1101 P.M.
CHARLOTTE
“She’s going to be feeling rough tomorrow morning,” Miguel announced as soon as Antonia and Ted were out of earshot.
“Us too, I’m afraid,” Winslow said. He stared at Charlotte for a second. “So? Tell us the truth. Are they really happy or is it all a big act?”
Charlotte, who had been seething since Ted ordered her to ‘stop it’ (as if she were a child), snorted. “They can’t stand each other.”
Winslow nodded. “Thought so. What an awful existence. Being total frauds.”
Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind, she knew she shouldn’t say any of this.
Not when they were about to negotiate their next contract.
And yet, at this moment, she couldn’t have cared less.
She didn’t just want to dump Ted. She wanted to quit her job.
She should just get off this yacht, disappear into the streets of the city, and never go back to Seattle.
“It is. They’re both miserable. Her more than him.
He…manages to find ways to enjoy his life at least. But she’s just a total bitch all the time. ”
“She certainly seems to like you,” Winslow answered.
Shaking her head, Charlotte said, “She doesn’t mean any of it. She’s just trying to make up for being a complete cow to me recently.”
“Ooh, do tell!” Miguel said, his eyes lighting up.
“It’s not much of a story. I messed something up and she wasn’t exactly nice about it. But honestly, it’s not my fault. I almost never get a day off. Of course I’m going to screw things up once in a while.”
Putting his hand on hers, Miguel said, “You poor thing. When I have my show, you should come work for me. You can take time off whenever you need.”
“And that, my darling, is why you would make a terrible boss,” Winslow said. “Let’s go. I’m fading fast.”
Both men stood up, and Miguel gave her a little bow, no doubt a habit inherited from Winslow. “I’m sorry I have to leave you, but I really do need to get this old man of mine off to bed.”
She smiled at them both. “It’s fine. I’m going to finish my drink, then get some sleep too.”
As soon as they were gone, Charlotte stared out into the dark sky, fully aware that she and Oliver were alone.
Maybe she should take Antonia’s advice and have a fling with him.
After all, she deserved to have some fun for once in her young life.
She’d been living the life of a middle-aged workaholic for years with little to show for it.
It’s not like she made the kind of money that warranted the hours she put in.
“Can I get you anything else?”
She looked up to see Oliver standing next to the table, his eyes locked on her. “Come sit with me,” she said, patting the bench.
When he did as she asked, she smiled at him for a second. “Sorry about my boss.”
“Why?”
“All that stuff she was saying about me sleeping with you. It’s like she didn’t think you could hear her or something.”
“More like she didn’t care,” Oliver answered.
“Rich people suck,” she told him, staring into his eyes. God, those were nice eyes. She knew what it was like to have people notice that about you. They were two beautiful young people with gorgeous eyes.
“That they do.”
“It’s not fair that they get all the money and the power, when they’re so…selfish and boring. They don’t have the first clue what to do with any of it.”
“Agreed,” Oliver said, glancing around. “If I had the money to own this boat, there is no way I’d have my ass in an office all year. I’d retire and spend the rest of my days sailing around the planet exploring new places and trying everything there is to try and really experience life.”
His gaze returned to hers when he said the part about trying everything, and she really wanted to kiss him at that moment. Just plant a big, juicy kiss on him. Right then and there. But she chickened out and whispered, “Agreed.”
After a second, her mind wandered to Ted, who might go in search of her soon.
She knew one thing for sure—she did not want to be in her room when he knocked.
Screw him for how he spoke to her. Maybe he wasn’t better than the rest of the rich people.
Maybe he was a prick too. “Do you think they all start out as such assholes or does the money and power do it to them?”
“I think it takes an asshole to get this kind of money and power,” he answered. “What about you? What do you think?”
How refreshing—being asked what she thought. She was used to Ted doling out constant little gems of wisdom. “I think some of them might start out okay, but most of them don’t.” She stared into Oliver’s eyes for a second. “Say, you’re not going to rat me out about what I said earlier, are you?”
“What?” he asked, his eyebrows knitting together.
“About your boss and that actor?”
He shook his head. “No. I would never screw over one of the little people.”
“That’s so sweet,” she answered, glancing at his lips. “We have to stick together.”
“Yes, we do,” he answered, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Just imagine what would happen if the ninety-nine percent decided to stand together for once? We’d be unstoppable.”
“Unstoppable. I like that sound of that.” And she liked the feeling of his fingers in her hair.
“Do you want to get off this yacht for a while? We could go dancing.”
The thought made her grin. “I would love that.”
“I know.”
“How did you know?”
“It’s my job. Anticipating the needs of guests before they even know what they want.”
Charlotte’s face fell. “You’d be taking me out as part of your job?”
He shook his head. “Definitely not. I’d be doing it so I could be seen around town with one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met.”
Giving him a sassy smile, she said, “One of? That’s a little insulting, Oliver. And here I thought you were so smooth.”
He let out a laugh, then leaned in a little. “I was trying to play it cool.”
“Why?”
“I thought if I told you the truth, it might make you uncomfortable.”
“And what’s that?” she asked, her voice breathy.
“That I would take your boss’s advice in a heartbeat.”
“About the fling?”
“Um-hmm.”
She stared at him, feeling tipsy and happy and truly excited for the first time in far too long.
A wild night out in a foreign county was exactly what she needed.
Somewhere where she didn’t know anybody.
Somewhere she would likely never be again.
Ted could knock all he wanted, then go off to bed with his awful wife, lonely and horny and miserable.
That’s what he deserved. And Charlotte deserved to cut loose for once. “Let’s go dancing.”