Page 147 of Falling Overboard

It was Rodney Whitlock.

“What are you doing here?” I realized how rude that must have sounded but I couldn’t help myself. I was stunned to see him.

He smiled. “There was something I wanted to show you, if you wouldn’t mind going on a quick ride with me.”

“Uh, okay. Just give me a second.” I didn’t have any other plans. I was just waiting around hoping a crew agent would call me.

“I’ll be downstairs waiting,” he said.

I hurried into Lily’s bedroom and let her know that I was going out for a little bit.

“I heard the front door. Is Hunter here?” she asked eagerly.

“No, one of the guests from the yacht. I’ll explain later,” I said. I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs. I didn’t know why I had thought Hunter might come. I’d asked him to give me space and he was the kind of man who would do what I asked.

I also didn’t want him to lose his job. If he came here, the captain would fire him and Hunter’s parents wouldn’t invest in the center. That was the last thing I wanted.

An expensive-looking black SUV idled in front of the apartment building. Rodney rolled down the window in the back seat and waved me over.

I got in and the driver pulled away from the curb.

“I’m happy to see you but very confused,” I told Rodney.

“This is a big surprise, isn’t it?” he said, sounding delighted with himself.

“And a bit strange. I feel like I should be serving you.”

He laughed. “Not this time.”

“Can I ask where we’re going?”

“Now that wouldn’t be much of a surprise, would it?”

His surprise worked, because when he pulled up in front of my nonna’s old bakery, I was completely shocked. “What are we doing here?”

“Come and see.” He got out of the car and I followed him, intensely curious.

That feeling only increased when he opened the front door and walked into the building.

A wave of memories hit me the second I crossed over the threshold. I hadn’t been inside in years. If I closed my eyes, I could smell the yeast and flour, hear my nonna singing a show tune, my mom telling the twins to get down from the table.

I put a hand over my heart. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He sounded genuinely puzzled.

“For letting me be here again. How did you know this was my nonna’s bakery?”

“It’s amazing what you can find out with a quick Google search,” he said. “Lucky, I want you to open your bakery.”

And I wanted to be able to eat pasta and not gain weight. “I will. When I get the money.”

“No, now. I’m going to invest.”

My heart sped up and I blinked several times. “What?”

“You’re going to open your bakery, and I will be your silent partner, putting up all the capital you need. I think it would make my wife very happy to know that somebody was living out her dream.”

“No, Rodney, I couldn’t ask—”

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