39. Max
39
MAX
“ H and over that baby.”
I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked up at the two figures hovering in front of me on the yacht deck. My mom had her arms outstretched toward us, her eyes trained on Molly, with Elena waiting beside her like she was next in the queue.
“Are you sure?” I adjusted Molly in my arms. “She’s acting really fussy right now.”
The baby arched her back and made a whining noise to prove my point.
“Of course I’m sure.” She flapped her empty hands at me for emphasis. “This is where I shine. Plus, you look exhausted. You need a break.”
“Okay, ouch ,” I said. “And here I thought I looked pretty good today.”
I’d put in extra effort for the party. It was a big deal, since we had so much to celebrate. We were on the Celeritas for her maiden voyage, the first yacht constructed under the partnership with Ford. Theo and I laughed that the boat was named for speed even though nothing about the arrangement with Ford had been fast.
“Oh stop, you look incredible,” Elena said. “It’s hard to believe you just had a baby,”
“You’re being generous. Molly is almost a year old; that’s hardly ‘just.’ And this dress hides all my sins.” I plucked at the diaphanous black maxi dress.
My mom took advantage of the fact that I was busy talking to Elena to gently pry Molly from my arms, as if I didn’t notice what she was doing. The baby made a few mewling noises then quickly settled against her grandmother’s chest as she started walking in circles.
“You really don’t know how to take a compliment, do you?” Elena scolded. “I mean, here you are, with a baby, a new house to run, a growing business, and an incredible profile in the New York Times . You’re unstoppable!”
I blushed. “Okay, okay, you’re right. Thank you for being my cheerleader. But, not to be contrarian, it wasn’t exactly a profile.”
She huffed at me. “Well, it’s still a very big deal.”
Elena was right, the coverage in the newspaper had been an unexpected boost to my business. I’d worried that passing up the internship would set me back, but the opposite had happened, to my shock. A few of the models I’d worked with over the years had become pregnant at the same time as me, so I started a series of photos I called “The Nature of Pregnancy.” The series was all about capturing women in the full bloom of pregnancy against the backdrop of their favorite outdoor spaces, so I’d done shoots on hiking trails, in swimming holes, and set amid the flowers of botanical gardens. It gradually grew from taking photos of pregnant women I knew personally to strangers reaching out to me, saying that they wanted to be photographed by me as well. I attracted quite a following online, and the Times reached out to me to feature my pictures, also having me photograph a few pregnant celebrities for the piece.
A job that normally would’ve gone to Richard Adams. I wondered how he felt about a would-be “muse” stealing work from him.
I looked around at the people gathered on the boat and felt nothing but happiness. The familiar faces of his family mixed in with new friends, like the wives of a few of Theo’s business associates. I’d immediately liked both Kaitlyn and Maddy, married to his friends James and Noah, respectively. Kaitlyn’s stepdaughter Harper couldn’t get enough of the baby, and I felt a kinship with Maddy because she was newly pregnant with her first.
“Are you two good with Miss Molly for a few minutes?” I asked as I stood up.
“A few minutes ?” Elena snorted at me. “Good luck trying to get this angel back from us.”
She and my mom walked away cooing at Molly, leaving me to snag my camera for a few shots.
I wandered around until I spotted Theo, Ford, and Rafe on the aft deck. The two younger men were listening to Ford explaining something. Ford was growing on me. For starters, he really was as brilliant at his job as Theo had claimed. Also, he and Pam had finally started couples therapy after her failed seduction of Theo. I was never going to fully understand their marriage. But he’d started treating Pam as a person instead of a prize. And in return, she’d stopped trying to make him jealous and insecure. Which meant Ford was a lot more pleasant to be around—especially when he was talking about his true love, yachts.
I could see the wheels turning in Rafe’s head even from a distance. He’d never been much for boats, but his growing relationship with Theo seemed to be changing his perspective. He’d been shadowing Ford when he had free time, and I could envision a summer job in the works. It made me happy that having Theo around had managed to improve Rafe’s life so much. The divorce didn’t seem to impact Rafe negatively at all.
I snapped a few photos of the men, smiling to myself at how much had changed since my first time on a Barnes yacht, when I was a sleepy stowaway. I was happier than I ever thought I could be with the very person I thought back then that I couldn’t stand. But I’d been so wrong about him. Sure, Theo was cocky as hell, and sometimes it was annoying, but I knew firsthand that he was the kindest and most generous person around. Not to mention, the best boyfriend imaginable and the world’s most devoted dad.
I ran my thumb along the tiny date tattooed on the inside of my wrist. Molly’s birthday, which was permanently etched onto her father’s skin in the same spot as well. It was safe to say we were both addicted to our daughter.
Sweet Molly, the most beautiful, clever, charming baby to ever be born. It’s possible I was a little biased—or maybe I was right and Theo and I were just exceptionally good at babymaking. I couldn’t wait to have another one. I was ready to really start trying, but Theo finally admitted he wanted more solo time to dote on his firstborn. Although he wasn’t opposed to getting rid of the goalie, which, given how often we made love, meant that there could be a positive pregnancy test any day now.
The afternoon passed quickly, a blur of happy faces and an endless blue sky. Pam and I even found a few minutes to make nice over drinks. I still didn’t trust her, or even like her much, but I pretended to for the sake of the partnership. It turned out that when she was focusing her desires on the newest designer collections, instead of Theo, she was a lot more tolerable.
“Ladies and gentlemen, dinner will be served in fifteen minutes if you’d like to make your way to the tables,” a steward said over the intercom.
I headed for the stateroom where I’d put Molly down for a nap and found Theo stretched out on the bed with her, laughing and playing.
“Hey, aren’t you supposed to be outside schmoozing?” I asked, plopping down next to them. Molly gurgled her approval.
“I fulfilled my quota for the day,” he answered as he reached over to give my thigh a squeeze.
“I’m still in shock that we’re on this vessel,” I said, gesturing around at the grand room. “Have you ever worked harder on a deal?”
He shook his head. “Never. But I’ve also never had a better payoff.”
I tilted my head in confusion. “But … this is her maiden voyage. I might not know exactly how your business works, but don’t you need a bunch of renters before you can consider the payoff?”
“I’m not talking about the boat itself. I’m talking about the people on it. Our families. You. Molly. If I only knew what was in store for me that day I tried to get Ford to sign. The day I met you.”
“And if I hadn’t been so tired that day we wouldn’t be here. How crazy is that?”
Theo went silent, staring off into space as he caressed Molly’s tiny foot.
“Did you have fun today?” he finally asked me.
“So much. Everyone seemed to have a good time.”
“Of course they did,” Theo said. “Ain’t no party like a Theo Barnes party.”
“Says you,” I laughed.
“Always.” He slid Molly across the bed and she giggled, making him laugh back at her. “We should probably get out there, dinner will be served soon.”
I stretched out behind him, pressing my body against his back. “I wish we could just stay here. Hostessing is hard work, I’m exhausted now.”
“Don’t be so quick to clock out, I think there’s more fun to be had,” Theo answered. He stood, picked Molly up, then reached out his hand for me. “And the food is going to be off the charts.”
“Fine,” I grumbled. “Let’s get out there and smile some more.”
“Atta girl.” Theo smacked me on the ass, getting a squeal out of me.
Everyone was seated by the time we made it out to the candlelit dining area. We took our places at the head of the table as the crew filled everyone’s champagne glasses.
“We were beginning to think you two were off trying to grow your family,” Jessica laughed.
“Hey, maybe we were,” Theo answered. “Not everyone is on the two-year plan like you guys.”
“It’s not my fault my wife has an endless bucket list,” Tim said. “But trust me, the babies are coming.”
Molly let out a squeal and everyone laughed.
“Before we get started, there are a few things I’d like to say,” Theo said as he rose to his feet.
The quiet conversation around us stopped and everyone turned to look at him.
He raised his glass. “I’d like to make a toast to my business partner Ford Peterson. I went after this partnership thinking that it would be yet another resource to add to my portfolio, but what I ended up with is so much more. Ford, you’ve become a critical part of Barnes Oceanic, but more importantly, you’ve also become an incredible friend. I value your craftsmanship, your instincts, your candor, and your kindness. Thank you for going on this journey with me. Let’s raise our glasses to Ford, and to our gorgeous Celeritas .”
Everyone “hear hear-ed” and clinked glasses, and the crew filed out carrying plates topped with silver domes to kick off the meal. By the end of it, Molly was dozing in Elena’s arms and I felt ready to join her.
“More?” I groaned quietly to Theo as the crew brought out the dessert course. “I’m stuffed.”
“I think you’re going to enjoy it. It’s light, the perfect finish to a perfect day.”
I surveyed the pearlescent plate through narrowed eyes. Dessert was a closed oyster on top of an array of seaweed.
“ This is what you went with?” I asked, poking at the seaweed with my fork.
“It’s all edible,” Theo laughed. “The seaweed is made of lace butter and sponge cake, and the oyster is praline meringue.” He looked at my plate and frowned. “I think they made a mistake with yours, though.”
He pointed to his own plate where the oyster sat open, with a gleaming white chocolate pearl on top of the undulating marzipan center.
I tapped on the oyster on my plate with my fork. “Uh oh. This isn’t chocolate,” I whispered to him. “Did they mess up anyone else?”
Even though it was a yacht filled with friends and family, I knew how upset Theo would be if others had the wrong dessert as well.
He glanced around the table. “No, just you.” Theo took the oyster from my plate and tried to open it.
“Just leave it,” I whispered. “No one will notice. Besides, I don’t think anyone wants oyster spray with their chocolate.”
It was as if he didn’t hear me. Theo stood up, wrestling with the shell as every eye turned to him.
“Seems we had a little mix up,” he said with a laugh, holding up the oyster so everyone could see it. “But sometimes … mix ups lead to something rare and beautiful.”
With that he flipped open the shell and presented it to me as a soundtrack of squeals and clapping rose around us.
Inside was a pillow of blue velvet, and on top of it, the biggest, sparkliest diamond ring I’d ever seen. My mouth dropped open in shock as I glanced from the ring to Theo’s face.
He was beaming at me.
“Maxine Simon, our entire relationship started off as a mix-up, and then it shifted into something that we both had trouble defining. It was rare and magical, and it caught us by surprise. All along we both felt the pull to follow our hearts and see what could happen. And, well, there she is.”
Everyone glanced at Molly and cooed. My eyes filled with tears and my nose started running as I tried to keep myself together.
“You have given my life meaning in ways I never could’ve anticipated. You’re nothing that I expected, and everything I want. Which is why I’m asking you, in front of everyone we love, to be my wife.”
Now fully bawling, I jumped out of my chair and flung myself into Theo’s arms. “ Yes !”
Cheers surrounded us, rousing Molly so that she added a few cries of her own.
Theo held onto me, pressing kisses against my wet cheeks.
“This is the best day of my life,” I whimpered, trying to hide my face against his chest because I was sure I had mascara everywhere.
“No,” Theo murmured as he stroked my hair. “Not possible. Because every day with you is better than the last.”
We stood there, our arms wrapped round each other with our family and friends looking on, and I knew he was right.
When it came to our love, the best was yet to come.