Billy smiles his typical shit-stirring smile. “You two could fuck each other. Two birds. One stone. Problem solved. Also, will totally help sell the relationship.”
I’ve known Billy James since we were twelve. His family moved into the house next door to mine. But that isn't how we met because the house next door to mine was two and a half kilometers away. I grew up on a compound in Byron Bay. A sprawling main house with two guest houses, a pool twice the size of an Olympic one, and breathtaking views of the sea. Billy's place was equally impressive. But due to the size of both properties, he lived there almost three months before we came face-to-face. We met at the posh private school everyone in that neighborhood went to. Outside the Dean's office. I was there to get my schedule. He was there because he’d already been in a fight. Billy has been a troublemaker since day one and I love that for him. It works. But not for me. I glare at Billy and he bursts out laughing.
“Don’t get your knickers in a knot, mate,” he says and slaps my shoulder. “I know you don’t mix business and pleasure.”
“I did. Eric. And look how that turned out.”
“There was nothing pleasurable about that tosser,” Billy retorts and makes a face at the mention of my ex who he never liked. “Good riddance to bad rubbish.”
I keep my eyes on Gabriel who is doing nothing of note, thankfully. His friend is whispering something in his ear and rubbing his back in tiny circles with his tiny hand. Yeah, I’m petty. Sue me.
“So does he know it’s you?”
“I don’t think he knows about the plan at all,” I reply. “We have a meeting tomorrow. It was one stupid kiss and he probably doesn’t even remember.”
I finally broke down and told Billy about that fateful kiss when I told him I accepted the job at Mayflower. He is way more amused by the revelation than I would like. It’s his fault it even happened. He was the one who dragged me to that party and then disappeared.
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” Billy chuckles again. Sometimes my best friend is a pain in my ass.
“Did you know he was going to be here?”
“No. Honest to God.” Billy lifts his hands up. “Total coincidence. I just brought you here for a random hook-up to take the edge off your mood, which has been morose as hell since… well the whole company thing.”
Billy turns and drops his empty whiskey glass on the bar top and clasps my shoulder. "Now I'm going to take a piss and when I return I expect a fresh drink and a list of potential one-night stands you're interested in."
“Sex isn’t the answer,” I tell him.
“Sex is always the answer.” Billy winks and disappears into the crowd.
I sigh and my eyes move through the crowd to find Gabriel Allard again. He’s standing now, in front of his table, while a woman belts out off-key Carrie Underwood on the stage. The guy who is clearly obsessed with him is also standing, his hands on Gabriel’s biceps as Gabriel talks to him.
His clingy friend’s pupils are so big I can see them from here. Higher than a kite. God, I hope Gabriel isn’t high too. I’m not against recreational drug use but it will look bad if someone sees him high. Not something that will help with his image while this groping thing plays out.
Suddenly, Gabriel looks up. And right at me. It’s startling. Like he knew I was looking at him. Like I’d somehow called to him. Our eyes lock. I immediately turn around to face the bar. Panic coasts through my veins and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m worried hewillrecognize me or I’m worried that he won’t. It was just one kiss. Five entire years ago.
Maybe he was too drunk to remember? Maybe I'm naive and remember it as more than it was. I mean… it wasjusta kiss. So why do I remember it like it was just yesterday?
3AXEL
New Year’sEve - Five years ago
I don’t even know what I was thinking. I wasn’t, clearly. I should have told him no, but Billy has always made that impossible. No isn’t in his vocabulary. I shake my head as I navigate my way around the crowded interior of the yacht. There has got to be some code that’s being broken with the amount of people on this thing. Yeah, it’s enormous but seriously, I don’t know how it’s not sinking. There’s got to be about five hundred people on this thing.
Five hundred minus one. I’m getting off. Just as soon as I find a way through the masses. As I weave and narrowly avoid getting a flute of champagne dumped on me by a drunk woman, I debate texting Billy again. He’s the reason I’m here after all. He paid for my airline ticket and the five-star hotel room that I’m staying in.
He's the one who was invited to this fancy New Year's Eve party on this boat that costs more than I will make in a lifetime. At least it feels that way right now. My company is making progress but it's slow. And I'm scraping by. Billy's life is fancy yachts and five-star hotels because he's connected. It's part of his job to be, I guess. This boat has got to be owned by someone affiliated with racing, I assume, because it's Monaco and Billy is a Formula One driver. But honestly, I'm not sure. Everyone in Monaco is rich, it's like a birthright and you get a million euros with your birth certificate or something.
I slip past a waiter in a tux carrying an empty silver tray in one hand and an open bottle of gin in the other. The sight has me stopping for a heartbeat. Because the waiter is drop-dead fucking gorgeous and also, he's swigging the gin straight out of the bottle. Zero fucks given.
His eyes, which are a cobalt color, lock onto mine. The bottle is frozen to his lips. And those lips part in a mischievous smile as he swallows and then lifts the bottle in my direction. “Drink sir?”
I shake my head. If the staff is boozing it up, this party is officially out of control. The waiter is about two and a half feet from me. Two drunk girls wearing all the sequins stumble between us, giggling as they pass. The waiter holds up his empty silver tray to me after they're gone. "I would offer you an hors d'oeuvres but I’m fresh out.”
"I see that." I nod. Man, he's way too hot to be a waiter, and I mentally smack myself for that thought. How fucking gross am I that I think hot people shouldn't be servers? Like their looks just make them eligible for more in life. My ex was right, I'm not a good person. That's what he told me when he said he needed to end things.
My phone buzzes in my pocket so I whip it out. Finally! Billy responded to my text telling him I was leaving.
You are NOT. Stay. I will not let you wallow over that gaslighting arsehole. Stay. Get Fucked. Literally. I am.
