Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“No, thanks. I’ve got it.”
I took a seat at the table, which was just outside the kitchenette, and watched him as he moved around. His phone was on the counter, and it was playing a Shawn Mendes song called “If I Can’t Have You,” which I quite liked. Daniel’s back was to me, and he started singing under his breath and swaying his hips to the music.
Then, on the chorus, he suddenly spun around. Using a wooden spoon as a pretend microphone, he started belting out the lyrics as he strode toward me and straddled my thighs. He kept singing while he gave me a lap dance, and I started laughing, just because it was so joyous and unexpected.
When the song ended, he climbed off my lap and curtseyed while I applauded. Then he handed me the spoon and said, “You’re up, Sterling. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
After thinking about it for a moment, I set aside the spoon and sang one of my favorite songs—Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” Afterwards, Daniel looked emotional. “I love it so much when you sing,” he said. “You know what it reminds me of? A mermaid who’s lived her whole life on land, then finally gets turned loose in the ocean, where she leaps and swims and splashes. She’s doing exactly what she was always meant to do, while us mere mortals bask in her glory.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “That’s quite the analogy.”
“Well, your voice is that amazing.”
After he served up two bowls of stew and thick slices of pillowy focaccia bread, he joined me at the table. I thanked him and ended up devouring my portion. It was hearty and savory, flavored with carrots, onions, and Moroccan spices. I used the bread to mop up every last drop before telling him, “That was absolutely delicious. How on earth did you pull it together with what you found in the cabin?”
Daniel tried to shrug it off. “There’s a spice rack and a cupboard full of dry goods, like flour, beans, and lentils. Between that and the fresh ingredients you ordered, it was easy enough to throw something together.”
“Well, thank you. It’s been a long time since I had a home-cooked meal, and this one was exceptional.”
“I guess that’s the trade-off when you live in a hotel.”
“One of many.”
He glanced at me and asked, “Are you going back to the same hotel after the wedding?”
“I don’t really know. I wasn’t even sure if I’d go back to San Francisco when I originally made these plans. That’s why I booked a boat big enough to live aboard. I thought maybe I’d spend a few weeks puttering around British Columbia after this, but obviously I didn’t think it through.” I gestured at the rain hitting the windows. “October might not be an ideal month for that.”
“No wonder! I knew that was too much boat for the job of getting us here. And we shouldn’t let it go to waste. Let’s take it out in the next few days. Maybe we could pack a picnic lunch and do some exploring.”
“I thought you weren’t a fan.”
Daniel looked embarrassed. “I was scared at first. I’d never been on a boat like that, and I couldn’t imagine trying to pilot it. But what I failed to take into account is that you’re amazing and good at everything, so of course there was nothing to worry about.”
“You shouldn’t put me on a pedestal like that, especially when it’s so far from the truth. The only thing I’m good at is writing songs. In every other aspect of my life, I’m a disaster.”
“No, you’re not.” When I didn’t say anything, he said, “Give me one example of something you don’t do well.”
“I could give you a million, but here’s the biggest one—I suck at relationships of all kinds. The only person I’m really close to is Ginny, because thankfully she’s incredibly tenacious and refuses to let me turn into a complete hermit. My sister cares about me too, but we go weeks without talking because she’s so busy. And that’s it. If it wasn’t for them, I could disappear tomorrow and no one would notice—not until they wanted something from me, anyway. My agent would come sniffing around after a while because he wanted a commission, or my son because he wanted money, or one of my so-called friends like Whit who wanted to use me for my fame—”
“I’d notice,” Daniel whispered, “and I’d miss you so much.”
Before I could reply, he launched himself at me and straddled my lap. As he grabbed me in a hug, he whispered, “I’d fucking notice, Malcolm. So would a lot of other people. If you disappeared, it would feel like the whole planet had moved farther from the sun, and suddenly everything was darker and colder and dulled down. Don’t you ever tell yourself you don’t matter, because you really fucking do.”