I was sure my jaw was on the table. In fact, I was slightly surprised to not find a goop of creme on my chin when I dabbed it with my napkin, placing it gingerly in my lap again as I tried to process. “Mr. Whitman — er, Theo — that… that’s unbelievably kind of you to offer. But I couldn’t impose. Surely, there isn’t room for—”
He laughed at that, gesturing around him with his large hands wide and open. “No room? Aspen, look around you. There is nothing but room.”
“I believe she means in the crew cabins, sir,” Captain Chuck offered.
But Theo waved him off. “There are thirteen staterooms on this yacht, and four of them are on the lower deck just above where the crew quarters are. We could easily arrange a room for you and Joel to share there.”
I didn’t miss the way the crew shifted uncomfortably at that, and once again there was a murmuring down the table. It didn’t take a genius or yacht junkie to figure out that him offering us a stateroom was extremely rare and entirely confusing.
“I’m sorry, I just don’t think that—”
“Please,” he said earnestly. “I insist.”
Our eyes connected in the warm light from the chandelier, and all at once I was aware of every sense — the way the linen napkin felt bunched in my fists under the table, the cool breeze off the sea, the smell of the salt and the sweet dessert, the soft sound of the water lapping the side of the boat.
“Babe,” Joel said, grabbing my hand under the table as he turned to me. His dark eyes were bright and hopeful. “This is an amazing opportunity, and a very generous offer. You wouldn’t have to worry about the cost of travel or accommodations, you’d get to see amazing sights and build up your portfolio, just like you wanted.” He shrugged. “And we’d be together. We wouldn’t have to be apart this summer.”
My heart squeezed at the way he pleaded with me, and I couldn’t deny that it sounded incredible — but that was part of the problem. It was too good of an offer to be true, and I had no feasible logic to guide me through why a billionaire yacht owner would offer such a thing to a jobless college graduate.
Theo let out another chuckle, fingers trailing the rim of his glass. “I can see it in your eyes. You’re uncomfortable with having a free ride, aren’t you?”
I didn’t have to respond for him to gauge that was true.
“Tell you what. You can work for me, too, while you’re onboard. I need some updated photographs of the boat, and I’ll be entertaining clients and guests from time to time. They’d love to have their own professional photographer.”
I opened my mouth to argue that I was not a professional, but he didn’t give me the chance.
“You work for me when I ask you to, and the rest of the time, you’re free to go ashore and explore just like you were planning. Or take photos from the boat, whichever you prefer. So, what do you say, Miss Dawn?”
I glanced around the table at the eyes staring at me, and I read every emotion from curiosity and envy to apathy and boredom. But the eyes that asked the most of me were Joel’s, and I saw it clear as day that he wanted me to accept.
My stomach sank as my dream summer slipped away, along with all the fantasies I’d had of being alone. But I knew if I refused Theo, it would insult him — and worse, it would paint Joel in a bad light.
This was a big opportunity for him. And, if I were being honest, a generous offer to me. A free place to stay and free mode of transportation through the beautiful Mediterranean? Who would say no to that?
I’d get to be with Joel. I’d still get to do everything I planned on doing, just a little bit differently now. And it would be good for Joel, for his career — just as much as mine.
I reminded myself of those three important things over and over as I lifted my water glass and held it toward Theo. “I say… thank you. You’re very kind, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”
Joel clapped his hands together with an excited laugh, lifting his glass to cue the rest of the table. And Theo lifted his, too, with his eyes on me, his lips tilted at the corners.
“Here’s to tall ships, and small ships, and all the ships at sea,” Joel said, and the crew finished the end of the toast with him. “But the best ships are friendships, so here’s to you and me.”
There was a chorus of hear, hear and light laughter as we all clinked glasses, and then the conversation picked up slowly again, along with the sound of spoons clinking against dishes.
When I glanced up at Theo, he was listening intently to a story down the table. But his eyes flicked to mine, just for a moment, and I didn’t miss the way he smiled when he looked away again.
I had a feeling Mr. Whitman was used to getting his way.
Even stranger, I had a feeling I kind of liked it, too.
The rest of dinner passed uneventfully, and Theo was the first to turn in, reminding his crew to have fun but to remember there was work to be done in the morning. He was kind about it, but once he left, Captain Chuck was more severe, instructing everyone to retire for the night.
The chief stewardess, Emma, showed me and Joel to the stateroom where we’d be staying. She was a small woman, maybe five-feet tall, with curves and long brunette hair highlighted with silver streaks that was braided to the side. I audibly gasped when she opened the door, and she smiled, standing next to it while Joel and I brought our bags inside.
“It’s one of the smaller rooms, but hey — compared to bunk beds, I’d say it’s an upgrade.” Emma smiled, and it wasn’t in a way that showed envy or an opinion of any kind. When she turned to look at me, her green eyes were kind and gentle. “I’m excited for you to join us on the voyage, Aspen. And I look forward to getting to know you better.”
I blushed, tucking my hair behind one ear. “That’s so kind. Thank you, Emma.”
“By the way, I’m from Austria. I heard you mention you’d like to visit there. I can tell you all the best places to go — the non-touristy places.”
“I would love that,” I said, and then we were both laughing as Joel flopped belly first onto the full-size bed.
“This is heaven,” he mumbled against the pillows.
“You’re washing your own bedding, Joel, just so you know,” Emma warned, but it was with a smile. “I’ll let you two get settled. See you in the morning,” she said to me next, and then she closed the door and left us alone.
Joel and I were both exhausted by the time we brushed our teeth and changed for bed, but the excitement of the day filled us, and Joel pressed me into the sheets and kissed down my neck until I came to life again under his touch.
It didn’t last long once he was inside me, but I didn’t mind — just being connected to him had me overflowing with happy hormones. When we finished, he kissed my cheek and pulled my back to his chest, curling around me like the Cheshire cat, and we fell asleep.
He was already gone the next morning when I woke.
It was just past seven, but when I got dressed and made my way up to the main deck, I wondered how I’d slept in so long with all the commotion. The crew was busy rushing this way and that, the deck hands working together and calling out terms that made no sense to me — like stern spring and bow spring. Each member of the crew had earpieces in and walkie-talkies on their hips that they used to communicate with each other, and there was never a moment of silence as they got the boat ready to pull away from the marina.