Page 11 of Sail Away
“It might not be possible. And you boys have to accept that,” she said. “Sorry. I’ve got to run.”
“Please tell your family I said hello, and congratulations to your parents,” Reid said.
“Will do. I’ll see you boys tomorrow.” She squeezed Reid’s hand and smiled before continuing down the dock toward the parking lot, her hips swaying in that perfect motion that made him want to run after her and beg her to meet him for a drink.
Reid inwardly groaned. Seeing her again served as a doubled-edged sword.
“Did you know she’d be on that boat?” He sat back down and glared at his business partner, wondering why the fuck they were still working together. They didn’t even like each other much anymore, though they pretended well enough they could be up for an Academy Award.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. If I’d known, I would have blown up the damn ship. If you’d like to cancel, I will.”
“No. I don’t want to bail.” He waved his finger. “And you’re not going to give her a hard time. You’re going to have a fabulous fucking time and let her do her job. I won’t tolerate conflicts. Not if you want me totally on board with moving forward with the contracts with the movie companies and potentially pursuing manufacturing.” Reid held up his hand and swallowed the vomit that trickled up to his throat as he lied through his pearly white teeth. “If all the rigorous tests I set up go well. Though that could take months.”
“Fine on the tests.” Preston let out a short breath as if conceding under protest. “And just to be clear, I can behave. Really, I can. The question is, can you keep your dick in your pants?”
That was a fair question when it came to Darcie, but he had it on good authority that she wouldrather have all the pubic hair on her body plucked one follicle at a time than ever hook up with him again.He was pretty sure she’d shut him down if he made a pass. And did he want to open that can of worms again?
They’d still have the same problems they had when they broke up a year ago.
His business decisions were still driven by his dead ex-girlfriend, and the woman he currently loved wouldn’t consider a job that had her in one state for more than three months out of any given year. It was the same rock and hard place, and it was still as uncomfortable as fuck, the same as it was a year ago.
They wanted different things, and he still had one foot in the past.
3
Darcie entered her childhood home from the back patio and made her way into the kitchen, where she poured herself an extra-large glass of expensive red wine and took three hearty gulps. Her family was used to her being fashionably late. It was her role, and she didn’t want to disappoint them.
And she was still shaken up by seeing Reid.
He was sexy as all get-out with his low-hanging jeans, black V-neck shirt tucked in, and a dark belt with a sexy cowboy buckle. His hair with its thick dark wave that curled across the back of his neck and perfect highlights made every girl in the room want to run their fingers through it and ask about his conditioner and any other products he might use.
The kitchen door screeched as she made her way down the Bowie hallway of fame and into the great room. Ten years ago, she’d tried talking her parents into making the kitchen open to the rest of the house, but they liked the old-fashioned separation. And right about now, as she took another sip of liquid courage, so did she.
Pressing her back against the wall, she closed her eyes and took in a long slow breath, focusing on the deep timbre of her father’s voice.
“I love these little cookies, Crystal. Your bakery is the best,” her father said. “I just wish I could drive by once in a while and not stop, but it’s impossible. It’s like my car has your address on autopilot or something.”
“My Crystal. She does make the best decadent treats within a hundred-mile radius. Or more,” Albert Morning, Crystal’s husband, said.
Darcie’s mouth watered at a vision of her and Reid sharing a piece of chocolate cake the weekend she’d brought him home to meet her family. She’d thought he was the one.
The one who understood her and accepted her for who she was, not what he wanted her to be.
But that had all ended when he made it clear that her going for her captain’s license was something he would support, but not something he could get on board with long-term. If they were to make a go of it in a forever kind of way, she needed to find a new career path.
“Save some for Darcie,” her mother chimed in. “I got those little chocolate ones with the vanilla frosting specifically for her. They are her favorites.”
“No way,” her father said. “If she can’t show up on time, then too bad for her. Besides, that job is taking her nowhere and fast. Did you know that Hector offered her a job managing the marina and running the sailing school? And she turned it down. I can’t believe she’d do that. That girl needs some stability in her life. She’s always running off into the sunset, chasing some pipe dream. Only she doesn’t even know what the hell she wants.”
“She called and said her boss threw her a curveball and she’s got a charter in the morning so she’s got to flip the boat,” Jag, her oldest brother, said. “And she’s taking her captain’s license test soon. She loves what she does, and it’s not like my or Troy’s jobs are conventional. I mean, I’ve been shot. Twice.”
“Don’t go getting your mother all riled up about that now,” their father said.
At least Jag tried to stick up for her most of the time, though he did agree that her job was a bit harsh and that, at some point, she should consider a change.
“For as long as I’ve known Darci,” Crystal said, “she’s wanted only one thing, and that’s to be on the water. She’ll figure out what that looks like soon enough. She’s still young.”
“But she’s not getting any younger,” her father said. “Yachting isn’t a stable profession. Too many unknowns. Too much risk.”
