Below Deck || C. Leclerc

xv

Happy holidays! 🎄🎅

⚓️

The sun started to set over Cannes, slowly seeping into the sea with its orange and pink pastels. Liliana was busy packing the boxes again, with some help from Carlos this time. She appreciated that Carlos didn't say anything about her moments with Charles. In her head, she was figuring out what it all mean to her, but did her heart respond to it? Absolutely.

"I think that's everything," Carlos spoke up, waking her from her thoughts.

"Yes, thank you," she said. Liliana pulled her phone from her bag, dialling Collin's number. "Hey, Collin, it's Lili," she said. "The guests are ready to be picked up from the beach resort," she continued. Their conversation ended soon after, and Collin said he was on his way immediately.

"Remember that night when I just bought my yacht?" Charles asked Liliana, moving to stand next to her when she put the boxes in the sand, ready for when Collin would arrive with the tender. "When we watched the sunset and slept under the stars?" Charles continued.

Liliana moved her eyes from the sunset to his, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips. "I remember," she replied.

"I'm pretty sure this was the exact same view as we had back then," Charles said.

"It's beautiful," Liliana softly said.

The sound of the tender approaching intensified. Collin stopped the tender just before the beach and waited inside as the guests got in. Liliana handed him the boxes, and waited till everyone got in. Charles reached out his hand for her to get in, but he ended up grabbing her waist to lift her up and into the tender. Collin side-eyed it, clenching his jaw, but he didn't say anything about it. Liliana thanked him before she sat down, and Collin put them on their way back to the yacht. The vessel was lit up as the sea began to get dark. It was obvious that the guests were going to freshen up and then get ready for dinner. Luckily, Marion had taken care of that, so Julien was ready to make dinner at any time from now.

The tender reached the yacht again, making Collin hop out first to help the guests. Liliana was the one to get out last, and he offered her his hand, like Charles had done, but she politely declined by getting out herself. Charles had noticed that the two seemed to be good friends, but that Collin might felt a bit more for Liliana than the other way around. It had made him jealous previously, which the bosun obviously enjoyed.

"Lili?" Charles remained on the deck as the others went inside already.

Collin was about to speak up, but he shook his head and went to get the rope and connect the tender to the yacht again.

"I wanted to thank you for this great day. I really enjoyed it and I can see why you get so much praise for your organisational skills," Charles sweetly said.

"Thank you, Charles. That is nice of you to say," Liliana smiled, liking compliments on her work. It was also Charles' kindness, he had always been keen on complimenting her, being honest about himself and others.

"See you at dinner," he said, then also went to his cabin.

"He's a smooth talker, isn't he?" Collin spoke up as Liliana collected the boxes of trash and dishes to take to the pantry.

"I think he was just being nice," Liliana replied.

"He was clearly desperate to flirt with you, Lili," Collin scoffed.

"Are you jealous?" She fired back, a bit done with the way he responded. For Collin, it should have looked as if the primary guest was just being very nice to her.