapping the railing in front of me as he stood straight again. “Theo has requested you join him and his guests for dinner, drinks, and entertainment.”
“To take pictures,” I realized.
“Indeed.” Wayland took a deep breath, eyeing the shore again. “Are you feeling sick still?”
I frowned.
“Joel mentioned you’d felt a little seasick the first day.”
“Oh,” I said with a flush. “I think it was just nerves. I’m fine.”
“Good,” Wayland said decidedly. We stood quietly next to each other for a few moments before he added, “If you really want a lifestyle worth capturing, you need to come to Jamaica.”
I smiled. “Oh yeah?”
Wayland pressed his lips together with an affirmative
