She’d even had Nova and LJ write their own little notes on the blank side of the card, addressed to theirUncle Xanderin their own handwriting.
Xander closed the card and pressed it to his chest, eyes shut for a brief moment. “I love this a lot.”
Rylee’s eyes glistened. “I love you.”
The yacht had set sail about fifteen minutes earlier, so guests were still settling in. They would cruise down the Hudson River, past Lower Manhattan, around the Statue of Liberty, and back to Chelsea Piers, offering panoramic views of the city skyline.
The view through the floor-to-ceiling windows was already breathtaking. The night skyline shimmered on the water like stretched diamonds, a golden glow of city lights glinting against the dark sky. New York’s version of the Emerald City.
Aside from the occasional ferry horn, soft jazz played in the background, blending with the low hum of chatter around them.
Like them, other couples sat at candlelit tables, the mood set, the vibe perfect.
“This is beautiful,” Rylee said, her eyes glued to the view beyond the glass. The entire yacht was wrapped in glass, offering a 360-degree view of the city.
Rylee thought of how she and Lennox used to steal Friday nights for themselves. Rooftop dinners, tucked-away bistros,late reservations. But this… this felt like something entirely different. Something that could be just hers.
“You’rebeautiful,” Xander said, pulling her attention back to the now. “Soverybeautiful.”
And she was.
At his request, Rylee had dressed like the paparazzi knew her name. She’d practically had to blow the dust off her emerald satin dress. It had been a long time since she’d needed to dress up for a place that called for it. She paired it with a faux white pelted fur coat, and in her ears were her favorite nameplate bambooRyleeearrings, still a favorite after all these years.
“Mmm,” Xander moaned, his attention soft, eyes slightly hooded. “You look so good tonight, Rylee. Damn.”
She giggled. Might’ve blushed if she could. “Thank you. And you look better than these dinner options.”
He chuckled, licking his lips.
And he did. Gone were the hoodies, joggers, and tees. Xander cleaned up in a green dress shirt to match her dress—top two buttons undone—tailored slacks, and brushed leather Chelsea boots.
They both looked good. On the outside, and in spirit.
Their server arrived and took their orders, returning shortly with two glasses of white wine and a shared charcuterie plate of fig jam, prosciutto, brie, and crackers. For her appetizer, Rylee chose the shrimp cocktail. Xander went with the crab cakes.
As they reached across to sample from each other’s plates, Rylee couldn’t help but feel… good.
Which was necessary.
Because she knew in a few days, that would change.
Minutes into their appetizer, Xander leaned back into his plush seat, eyes on the skyline, his expression more peaceful than she’d seen in days.
She watched quietly, struck by how easily Xander could still make her heart flutter, without even trying.
“How are you feeling today?” she asked, gently dabbing her mouth with her napkin.
Xander inhaled a deep breath, his broad chest swelling beneath his green dress shirt.
“Better,” he said with a nod, eyes returning to hers. “Thanks to you.”
He reached for her hand. Rylee gave it to him without delay.
“You didn’t just sit with me that night,” he said, eyes steady on hers. “You brought me back. Because before I stopped by…hmph. I was feelingreallybad, Snoop.”
Rylee rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand. She’d never forget the look in his eyes when she opened the door and saw him standing there, broken, so unlike himself.
“You’ve done the same for me,” she said softly. “So many times. Without even trying. Probably without even realizing it.”
