Home > The Bosun (Love is Blind #3)(4)

The Bosun (Love is Blind #3)(4)
Author: Harlow Layne

Moving to stand at the head of the table, I tried to persuade them to let me go. “Ladies, I appreciate the offer, but surely you don’t want lame ol’ me to join you.”

“Of course, we want you. You saved our sweet Stella,” the primary said a little too loudly. She was buzzed, going on drunk. I had a feeling O was making the drinks tonight. She liked to pour them strong in the hopes that the charter guests would go to sleep early. “Right, Stell?”

The woman of the hour bit her bottom lip as she hid behind a curtain of long, shiny black hair. “Please join us,” she finally said as quietly as a mouse.

It was obvious she was embarrassed about what happened earlier. I mean, it wasn’t often you heard of people falling overboard while drinking their second glass of Champagne.

Not wanting to humiliate her further, I pulled the seat out across from her and sat down. Looking down the table at everyone, I gave them my best smile. “Thank you for having me. I have to admit, this is my first time being asked to join any guests for dinner.”

“I can hardly believe that with looks like yours,” Zelda purred. I held the urge to cringe and back away. She had one too many rounds of plastic surgery, and she was actually hard to look at.

“You’ll be fine as long as you have good table manners,” the one I thought was named Reagan said.

Stella swung her head toward her friend with narrowed eyes. The woman next to her with caramel-colored hair turned to Stella with her mouth in an ‘O.’

“That was rude. I’m sorry,” Stella apologized for her friend.

I waved it away. It was, but I’d heard worse. All I could do was grin and bear it.

The girls at the other end of the table went back to chatting with each other while our end stayed silent.

Luckily, the stews brought out our dinner plates. I was grateful I hadn’t been invited to a seven-course meal. I planned to gracefully bow out after the dessert and get back to work. Scout was supposed to work late tonight and would need a break before he was up almost all night.

“How long have you been working on yachts?” The caramel colored haired woman asked across from me.

“Only a couple of years,” I answered back as I took a bite of my steak. It melted in my mouth, and I let out a little hum of delight.

“Do you eat like this every night?” Penelope asked before Stella glared at her. “What?” She mouthed to her friend beside her.

When Stella saw me watching them, she smiled and went back to eating. Was she so shy because I saved her?

“Not usually, but I never pass up a meal made by our chef.” Guests didn’t understand how busy chefs were. I swear I never saw Dean not cooking.

“You might not have him for long. If he keeps serving us food like this, I’m going to snatch him up and hire him as my own personal chef.” Zelda smiled wide.

I couldn’t imagine having enough money to be able to do that. Although most of the people who chartered yachts for vacations probably already had maids, butlers, and chefs on the daily, I didn’t like it when they flaunted wealth like Zelda did a moment ago.

“I’d be happy for someone to cook a can of soup for me every once in a while,” Stella told Penelope out of the corner of her mouth.

“You’ve got to find yourself a good man. Maybe a chef,” Scarlett spoke up. She seemed pretty quiet, and it was easy to forget she was here. I had a feeling she liked it that way. She probably knew everyone’s secrets.

I looked at Stella’s left hand and found it ringless. All the women seemed to be single if their naked ring fingers were any indication.

“I don’t need a man, but I would be happy to get laid by someone who knows what they’re doing,” Stella practically yelled.

I nearly spit my food out at her declaration. Even though it was strictly against the rules, I wouldn’t mind showing her a good time.

Ophelia was definitely making the drinks tonight. Halfway through her margarita and Stella was finally starting to let loose. Her cheeks were flushed from alcohol, and she couldn’t stop her deep brown eyes from landing on me every few seconds, only to then look away.

Even though it wasn’t smart, I couldn’t take my gaze off Stella. She was gorgeous with her big brown eyes with long eyelashes that fanned her freckled cheeks. Plush pink lips that I couldn’t stop imagining wrapped around my thick cock.

There was an uncomfortable silence when everyone was done with their plate and was waiting for dessert. Wanting to give the stew girls a little more time before the guests started to complain, I asked. “Where do you all live?”

“We all live in LA, well, Stella doesn’t live there yet, but will soon,” Zelda answered for all of them.

“If you don’t live in LA, where do you live?” I asked Stella.

She rolled her lips before she answered. “In Oasis.”

Was I supposed to know where that was?

“It’s a small town in the desert a couple of hours away from LA. It’s where I grew up, but as soon as I find a place to live in LA, I’m getting away from there. Where do you live?”

I shrugged because I didn’t really live anywhere. “On boats.”

“Do you work year-round?” she asked sweetly.

“No, but close. When I’m not working, which isn’t often, I stay with family or friends. There’s no point in me paying rent or a mortgage on someplace I’m never at.”

Sitting up taller in her chair, Stella nodded. “Makes sense. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?”

“As crazy as it might seem since I’m on the water so much, I’d want to live by the ocean. I don’t mean to be picky. I’d live by any water. A lake, the gulf, or the ocean.”

With each word I spoke, Stella’s face lit up. “I love the water. Maybe I should live on the beach.”

“Yes!” Penelope clapped. “That would be perfect. When I need a break from the city, I’ll come and stay with you.”

“It’s decided.” Stella jumped in her seat.

Maybe making life-changing decisions while drinking wasn’t the best idea, but what did I know about their lives.

“Oh, I have the best real estate agent. When we get back, I’ll hook you up.” Zelda wagged her eyebrows at Stella, and for some reason, I didn’t like the implication of Zelda trying to hook up Stella with that guy.

“Have you ever thought about living in California?” Penelope asked me with a smirk on her face.

“I’m not opposed to it.” I couldn’t be a bosun for the rest of my life, and I didn’t see ever wanting to be a captain, so eventually, I needed to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Until then, I wanted something to keep my mind off my days of being a Marine, and to make some good money, so once I decided on what I wanted to do with my life, I could find a place to rest my head.

“You should think about it.” Penelope nodded like it was a done deal. Was she crazy? I guess she loved living in California, but I hadn’t even visited the state. “Where do you come from?”

Stella nudged her with her elbow. “Geez, Pen, what’s with all the questions?”

“I’m just trying to get to know our very good-looking dinner guest.”

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