Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Juniper said with a chuckle. “But I’m happy for you. Because you look happy. Happier than I’ve ever seen you. You have this new way about you, like… like you’re confident, and sure.”
I smiled again. “That’s how I feel with him. It’s like I’ve been waiting to be this person all my life, but I was afraid or something. I don’t know.”
“He brings out the best in you,” Juniper said softly.
“Even better — he makes me feel like the worst of me is still worthy of being loved.”
Juniper clasped her hands over her heart. “Stop. I need to watch a rom-com stat.”
I laughed, and then we launched into conversation about school and her volleyball season. We laughed together thinking of what Mom and Dad would say when they found out about me and Theo, especially if I ended up moving to New York. And before we ended the call, Juniper made me promise that I would bring Theo home to meet her before we settled.
She also made me promise her a trip to the Bahamas since Theo’s friend owned an island down there.
I ended the call with my already high spirits floating even higher, and just in time for Emma to bound back onto the ship with dinner supplies in tow. The sun began to set over the water, and I rested my hands on the railing, watching the golds turn to purples and blues with my heart full and light in my chest.
Everything was absolutely perfect.
A couple hours later, I bopped along to a HAIM song in the galley while seasoning the trout. The sun had fully set, and Theo would be back on the boat any time now. He’d sent me a text letting me know he was wrapping up and had to make a few stops on his way back to the boat, but it wouldn’t be long.
I was so excited you would have thought I was about to accept a Pulitzer Prize rather than serve my boyfriend dinner.
Boyfriend.
I giggled at the title.
I felt free in a silly sort of way, dancing alone in the kitchen. Once Emma had dropped the provisions off earlier, I gave her and the rest of the crew the evening off, encouraging them to go explore Athens. At first, she’d declined, insisting that Theo would be upset if they went without his permission. But I gave her a look to let her know it wasn’t so much a suggestion as a hey, I want the night alone with Theo, so get lost. She’d laughed and thrown her hands up in surrender, letting the rest of the crew know, and they’d taken the tender to shore where Wayland would wait for Theo to bring him back onboard.
Captain Chuck was still here, though, up in the pilothouse. I hoped he couldn’t hear my horrible singing as I moved my hips to the beat, but honestly, even if he could, I was too wrapped up in my happy feelings to stop myself.
As I prepped the fish and the appetizers, I couldn’t help but smile, thinking back over the past few months. There had been so much pain, but also so much new discovery that the hurt was worth it. It was almost impossible for me to try to remember the girl I’d been when I’d first stepped foot on this boat, when my stomach had turned so violently I thought I’d be ill.
The me who existed then had been quiet, and shy, and reserved. She’d been lost, not knowing who she was or where she was going, not confident enough to even look a stranger in the eyes for longer than a quick moment. She hid behind her camera and lived life through the people she captured, never even considering that she could live a full life of her own.
I couldn’t remember that version of myself, but I would always remember the way I felt that first time I laid eyes on Theo Whitman.
My stomach did a little flip at the memory, and I shook my head in disbelief that I could call him mine now. He’d be back soon, and I’d be serving him dinner, and then we’d end the night tangled up in each other.
I bit my lip, doing a little dance as I moved the trout over to the hot pan on the stove. It was already bubbling with butter and garlic and herbs, and when I gently lay the filet inside, it all sizzled to life.
“Mmm,” I hummed, doing another little hip shake. “Perfect.”
Suddenly, there was a thunderously loud thump from somewhere upstairs.
I paused, frowning as I waited to hear if anything else came after. “Chuck?” I called. I didn’t even know if he could hear me all the way down here.
After a moment of nothing else, I shrugged, tending to the trout and singing along to the stereo again. But then there was more noise, something like the faint sound of voices and steps on the stairs.