{Wattys Shortlist 2022}
A one night stand is turned inside out when two strangers discover their shared past.
After a skydiving excursion that ends in a whirlwind one night stand, Camilla writes off ever seeing her handsome instructor again. That...
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I toyed with a strand of my hair as I walked back into the Yacht Club, thinking about South's whimsical invitation. He wanted to sweep me away for a weekend in New Hampshire.
And, of course, he wanted me to climb a mountain with him.
I let out a little laugh as I pushed open the heavy wooden door to the Yacht Club, my lips still buzzing from his kisses.
Everything about South seemed surreal—from the way he came into my life, to our first night together, then how I'd seen him at the wedding and realized our families were tied together.
And now, he'd shown me a piece of him that no one else saw, his vulnerable side, and it made me want him even more.
Being with South was like one big adventure in breaking out of my comfort zone and doing the things that scared me. He made me believe I could be the person Lydie always wanted me to be—bold and daring.
And as much as I wanted to hide in the mountains or sail away with South, I knew no matter how far we ran; we'd never escape his dad.
Sandra gave me a wink and a knowing grin as I walked by the reception desk, and I humored her by winking back. "I want details," she told me behind a cupped hand. "I saw you two out there. You make such a beautiful couple."
I walked back into my office, buoyed by South's invitation and Sandra's support, to find the strangest thing: Connor was still sitting in my office chair, and my boss was perched on the edge of my desk beside him. And they were laughing.
Lianna and I still hadn't talked after our bathroom blowout, and I wasn't sure if we were cool.
"Hey," I said, peeking inside. "Did I miss the party invite?"
Connor's face was beet red when he reluctantly tore his bright blue eyes away from Lianna. "I just met your boss. Turns out her dad owns the apartment building I'm staying in. Crazy, huh?"
Not exactly crazy. Lianna's family were real estate tycoons back in the day. Her job at the Newport Yacht Club was the pinnacle of nepotism, as her family owned the building. I tried to look genuinely surprised by this fact but wasn't sure I was successful. "Really... crazy."
Lianna was all smiles when she pushed off my desk. "Well, I should get back to work. It was nice to meet you, Connor." She turned to me, her smile fading slightly. "I sent you a few emails that need to be handled by end of business today. Okay?"
"No problem," I chirped back.
Fake. Fake. Fake.
"Bye, Connor," Lianna said in a flirty voice over her shoulder. "Don't forget about the oyster bake on Saturday. I expect to see you there."
"Wouldn't miss it. Sounds wicked fun."
As Connor and I both watched Lianna sashay out of my office, I couldn't decide if she was trying to get back at me by flirting with Connor or if she was genuinely interested in him.
