She yawned. “Okay.”
I kissed the top of her head. “Go downstairs to your room and take your time getting changed. We’re going to get in our bathing suits, let our food settle a bit, then we’re going to go swimming.”
Her eyes bulged. “In five minutes?”
I bopped her nose with my finger. “In thirty minutes.”
“Aww, man.”
I cupped her cheek. “We’ve got all day today and the morning tomorrow to do lots of swimming. No pouting, okay? In thirty minutes, we’ll jump in. But, you need to get your swimsuit on first and let that food rest.”
She jutted her bottom lip out. “I don’t know how to make it rest. They don’t have blankets or stuffed animals to keep them company.”
I shrugged. “I suppose you could eat one.”
“What?”
“Want me to get you a blanket? I hear they’re tasty with ketchup.”
She giggled with delight. “That’s gross, Eva! You don’t eat blankets.”
“Well, then get into your bathing suit and get underneath the covers of your bed. Because if you’re covered, then they’re covered, and they can rest for a bit before we go swimming for the rest of the day. Okay?”
She leaped up from her seat. “Okay, I can do that!”
She took off toward the steps and soon disappeared below the deck. Then, I set off in search of Gavin. I walked around the outside of the yacht and didn’t so much as hear his voice. So, I started downstairs to the lower level where our cabins were.
I heard Asia’s soft snoring coming from her room, which I fully expected. But, what I didn’t expect was to hear Gavin’s voice behind a closed door.
And when I inched it open, I found him perched on the edge of his bed with his back toward the door while on what seemed to be a video call.
“When do they need me by?” he asked.
I had no idea how the hell he had any sort of service in the middle of the ocean to use for a video call, but I also didn’t question it. However, I couldn’t stop myself from eavesdropping.
“So, the filming is in California?” he asked.
I strained to hear the foreign voice, but I didn’t catch what they were saying.
“Two weeks? Just to interview? What kind of interview is it?”
I furrowed my brow and closed my eyes, trying my best to pay attention.
“Yes, I know it’s a massive project,” Gavin said. “But, I’ve got my daughter, and I need—yes, I hired a nanny, but—I get that, dammit. It’s just—no, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to curse at you. It’s—thank you. Yes. I agree; I am at the peak of my career.”
Then finally, the voice on the other side of the conversation grew loud enough for me to hear.
“That’s right, and with you being at the peak of your career comes demanding hours and even longer filming schedules. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
Then, Gavin spoke the words that broke my heart. “More than anything, you know that.”
The foreign voice continued, “Then, it’s time to start acting like it. Two weeks in Hollywood, at the end of the month. Work it out, or I’ll have to suggest someone else on my roster for the job.”
“I’ll work it out. Whatever it takes.”
My heart sank to my feet, and I silently closed the door. Tears rushed my eyes as I backtracked toward the stairs and made my way toward the bar. I flagged down the bartender and mindlessly ordered a drink, hoping I could drown my tears in alcohol and suck it up before Gavin got back up here.
I was nothing but his daughter’s caretaker. I knew that now. And I surely couldn’t expect a man with a life like Gavin’s to put all of that aside—his dreams and his wants and his wishes—to be with someone like myself.
