Jason had barely finished signing the receipt when the marina staff rolled out his new prize — a gleaming Hanse 458, price tag: three million dollars.
"Well? Don't just stand there gawking — get on board!" Jason called out from the deck, waving toward Holly Larson and the rest of the group.
They exchanged bewildered glances, still not quite believing this was happening, before stepping onto the polished teak deck as if in a dream.
The Hanse 458 was pure luxury — something out of a glossy lifestyle magazine. Plush seating, stainless steel fittings, a cabin that looked like a boutique hotel room… the kind of yacht most people only saw in films.
Holly's eyes lit up instantly. She'd always been into sports — rock climbing, kayaking, off-roading. Yachts, sailboats, anything that could take her across open water had always been high on her bucket list.
And now here it was.Not just any sailboat — a monohull capable of crossing oceans.
"Hey, Holly, you know how to handle one of these, right?" Jason asked, scratching the back of his neck.
The Hanse 458 was no simple pleasure craft. It was a single-hull sailing boat — less stable than a catamaran, but faster, more thrilling. The kind of thing seasoned sailors craved. Jason, however, had only read the basics online.
Holly turned, giving him a look somewhere between disbelief and amusement."You dropped two million dollars on this and you don't even know how to sail it?"
Jason grinned. "I don't — but you do. Besides, I can learn. That's half the fun, right?"
She hesitated. "I've handled smaller monohulls before… but never one this size. And technically, you need a sailing license."
Jason shrugged. "It's the same principle. We'll just take it easy. The wind's light today, and we're not going into international waters. Nobody's gonna care."
The temptation was too much for Holly to resist. Soon, she was at the helm, firing up the auxiliary engine to take them into open water. Once clear of the marina, she trimmed the sails, caught the wind, and cut the engine.
The boat responded beautifully. With the mainsail and jib full, the Hanse 458 surged forward, powered purely by wind.
From the stern, cheers erupted — Tyler, Nate, Zoey, and Chris couldn't contain their excitement.
Jason leaned against the guardrail, watching Holly with a half-smile. "Told you you'd be amazing at this."
She shot him a side-eye. "You're just saying that because I'm doing all the work."
Even so, the tension in her shoulders was easing. This wasn't just a trip — this was a dream, a bucket-list moment in real life. She kept her hands on the wheel, heart pounding with the thrill of the wind and waves.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Jason — relaxed, hair tousled by the breeze, not once trying to take the helm from her. Just… letting her have this moment.
Holly Larson — Favorability +5.
She didn't push too far out on this maiden run. After a stretch of downwind sailing, she began turning the boat back toward shore — and that's when the challenge hit.
Sailing against the wind wasn't as simple as pointing the bow home. You had to tack — zigzagging at about a forty-degree angle to the wind. It was trickier, especially in a vessel this size.
Her grip on the wheel tightened. "Alright… let's see if I still remember how to do this…"
The sudden nervousness started making Holly fumble her movements. A gust of strong wind hit the sail, and she panicked even more.
She loved outdoor sports. Her hands-on skills were far better than most girls—and even a lot of guys couldn't compare.
But no matter how skilled, most people still get rattled their first time out.
In truth, this was the kind of moment when there should've been an experienced skipper by her side.
When the boat leaned sharply, Tyler, Nate, Zoey, and Chris all froze in alarm, blurting out random instructions that only made things more chaotic.
Jason leaned casually against the railing and said in a calm, almost lazy tone,"Relax. A monohull sailboat can actually lean pretty far without it being dangerous. Even if it tips over, we're close enough to shore that people will see it and send help. Worst case, we can just swim in. You girls could totally make it."
Everyone stared at him, speechless.
Is that really what you think we're worried about?
Sure, safety mattered—but the real problem was that this sailboat was a $2,700,000. luxury model, fresh off the lot. If it flipped, the damage bill would be enough to make anyone's wallet cry.
"This isn't our boat," Chris said, shaking his head. "If it tips, we'll feel bad. But this is your boat, Jason. You're really not nervous at all?"
Jason wasn't nervous in the slightest. His mindset over the past two days had gone through a complete shift.
He'd realized something important—calm men were attractive.
And when you were confident, you had nothing to prove. Besides, he knew from experience that once someone's favorability toward you rose high enough, opportunities came knocking. Even if he lost $2,700,000 worth of equipment, it was nothing compared to what could be gained later.
Holly heard the steadiness in Jason's voice and felt herself relax. Taking a deep breath, she steadied her hands, made a few clean adjustments, and brought the boat back under control.
The others exhaled in relief.
"You should take a break," Jason said, noticing Holly still had a trace of tension in her shoulders. "I'll take it from here."
"You? Do you even know how?" she asked.
"I've been watching you. I've pretty much got it." Jason grinned, stepping up to the helm.
To Holly's surprise, he actually handled it well. Truth was, in mild conditions like these—no heavy wind, no big waves—the basics weren't hard.
Jason had driven motorcycles and cars for years, so his coordination and reflexes were already solid. On top of that, since completing his latest task, he felt sharper, more coordinated, more in tune with his movements.
And most importantly—he stayed perfectly calm.
"You know what? I'm impressed," Holly said with a teasing smile, throwing his earlier words back at him. "Guess you do pick things up fast."
She really meant it. Was it a guy thing?
She was already better than most women she knew at sports, but even she couldn't match that quick adaptability. And emotionally—most men would've lost it back there, maybe even yelled at her. But Jason? He'd been as steady as a mountain, even taking the time to reassure her.
Holly Larson: Favorability +10
The other girls on deck whispered among themselves.
"Wow… Jason's really stable under pressure."
"Seriously. His mood doesn't budge. That's attractive."
"Pfft, as if. Holly might have a shot.
Us? We're just side characters."
"Honestly, emotional stability is huge. My boyfriend Luke's pretty steady, but compared to Jason just now? Not even close. That was on another level."