Chapter 41
CHAPTER 41
DIXIE
I woke up to the gentle rocking of the yacht and the sunlight streaming through the wide windows of the stateroom. For a moment, I just lay there, basking in the quiet luxury of it all. The bed was ridiculously plush, the sheets buttery soft against my skin, and I felt a kind of bliss I hadn’t experienced in… well, maybe ever.
Yes, we missed the sunrise. I told myself there would be other opportunities to watch the sunrise with him. Being curled up against Hayes was too good. Add in the very gentle rocking motion of the yacht, and I didn’t think I had ever slept so soundly.
Part of me wondered if maybe those pregnancy tests were wrong. I didn’t feel sick. I would have thought being on a boat would definitely make me sick. Maybe I was going to get lucky and not get morning sickness.
Fingers crossed.
I reached up and ran a hand through the tangled mess on top of my head. I winced thinking about what it must look like. That was what I got for falling asleep with wet hair after the hot tub last night. Still, as I stretched and thought about the night before, I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.
Hayes.
God, the man had this uncanny ability to turn my worst days into something magical. Just thinking about him made my heart race and my cheeks warm.
I rolled to my side and looked at Hayes, who was still out cold. The sheet was around his waist. His hair was just as messy as mine. His lips were slightly parted.
I watched him for a moment, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the way his lashes rested against his cheeks. He looked so peaceful, so unguarded. I couldn’t help but feel a rush of affection for him. Last night had been… everything. It was more than just the physical connection—though that had been incredible. It was the way he’d looked at me, the way he’d held me afterward like I was something precious. Like I mattered.
Carefully, I slipped out of bed, trying not to wake him. The floor was cool beneath my feet as I padded over to the small bathroom attached to the stateroom. I glanced at myself in the mirror and winced again. My hair was a disaster, wild and tangled from sleep and the humid air. I grabbed a brush from the counter and started working through the knots, wincing at the occasional tug.
There was a soft knock at the door. I froze and turned around.
Hayes heard the knock and was now propped up on his elbows.
“Who’s that?” I whispered.
He grinned. “Breakfast.”
He rolled out of bed in all his naked glory. I grabbed one of the large, fluffy towels hanging in the bathroom. He laughed and wrapped it around his waist. He answered the door and accepted a tray with silver domes on it.
He closed the door behind him and carried the tray to the small table in the corner.
The smell of pancakes and freshly brewed coffee hit me immediately, and my stomach growled in response.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Breakfast, courtesy of the chef,” he said, turning to me and holding out a hand. “Come on. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
I spotted two robes hanging on a hook and put one on.
He walked over to me and pulled me into his arms. “Morning, beautiful.”
“Morning,” I said.
He kissed me before pulling me to the table.
“I wasn’t expecting a gourmet breakfast,” I said.
“Five-star service here,” he said.
He lifted the domes to reveal the source of the smells that were making me very hungry. The sight of the spread nearly made my knees buckle—fluffy pancakes drizzled with syrup, a rainbow of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and two steaming cups of coffee.
“This is amazing,” I said, sinking into the chair he pulled out for me.
“I know,” he said, sitting across from me, wearing just the towel and looking utterly at ease. “But not as amazing as you.”
I rolled my eyes, but the compliment still made my cheeks flush. I was suddenly ravenous and needed to taste the pancakes. The first bite was glorious. I couldn’t help but groan as the flavors hit my tongue—sweet, buttery, and perfectly fluffy. Hayes chuckled, watching me with that amused, slightly smug expression of his.
“Good?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“Incredible,” I said, my mouth still half full. “I don’t think I’ve ever had pancakes this good.”
He grinned, leaning back in his chair and sipping his coffee. “When you’re with me, you get the best of everything. Including pancakes.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“Ridiculously charming,” he corrected, winking at me.
I rolled my eyes again, but I couldn’t stop smiling. There was something so effortless about being with him. I didn’t have to try and be anything but who I was. It was so easy to be happy. No fake smiles or awkward conversation. We could sit here in silence and it would be just as good.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this content. It was strange, considering everything that had happened—everything that was still hanging over us. But for now, I let myself enjoy it.
“So,” Hayes said eventually, setting his coffee cup down and leaning forward. “What’s the plan for today?”
I shrugged, spearing a piece of pineapple with my fork. “I don’t know. What does one usually do on a yacht?”
He smirked. “Whatever they want.”
“Well, that’s helpful,” I said, laughing.
“How about we start with a swim?” he suggested. “The water’s perfect this time of day. Or we could just stay right here and do absolutely nothing. Your call.”
“Isn’t it a little chilly?” I asked.
“Wakes you up,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m not sure I’m brave enough to do that,” I said.
“Understood. You have a lot to do anyway.”
“I do?”
“You do.”
He left it at that. I went back to my breakfast wondering what he had up his sleeve. I was more than happy to let him lead the way. It was nice to get to take a back seat for a while. I knew he wasn’t going to lead me astray.
“Hayes,” I said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you,” I said, my throat tightening slightly. “For everything.”
He smiled. “You don’t have to thank me, Dixie. This is where I want to be. With you.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. I wanted to believe him, to believe that this could last. But there was still so much uncertainty, so much we hadn’t figured out yet.
We finished our breakfast, leaving me full and satisfied.
“We should shower before we go back,” he said.
I was bummed to have the adventure over but I had a feeling there would be plenty more of these moments in our future. We headed for the shower. It wasn’t as big as the one at his place, but that was fine. We didn’t need a lot of room. In fact, I liked being able to rub against his water-slicked skin.
I was mid-rinse when Hayes stepped out. “I’ll let the captain know we’re ready,” he said.
“Okay.”
I finished rinsing and was wrapped in a towel when Hayes returned with a garment bag draped over his arm.
“What’s that?” I asked, tilting my head as he hung it on the back of the bathroom door.
“Your next surprise,” he said, his grin mischievous.
“Hayes…”
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing crazy.” He unzipped the bag to reveal a chic but simple dress in a soft blush color, along with a pair of strappy sandals. “For your plans today.”
“Plans?” I asked, arching a brow.
He nodded, handing me the dress. “Diana’s picking you up in an hour at the dock. You two are going dress shopping.”
I blinked at him, my mind immediately going to the wedding. I knew what he told me last night, but I didn’t think he was really serious. Scratch that. Yes, I did. That was just what Hayes did. He was always taking care of me. “I don’t need?—”
“Yes, you do,” he interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. “This is a Bancroft wedding, Dixie. And not just any wedding— the Bancroft wedding. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”
I hesitated, holding the dress in my hands. “I’d rather stay with you.”
His grin softened, and he stepped closer. “You will, pretty girl. I’ll have Diana bring you back to my place when you’re done. But this? This is important.”
I sighed, but his logic was hard to argue with. “Fine,” I said, playfully rolling my eyes.
I got dressed, not surprised he managed to pick out just the right size.
“This is a beautiful dress,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Thank you,” he said waggling his eyebrows. “Turn around.”
I giggled and turned around, popping a hip and doing my best to mimic a runway model in the room.
He whistled and did a few cat calls.
We pulled into the marina too soon. The fairytale was over.
For now.
Diana was waiting for us at the dock. After a quick goodbye, Diana led me to a waiting car and we were whisked away to an upscale boutique that screamed “Bancroft wedding.” The racks were lined with designer gowns, each one more stunning than the last. I immediately felt out of my depth. This was so far out of my price range.
“Is this real life?” I muttered as Diana led me to a rack of gowns in shades of champagne, emerald, and navy.
“It’s real life now,” she said with a wink. “But don’t worry—it still feels surreal to me, too. Just trust me, okay? Hayes wants you to have something special, and this is going to be the event of the year. You’ve got to be prepared. I heard there might even be royalty there.”
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “Kate and William?”
She laughed. “Not those royals.”
“Bummer.”
I glanced around the boutique, suddenly grateful for Hayes’s insistence. Walking into that wedding without the right dress would’ve been like showing up to a black-tie gala in jeans. This was his world. I needed to trust him to help me walk through it.
“Okay, I think jewel tones would look great on you,” Diana said. “What do you think?”
“Honestly, I’m usually in jeans and a hoodie. I don’t know my colors.”
“I didn’t either… not really. But I’ve got you. We’re going to get you a dress that makes you look and feel good.”
She picked out half a dozen dresses and we headed for the dressing rooms.
The first dress was a deep emerald green that, when I stepped out of the dressing room, Diana gasped.
“Oh my god, Hayes is going to lose his mind,” she said.
“Really?” I asked, not sure if I believed her. When I saw myself in the mirror, my jaw dropped.
“Yes, really,” she said.
I’d never worn something so glamorous in my life.
“It’s perfect,” she said.
“It’s absolutely perfect,” I agreed.
“Let’s try the others to be sure.”
By the sixth dress, I tried the emerald dress on again.
“Still love it,” she said.
“Me too.”
“But I don’t know, I’m kind of digging the blue,” she said. “I like the jewel tones, but it’s a spring wedding.
I nodded. “Good point. I think the green might be a little wintery.”
I looked at my reflection in the mirror once again. It hugged me in all the right places, the neckline plunging just enough to be elegant yet daring.
“Send a picture to Hayes,” Diana said. “Let’s get his opinion.”
I hesitated for a moment before pulling out my phone and snapping a quick photo. I sent it to him with a simple caption: What do you think?
His reply came almost instantly: You need to buy that one. Even if it’s not for the wedding. Get it.
I laughed, showing Diana his text.
“See?” she said. “He knows what he’s talking about. Put the blue one on again. Let me see.”
I did as she asked, and after some debate, we went with the pale blue. It felt fitting for the spring wedding.
“Now, let’s find some shoes,” she said.
By the time we were done, I had not only two dresses but a pair of silver heels, a matching clutch, and even a couple of new outfits Diana insisted I needed. It all felt too much but Hayes was blowing up my phone insisting I get a couple more things.
“I feel ridiculous,” I said as we loaded the bags into the car.
“You are going to look incredible,” Diana said, patting my arm. “And trust me, you’re going to thank Hayes for this later. He just wants you to feel confident and comfortable.”