Against the Tide: High Seas Weddings

by Cheryl Phipps

  Was he deliberately trying to hurt her because he couldn’t get his own way? If so, then he’d definitely succeeded.

  The pencil she’d been doodling with while she pondered a reply snapped between her fingers. She was angry. Angrier than she’d ever been with Damien, and they’d been living together. She and Aiden were—or had been—in a relationship, but that didn’t mean they had to do whatever the other wanted without consultation. Right?

  She stood and dropped her phone in disgust. It clattered on the desk, and Chloe looked up from her work.

  “Are you okay?”

  She was about to say she was fine, but Margaret and Jane weren’t in yet, and the words tumbled out before she could stop them. “No, I’m not.”

  “What did Aiden do?”

  Keira raised her eyebrows. “How do you know he did anything?”

  Chloe began to doodle on a pad beside her. “Because you never get mad, and I was there last night.”

  Keira smacked her forehead with her palm. She was seriously losing it. “Of course you were there. And I do get mad, but I’m usually better at hiding it than I am right now.”

  Chloe smiled. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.”

  “Okay.” The smile faded, and Chloe turned back to her desk.

  Now Keira felt bad. Chloe was just trying to help, and Keira had known her long enough to know she wasn’t a gossip or a troublemaker. Those facts alone made Keira think that if she ever went out on her own again, she'd make sure her new friend had a job with her.

  “Sorry, Chloe. You heard what he said in the reception room, but he said a lot more in the lifeboat.”

  Chloe swung around, her eyes as wide as saucers. “Lifeboat? You were in a lifeboat with him?”

  Keira snorted. “Settle down. It wasn’t the least bit romantic.”

  “Why the heck not?”

  “Because we were fighting.”

  Chloe folded her arms, looking horrified. “Surely you can sort this out and carry on as usual, can’t you?”

  “Reading his last email, it doesn’t sound like he wants to. He’s going to hire someone to liaise with me so he won’t have to.”

  The young woman shook her head. “What on earth did you say to make him do that?”

  Keira stumbled over the answer because it sounded incredibly lame when said aloud.

  “I told him he doesn’t love me, and I can’t go into business with him because of my ex.”

  Chloe’s bottom jaw tried to touch her chest. “He said he loves you?”

  Keira nodded. Suddenly a little woozy, she sat down with a thump and nearly fell off the chair.

  Chloe threw her hands in the air. “Then what’s the problem? If you two love each other, isn’t that all rather perfect?”

  Face in her hands, she mumbled through her fingers. “That’s just it. I don’t know that I do love him. I’m not even sure I know what love is.”

  Chloe’s chair creaked and then she was kneeling beside Keira, pulling her hands away. “You are freaking crazy. That man loves you, and you love him. Anyone can see it by the way you look at each other. It's adorable.”

  Keira blushed. “Even if that were true, he wants me to go into business with him, and I can’t do that to myself again. I swore if I ever had another chance to branch out, I’d do it on my own.”

  “But that’ll take years,” Chloe reasoned. “This is a huge opportunity. You’re the best in the business, and you should have your own company. What better way to do it than with someone who has the perfect venue? It’s a match made in Heaven.”

  Their hands were still entwined, and Keira squeezed gently. “I can’t pretend that I haven’t thought about all the benefits. I know it makes sense, but I can’t risk it. If it failed, I wouldn’t survive starting over again.”

  “You can’t know it’ll fail, and you’ve proved how strong you are. What you do know is that Aiden would never treat you like Damien did.”

  His name made her cringe. “People change.”

  “Not that much. A bad person was probably always a bad person, waiting for the opportunity to do something about it. Aiden is a good man. I know some of the crew, and they can’t speak highly enough about him.”

  “I didn’t know you knew them. Do you mean outside the cruises?”

  It was Chloe’s turn to blush. “Sunrise Beach is a small town in comparison to New York City. Mixing in the same circles means you invariably get to meet people over again, and you tend to hang out together in the downtimes at the same places.”

  This particular change of subject was proving interesting. “Why haven’t I been to any of these places?”

  “Because you work too hard. If you shared more of your workload, you could come out with me. In fact, why not come out tonight for a few drinks?”

  Keira shook her head. “I’m not in a good mood. I’d be lousy company.”

  “Pfft. I work with Margaret and Jane. Any mood you’re in is a breeze compared to those two. Come on.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Let me think about it.”

  Keira actually had a lot to think about, and since Margaret and Jane were out most of the day, she could devote plenty of time to finding solutions to her tangled life.

  By late afternoon, she’d had enough of thinking and had achieved little in the way of work.

  She sat back and stretched.

  Chloe did the same, then turned. “Have you heard from the captain?”

  “No. I guess I should reply to him.”

  “Nah, let him stew about it. He thinks he’s doing the right thing by hiring someone to put distance between you, but it won’t work.”

  She sounded so definite, but Keira didn’t see it that way.

  “I’ve given it a lot of thought, and he might be right. The business is too good to throw away if our relationship isn’t going to last. To be honest, the thought of working for these two indefinitely is sending me bonkers.”

  Chloe sighed but nodded. Keira knew she hated working for Margaret and Jane too.

  “Will you at least consider coming out with me tonight?

  Keira didn’t feel like it, but Chloe was so eager that she couldn’t let her down. “Sure. Why not?”

  Chloe clapped enthusiastically. “Excellent. Do you think it’s too early to close up?”

  Keira thought about replying to Aiden, then shook her head. “We’re the ones who don’t ever leave early. I’ll go home and freshen up. Where shall I meet you?”

  “No way. You might bail. I’ll pick you up about seven. That way you can have a drink and not worry about driving.”

  Keira smiled. It might’ve been a Tuesday night, but a drink sounded good.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Aiden happened to look up at the exact moment Keira walked through the door with her assistant. She laughed at something Chloe was saying and looked so good that he almost stood to go over to her, but then it hit him. She’d said no, both to him and to working with him.

  Her shirt was unbuttoned enough to show a fair amount of cleavage, her jeans hugged her butt, and her boots were most likely a vain attempt to make her look more than petite. Her long blonde hair swung freely and shone in the light over the bar.

  She was hot. If Aiden hadn’t known her, he would’ve noticed her. Just like every man in the bar was doing right then, even some who had a female by their side and should know better.

  His fists clenched.

  “Another drink, boss?” Ryan asked.

  “Can you at least call me Aiden when we’re out?”

  “Sure, boss.”

  Ryan ignored the terseness that Aiden had adopted lately, and he was ashamed of himself for taking it out on his crew. “I’ll get the next round.”

  Aiden strode to the bar and stood by Keira and Chloe as they gave their order.

  “I’ll get those.” He nodded to the barman.

  Keira swung around, her pupils dilating as she looked up at him. She was clearly shocked t
o see him, and he waited to see how that would go.

  She gulped and licked her lips. “You don’t have to.”

  “There are a lot of things I don’t have to do, but I’d like to buy you both a drink, if you don’t mind?”

  Keira’s face was flushed as she checked with Chloe. “No, we don’t mind. Thank you.”

  The stilted politeness felt weird, but he could only reply, “You’re welcome.” He ordered his round of drinks and paid, nodded at the women, and then returned to his table.

  “Did you invite them to join us?” Will asked.

  “No. I didn’t think about it.”

  “You didn’t invite your girlfriend? Was it because of Ryan’s reputation with the ladies?” Will teased the youngest member of the group, and the men laughed uproariously since Ryan had no luck with women whatsoever.

  “Keira’s not my girlfriend anymore. We’re friends.”

  His bitterness killed the mood.

  “Could’ve fooled me,” Dusty, their barman, said, earning an elbow from Will for his troubles.

  “You’re not the only one surprised by it,” Aiden muttered as the women sat at a table across the room.

  “That’s a darn shame. Ryan here is mad keen on Chloe, and he thought you could set him up,” Will said.

  The young man blushed furiously and studied his bottle of beer like it was a wondrous thing.

  Aiden felt sorry for him, but there was no way he could go over there after Keira’s chilly reception. “You don’t need me to help with introductions. Go talk to her.”

  Ryan pulled at his shirt collar and rolled his shoulders. “I’m fine right here, so you can all back off.”

  “Look, this is the perfect opportunity. She’s here, you’re here. Come on!” Will nudged him again.

  “Shush. Maybe later. I’m not ready.”

  “What’s the deal with being ready? Pretty overrated in my mind. If you like her, then you need to do something before she’s snapped up. That is one cute-looking lady, and you aren’t the biggest fish in this pond,” Dusty pointed out.

  Ryan looked around the bar and then back to the men at the table, who were all agreeing with Will.

  Aiden felt himself nodding his encouragement. In the time they’d been there, no less than three men had approached the table. Keira had sent them off with a thank you, while Chloe sat with her head down. Apart from the surreptitious looks she sent Ryan’s way, of course. He wasn’t inclined to matchmake, but something was definitely going on there.

  “You two do know each other, right?” Aiden asked.

  Dusty laughed. “Where have you been, boss? These two have been playing games with each other for weeks.”

  Ryan muttered a mild curse but didn’t refute it, and Aiden was trying to picture the two of them together.

  “How so?”

  “Every time Keira came on board with Chloe, our Ryan was right there. They’ve been giving each other the eye and following each other around for the last two weddings, and they danced at the murder mystery night.”

  Ryan slapped the table. “We weren’t dancing together. It was a large group of the crew once the guests had gone.”

  Aiden was surprised at Ryan’s anger. He prided himself on being aware of what was happening aboard Majestic, but it seemed he wasn’t very astute when it came to affairs of the heart. Of course, the only relationship he’d been interested in since he’d met her was the one he was having with Keira.

  Or had been. It looked like that was over, and he refused to make everyone as miserable as he was.

  He pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts until he found Chloe’s number, and flicked off a text.

  Hey, Chloe. Ryan says hi, and can he buy you a drink?

  Aiden

  He handed Ryan his phone. Not expecting it, he took it with a frown, then blanched when Aiden pointed at the screen.

  “It’s up to you and her now, buddy. Remember, how you deal with this will determine how things will go.” Aiden almost laughed at himself. Who am I to give advice? Especially now.

  The phone pinged, and Ryan’s face lit up. “She said, ‘Yes, please.’”

  Aiden was shocked and trying hard not to show how happy he was. Somehow over the years they’d spent together, Ryan had become like a younger brother. Seeing him like this was a proud moment.

  “She’s drinking a virgin cocktail. If you want brownie points, then you’d better get Keira a white wine. I’ve opened a bar tab.”

  Ryan reddened at the hoots from the rest of the table as he made his way to the bar. All eyes followed him, including Keira’s and Chloe’s.

  He ordered the drinks and then took them over to their table. Keira excused herself to go to the powder room, and Aiden, deciding he had to live or die by the words he’d spoken to Ryan, followed her. He could hear the crew whispering as he left, but he simply didn’t care. He had to know once and for all if they were finished.

  Keira came out of the bathroom smiling. She’d wanted to give Chloe and Ryan some space. They were a pair all right—so shy and uncertain, so young and naïve.

  Then she saw Aiden. He was leaning against the outer doorway, and he looked like he was on a mission. “You look great.”

  She licked her lips. “I was thinking the same about you. Actually, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”

  “And I’ve been wondering if too much thinking is good for you.”

  She smiled. “You may be right.”

  His eyebrows shot up and he moved closer. “I don’t know what to think right now, but I’m feeling hopeful. Is that a waste of time?”

  Two women, talking loudly, passed to use the bathroom, and they had to step out of the way.

  “How about we take a walk on the beach? I’d feel better away from here and the prying eyes in the bar.”

  He nodded and followed her back into the bar. “My guys can be a bit much, but they don’t get a lot of time to let their hair down as a group.”

  “Just give me one moment so I can tell Chloe. I’d hate for her to worry.”

  Keira wasn’t sure how this was going to go, but Aiden seemed open to a discussion, and Chloe was happy to be left chatting to Ryan. Soon they were both outside, heading down the few steps to the beach.

  As they walked, Keira’s heart began to beat faster. He was there, and he would listen, but was it too late to make him really understands how she felt?

  Farther down, the beach was quiet, and there was no one to overhear her. Keira stopped and turned to Aiden. They were two feet apart, but she resisted the urge to touch him.

  “Don’t do it. Please,” she blurted.

  He frowned. “Don’t do what?”

  “Don’t hire anyone else.”

  He folded his arms and looked down at her, his voice hard. “That’s a bit much to ask of me. I can’t see you that often and not think about what we could have together. I do want to succeed, and I know we can make that happen, but I’d be miserable. Is that what you want?”

  He had bared his soul, and he was hurting. His words had been open and honest, and that’s who he was down to his core.

  He didn’t move away as she took his hand. Encouraged, she took the other.

  “What I want, if you still agree, is to go into business with you. I was wrong about so much. I also want to be with you as a couple. Is that still okay?”

  Aiden growled deep in his throat, then picked her up and crushed his mouth to hers.

  She leaned back. “Wait, I haven’t finished.”

  “Keira, don’t agonize over this anymore. I love you, and if you’re not ready to love me, then that’s okay for now. We’ll deal with whatever comes our way, because I love you enough for both of us.”

  She began to cry, and Aiden’s eyes widened.

  “There I go, pushing you again when I was determined to give you space.”

  Keira put her hand on his mouth. “No, you’re doing fine. Space is overrated. I’ve wanted to tell you how I really feel, but I was
scared.”

  He waited, and her hand moved to his cheek. “I’ve been so blind because I didn’t know before what love is. The only experience I had turned out to be a codependency on the worst level, which soured my ability to understand the difference between that and this. I realized I love you, Aiden, and that our love is what we have when we’re together. It’s us. We are love.”

  Aiden put his hand over hers and drew her closer. His lips crushed hers, and she melted in his arms.

  When they came up for air, he stared at her in wonder.

  “I never thought I would go into business with anyone—Mitchell doesn’t count. I’m a control freak, and I like to be the boss. That’s how I knew you were right for me. I suddenly couldn’t care less who was in charge, because you have Majestic’s best interests at heart like I do.

  “She’s so beautiful—how could I do otherwise? But you know I couldn’t bear the thought of having you so close and not being able to be with you. Even worse, I didn’t want to leave Sunrise Beach and never see you again.”

  “That’s my nightmare too, that you would see it as a reason to leave.”

  “I’m still scared that making our businesses into one isn’t fair on you, but I’m willing to try, and I can promise that I’ll work hard to make the contribution as equal as possible.”

  “We’ll both work hard, and there’s absolutely no need to compete. We simply complete.”

  “You’re rhyming.”

  Aiden snorted. “I heard it too.”

  “That’s why I love you. We get each other’s wacky sense of humor.”

  “Speak for yourself. My humor is barely existent, let alone wacky.” His dimples flashed.

  To her, Aiden would always be funny. Not to mention sexy and smart. Wrapped in his arms, Keira couldn’t remember ever being so happy.

  “I could stay like this forever, but my crew is waiting for our anniversary celebrations to begin,” Aiden explained. “I’ve owned Majestic for a year today, and they’ve been with her almost as long, especially Ryan and Will.”

  She tamped down her disappointment. They had all the time in the world for holding each other. “Let’s go. I guess I should check on Chloe and Ryan. Good work, by the way. Those two are worse than us.”