Now she obviously saw a new opportunity.
“Okay, well, have a great vacation,” she said but still loitered at the edge of my desk.
“Thank you. You too.” Standing and hoisting my loaded-up messenger bag over my shoulder, I gave her a genuine smile. “I’ll see you next week.”
Chapter Two
Cooper
Ten steps out of the automatic glass doors and my T-shirt and jeans had already begun to stick to my body. The Florida heat felt foreign after weeks of frigid temperatures in New Jersey, making the winter coat draped over my arm a nuisance.
Still happy to be there, I slipped on my shades and was dragging my suitcase toward the waiting black limo when my cell rang.
“Yes, I landed,” I said as a hello to my brother. “And yes, I see my car.”
“Good. I need my best man to get his ass on this boat.”
“On my way.”
I slid the phone back into my pocket after my driver greeted me with a smile. “Mr. Stanton. I’m Victor. Can I take your bag?”
“Yes, thank you.” As he placed my luggage in the trunk, I tossed my coat on the leather seat and slid into the deliciously cool interior with a sigh.
My brother, Sam, and his fiancée, Lydia, had decided to take our sister Rebecca’s offer and have it on the luxury yacht she; her husband, Marco; and their business partner, Ricky, owned.
They’d started their business two years ago after Marco had been fired from his cruise director job for becoming romantically involved with one of his employees—aka my sister, Rebecca.
It had taken guts for them to throw caution to the wind and follow their hearts. Instead of kowtowing to the executives at Sunset Cruises, they’d both quit and taken their best friend with them to begin a company of their own called RMR, Inc… their initials. The ship’s name was Bella Viaggi, or BV as they often called it. According to my Italian brother-in-law, it meant beautiful travels, his one and only goal with my sister.
My envy for the relationship that those two had ran deep. Rebecca was so sure of their love she’d left New Jersey with a man she’d known for a few months, married him, moved to Florida, and started a whole new life. Their son, Antonio, had come shortly after, and my sister had never been happier.
“When you know you know,” she’d offered as an explanation.
I couldn’t relate.
BV filled a void in the cruising industry, catering not only to those who could afford spending a week on a yacht while being catered to hand and foot, but also to those who wanted to experience that kind of lifestyle firsthand.
And for the next week, Bella Viaggi would host yet another epic love story among my siblings. It’d been a long time coming for Sam and Lydia. After having started off as childhood sweethearts, they’d been torn apart by her family’s move across the country. A horrible lie told by a mutual friend who loved Sam had kept them apart until Lydia showed up in New York about a year ago.
She’d applied for the job my brother had worked his ass off trying to nab. Soon after, lies told by this mutual friend, Ginny—lies that had played a huge role in their demise—had been revealed. Their unresolved feelings toward each other, along with my meddling, had finally reunited them after way too many years apart.
And in two days they were finally making it official.
The ten-minute drive from the airport to the ship seemed to take forever. Of course, my nerves were entirely to blame. I hoped the trip wouldn’t become all about my breakup, taking any focus away from Sam and Lydia.
The wedding guests weren’t due to arrive until tomorrow, and I looked forward to a night of calm before things got crazy and the interrogations began.
Really, it was just my mother I dreaded telling. Fuck, I could already envision the look on her face once I shared my news. She adored Riana, often stating how she was a perfect match for me and felt this one could be the one. But it was what it was, and the sooner I got it out the sooner I could lecture them to please move on so I could.
“We’ve arrived,” Victor said, stopping before the ramp leading to Bella Viaggi. “I’ll grab your bag, sir. It’ll be delivered directly to your cabin. Is there anything you need to retrieve beforehand?”
“No, I’m good. Thank you.” Remembering the winter coat lying beside me, I quickly added, “Can you take this as well?”
He accepted the parka with a nod and disappeared out of his side of the car. From my window, I took a moment to admire the magnificence that was Bella Viaggi, a sleek vessel that slept a few dozen, with every modern convenience one could need.
Once out of the car, I spotted Sam and Marco on the main deck, chatting by the bow. Those two had sure come a long way. When Rebecca had first introduced her former boss become boyfriend to the family, while also dropping the bomb they were engaged, Sam hadn’t taken to Marco very well.
I released a short, shrill whistle, catching their attention.
“Get up here,” Sam responded with a wave of his hand. As told, I embarked and went to where they still stood waiting for me. “I missed you, man.” He pulled me into a boisterous bro hug.
Sam and I could be twins. Same light-brown hair, same hazel eyes, same six-foot-two height, and same physique. But personality wise, we couldn’t be more different. I was the romantic, the nice one… he was not. In all fairness, this man was worlds apart from the person he used to be. During the six or so years of his split from Lydia, Sam Stanton had been a prick. There was no way to sugarcoat it.
As I shook hands with Marco, Sam realized I was alone. “Where’s Ree?” The frown that spread over my face explained it all. “Oh crap. What happened?”
“She wanted a confirmation that we have a future together, and I wasn’t ready for that.”
Sam narrowed his eyes. “You mean you weren’t ready for that with her… because we all know you’re more than ready for marriage.”
My gaze flipped from Sam to Marco and back. “Well, yeah. I guess.”
“When it happens, you’ll know,” Marco admitted in his heavy Italian accent. “You can’t force it.”
“Exactly,” I responded with a wave of my hand. “Something was missing. I can’t explain it.” I then stared at Sam and pointed a finger his way. “You can relate. All that time you dated Ginny—”
“She wasn’t Lydia,” Sam quickly interrupted. “Plus, Ginny was a lying bitch who ruined my life. My past with Lydia always haunted me. It’s not the same thing.”
“Maybe, but when you were with Ginny, before you knew she was the real reason Lydia left you, you hated Lydia for leaving you. If there was a perfect opportunity for you to find love again and move on, being with Ginny would’ve been it.”
“Before I knew she was a lying bitch, I loved Ginny, but I wasn’t in love with her.”
“Exactly,” I repeated. “I love Ree, but I’m not in love with her.” Sam’s silence meant he couldn’t argue with me. “Anyway, it wasn’t dramatic in any way. We parted friends, and it’s as simple as that.”
“Okay, I get it,” Sam said with a nod. “If you need to talk, I’m here.”