Page 17 of Tell No Lies

I laughed but shook my head. “I would love that, but I can’t handle another boy right now.”

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself.” She smirked and turned to Cassie. “You’re the lucky girl!”

“Me? I didn’t know Caleb even knew my name!”

“Of course he does. He told me he’s had a crush on you since freshman year but never got the chance to get to know you. He was hoping I could set you guys up, in exchange for prime room choice.”

“Well, I’m glad I’m worth a nice room.” She laughed as a blush grew on her face.

Alexis caught it too. “So, does Richie Rich have a chance with you?”

When we all looked at her, the blush deepened. “He is really cute. Who wouldn’t be interested? He’s got the tall-dark-and-handsome thing going for him. Plus, he’s always been a really nice guy.”

Mckayla giggled. “Yay! Matchmaking this weekend, girls!”

Cassie fell back on the bed with a sigh.

We had a few seconds of peace before a stampede of boys descended into the lower deck.

Caleb stuck his head in our room and smiled. “I see you guys made yourselves at home. I’m taking the VIP suite with a few of the guys, so I’m just toward the front of the boat if you need anything.” He winked in Cassie’s direction before leaving.

Her cheeks immediately went from rosy to a deep shade of red.

“You love him!” Talia pointed at her and giggled.

She covered her face with her hands. “Only from afar! I honestly never thought he noticed me.”

“Oh, he’s noticed you! Let’s change then go back up and meet everyone.”

Talia surprised us by having packed a little extra. No wonder she couldn’t zip her bag.

“Alright, ladies. A rare opportunity such as this should be taken advantage of.” She unfolded five different dresses as she talked. “We need to dress up a little for this. Plus, we have a mission of love!”

She held up a silky one-shoulder cream-colored dress and tossed it to Cassie. “You’re going to be a heartbreaker in this.” She looked at me and paused for a moment with a look of concentration. “Whether or not you want to admit it, Mike is falling for you. Use this weekend however you’d like.”

She picked up a blush slip-dress with a lace overlay. It was stunning. I held it up as Talia handed Mckayla a yellow maxi-dress with a sheer skirt and Alexis a black crocheted number that would hug her curves. Talia kept an aqua baby-doll dress that looked like it would just skim her knees. She was a fashion genius. Each dress reflected our unique styles and personalities and flattered our shapes.

We changed quickly and made our way upstairs. The boat was still attached to the dock, but I watched the crew move with precision to get us ready to leave. We gathered with everyone else at the bow, where there was a large open area with seating and more beds.

Caleb was at the very front, standing slightly taller than the crowd. “Thank you all for joining the grand adventure. It was short notice this year, but it’s going to be a good one. We have all the food and drinks you could want, and those who were invited to sleep aboard have seen your rooms.”

A few people cheered while some groaned.

Caleb laughed and shook his head. “Be grateful you’re on this boat. Tony’s is half as big and half as fun. We’re leaving in a few minutes, so let’s start this party.”

As if on cue, music started to play through well-camouflaged speakers. The crowd dispersed. A few of the guys claimed the couches, and a football game was turned on immediately. We were on a multi-million-dollar yacht, and they went for the TV. Dumb boys.

Mark and Justin appeared, offering us all drinks. I slipped away to the back of the deck and watched as we pulled away from the dock and set out for the open ocean.

I gasped when I felt arms slip around my waist. Before I could turn, I heard Mike whisper in my ear. “You look amazing.”

I smiled and rested comfortably against his chest. “Thank you.”

We stood like that for several minutes as the coast became smaller. I always felt comfortable with Mike, and I trusted him. It was during moments like this that I wondered if maybe I could feel more. He would treat me better than any of my past boyfriends had. He already did. I pushed it out of my mind and tried to just enjoy the moment.

Seven

The majority of the group congregated at the front of the boat as we approached the island with the sun nearly setting behind it. The captain announced over the speakers that we would soon be stopping and anchoring just outside the harbor. I guessed the boat was too large to go any closer.