At his unexpected question, she stepped back to search his gaze. “What are you saying?”
“What if I sailMirafor you?” His eyes gleamed again.
“You?” He couldn’t be serious.
“Sure, I’m a little rusty. But I bet it’ll all come back to me in no time. Plus”—his lips arched in an impish smirk—“we make a pretty good team, don’t you think?”
She blushed. Her lips still tingled from his kiss. “But what about your promotion? You can’t run Cahill Enterprisesanda sailing charter.”
“True. But Kev’s list is thirty beforethirty. I still have time before I hit the big 3-0.” He grinned proudly, as if he’d thought of everything.
Her pulse fluttered at the possibility. Could this actually work?
But what happens next year? And the year after that?
Sage shoved her concerns to the back of her subconscious. Tomorrow’s problems could take care of themselves. “Your parents aren’t going to be happy.”
“I know.” For the first time that morning, the light in his eyes dimmed. “And I feel bad about letting them down. But I’ve spent my entire life trying to please them. For once, I want to do something for us.”
For us. The words wrapped around her like a warm embrace. “Are you sure?”
“So sure, why don’t we skip the coffee and go straight for the champagne to celebrate?” He grabbed a bottle of Dom Pérignon from the fridge.
She couldn’t help a smile. “I guess Mr. Mackensie’s provisions weren’t so impractical after all.”
“I’m starting to wonder if he knew something we didn’t.” Flynn tossed her another teasing grin and twisted the cork.
With a loud pop and a whoosh, the cork sailed into the air and thwacked against the fancy crown molding that framed the ceiling.
Giddy with mounting happiness, Sage laughed, then gasped as a six-inch section of the crown molding swung open, revealing a narrow crevice.
“That’s weird.” Flynn frowned.
“You don’t think—”No. It couldn’t be.
Flynn hoisted himself onto the counter. “What are the chances we just found Mira’s secret stash?”
“A hundred to one?” Her heart raced, but she didn’t dare hope.
Flynn stuck his hand into the shadowy nook. His eyes widened. Both disbelief and triumph splashed across his face as he withdrew his hand. Along with a small leather-bound notebook.
Her pulse slowed to a standstill. “Is it—?”
Flynn flipped it open, briefly glanced at the first page, then met her gaze with the biggest, goofiest grin. “I think we’ve won ourselves a sailboat.”
Happy tears welled, creating a surreal, dreamlike effect as Flynn whooped and scooped her off the ground, twirling her around the tiny room.
Cap clearly heard all the commotion from above deck because he barreled through the companionway to join the celebration, barking and prancing along with them.
The entire scene played out in slow motion, and Sage tried to memorize each exquisite detail, down to the fizzy champagne bubbles that tickled her throat.
But somewhere deep in her heart, a quiet voice wondered,Was it all a little too good to be true?
Chapter 26
ABBY
Abby setthe vintage glass vase in the precise center of the small patio table, then turned it clockwise so the largest ivory tea rose unfolded its velveteen petals toward the balcony doors. Every detail needed to be perfect for when Sadie Hamilton and her friend Lucy arrived that afternoon.
