Chapter 26
DAREK
Friday afternoon, and the weather had decided to cooperate.
Truthfully, I couldn’t have asked for a better day.
The sun was bright, the water calm, and the entire yacht club had turned out for the launch of the Seraphina.
It was the first vessel from my new custom line and easily one of the most beautiful boats I had ever built.
I was proud of it. I had spent months planning every little detail. It was stunning.
The atmosphere was pure celebration. White tents had been set up on the lawn overlooking the dock.
There were tables loaded with appetizers and champagne.
Members of the club mingled with the new owners.
They were a couple from Boston who had commissioned the yacht as an anniversary gift to themselves.
Music played from speakers somewhere, just loud enough to create ambiance without overwhelming the conversations happening.
It was perfect. Everything I had worked toward for the past two years was coming to fruition. I was so glad I got to share the moment with the two most important women in my life.
I smiled when I spotted them near the champagne fountain.
Liza was wearing a pale yellow dress that somehow made her look like sunshine personified.
And Daisie was wearing a similar dress in a slightly darker shade of yellow.
They looked like they belonged together, like they had coordinated on purpose. Almost like mother and daughter.
I knew they had. Liza had mentioned taking Daisie shopping for a dress earlier in the week, something about “making it special” for her. I hadn’t realized they would match.
They were holding hands. Liza leaned down to say something that made Daisie giggle.
My daughter pointed at something on one of the appetizer tables, and Liza nodded, leading her over to investigate.
I watched as Liza helped Daisie select a few items, making sure she used a napkin, reminding her not to take too much at once.
It was such a small thing. Such a normal, everyday interaction between a mother and daughter.
Except Liza wasn’t Daisie’s mother.
But God, she looked like she could be. She acted like she already was.
A strange, foreign feeling washed over me. It wasn’t panic exactly, but something close to it. A feeling of being overwhelmed by how right they looked together. How natural. How easy.
I was so fucking lucky.
But I was already in too deep.
We all were.
And maybe that was okay.
Liza looked up. Her eyes found mine across the lawn. She smiled and it felt like someone was actually squeezing my heart. She said something to Daisie and pointed in my direction. Daisie’s whole face lit up when she spotted me, and they both started making their way over.
“Daddy!” Daisie called out, weaving between guests.
I leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “You look so beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
I stood and gave Liza a quick kiss. “And so do you.”
“Thank you.” She smiled. Her lips brushed my ears. “I haven’t seen them, have you?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
Grant Waverly was nowhere to be seen. I expected him to be at the club, and where he went, Sasha went. Thankfully, neither appeared to be in attendance.
Thank God for small mercies. After Sasha’s bullshit at the science fair, I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Grant’s smug face. Today was supposed to be a celebration, not another battle in the ongoing war with my ex-wife.
“You okay?” I asked, noticing the way she kept fidgeting with her dress.
“I feel like I don’t belong here,” she said quietly, her eyes scanning the crowd of well-dressed yacht club members. “Everyone’s so fancy. And I’m just not.”
“You’re beautiful and smart and better than half these people,” I said. “Trust me.”
“That’s nice, but you don’t have to say that.”
“I’m serious. You want to know a secret about rich people?” I leaned in closer, lowering my voice conspiratorially. “Money or not, they’ve all got more skeletons in their closets than anyone.”
She looked skeptical, so I pointed across the lawn. “See Mr. and Mrs. Carrington over there? The ones who look like they stepped out of a catalog?”
“The couple by the tent?”
“That’s them. He’s sleeping with their maid. Has been for three years. She knows about it and is sleeping with their gardener in retaliation. They stay married because divorce would be too expensive and they like attending events together.”
Liza’s eyes widened. “You’re making that up.”
“I’m absolutely not. Ask anyone.” I pointed to another group. “See the Stuarts? Mom, dad, three kids all dressed like little sailors?”
“Very nautical.”
“Very not his. Everyone knows none of those kids are actually Stuarts. His wife had affairs with three different tennis instructors. But they keep up appearances because image is everything in their circle.”
“That’s awful.”
“It is. And see Miller over there? The guy in the blue blazer?” I gestured toward a silver-haired man holding court near the bar. “He supplies half the people here with cocaine and prescription pills. Made more money dealing pharmaceuticals than he ever did in finance.”
Liza was staring at me now. “Are you serious?”
“Completely. This crowd? They’re not better than you, Liza. If anything, you’re too good to be hanging out with them. You’re genuine. You actually care about people and the world and things that matter. These people care about status and money and who’s sleeping with whom.”
“Well when you put it that way.” She smiled, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. “I guess I can handle a few hours with the morally questionable elite.”
“That’s the spirit.” I kissed her temple.
“Mr. Sullivan!” The new owners waved from near the dock. “Is it time?”
“It’s time!” I called back.
The crowd began to gather at the water’s edge, glasses of champagne in hand, as we all made our way down to where the Seraphina sat in her cradle, ready for launch.
The wife handed me the bottle of champagne. I held it up, addressing the crowd.
“The Seraphina represents everything Sullivan Yachts stands for. Craftsmanship, quality, and a deep respect for the relationship between vessel and water. Jennifer, Robert, she’s all yours. May she bring you as much joy as she brought us to build.”
The crowd applauded. I positioned myself near the bow, Liza and Daisie beside me. Daisie was bouncing with excitement. She loved boat launches, the drama and ceremony of it.
“Ready?” I asked the couple.
“Ready!” Jennifer said.
I slammed the champagne bottle against the hull, the glass shattering in a spray of foam and liquid. “I christen thee Seraphina!”
The boat launch team activated the cradle, and the yacht began to slide down the ramp toward the water. It happened slowly at first, then faster, until the Seraphina hit the water with a massive splash.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Daisie was jumping up and down, clapping her hands. My build team was grinning, proud of their work. And Liza was looking at me with pride and affection.
“That was amazing,” she said over the noise.
“Daisie, stay with Mrs. Carlson,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
Mrs. Carlson, she worked for me, nodded and shooed me away.
“Come with me.” I grabbed Liza’s hand and pulled her away from the crowd, weaving between boats until we found a secluded spot behind a large sailboat undergoing maintenance. It was private, hidden from view of the party.
The moment we were alone, I pulled her against me and kissed her. Not the careful, appropriate kiss I might have given her in public, but one of those kisses that told her exactly what I wanted.
She kissed me back just as fiercely. She wanted it as much as I did.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, she laughed. “What was that for?”
“For being here. For supporting this. For looking at me like you’re proud of me.”
“I am proud of you. That boat is incredible, Darek. You built something beautiful.”
“Thank you. She is beautiful. I can’t wait to start on my next project.”
I couldn’t resist kissing her again. I wanted to get her home. Naked. In my bed.
“We should get back,” Liza said eventually, though she didn’t move away. “People will notice we’re gone.”
“Let them notice.”
“Darek, we can’t.” She laughed and pushed me away. “Stop. You’re so naughty.”
“Naughty? I don’t think I’ve been called naughty in thirty-something years.”
“Ha. Ha. Come on. I told Daisie we would get some of those desserts.”
I took her hand and we walked back to the party.
And then I had an epiphany. I was fully in love with her. It was the simple truth. I had fallen for her completely. I fell for her intelligence and her kindness. I was absolutely crazy about her for the way she looked at Daisie like she was precious.
But I didn’t know what to do about it. I didn’t know how to ask her to stay without it sounding like I was trying to extend the contract and keep her on payroll rather than asking her to build a life with me.
I didn’t know how to make her understand that this wasn’t about convenience or custody or any of the practical reasons we had started this arrangement.
This was about love. Real, terrifying, all-consuming love.
And I had no idea if that would be enough.
“Daddy!” Daisie came running up, her face flushed with excitement. “Can we go on the boat? Please?”
“Let me ask them officially,” I said, grateful for the distraction.
I knew the happy couple would love to have us on the maiden voyage, but it was kind of a private thing.
“Daisie, I think we should let the couple have the first voyage,” Liza said calmly.
Liza was always thinking about what was right. It was one of the things I loved about her.
“How about this?” I said to Daisie. “We’ll take you out on one of our other boats tomorrow. Just the three of us. Would that work?”
Daisie considered this, then nodded. “Okay. But can we see whales?”
“We can certainly try,” Liza said, smiling down at her.
The party continued for another few hours.
I made my rounds, shaking hands with clients and potential customers, discussing future projects and timelines.
Liza stayed close, sometimes with Daisie, sometimes on her own, but always within my line of sight.
I kept finding myself looking for her in the crowd, needing to know where she was.
By the time the sun started to set, I was exhausted but happy. The launch had been a success. The Seraphina looked magnificent on the water. And I had my two favorite people by my side.
We drove home as dusk settled over Cloudhaven.
Daisie chattered in the back seat about all the boats she’d seen and the food she had eaten.
I was looking forward to spending another full day with them.
Just them. I liked the idea of being far away from land so I could have them all to myself.
That was probably just a little possessive, but it was the truth.
I wanted my girls. I didn’t want to share with anyone.
They were mine.
“Okay?” Liza asked quietly from the passenger seat.
I looked over and reached for her hand. She quickly put hers in mine. “I’m good.”
“I really am sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t be. I’m glad you don’t back down from her. That’s what she needs.”
“She” could be Sasha or Daisie. Sasha needed to see what it was like to protect a child. And Daisie needed to see a real mother would push back.
I wasn’t mad. I was so fucking proud and felt so grateful I had picked the right woman. Rather, Della had picked the right one for me.