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“I’d love some fruit and chia pudding, and sourdough toast,” I say. “And coffee.”
“Perfect. And for you, Mr. Clark?”
“Avocado toast, scrambled eggs, coffee. Thank you.”
“I’ll bring the coffee and milk up straight away,” she says before heading back to the galley.
I breathe in the sea air and exhale. I can’t help but think this time last year, I was on the Collings family yacht with my parents, Caleb, and Isla.
On that yacht, I was trying to figure out how to get over him.
But one year later? I’m sitting on his yacht, planning my future with him.
“It’s so crazy,” I say. “Do you know one year ago I was trying to figure out how to end my crush on you? I was determined to be over you by the time I was in Zandvoort.”
Mason’s hand reaches across the table. I reach out to meet his, and he clasps it.
“I don’t even like to think about the possibility that I could have lost you,” Mason says firmly. His thumb moves over the back of my hand as he stares at me. “I’d rather think of our future.”
The butterflies appear in my stomach. I love when Mason talks about our future. I think it’s my favourite topic in the whole world.
“Oh? Tell me more.”
Kristin comes up the stairs again, carrying a tray with our coffee. We pause our conversation as she sets down two cups, a pitcher of milk for Mason and oat milk for me. Then she pours two cups of coffee, leaves the carafe on the table, and promises to bring us breakfast shortly.
Mason’s thumb keeps dragging over my hand. “I see us. Right here, on the Aero,” he says, his lips twitching into a playful smile.
I grin. I love that he names his boat after our mutual love of Aero bars.
“We’ll celebrate all our milestones here. Our engagement, for one.”
I know I’m beaming at him. We decided we wanted to date a couple of years before getting engaged. Just enjoy our lives as they are. But when the time is right, I know Mason will be slipping a ring onto my finger. He’s romantic, so I know whatever he plans, it will be beautiful and perfect for us—and suited to our story.
“And our wedding,” I say.
He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. “We’ll definitely celebrate some of our honeymoon on the Aero.”
“We’ll teach our babies to be water babies,” I say, slipping my hand from his so I can pour some oat milk into my coffee.
Mason’s espresso-coloured eyes dance with that idea. “Oh, they’ll definitely be water babies.”
I set down the pitcher of oat milk and swirl it into my coffee. “And there will be at least three water babies.”
“Three. Four. Five,” Mason says breezily as he dumps some milk into his cup.
“Um, I’m sorry, babe, but we did not agree to five.”
He grins mischievously. “I’m sure I can convince you that we need five.”
I laugh, and he does, too.
“But I still can’t believe that one year ago, I was on a yacht hoping I could stop crushing on you,” I say, tracing my finger around the rim of the coffee cup.
“And now you’re talking about having my babies.”
Kristin comes back with our breakfast, and we tuck in, starving. As the sea breeze blows across me and the summer sun warms my skin, I take a moment to reflect on how far I’ve come in a year.
It’s crazy how life has changed. Not just personally, but professionally.
