World renowned writer, Molly Tulip, moves up to Northern Montana, hoping to escape the busy city life and a cheating ex. After years of stress and toxicity from her previous relationship, Molly needs to focus on healing herself through her writing...
So, when I said boat, that was a bit of an understatement. Clara and Carver's family must have some serious money because this "little" boat is more like a highballer luxury cruiser. It's a lake yacht with a beautiful interior, perfect for comfortably housing at least a dozen people while out on the water. The back of the boat has large lounging areas for people to sunbathe and drink cocktails on plush pearly white seats.
Carver has taken over duties as the captain of the boat and is driving us out into the middle of the lake, Clara has been manning the bar since we left the dock and has proven to be quite the maestro of cocktail hour, and like last night, Travis is being a huge goofball and making sure that everyone gets to know one another on extremely personal levels.
"So what's it like being a number one bestseller?" Angie asks in her nasally, high pitched voice. I was worried that I was going to be intimidated by her, since she's pretty, petite, and overall adorable looking, but the personality really hasn't made much of a good impression on me. All the questions she'd asked me relate to money and my social standing. Now that I know that the Hollis siblings have money, it makes sense why she's been all chumy with Carver. She's just a basic gold digging girl.
"I really don't think too much about it actually." I stare at Angie as I reply and she looks stunned. "I do it for the creative release that writing gives me and if other people enjoy the little worlds I create then that's just a bonus." I smile, but she rolls her eyes at me.
"But you must be making bank." Her snide remark not really fazing me. I've dealt with girls like her before. Hell, my ex fell for a girl like her. And now that I'm not paying his bills she's probably long gone.
"When you love your job the money comes second." I give her a grin. She lets out an annoyed huff and makes her way to the front of the boat where Carver is, leaving a trail of empty champagne glasses in her wake.
"So why is Carver talking with her again?" Brigette leans over the bar and asks Clara, probably louder than she should have.
"God only knows." Clara sighs and looks up at the sky with a scornful look. "Since my brother got back from his travels, he's been trying to find something to make him feel whole again." I shoot her a quizzical look. "Carver is a photographer. He was National Geographic's best photographer for ten years straight, but his last shoot went...bad. He's moved back home to take a break from his camera work and meet new people."
"If you ask me, Carver's just trying to get laid for the first time since Kaytlin broke up with him three years ago." Travis chimes in as he plops down in the seat next to Brigette. Clara hands him some sort of whiskey cocktail and he blows her an invisible kiss.
"Kaytlin?" I try to sound as chill as possible, but deep down I want to hear all the gritty details. It might just be because I'm a writer and use everything that everyone says and does in my stories, but there's a part of me that really is starting to care for Carver as possibly more than just a friend.
"She was like Carver's other half. She'd go on all his adventures and be his right hand woman, but people just fall out of love sometimes." Clara sounds disheartened and by the look on her face I know it's time to change the subject.
"So whose yacht is this?" I ask and Travis's face lights up with delight.
"Yeah, Clara, whose yacht is this?" He teases as Clara rolls her eyes in the most extravagant way possible.
"It's our parents boat." Carver chimes in from behind me. I jump a little bit in my seat at the sound of his voice. When I turn around, his handsome face smiling down at me. "Mom and Dad let us use it when they're away on business trips. Lucky for us that's most of time." He sits down in the only other chair available which happens to be next to me. He hasn't taken his eyes off me once even as Clara hands him a freshly opened bottle of beer. I lift my drink up to him and he taps his bottle against my glass. I can feel heat rushing into my cheeks as I sip the citrusy drink. How much of the conversation did he overhear before joining in? I hope he doesn't think I'm snooping around into his past.
"Molly, have you ever driven a boat before?" Carver asks and I'm pulled back into reality from the anxiety of my mind. I shake my head no and his eyebrows raise in surprise. "Well we have to fix that!" He stands up and grabs his beer in one hand and offers the other hand out towards me. I look from his open palm back up to his gorgeous face. Montana just keeps surprising me. I think as I take his hand and let him lead me to the front of the ship.
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