I Do

Chapter 9

Back at Rank Media, the only thing the bosses ever did for the staff was get them gift certificates to Target and maybe a free meal at TGI Fridays. Beckett Industries did not only have a kick-ass end of year party, but they also had a three-day luxury cruise for the investors and as a special treat, all the top-rated employees. The people who made Employee Of The Month joined the investors on the cruise ship. The cruise was actually part of their reward, that and a hefty end of year bonus. As far as Josie could tell, working for Beckett Industries was a great way to get set for retirement. The pay was excellent and the incentives were even better.

Ethan and Josie accompanied by Noah and the kids went to the cruise ship to make sure that everything was set for the cruise. It was the kind of task most people would have delegated but the Beckett brothers were different. They liked being on top of things. They were the only top executives Josie knew who actually liked to get their hands dirty and she liked that about them.

When they first got to the cruise ship, Josie could not help but marvel at the beautiful, large ship. Having never seen a luxury ship before, she did not really know what to expect. She was surprised at how big the ship was when they first approached the beauty at the marina.

“Just how many people are coming to this thing?” she asked as they made their way into the ship.

“Roughly a hundred people.”

Noah laughed.

“Not a hundred…but we will probably be that many when you consider the crew,” he said. “That’s what happens when you get two yachts at once,” he added as he turned to look at his brother.

“What? Was there some kind of buy one get one free promotion?” Josie asked and Noah shook his head.

“No, it was an asset seizure auction. Worked out much better than we would have expected really.”

Ethan nodded.

“It did,” he said, smiling.

Josie looked around and shook her head.

“But this is still too much space for just a hundred people,” she said and Ethan nodded.

“Twenty luxury cabins or suites if you want and I think sixty private rooms and a few other rooms that sleep two people each,” Ethan said and Josie shrugged.

“I don’t know much about yachts or cruise ships but that still leaves a whole lot of square footage…” she started.

“Well, if you count the two dining rooms, three swimming pools, two hot tubs, and a large gourmet kitchen…it is really not that big,” Noah interjected.

Josie smiled. All she could was smile really because even after that explanation, she still thought that the place was way too big.

That first day was a breeze as far as she was concerned. The only real work she did was learn a few video games from Nate and Zach and in turn, she engaged them in a Dance Dance Revolution battle. When people began arriving the next day, Josie began feeling the need to be alone. She could not help but noticed the whispers every time she walked by. There was also the way people were extra friendly to her, asking her questions, leading questions about her and Ethan. It was obvious that their involvement was no longer a well-guarded secret. It had actually stopped being a secret when they walked the red carpet together at the concert. The society pages had done a deep dive to try and unmask the ‘mystery women’ and Josie simply hated how she no longer had a private life. Ethan, on the other hand, did not seem to mind. All he cared for was the fact that the world knew that he had a real woman by his side.

“You are too good to be kept a secret,” he kept on telling her. “I’m just happy that the world that took you for granted finally knows that they missed out.”

For most of the second day, Josie kept herself indoors. It was much better to be out of the public eye. She could not stand faking another smile. She already felt like her facial muscles would explode. She loved playing with the boys and hanging out with Noah and Ethan. After binge-watching a few shows on the best high definition TV she had ever seen, she retired to her suite to get ready for the evening. Ethan had told her that they would be having dinner together, just the two of them and Josie could not help but wonder which part of the ship she had not seen that would give them absolute privacy.

Josie stood in front of the mirror as she looked at her reflection. She was beginning to think that borrowing one of Dani’s dresses was a little too much of a risk. Dani might have pulled it off without necessarily raising any eyebrows but Josie was a lot curvier than her roommate was. She was still wondering if she should have gone with a different outfit when she heard a knock on her door. She walked to the door to find Ethan standing there. He gasped silently when he saw her.

“Wow,” he said in a soft voice.

“It’s too much, right?” she asked and Ethan shook his head.

“No… not at all…” he started before she walked back into the suite with him following closely.

“Dani, my roommate… she forced it on me and I don’t think I can have dinner with the whole company looking on with me in this.” She looked down and gently kicked her foot in the air. “I think I’ll keep the shoes on but the dress has got to go.”

Ethan smiled.

“I really don’t mind, you know.”

She shrugged.

“Yeah, I know but I already know that people are talking…you know, about us. I don’t want to give them more ammunition to use against me.”

She got a dress out of the closet and smiled at him.

“I’ll just be a few minutes. I promise.”

Ethan smiled and sat down.

“Take your time,” he said.

Josie almost fell over as she rushed to the bathroom. She got out of the black dress and changed into an off-white sleeveless bodycon dress. The contrast of her skin against the dress’ color was perfection. She took a second to look at her reflection and smiled.

“Yeah. This is definitely the one,” she thought as she tousled her curls. She took a deep breath before she stepped out of the bathroom and the way Ethan was looking at her said it all. She had traded Dani’s knee-length dress for a longer one that caressed her shins with every step she took. The black strapped stilettos were exactly what she needed to finish off that classy look.

“Just when I think I have you all figured out, you surprise me all over again,” Ethan said as he stood up.

He slowly walked to where she was and let his eyes run down every contour of her body. There was so much tension between them that he wanted to just pull her into his arms. He wanted to get her out of that dress and claim her, make her say his name over and over again. The energy it took him not to take her into his arms was draining him. She could see it in the way he was looking into her eyes.

Josie’s heart skipped a beat when he brought a hand up and moved a curly lock of hair away from her face.

“Tell me one thing, you said that people have been talking,” Ethan whispered and she nodded.