The yacht was large, with bars on each of the three decks and two dance floors. People were mingling and drinking cocktails on the main deck, but I didn’t see Eve anywhere in the small crowd.
I wandered into the banquet hall. Tables were covered in white linens and the centerpieces kept to patriotic colors for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend.
I caught sight of the woman I was looking for almost immediately. Olivia, Nora, and Eve stood in a row admiring the hall. Olivia, wearing white, as she snapped pictures of everything. She couldn’t help herself. Nora was in a navy dress, elegant but simple.
And then there was Eve. A woman who demanded attention.
Her dress was covered in red fringe and sparkle. Flashy and ostentatious, just like her. It hugged all her curves perfectly. The materialinched up her tan thigh as she leaned over to smell the flowers in thecenterpiece.
My stomach flipped, and my feet moved toward her of their own volition. Isqueezed between Eve and Olivia, draping an arm over each of their shoulders.
“Did you ladies do the patriotic colors thing on purpose?” I asked.
“Huh?” Eve said, tensing under the weight of my arm.
“Red, white, and blue.” I gestured between the three of them
She glanced down at her dress again and then at the other two.
“Huh. How about that?” Nora said with a smile. “Totally unplanned.”
“You all look stunning,” Jack said, walking up behind us. He grabbed Olivia’s hand and pulled her out from under my arm. “Especially you, love.”
She tilted her face up to smile at him, and he placed a kiss on her mouth.
I leaned toward Eve. “It’s absolutely nauseating being around them, don’t you think?” I stage whispered.
She glared up at me, opening her mouth to hiss venom my way, no doubt.
I cocked my head to the side and arched a brow, a silent reminder of our deal. A challenge for her to stick to it.
Her lips pursed in consideration for a moment.
“They’re adorable. It’s absolutely disgusting,” she agreed, wrinkling her nose as she peered up at me. I gave her a smug smile, and she ducked out from under my arm, finding her way to the bar for a drink.
Evidently, being nice to me wasn’t an endeavor that could be accomplished sober.
Nora’s shoulder bumped into mine as I watched Eve smiling at the bartender. “You know what you need?”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“A wing man.”
I glanced over at her, arms crossed, a smile tugging at her lips as she stared at Eve from across the room.
I barked out a laugh. “I’ve never needed a wing man before.”
She rolled her eyes. “Maybe not, but with this one,” she nodded in Eve’s direction, “you will.”
I raked my hands through my hair. Winning Eve over wouldn’t be a walk in the park. Having someone on my side who knew the whole story couldn’t hurt.
“You volunteering for the job?”
She lifted her shoulders. “You’ve been my wing man with Ian, and I know that’s a big part of the reason she’s mad at you.It’s the least I can do. Not to mention, Iwould make an excellent wing woman.”
I nodded thoughtfully. I could use a wing woman.
“I’ll take all the help a can get at this point.”
