Chapter 6
Chapter Six
The Hanukkah decorations this year were blue, white, and gold, but Libby was seeing red. “Did Jay put you up to that?” she asked Rebecca as they darted through the crowd. “I told him no matchmaking tonight.”
“No, that was all me. Micah mentioned being in Palm Beach while his parents were in Spain, and I figured out that he was your beach guy.” Rebecca’s voice dipped. “What just happened back there?”
Libby wished she knew. Micah had looked like he was freaking out, and he’d squeezed her hand so hard she’d had to squeeze back in self-defense. Why on earth had he pretended not to know her?
“I’m not sure,” she hedged. Rebecca was smart, and she’d already linked them. It wasn’t exactly a big leap from M. Waterman to Micah Wasserman, and Libby had promised to keep his identity a secret. Nice to meet you, my ass. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me he’s a rabbi.
Rebecca caught her arm and gave it a brief squeeze. “Micah said he’d met someone in Palm Beach and that it had been ‘pretty perfect.’ For the record, I thought it would be a happy reunion.”
“It was for me. Him, not so much, clearly.” Libby shuddered, feeling guilty, like she had somehow sinned by unknowingly having sex with a rabbi, which was ridiculous. Rabbis weren’t like Catholic priests. They didn’t take vows of celibacy. So why did it feel so wrong to hook up with one?
Because it wasn’t the rabbi thing, she realized.
It was the lying rabbi thing. Yes, she had expected honesty from Mike, but he’d been upfront about not wanting to discuss his career.
She’d known he had a secret, and she hadn’t cared.
If she’d run into Mike on the Matzo Baller tonight and discovered he was an accountant with a secret life as an artist, she wouldn’t be upset.
Discovering that Mike—Micah—was a rabbi stirred up a whole lot more than confusion.
The sinking feeling in her chest was betrayal.
Honesty was the least of what she expected from a spiritual leader.
What kind of rabbi hid his Judaism? Her heart lodged in her throat as she remembered lighting the candles and saying the prayers in front of him the night before Hanukkah began. It had been his idea. Had he been laughing at her the whole time? Judging her delivery?
Why had he denied knowing her, like she was some sort of pariah he couldn’t introduce as a friend?
That stung more than she wanted to admit, especially because she’d been thrilled to see him and a half-second from throwing herself into his arms when he held out his hand and acted like he didn’t know her.
You don’t do drama, she reminded herself. Whatever Micah’s reasons, they weren’t her problem. It was a big boat, and it was full of her best friends. You are going to have a good time tonight.
But the panic in his gaze haunted her.
He’d looked nothing like the bold, confident, fearless man she’d connected with last weekend.
Not your problem, she reminded herself. He didn’t tell you his real name.
He didn’t tell you he was Jewish. He didn’t text you this week.
He literally denied knowing you. All of that should make it easy to write him off, yet she couldn’t.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw him moving through the crowd toward her. Their gazes connected, locked, and heated. A thrill shot through her. Stop it. You are not attracted to him. He lied to you.
Libby turned around and snagged two sufganiyot shots from a passing waiter’s tray, barely pausing her stride.
She handed one to Rebecca. “I don’t know what’s going on with Rabbi Micah,” Libby said.
“But would you mind keeping quiet about that little reunion? I’d like to forget it ever happened.
” And protect Micah’s privacy, even if he didn’t deserve her loyalty.
Rebecca stopped just outside the door to the deck and dropped her phone in her pocket. “Of course.” She raised her glass. “To selective amnesia.”
They plucked the donut garnish off the rim and clinked, then tipped their glasses skyward. The raspberry vodka warmed every inch on the way down, and the sugary donut hit her empty stomach like a confetti bomb.
See? You’re having fun already. She hoped Micah saw her do that shot, so he’d know she wasn’t pining for him. They plunked their glasses in a bus tub and went outside.
On deck, the railing was lined with people standing three deep at the rail. What on earth was going on? Libby searched for familiar faces and found them at the bow near the menorah.
Rebecca was ahead of her, already striding toward their crew.
Libby didn’t have to look to know Micah had caught up with them. She could sense him, right behind her, like their time together in Florida had tethered them. She vowed to cut that traitorous cord.
“What happened?” Libby asked, searching the faces of her friends for clues.
Talia’s eyes were as big as dinner plates, and her lips turned inward, a tight, bloodless seam across her face. Asher stood beside her, draining a rocks glass of what looked like straight bourbon.
Libby turned to Nora, who was clutching Beck’s hand like a lifeline. “What’s everyone looking at?” Nora half-giggled, half-snorted. Beck rubbed the center of his forehead with his palm, shaking his head. If they were laughing, it couldn’t be that serious, right?
Avi strode up, hauling Leah in front of him and wrapping his arms around her waist. “What’s the hold up? Where’s Jay? And where’s Jonah? It’s time to get this party started.”
Even through her growing unease, Libby noticed the way Avi and Leah fit together. For the first time tonight, she was glad Sylvie wasn’t on board this year. Her mercurial friend might have lost it—again.
“Use your words, guys,” Libby demanded. “You’re freaking me out.”
Talia’s nostrils flared, and a snort escaped.
“Jay told his event coordinator to make the silent auction live before the candle lighting, and the guy said, ‘What auction?’ Then he took off down the gangplank at a dead run, nearly barreling over the arriving guests. I shit you not. The guy looked like Roadrunner. I expected to see smoke trailing behind him. Jay ran after him, yelling, but he didn’t leave the boat because it’s almost time to cast off. ”
“Shit.” Libby turned to Rebecca. “What are we going to do?”
Rebecca’s cheeks were bright red, far more than the slight chill in the December air warranted.
“I don’t know if Reggie was incompetent or if he deliberately set out to sabotage the success of the Matzo Baller, but we’re screwed unless I can…
” She snatched her phone out of her pocket and started searching, gaze on her screen, her finger scrolling.
Libby met Talia’s gaze, and they both nodded. A ripple of awareness spread through their group. The Matzo Baller wasn’t going down, not while they were on board.
Finally, Rebecca tapped her phone and heaved a loud sigh. “Okay, the silent auction is live. Jay is double-checking everything Reggie said he had covered. I know we promised you were off the hook tonight, but we need help.”
An instant chorus of no problems, of courses, you got its, and salutes greeted her request.
“Thank you so much. You all are incredible. It really means a lot to Jay that you always have his back,” Rebecca said.
“I’ll make sure he blows endless sunshine up your butts later, I swear.
Until then—” She glanced down at her phone.
“We’re lucky that schmuck used my template and didn’t bother to rename it or move it out of the shared folder.
I’ll be able to run the event once I get some information.
I’m sharing the link to the form with all of you, and I added a column for status updates, green for good, red for problems. Please make notes of any needs or concerns, and I’ll get on top of them.
Talia, could you check in with your kitchen crew?
And Asher, could you make sure the bars are set and the bartenders have everything they need?
” Once they nodded, she turned to Avi and Leah.
“Avi, you’ve got musical entertainment and sound checks.
Leah, you’re on the Mahjong tournament and minor-league dreidel competition.
Nora and Beck, karaoke and photo booth props.
The theme is Broadway, right up your alley.
Can you also check in with the aerialist, please? ” The two couples saluted.
Rebecca turned to her. “Libby, I know you’re on cookies, but after that, could you tag team the food with Talia?”
“No problem,” Libby said. “But what about the candle lighting? Jay’s still doing that, right?” Her heart clenched. It was his favorite moment of the year.
Rebecca shook her head. “He’s making sure all the talent made it on board.” Her gaze darted among the friends, and Libby could almost see the gears turning in her mind.
Avi was the obvious choice. He knew all the prayers, and the crowd would love it if the famous rock star climbed the ladder, but Avi couldn’t light the candles and check in with the bands at the same time.
They were sunk without music. The only one of them on board who didn’t have an assignment was Jonah. But where the hell was he?
Rebecca’s gaze stopped over Libby’s shoulder. Oh no, she wouldn’t—
“Rabbi? How do you feel about heights?” Rebecca asked.
Libby’s lips tightened. A rabbi was the obvious choice, but it still rankled. He didn’t deserve the honor.
“Uh—” Micah was standing so close behind her, his stuttering breath fanned her hair.
She shivered as it struck sparks of memory.
M. Waterman doesn’t even exist, she reminded herself firmly.
But the thought didn’t put out the flames entirely.
Amnesia, amnesia, amnesia, she chanted silently.
Remember how you were going to hug him, and he shook your hand?
But all she remembered was the way her body had lit up under his hands in Palm Beach.
“I’m fine with heights,” Micah said slowly. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”