Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 128211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
“Group therapy?” Bernard offered. “Because I’m quite sure Robbie is on with his best mate’s girl. And the oldest cat, Derrick? Yeah. He most certainly has zero interest in the blonde bombshell he’s been toting around. In fact, I’d bet my tip that it’s our primary he fancies.”
I arched a brow. “While I don’t doubt you, I hardly want to test those theories while we’re stuck on board with them. Even a superyacht feels small with that kind of drama.” I turned to Leah.
“I say we let them loose in the galley and call it a team-building exercise,” she suggested, stacking folded napkins with the aggression of someone one straw away from a breakdown. “Let Finn handle them for a while.”
“Because I’m sure he’d love that,” I muttered.
“Where is the deck crew?” Bernard crossed his arms. “If Cameron is napping again, I swear on my life…”
“Focus, team.” I clapped my hands together, forcing a smile at one of the girlfriends as she passed us. Her name was Tempany and she asked if we’d make her a Miami Vice. Once I assured her we’d get it done right away, I turned back to Leah and Bernard. “Look, I know this isn’t fun. But we’re an all-star crew. We can handle this. Come on — think. We just have to make it through today and then this nightmare is over. What can we do to ensure that our tip isn’t completely invisible tomorrow?”
Bernard sighed, but tilted his head in thought. And then Leah snapped her fingers. “Casino night?”
I pointed at her. “Now we’re talking.”
“I used to put these on with my brothers all the time in Alabama. I mean, we were usually playing with real money, but we can still make it fun for the guests. We’ll get chips and fake money and have prizes they can use their winnings to bid on. Oh! Maybe we also have a punishment for the biggest loser of the night, like…”
“They have to choose someone to cover in whipped cream and lick it off?” Bernard suggested.
A laugh barreled out of me. “Oh, that will be motivation for the girls to win for sure. Okay, this is perfect. I’ll call the provisioner. Leah, you said you’re tired of laundry, so let’s put you to work. You’ll help me serve dinner and set up the casino night after. Bernard, I can see you need a break from this lot, so hit laundry and cabins and then work on what the different prizes could be. See if Captain Gary is willing to help. Maybe he’ll let them use their fake money to buy their way into the Captain’s lounge or something.”
“Brilliant,” Bernard said, and then with a sigh, he hurried off to the cabins as Leah and I continued brainstorming — while making a sweet, sticky, frozen cocktail.
The blender was not helping my headache.
I was holding on by a thread — and it was fraying fast.
Finn walking around the boat like he hadn’t had his hand under my swim top two nights ago wasn’t helping things, either.
He’d been nothing but sunshine and easy smiles all day yesterday, like he’d received news that he’d won the lottery rather than that we would have to fight our way through a rainy charter. He was making jokes with the guys, humming in the galley as he sliced and diced, and throwing me looks I refused to catch.
And the more I ignored him, the more he turned up the heat.
It was maddening and alluring all at once. I willed myself to keep the image of him and Gisella front and center in my mind so I wouldn’t be fooled by his longing blue-green eyes or the way he seemed to be finding ways to touch me when there was no reason to — a hand at the small of my back as he passed me in the crew quarters, a firm grip steadying me when I slipped a little on the wet teak deck greeting the guests, a brush of his fingers as he plucked one of my freshly cut limes for the dish he was prepping.
I felt like he was even trying to speak to me through cooking when he prepared a glorious spread of Cuban food like ropa vieja and stewed plantains for the crew lunch, complete with the most amazing Key lime pie I’d ever had. It reminded me of South Florida, of home, and when I’d said so to Leah as we ate, I didn’t miss how Finn had smiled.
So far today, I’d done a decent job staying away from him. Other than relaying food requests from the guests for brunch, I hadn’t had contact. But as soon as I sent Leah off to serve Tempany her Miami Vice and get the other guests’ drink orders, my luck ran out.