Lovewrecked - Karina Halle Page 0,23
everywhere. And they aren’t being used.”
“Those are private boats and they’re out of the question,” Tai says. “Unless you feel like being arrested for theft. As for chartering, it’s peak season right now, all over the country. Everyone is trying to get their last trip in before autumn comes. Some are available later in the week but…”
“But we need to leave today or tomorrow in order to make it to Fiji, and then fly back to Dunedin in time for work,” Richard explains. “It’s just not feasible otherwise.”
“Well, shit,” I say, crossing my arms.
“But there’s a solution,” Richard adds, eyeing his new bride. “Lacey isn’t too sold on this particular proposition.”
“What is it?”
“I still have a boat,” Tai informs me. “My boat. I’m talking my pride and joy. I don’t charter her out. She’s just for me.”
Richard nods solemnly, then gives me a smile. “Tai has graciously offered to captain the ship to Fiji for us.”
“Oh,” I say. “Well, that’s great.”
“He doesn’t trust me with it,” Richard adds under his breath.
“You’re right, I don’t,” Tai says.
I give Tai an impressed look. “Well, that’s awfully generous of you to do that for them. I can’t imagine this will be easy.”
“You’re right. It won’t be easy,” he says. “But it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and they can consider this an extra wedding present.”
“You mean you haven’t sailed to Fiji before?” Richard asks, his voice going to a higher frequency.
Tai has an easy sip of his beer and gives him a dismissive wave. “Relax. It’s a piece of cake.”
“Fine,” Lacey suddenly says, tossing a rumpled Kleenex into the middle of the table. “Fine, we’ll go on Tai’s boat.” Then her eyes meet mine and there’s some sort of look in them that I don’t like. “But only if Daisy comes with us.”
I blink at her. “Sorry, what?”
Meanwhile Tai and Richard both break out into laughter, Richard doing that annoying slapping his knee thing. Who does that?
“Your sister? On a boat?” Richard can hardly breathe.
“Yeah, so what?” Lacey asks.
I mean, Richard has a point, but even so.
“Lacey,” I say carefully. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
And I’m absolutely shocked that she’d actually invite me. Since when has she wanted to do any kind of bonding? Maybe getting married is making her turn a new leaf, maybe…
Then I recognize that look in her eyes.
This isn’t about bonding.
This is a challenge.
“Oh, please,” Lacey says, reaching across the table and putting her hand on mine. “It would be so good for us to finally get to spend some quality time together. You and me, sister to sister.”
She’s really laying it on thick.
“Besides,” she adds. “With Tai, that’s an uneven number. I hate uneven numbers. With you it would be four.”
“I don’t know…” I say. There’s a part of me that is actually considering the idea, just because I’m secretly afraid to go back home to my life of nothing.
There’s another part of me that feels like I’m stepping into a trap.
And there’s another part that wants to prove that I can do this.
“She won’t last a day,” Tai says with a dry chuckle.
I glare at him, hackles rising. “Excuse me?”
Tai gives me a wicked grin. Stupid sexy smile.
“You yourself admitted to me that drinking cocktails at the dock is your kind of sailing. You won’t last a day.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Lacey says with a sigh.
“Wait, what?” I protest. “Just because I like some cocktails—"
“Last night you definitely proved that,” Tai mutters.
I feel my cheeks flame as I try to ignore that. “It doesn’t mean that I’m not up for a little adventure. Don’t you remember me as a kid, Lacey? I wanted to be a marine biologist. I wanted to be one so badly that I used to steal rides on the fishing boats out of Newport. I volunteered at the Newport Aquarium every summer. I was obsessed. The ocean never scared me, it fascinated me.”
“Every girl wants to be a marine biologist as a child,” Richard comments.
Lacey nods. “And one day you just decided to give up on that idea and move onto something less hard.”
“Okay, whoa. Things are getting a little personal now,” I tell her.
“Look,” Tai says, coming over to us, raising his hands for a moment. “If Daisy really thinks she can handle it, I say the more the merrier.”
I give him a look. Oh do you now?
“Where are you going to sleep?” Richard asks him. “There are only two cabins.”
“Two cabins?” I repeat. “How small is this boat?”
Tai