Forever Our Beach (Flirt Club)

9. Megan

9

Megan

Just standing on the deck and seeing the stateliness of the living room—main salon—did nothing to prepare me for the rest of the yacht’s amenities. While Caleb explained how the cabins were smaller than you’d usually find on a yacht of this size so they could sleep more, I still found them large. On the one cruise vacation I took with my parents, we’d booked two cabins, yet both would have fit, with room to spare, in one of the smallest guest cabins on this ship. Add to that the theatre room, the gym, the games room, the music room, along with all the outdoor spaces and I was feeling overwhelmed.

A feeling that continues to grow as I stand in bathroom attached to Caleb’s cabin. I think the bathroom is bigger than the cabin I shared with my sisters. The large, free standing, soaking tub in front of the large picture window, looking out over the water calls to me, but the thought of taking a bath… on a boat… is one step to far for my brain to comprehend.

Although spending all the brain power trying to absorb the amount of money Caleb has to own and crew this vessel is doing its job and keeping me from freaking out about how my parents were traveling all this way to see me. And not to see me in a good way.

My parents are wonderful people. They loved and cared for us, giving my sisters and I a safe haven during those tumultuous teenage years. They always saw the good in us and in others because their hearts are so big. But it’s those same hearts that are the issue and the reason why I didn’t head to them when I discovered what my sister did with my ex. For them, they would have wanted me to forgive her and to support her pregnancy. Not that they’d completely take her side because they’d make her apologize for her actions, but it be treated as if my relationship with him had never happened. They wouldn’t acknowledge my devastation because that would cause strife and wouldn’t be looking above the situation. Forcing me to do that would only lead my resentment of them and that’s not something I want. It’s why I removed myself from the situation without saying anything.

One day, I’ll be able to look at the situation the way they want, without all the hurt and bitterness from the betrayal, but today isn’t the day. And if I’m being honest, I don’t I’ll be ready when my vacation ends either, but that’s a problem for another day.

When my stomach growls, I decide to stop hiding. Staying in the bathroom—as gorgeous as it is—isn’t going to change anything. I still need to deal with the fact that my manager Caleb is actually owner Mr. More.

Fuck. I slept with—no, I propositioned—a billionaire! Shame and embarrassment hits hard until I remember how he held me, how he took me bare even though that wasn’t something he normally did. And he didn’t run away after. Instead, he’s bringing me on this trip—not to get into my pants since he offered me my own cabin if I wanted—but to help protect me. That’s not something that a guy does for a one-night stand.

Pulling on that overused steel in my spine, I leave the bathroom, stepping directly into Caleb’s hug. He brushes a kiss across my temple as his arms hold me tight to his chest.

“I was just about to come in to make sure you didn’t get lost in there.”

“Ha, ha, ha.” I want to smack his chest, but I can’t move. Instead, I take a page from his dirty mouth, hoping to shock him. “Maybe you can help me with the shower later. That way you can make sure I don’t get lost.”

“I think it’s shower time right now.” The growl in his voice vibrates through me, lighting me up faster than my clitoral stimulator. He slides one arm over my ass before lifting me. Laughter bursts from me. But when both our stomachs rumble at the same time, he spins away from the bathroom. “Fine. Shower after we eat.”

“Caleb,” I squeal, “put me down.”

“No can do, darling. Now that I have you, I’m not letting you go.”

Shock ripples through me when I find myself wishing it was true.

I wander around the yacht as Caleb deals with some business that’s popped up, needing his immediate attention. The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity. Every day we explored a new island and at night, we explored each other. It was exactly what a honeymoon should be even if it wasn’t really my honeymoon.

Interspersed between regaling me with local lore of each island, proving again his intelligence, we followed through with our deal to tell each other about our lives. While we couldn’t have grown up more different due to money and all that came with it like private schools, travel, and personal cars—all important things to teenagers—other aspects were similar. Caleb is the second youngest of his brothers like I am with my sisters. The big difference between us is that he also has two sisters, giving him a family containing six siblings to my three.

Since he understood a little more about my family composition, I explained my relationship with my parents and why I wanted a little more time before talking to them. He asked pertinent questions, helping me to work through my concerns, easing them. I’m still not ready to spend any time around my sister and I won’t be supporting her during her trial except to hope that she learns that her actions have consequences, so she won’t do something like this again. It’s a lesson she’s long overdue on learning.

Some of Caleb’s understanding about my feelings came from his own experience. Knowing that he’d been married before didn’t come as a surprise. I’m sure there was and still is a long line of women trying to get him down the aisle to the alter. But finding out that his former wife—she’d been killed in an accident before he divorced her—had been cheating on him came as a shock. How could any woman cheat on him? He was the complete package, not lacking anywhere. But when I told him that, something in my voice must have told him that I didn’t believe the same about myself because he pulled me into his arms and kissed me until I was gasping for air. Then he carried me back to his—our—cabin and proceeded to demonstrate as to why I was completely desirable and that only someone lacking would ever think of cheating on me. It made our island exploration the next day a little more subdued since I was a little sore and tired. A reminder of the lesson he taught me.

While finding out that Caleb is a father didn’t surprise me, the fact that his son is a senior at university did. I’d assumed that Caleb was in his mid to latter thirties—not withstanding the slight smattering of grey at his temples—but it turned out he was in his forties, increasing the gap between our ages. And as much as I’d been trying not to think of anything with him past this moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if it would prevent anything further from developing. While he’s not exactly a rebound because I have too many feelings for this to be just a fling on my side, I don’t know if I’m just a casual time to him. His chance to be with a younger woman without any strings. Maybe even a mid-life crisis.

“Excuse Miss Masters”—I struggle to keep from rolling my eyes—“I wanted to let you know that I’ll be serving an afternoon tea on the second aft deck in thirty. Mr. More said that he’ll meet you there.”

“Thank you, Leila.” While she told me to call her by her first name, I haven’t been able to break her of her habit of calling me by my last name. Although I do hope to get her to call me Megan at least once before leaving the yacht later today.

As I walk past the library, I notice a picture on the floor. Not wanting something to happen to it, I pick it up. The sound of someone in the library has me stepping inside where I notice one of the crew members, putting pictures into frames.

“Excuse me, but I think you dropped this.” I hold out the picture to her, taking my first look at it. My chest squeezes tight like I’ve been wrapped by a boa constrictor, making it hard to breathe. The vice tightens, shattering my still mending heart as I think through all the implications of what I’m seeing.

As soon as she takes the photo from my hand, I walk away, not even listening to her words of thanks. The photo is burned into my brain, allowing me to examine it completely, over and over again.

A recent photo.

A young woman in a wedding dress… kissing Caleb.

A full-on, tongue in mouth kind of kiss.

And he’s dressed in a tux… there’s only one conclusion.

Fuck, he’s married.