Page 63 of Make Me Want it Too

“It has a sink and soap. It’ll do,” Macy says.

I let her do her thing, turning away just for the finger-poke-blood stuff so I don’t get queasy, and then we go back up to the main deck where dinner is beginning to be served.

Noah and Livvy come up a few minutes later, his shirt slightly untucked and her hair falling out of the knot she’d had it in. They see us and Livvy waves. They head over to us, each grabbing two flutes of champagne from a passing server on their way.

Livvy gives one of the drinks to Macy and Noah hands me one.

“Apology not accepted,” I say, taking it.

“Olivia.” Her mother taps her on the shoulder with one thin, raised brow and Livvy turns toward her. “Your hair looks a mess. I know you’re not the bride or even the maid of honor, but people are still paying attention to you.”

“I know, Mother.” Livvy sighs and takes a sip of champagne.

Noah puts his hand on Livvy’s back and grins. “But we had so much fun messing it up, Mrs. B. Doesn’t that count for something?”

Mrs. Bishop’s eyes widen, and she takes a half step back. “We will talk about this later,” she snaps at Livvy before walking away.

“Sorry, angel,” Noah whispers before kissing Livvy on the temple.

“How much longer are we stuck on this boat for?” she asks.

“Two hours and forty-seven minutes,” I say.

Macy looks up at me, her lips slightly parted. “Keeping track, are we?”

I squeeze her hip. “Yes. For…reasons.”

We sit for dinner. I drink both flutes of champagne. When they come around with dessert—a lemon curd tart with a slice of sugared grapefruit—Macy declines, so I do as well. I don’t want to make her watch me eat dessert without her. But she looks longingly at everyone else’s little dessert plates as they eat.

Jazzy music is playing through the speakers softly in the background as dinner service winds down.

I bend toward her. “Will you dance with me?”

She tears her gaze away from Bex, who’s devouring her last bite of tart. “Huh?”

I hold out my hand to her. “Come on. I’d really love to dance with you.”

She looks at my outstretched hand and then up to me, silent for a beat. She wants to say no. I can feel it. “Um. Okay.” She takes my hand, slowly standing up.

I lace our fingers together and walk her to the open part of the deck. She’s a bit stiff. I lead us through and then around to the side of the boat.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

I take her to the back deck of the boat, away from everyone else. “Where we can dance without anyone watching.”

Dane and Zayne are on the other side at the back railing. Dane is taking rapid fire pictures of Zayne, who’s posing with the sun setting over the water in the background.

“Well, almost everyone,” I say, shrugging.

Macy smiles. She’s so magnificent, I wouldn’t even notice the sunset if it weren’t for the way it’s glowing orange and yellow along the edges of her hair.

As we’re walking, she slows. Her smile fades. She’s biting her lip now, standing rigid.

“Are you feeling sick?”

“No.” She looks up at me, brows drawn, and I know she’s in distress.

“Tell me.”

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