Page 18 of Capri

The hospitality in this city is unmatched.

Lucky for us, the options are three of our favorites: lemon spritz, a drink I’ve learned is a staple in Capri, spicy margaritas with fresh jalapeño and Tajin on the rim, and glasses of bubbling prosecco.

One of each and keep them comin’.

“I’ll take a prosecco, please,” I tell the waiter at the same time Collie replies, “I’ll take a spicy marg.”

“Come on, we’ll show you the pool and introduce you to the big boss,” Romeo says, leading us toward the pool area where two other couples are casually wrapped around each other.

We follow the men, taking in the beauty of the Mediterranean views around us. God, to wake up andthisbe the first thing you see in the morning sounds too good to be true. Not a bad day in sight.

“Is this your company?” Collie asks the guys. I notice Romeo has yet to take his eyes off my sister. This should be interesting because Luca is looking at her the same way.

Romeo smiles wide, wrapping his arm around Collie in a friendly gesture. “It’s our buddy’s. We help run the show, but he’s the man in charge,” Luca answers, leading us across the long stretch of pale wood decking.

I didn’t expect this to be a private yacht, but it’s clear the owner limits the number of people on board at a time. There are a handful of other couples along with us, creating a very low-key and relaxing environment.

My body buzzes with an excitement I can’t explain.

I can’t wait to get some sun and detox the last five years of my life.

We make it to the far side of the boat and approach a tall man with his back toward us, tending the bar for the couple in front of him. “Boss man,” Romeo barks, causing the man to turn.

And holy hell, if it isn’t the candy man himself.

It’s Jones. The man I never expected to see again.

“Ladies, this is Jones Archer, the owner of Archer Chartering and the man lucky enough to have us on his team,” Romeo announces, pointing at he and Luca with a smirk.

Greetings surround me, but I pay no attention. Not when this day just took a very unexpected turn.

Jones Archer.

Goddamnit, I didn’t want to know his full name.

You would think Jones would have something snarky to say in response to Romeo’s jab, but he makes no effort to entertain him, his sights solely on me.

I find myself searching the entrance we came through, likely finding a reason to run. But lucky for me, we’re no longer anchored, already over twenty feet from shore.

It’s fine. Everything will be fine. I can handle this.

“Capri,” that deep voice points me out, and I swear I feel my heart freeze.

“Oh, shit. You two know each other?” Luca asks, eyes searching between us.

I don’t think, just respond, “Nope,” at the same time Jones answers, “You bet, we do.”

“Oh, this is gold.” Collie giggles, and I fight off the urge to push her in the pool.

Big mouth.She just put two and two together. Yay me.

“Perfect then, no need for further introductions. Ladies, make yourselves at home. The seas await.” I can’t tell if Romeo is just a really nice guy or trying to pull out all the stops to impress Collie.

Good luck with that. Collie is not easily impressed. She’s a free bird that never sits still.

I do everything I can not to look at Jones. I feel him staring at me, and I like it more than I care to admit. This is such a strange position to be in. Technically, I don’t know Jones. We met once and talked about candy; that’s it. But something about meeting him felt different, like it was a pivotal moment, and I wouldn’t realize it until time played out. There’s no way I could possibly have a connection with someone after a short encounter like that.

“I’ll be in the pool!” Collie yells, sauntering to the edge, taking off her dress and plunging into the water.

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