Lesley pulled up in front of the family home and gave the horn a quick tap.
The sound bounced off the quiet street, sharp enough to announce her arrival without making her feel obligated to get out of the car. She glanced toward the house. The curtains were still, the front door shut. Her father was probably buried in his meeting with a potential investor by now, while her mother was somewhere across town with her sister Celia, most likely stretched out beneath the skilled hands of a massage therapist.
Lesley checked the time on the dashboard.
"Come on, Leanne."
She waited.
A minute later, the front door opened.
Leanne stepped outside, phone already in hand, and spotted the car waiting at the curb. Leanne lifted a hand in greeting, then Lesley lowered the passenger-side window.
"Faster!" she called. "What are you, a turtle?"
"Okay, okay. Wait."
Leanne hurried down the steps, shaking her head as she crossed the short path to the car. She opened the passenger door and dropped into the seat, pulling it shut with a solid thump.
Lesley didn't wait for a second invitation. She shifted into drive and eased away from the curb.
"Seat belt," she reminded her sister.
"I know."
Leanne clicked it into place, then immediately returned her attention to her phone. Her thumb moved across the screen as she searched for Harbor Haven Yacht Dock, the map zooming in and out while she tried to find the right route.
Lesley glanced at the screen at a red light.
"So Dad is seriously buying a yacht?"
"Well, yeah." Leanne didn't look up. "He already asked us to check it out."
Lesley turned her attention back to the road as the light changed.
The afternoon sun hung high above the city, pouring through the windshield in broad, warm flashes. She adjusted her grip on the steering wheel and squinted briefly against the glare.
"A yacht?" she said again. "What would he even do with one? Remember when we went on that cruise? He was seasick before we'd even left the harbor."
Leanne snorted.
"I remember."
"He spent half the trip looking like he was negotiating with God."
"He'll survive."
"That's what you're going with?"
Leanne finally looked up from her phone, one eyebrow raised. "I don't know. Maybe he'll host parties. Bring clients out there. You know how massive Ashford Group is. Maybe Dad decided he needs to step up his game a little."
Lesley gave her a sideways glance.
"Because nothing says business success like owning a floating mansion."
"Exactly." Leanne grinned. "We're talking billionaire investors here."
Lesley shook her head, though the corner of her mouth betrayed her.
Leanne returned to the map.
"And think about it. You could use it for Prime Guard events too."
Lesley already knew where this was going.
"Leanne."
"Or on your honeymoon."
Lesley rolled her eyes so hard her temples nearly hurt.
"You're impossible."
Leanne laughed, settling deeper into the passenger seat.
For a few seconds, the car filled with nothing but the low hum of the engine and the faint tapping of Leanne's fingers against her phone. Lesley kept her eyes on the road, following the stream of afternoon traffic as the buildings slipped past them.
Harbor Haven was still a long drive away.
And somewhere at the end of it waited the yacht their father was apparently considering adding to the family's already extravagant list of things they didn't need.
Lesley tightened her hands around the steering wheel.
She had a feeling this was going to be interesting.
--
Meanwhile, Denisse was already dressed and waiting by the time Gigi was supposed to arrive.
She had checked the time twice, then a third time just to make sure her phone wasn't somehow lying to her. Gigi had promised they would pick her up at two. It was already past that.
Today was Steff's birthday, and Gigi had insisted that Denisse come along to celebrate. They could have simply told her to meet them there, but Gigi had refused to let her make the trip from the vineyard alone.
So Denisse had agreed.
She stood near the front of the house, phone in hand, thumb hovering over Gigi's name. She was just about to call when headlights appeared at the end of the driveway.
"There you are," she muttered.
The car rolled toward the house and came to a stop in front of her. Before Denisse could even wave, the passenger-side window slid down.
"Come on!" Gigi called from inside. "Let's hit the road!"
Denisse slipped her phone into her bag and walked around to the rear passenger door. She opened it and climbed inside, settling against the seat with a pointed look toward the front.
"I thought you two lost your way here." She shut the door. "I've been waiting for almost twenty minutes. You said you'd pick me up at two. It's already two-twenty, my dear."
Gigi turned around with an apologetic grin.
"There was an accident on the road. That's why we're late, right, babe?"
Steff glanced at Denisse through the rearview mirror before returning her attention to the road. The car eased away from the vineyard, tires crunching briefly over the gravel.
"Hi, Denisse. And yup." Steff laughed. "Gigi was literally shouting at me the entire way because she wanted to make it on time."
"I was not shouting."
"You were."
"I was encouraging."
Denisse laughed under her breath.
"Fine." She waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, and happy birthday, Steff."
"Thank you!"
Steff's smile was easy and bright, the kind that stayed in her voice even after she turned her attention back to the road.
Gigi settled into her seat and stretched her arms comfortably.
"I'm so excited for this party," she said. "I want the most expensive wine, babe."
"We'll have plenty of those once we get there."
Steff reached across the center console, found Gigi's hand, and gently lifted it. She pressed a soft kiss against her knuckles before letting their fingers remain intertwined.
Denisse watched them from the back seat.
For a moment, something warm settled beneath her ribs.
Then the warmth became something else.
She remembered Lesley.
The memory arrived so easily that Denisse almost hated herself for it. Lesley used to take her hand the same way, turning it over in hers before brushing a kiss across her knuckles. Sometimes she'd look at Denisse afterward with that familiar softness in her eyes and tell her she was breathtaking.
Denisse swallowed.
She shifted against the seat and turned toward the window.
Outside, the vineyard stretched away in neat rows, the vines passing one after another as the car gathered speed. Sunlight flashed between the leaves, breaking across the glass in restless patterns.
She kept her eyes on the road ahead.
Gigi and Steff continued talking in the front, their voices blending with the quiet hum of the engine, but Denisse let the words fade into the background.
There was still a long road ahead.
She focused on that instead.
The drive had taken nearly an hour and a half, long enough for Denisse to stop wondering where they were going and start regretting agreeing to come so early.
The moment Steff's car rolled to a stop, though, every complaint died on Denisse's lips.
She pushed the door open and stepped onto the dock. Cool air swept across her face, carrying the sharp scent of salt and the faint slap of water against the pilings.
Then she looked up.
Her mouth fell open.
The yacht sat in the water like it belonged to another world. It was enormous, sleek and gleaming beneath the afternoon sun, its polished exterior catching flashes of white and silver. There wasn't another yacht anywhere nearby, leaving the whole dock strangely quiet and empty.
Denisse slowly turned toward Steff.
"Are you going to celebrate your party on that massive yacht?"
Steff laughed, clearly pleased by her reaction. She slipped an arm around Gigi's waist and leaned against her.
"Yeah. My father insisted on that one. He's the one who paid for it as a birthday gift for me." She gave a careless little shrug. "Who am I to decline such a gift, right, baby?"
Gigi nodded solemnly. "Exactly."
Denisse stared at the yacht again.
"Your father is insane."
"Generous," Steff corrected.
"Insanely generous."
That earned a laugh from both women.
Denisse glanced down the empty dock. There were no guests, no music, no servers carrying trays, nothing to suggest that a birthday party was supposed to happen here in a few hours.
"But why are there no people around?"
"Because it's not time yet," Gigi said. "The party starts at six."
Denisse whipped around. "Then why did you drag me here so early?"
Gigi gave her a look that suggested the answer should have been obvious.
"Duh. We need to arrive before everyone else for the preparation. I only picked you up because I knew you'd skip the party otherwise."
Denisse put a hand against her chest. "Me? When did I ever skip either of your birthdays?"
Gigi's lips curved.
"Maybe this will be the first. Who knows? I needed to make sure."
"Hmm."
Denisse narrowed her eyes at her.
"Fine. Fine."
Steff's phone buzzed. She glanced at it, then looked toward the yacht.
"I got the go-ahead. Come on. Let's check this bad boy out." She started toward the gangway. "I bet it has its own swimming pool inside."
"Now you're speaking my language," Gigi said.
Denisse followed them aboard.
The instant her shoes touched the yacht's polished floor, she slowed.
"Oh, God."
Gigi stopped beside her.
"It really looks expensive."
Denisse ran her gaze over the interior. Everything seemed designed to make ordinary furniture feel inadequate. Soft cream-colored sofas curved along the spacious lounge, their surfaces immaculate. Warm recessed lights glowed from the ceiling, reflecting off glass and polished wood. Even the smallest details looked like they had cost more than anything Denisse had ever willingly spent on herself.
"Yeah," she murmured. "It looks like billionaires are the only people who can buy something like this."
Steff grinned.
"Which is why I'm very grateful my father rented it."
Denisse turned to her.
"Don't ruin the fantasy."
Steff laughed.
Her phone buzzed again.
"Guys, I need to talk to the manager about the party details."
"I'll come with you, babe." Gigi immediately stood. "I want to choose the booze for later."
She hooked her arm through Steff's and started tugging her toward the door.
Denisse watched them for a second before realizing they were actually leaving her behind.
"Wait. You're leaving me here alone?"
Gigi glanced back over her shoulder.
"You're grown up. Help yourself and wait for us, okay?"
She flashed Denisse a grin before turning back around.
"Fine. Just hurry."
Gigi lifted a hand in acknowledgment, and seconds later the two disappeared through the doorway.
Silence settled over the lounge.
Denisse stared after them.
"Great."
She dropped onto one of the sofas and sank deeper than she expected. The cushions practically swallowed her.
For a few seconds, she stayed there.
Then she looked around.
The yacht was too beautiful to sit still inside.
Curiosity won.
Denisse pushed herself up and wandered through the lounge, trailing her fingers lightly over the smooth edge of a table as she passed. She glanced through wide windows, catching glimpses of the harbor beyond them.
Eventually, she made her way toward the back.
The sound of water grew clearer with every step.
She pushed open the door and stepped outside.
A breeze immediately caught her hair, tossing strands across her face. Denisse brushed them aside and moved toward the railing.
Below, dark blue water shifted against the yacht's hull, sunlight breaking across its surface in scattered flashes.
--
After arriving at the Harbor Haven dock, Lesley now stood with the naval architect and the yacht manager, listening intently as they walked her through the vessel.
Leanne stayed beside her, letting Lesley handle most of the questions.
"So, how large is she exactly?" Lesley asked, glancing toward the open expanse of the deck. "And how many guests can she comfortably accommodate?"
The naval architect answered with a series of figures, explaining the yacht's length, beam, and maximum capacity.
"And the engines?" Lesley asked. "How much power does she have?"
The manager smiled. "Twin engines. She's built for both comfort and performance. You'll barely feel the vibration when she's cruising."
Lesley ran her eyes over the polished deck beneath her feet.
"What about the interior systems? Climate control, entertainment, security?"
"All integrated," the manager said. "Every major system can be monitored from the central control panel. She's also equipped with stabilizers, so even in rougher water, the movement is kept to a minimum."
Lesley nodded, absorbing each detail.
"And the fuel consumption?"
The architect gave her the figures, followed by the yacht's cruising range, maintenance schedule, and the various amenities available across the decks.
Lesley listened without interrupting, occasionally asking another question whenever something caught her attention.
By the time they reached the third deck, she had a much better understanding of what they were looking at.
Leanne rested her hands against the railing and looked around.
"So, what do you think?" she asked. "Is it worth the price?"
Lesley glanced over the yacht again, taking in the immaculate deck, the spacious layout, and the open stretch of sea beyond them.
"Yeah," she said. "Great investment too, I guess."
Before Leanne could answer, her phone beeped.
She pulled it from her pocket and checked the screen.
"Wait for me here. I'll go to the restroom."
Lesley could only nod.
"Sure."
Leanne headed toward the stairs, leaving Lesley alone on the third deck.
For the first time since they'd boarded, there was no one talking beside her.
The wind moved freely across the open deck, lifting strands of her hair and brushing them against her cheeks. Lesley tucked them behind her ears, then walked toward the railing.
Beyond the yacht, the sea stretched toward the horizon, its surface rippling beneath the afternoon light.
She rested her hands on the railing.
A faint, rhythmic purr vibrated beneath her palms.
Lesley felt the change before she saw it.
The yacht was beginning its sailing test.
The engine's low hum grew steadily louder, and the vessel eased away from the dock. The harbor slipped backward as the yacht moved into open water.
The wind strengthened almost immediately.
Lesley closed her eyes.
She let the breeze sweep over her face, breathing in the cool, salty air. For a few moments, there was nothing else to think about. Just the steady vibration beneath her feet, the rush of wind around her, and the endless sound of water breaking against the hull.
Then she heard footsteps behind her.
Someone was coming up the stairs.
Lesley assumed it was Leanne.
She didn't turn.
The footsteps drew closer.
Then a woman's voice broke through the wind.
"Hi. Are you a staff here? I think my friends were left at the dock."
Lesley's eyes snapped open.
Her fingers tightened around the railing.
That voice.
No.
Her heart gave a hard, sudden beat.
It couldn't be.
Lesley kept her back turned, as if refusing to look might somehow make the voice disappear.
But the footsteps continued.
Closer.
Closer.
Until the woman stopped almost beside her.
"Hey?"
Lesley's breath caught.
She turned.
Their eyes met.
For one suspended moment, neither of them moved.
Lesley saw the shock spread across the woman's face, her eyes widening as though she had just seen someone who was never supposed to be standing in front of her.
Lesley's lips parted.
"Lesley...?"
The name came out barely above a whisper.
Her chest tightened.
"Denisse..."