Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 51131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
I make my rounds as quickly as I can, and when I return home, Parker is at the table playing around on her laptop. She seems extra cheerful, and I wonder why, but when I ask, she just smiles, closes the computer, and helps me put the groceries away so we can get started on the prep for tonight’s dinner.
“By the way,” she says as she prepares the marinade for the chicken, “I got an email from the school. You need to go to some emerald parent meeting this weekend.”
“At the school?”
She shakes her head. “Of course not. You know the parents at my school, they’re bougie. It’s on someone’s yacht. I’m sure there will be Dom and salmon puffs or whatever rich people eat.”
I crack a smile. “I don’t want to go to a yacht party without you. Can you come?”
“Nope, parents only. It’s some ‘strategy meeting.’ I guess they’re strategizing how to get the school year off to a great start or something. I don’t know, I’m sure it’ll be lame, but you have to go. It’s mandatory.”
“What does one wear to a mandatory yacht party?” I question.
“Something cute.” She flashes me a smile. “I’d wear a bikini underneath, just in case.”
___
The sun is mere minutes from setting as I walk along the dock, looking for the yacht where Parker told me this meeting was happening.
“Poseidon,” I murmur, spotting the trident symbol and nodding. “There it is.”
I expected other parents would be waiting by the boat, but I am running a few minutes late. I had to make sure the house was locked up before I left, and even once I was sure, I checked again.
Parker has bounced back from the night Landon broke in much faster than I have. She acts like I’m overreacting to still be so worried, but I still feel immense anxiety when I have to leave her alone at the house.
I don’t keep my phone on vibrate when I’m away from her anymore, and I know I can check the cameras Hayden had installed anytime, but the fear is still there.
“Hello?” I call out, searching the boat for people, but I don’t see anybody.
It’s a pretty big boat, though. Maybe everyone else is inside.
I feel strange boarding someone’s boat without their explicit permission, but I check the information Parker gave me again, and this is definitely where I’m supposed to be.
“Hello?” I call out again hesitantly as I enter the cabin.
I’ve never been on one of these luxury yachts before, but I’m shocked when I enter the room, and it’s like a lavish living room. Three couches occupy the center of the room with windows to view the ocean on either side. The whole room is decked out in black and brown. Definitely big enough for a bougie meeting, but I still don’t see any other parents.
Beyond the living room is a gleaming dining room table with a tin bucket full of orchids at the center.
I feel nosy, but I look around the cabin and even travel up the stairs to the next level. The bedrooms have walk-in closets and gorgeous bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs. There’s even an office. It’s literally like a house on the water, but I can’t find any people in it.
I make my way back to the lower level, but I realize the boat has pulled away from the dock as I pass a window.
My stomach drops, even though I guess it’s understandable that if the meeting is happening on a boat, we’re probably going for a ride.
I’d feel a lot better about knowing I’m out at sea if I could find other people and be sure I’m where I’m supposed to be.
I head to the back of the boat so I can see how far we’ve made it. Not that it matters. It’s not like I can jump off and swim back.
I mean, I guess I could, but…
This is supposed to be a mandatory meeting.
I’m about two seconds away from texting Parker when I feel his presence behind me.
I turn, and my heart leaps with relief and some other, less acceptable thing I decide not to put a name to.
Hayden stands there in a pair of white shorts and a light-blue button-down. His handsome face is a sight for sore eyes. I have to resist the urge to walk up and touch him just to make sure he’s really here.
Because he shouldn’t be.
Kids at Parker’s school are divided up by house. Parker’s house is emerald, and she said this meeting was for emerald parents.
Hayden’s son is onyx.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him, afraid I already know the answer.
“Finishing our date.”
I glance back over my shoulder. Naturally, there’s more space between us and the dock than before.
I look back at Hayden and sigh. “There’s no school meeting, is there?”