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“Oh, that wasn’t game-playing. How about I take you ladies out for a drink after the game?” he offered, soothing her ego.
“Can’t. We have dinner plans, but thanks anyway,” Rachel said.
Ari wanted to pipe in and say she didn’t have any dinner plans when Lia turned in her direction.
“You should come with us tonight. We’re having a sunset dinner on my brother’s boat. The thing is absolute heaven to ride on, and there’s even a small spa onboard so you can get a massage. Your legs are really going to need it. ”
Ari didn’t know how to respond. These women were strangers. She really should politely refuse and return to the safety of her friends, but she found herself unable to say no. She’d never been on a boat before and it sounded like a lot of fun.
One thing she’d discovered since starting her job and getting away from the college campus was that people in general were a lot more friendly than she’d ever thought. She had a cell phone if anything came up. She couldn’t imagine they were secret serial killers.
“I promise we’re not planning on chopping you up and tossing you in the ocean. We just don’t get to San Fran very often, so we try to make friends fast,” Rachel said as she crossed her heart.
If it was a bad idea to go, Ari would get a feeling deep in her gut, wouldn’t she? Besides, she was sick of always playing it safe.
“Where are you girls from, if not from here?”
“We spent our childhood between here and Italy. My dad’s American, my mom, Italian, so they compromised. Six months in Italy and six months in the U. S. The last few years we’ve been in Italy a lot more, though. I just finished with college over there so freedom is mine now. I think my parents are going to dump us off on my brother and go travel the world. ”
Ari was confused. They looked over twenty-one, certainly over eighteen, so why did they need to have someone take care of them. Was something wrong – like maybe a mental issue? She didn’t know how to ask that question, though.
“I see you look confused, Ari. It’s okay. When you meet our father, you’ll understand. I’m twenty-six, and Rachel is twenty-three, but to our dad, we’re still twelve. Our brother pretty much feels the same way. I’ve moved a few times, but then dad either has security on my butt or he and my mother decide to vacation where I’m living. Plus, my brother has chased away about every guy I’ve ever even thought about dating. If I didn’t love them all so much, I think I’d hate them a little. The bottom line is, if I truly wanted to make a change in my life, they’d let me. They may not like it, but I know they love me enough to let me go. They’d just secretly stash a tracking device in my bag,” she said with a laugh.
“Wow. I thought my mom was overprotective. ”
“Oh, Ari. My family has overprotective down to a science. They are amazing, though, truly amazing. You have to come with us and meet my mom. I’ll try to get her mad and then she’ll start swearing in Italian. It’s good entertainment. ”
Ari couldn’t help herself. She was growing very fond of these two bubbly girls. How could she not when they talked a mile a minute and smiled constantly. She felt safe in accepting their dinner invitation.
“Sure, I’ll come to dinner with you. It sounds like fun. I’ll let my friends know after the game is over,” Ari agreed.
They played volleyball for another hour before Ari had to go jump in the water. She was burning up and had a bad feeling she’d sweated off most of her sunblock. She could feel a bit of an ache in her shoulders. She’d probably pay all week for her impromptu beach visit. She didn’t care – It would be worth it because she was having a lot of fun.
After introducing the girls to her friends and letting them know exactly where she was going, she hopped in the car with the women and enjoyed the breeze blowing through her hair as they made their way to the harbor.
When they pulled up to the marina and approached the boat, Ari was stunned. She’d expected a large vessel, since the girls had talked about a massage room, but she wasn’t expecting what was floating in the water before her. The massive thing seemed to take up the entire dock.
“Hurry. We’re really late. My brother hates it when we keep him waiting,” Lia said.
“Is he going to have a problem with you inviting a stranger onboard?” Ari asked, suddenly nervous. She wasn’t used to hanging around people with the kind of money it took to own a boat like the one she was boarding.
“He won’t mind at all,” Rachel said as if she were privy to her own inside joke.