Page 70 of Unmoored

There are gasps and scattered groans. Even I can’t help smacking my palm against my forehead. If there’s a sincere bone in George’s body… that was his chance to show it.

“You’re the one coming to offer me the worst deal of my life. So why are you even here?” Even snaps. “You told me you could have whatever trophy husband you want. So why the fuck did you dothis?” He flings his hand out to gesture at the whole charade—the wedding arch and the bench and the violinists and all of it.

George slowly frowns, as if the answer should be obvious.

“Because I—I love you.”

There are more gasps—louder, this time—and then silence apart from the buzz of distant engines and waves lapping against the side of the barge.

I can barely even see straight.

Holy shit. How fucking dare he?

Eden starts to laugh. He lets go of my arm—which he was still holding onto with one hand, like he hadn’t even noticed—and almost doubles over with laughter, and the moment of tension breaks.

Thank god he isn’t upset by George’s utterly oblivious assholery. But I still want to find outright fucking nowwhat colour that stupid suit will be after I fish him out of the ocean.

“It’s true,” George whines like he’s about to throw a tantrum. “Listen! I thought love was… this big, grand thing that sweeps you off your feet. You know, it saves you. If only from the mundaneness of life. I didn’t realize until too late… love is quiet and steady, and it’s there whenever you turn to it?—”

“Oh. So I wasn’t just an ornament to you? I was a piece of furniture, too?” Eden lifts his chin.

Someone nearby whoops and hollers in approval, even as other people shush them—and I’m pretty sure it’s Kieran.

“No, Eden. It’s not like that,” George says in this stupid, patronizing voice. “Trust me?—”

HOOONK!

There isn’t even a passing boater in sight… but there’s the air horn again. Eden and I burst into laughter, and the more George’s face starts looking like a squashed plum, the more people are joining in.

“For fuck’s sake!” George whirls around. “Can’t you see I’m busy, old lady?”

Ooooh, do I ever want to throw him in.

Marianne beams and holds the airhorn aloft. “Go, boaters, go!”

George growls and spins back toward Eden. “Anyway, I was—I wastryingto say—I miss you,” he spits out. “Fuck. Jesus. I don’t know why you always want me to say this shit. But I want you back, all right? I’ve always loved?—”

HOOOOOONK—

Marianne holds down the button this time, drowning out the sound of laughter. Even so, one look at Eden tells me that he’s laughing for real. Not the pretty, composed giggle—the tidal wave of laughter that makes him look so much more like himself.

George, meanwhile, is plugging his ears and whirling around with a look of outrage. And as soon as he looks at her, Marianne raises her other hand right next to the air horn to make sure he sees it—or rather, one finger in particular.

She lets go of the button at last to the sound of laughter all around us. My brothers are cheering her on, whooping and hollering as a boat nearby revs its engine, and a couple of other boats honk their horns.

George, at least, is finally dumbfounded. He stares this way and that, his brow furrowing more and more, like he can’t figure out why nobody is on his side. “What—why—I’m—” he tries talking, but he can’t even bring himself to use the megaphone and try to drown them out.

At long last, he looks as humiliated as he should feel right now.

“Whatever,” George snarls, stomping to the other end of the barge. His retreating back just gives us a great view of the less-pristine side of his suit.

Eden giggles. “Whoa. Does that green come from seaweed?”

“No.” I wink at him. “It’s the stuff you really gotta watch out for: otter shit.”

Eden clutches the side of the barge and doubles over, tears in the corner of his eyes. When he finally catches his breath, he grabs me by both hands, licking his lips as he looks me right in the eye.

“I’m still mad… but we’ll fight about it later,” Eden says, his voice is thick and fizzing with something I don’t quite understand yet. “Ask me again, my love. Right now.”

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