Page 64 of Unmoored

“This guy you’re proposing to. What’s his name?”

George rolls his eyes. “I told you, it’s a surprise?—”

“Is it Eden?”

George’s jaw drops, and he turns to stare at me.

If he’s seen a ghost… so have I.

Jesus Christ.

George slowly stands up from where he’s been crouching behind the floral display. “I knew it,” he hisses, as the event planner tries to step between us. “I knew—there had to be another man. Is it one of them? No, it’s not. It’s you, isn’t it?”

I steel myself, calling up every bit of calm in my body. I don’t give him a thing—not a word, not even a twitch. I have to keep this boat under control. And if I get mad at him… well, it’s game over.

George huffs and puffs right into my face, while Meghan tries to pull him back. “Just tell me he isn’t your boyfriend,” he snarls, spittle flying from his lips.

Aboard Dawn’s Embrace, it’s just chaos. Some of the guys are arguing with each other, others are trying to cup their hands around their ears so they can hear what’s going on with me and George.

“What the hell is going on?” Kieran snaps, raising his voice to be heard above it all.

But George steps right between me and them, blocking my view again with that smugly triumphant face. “You’re not, are you? Boyfriends?”

Shit.

Almostisn’t enough. Not when the question’s phrased like that. And I want to tell him that we’re as good as boyfriends… but he’s here with six violinists, a floral arch, and a drone to photograph it all.

I don’t thinkas good aswill count with him.

George is suddenly eerily calm. He backs down, brushes himself off, even adjusts his sleeves. “All right. Okay. It’s fine. I don’t mind competition.” He lifts his chin, and the smugness oozing from his voice makes me want to smack him that much harder. “All’s fair in love, war, and business.”

“It’s not a fucking business deal,” I grit out coldly.

Shit. We’re just about alongside Dawn’s Embrace. If I reverse now, it’s going to cause a hell of a racket. And if Eden hasn’t already seen us creeping up on him… there’s no failing to notice a love barge trying to speed away.

“Says you,” George smirks. “Now, you’ve done your job, boatman. You brought me here. I get to make my pitch, and then he can figure out what he really wants. Orwhohe wants, I should say.” He glances between the barge—and all the hideous shit he’s put on it—and then me.

The audacity of this man.

With everything I know about George, it’s a freaking miracle I haven’t already heaved him bodily overboard. But if he keeps it up, I might not be able to hold myself back for much longer.

But I said I’d protect him. My best chance is to turn around now?—

There’s the sound of a voice, and everyone goes silent: me, George, even my brothers. They’re all turning toward the door to the boat interior. Alph gives me a brief, panicked glance, and I know what’s coming.

George signals for me to cut the engine, and I don’t see a choice. I cut it, so I can hear him. So we can all hear him. And this time, we can make out the words.

“What’s going on?” That light, musical voice that makes my heart sing… well, right now, it’s making my heart sink. All the way to the fucking ocean floor.

It’s too late to sneak away now.

No matter what I gesture to my friends, or what kind of look I give them, there’s no rescuing me now.

I’ve fucked it up. Really, really badly.

“Nothing,” Alph tries his best anyway, striding toward the doorway. He elbows Gage on the way by.

“Oof. I mean, yeah! It’s boring out here!”

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