Page 20 of Rum Sips and Salty Lips

She smiles at me and then turns to walk out my front door.

“Carina, wait,” I say. She turns with a confused look on her beautiful face. Her eyebrows scrunch together, making her nose look adorable. “You know I won’t go easy on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told you I see the hiding you do from everyone. You won’t be able to hide from me.”

I don’t know how things will go with her living next door to me. I will focus a lot of attention on getting to know her. It’s probably a terrible idea. I need to focus on other things, but I won’t be able to get the feeling of Carina moving beneath me out of my mind for an extremely long time.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she says.

The slight smile on her face tells me she likes that I see her when no one else does.

eight

CARINA

I wishI could say I was able to handle Orion living next door to me like a reasonable adult, but that would be an absolute lie. It’s been three days, and I have his patterns memorized.

He’s up early kayaking. After he returns, he drives off wearing a polo shirt with the Lost Craft Charters logo on it. I assume he spends the day captaining charters, and my stomach twists at the thought that he’s flirting with other clients. Having personal drinks with them.

I absolutely don’t check the website to see if theTwisted Riggingis booked.

I do that.

It’s gone from their website. It takes a few minutes of investigating to confirm it’s out of their inventory and not booked. My charter was a fluke, then. I really should do something to make up for it. Give him a plant or dish to put his keys in. Some thoughtful housewarming gift.

I liked the fantasy of him being around, but it was supposed to be a fantasy. I’m not prepared for him to be in my life.Because even though in my dreams we have a committed, loving relationship, trying for one in real life is too big of a risk, especially with someone who has a history of wandering. I can’t imagine he’ll be in Wendell Beach for long. He’ll get restless and sail off for Bermuda. It’s pointless to even imagine.

I need to keep my thoughts on what’s important to me. But they always drift, and I hear my father’s voice.

“Your mother’s and my marriage has failed. We’re getting divorced.”

“You and Hamilton wouldn’t have failed if you tried harder. He’s a good partner. You should give him another chance.”

“First businesses usually fail. Mine didn’t. Yours will. If you stick to my advice, you might be able to minimize the damage.”

I push those thoughts away and remind myself his one good piece of advice is that I should focus on my business.

I’m a CEO and I can girlboss my way through this. Even if I hate that attitude and it makes me feel separated from my values and who I am. Orion probably doesn’t think about being powerful and fitting into gender stereotypes with his fleet of boats. Fleets.

None of that should be what I’m thinking about at this moment. Now, I need to focus on Haley and only Haley.

We’re in my backyard setting up to record a recipe video on the grill. Her large audience follows her every post, cooking alongside her with a devotion I can’t fathom. Last year when her cookbook came out, she earned out her advance faster than projected. She does well for herself, seemingly able to be effortlessly stylish and cook everything under the sun.

We both work hard at our jobs, I know that. But a part of me is jealous she makes her efforts appear easy. There’s no way she’s faking it as much as I am.

A different person would say no when she asked me to take time away from my workday to help her film. But it’s part ofmy duty as a friend and one of her collaboration partners. I’ll make up for the work I missed later in the day. We have to get this done early enough in the morning before it gets too hot to function. So I can make it work.

She lives in a condo a few blocks down the island with her sister which is why she uses my kitchen as staging for her videos, plus I have an outdoor setup. My house is big. I’ve asked her to move in with me multiple times, but she’s never wanted to. She didn’t come from money, and I think she wants to make sure she earns everything she has.

What I have was given to me. So I should be the first to share.

I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if she had lost her phone last week. Orion was looking to get laid; it had nothing to do with me. At least that’s what I tell myself.

“Wait, is that the captain?” she asks, setting up a chopping board.

As if thinking about him three times summoned him, he’s stepped onto his porch, directly in our line of sight.

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