Page 48 of Take Me Back
“I do have a passport proclaiming me a proper Brit, so that’s fair.”
“And what do you do?” Kat asks.
“Curious little Kat, aren’t you?” he says, and I don’t like the way his words come out.
Kat backtracks. “I’m sorry if I’m being nosy. You don’t have to tell me anything. Just making conversation.”
“Not at all. Anya spends most of her working time modeling and assisting a few designers here and there. I do a little of everything. My business interests are wide and varied. What about you two?”
His answer is vague, and sparks my interest enough that if I had my laptop, I’d run a background check to figure out what the fuck he’s into.
“I’m a business consultant,” Kat says. “I focus largely on strategy, creating plans, assembling implementation teams, and streamlining processes.”
One of Vander’s eyebrows goes up. “Quite impressive. What consulting firm do you work for?”
“My own. I worked for one of the big ones after I got my MBA, but went out on my own two and a half years ago.”
“Indeed, very impressive.” Vander’s attention shifts to me, and it’s my turn to give the bullshit answer about what I do.
“Import broker. Boring stuff.”
Vander’s gaze narrows. “I know about working in boring stuff.”
He’s full of shit just like I am, but as long as it doesn’t impact Kat and me, I don’t give a fuck what he does.
“They’re bringing us snacks,” Anya announces, striding alongside the edge of the boat. She throws her hands emphatically into the air just as she trips over the hatch and tumbles over the railing.
Chapter 20
Kat
Anya screams, her drink splashing everywhere as she tries to recover her balance but falls overboard.
My heart lodges into my throat as I jump up.
Holy shitwas followed by the uncharitable thought,at least it wasn’t me.
I can’t help but wonder if this is what all those other people on our Coco Loco booze cruise felt when they saw me go overboard.
“Fuck!” Vander stands and crosses to the side. But instead of diving in after her, he yells, “Fedor! Get her!”
Fedor is in the middle of doing something with a sail, but Dane is quicker. He rushes to the side and in one swift movement, dives into the water toward where Anya is splashing around.
With an eye on the boom so I don’t get whacked in the head and join them in the water, I move to the back of the boat as well.
Fedor tosses me a life ring. “Throw this out there while I pull down the sail so we can turn on the motor.” He reaches for the ropes, leaving me with the orange floatation device.
Vander rips it from my hand before I can toss it, whipping it out like a Frisbee toward Dane and Anya. He’s short about fifty feet.
“Fuck. Of course she’d get blitzed and fall overboard. Just like Anya.”
I shoot him a look. “Hey, it can happen to anyone. I’ve done it.”
Dane’s strokes cut through the water effortlessly, and he’s within twenty feet of her in moments.
“Do you see any sharks?” I’m scanning the surface, trying to see any fins between the small whitecaps that have cropped up since we started sailing.
“No. You?”
