Chapter 33

ARIA

The next day, we arrive in Venice, Italy. The captain anchors us several hundred meters off the shore so we can enjoy the beautiful views and lights of the city without the noise.

Venice is a picturesque port town near the border of Slovenia and nearby Croatia. Jett’s mom, Eleanor, and her boyfriend live in Croatia, so it makes sense for them to visit us during this part of the trip.

The yacht has at least three empty rooms on it, so they’ll be staying with us. For the first evening, Eleanor and Leon will be joining us for dinner on the yacht. Tomorrow, we’ll do some sightseeing and have dinner in the city.

I examine myself in the mirror for the twentieth time. I’ve chosen a simple, rust-red midi dress and piled my dark curls on top of my head. I tried on multiple outfits before settling on this one, but now I’m second-guessing it.

“You’re cute when you’re nervous.”

I turn around and find Jett watching me as he leans against the doorframe to our room.

I sigh. “Is it that obvious?”

He smiles. “No, but I can tell,” he says. He comes up behind me and puts his arm around me while we’re facing the mirror. “It’s going to be fine. Try not to worry too much.”

I smile at his reflection. “Okay. Are they here?” I ask.

“Almost. I was just coming to get you. We’ll have cocktails on the deck while they set dinner up.”

As we walk out onto the deck, Eleanor and an older, olive-skinned man step onto the yacht. Eleanor offers Jett a tired smile as she sees us approach.

“Hi, honey, I’m so glad to see you,” she says as she steps forward and wraps Jett in a hug. Then she tugs on the man’s arm and brings him forward. “This is Leon. Leon, this is my son Jett.”

“Nice to meet you,” Jett and Leon say at the same time as they shake hands. Jett turns to me and reaches for my hand.

“This is Aria,” he says.

I smile at them, but Eleanor cuts in.

“Where is our room, dear? I need to freshen up before dinner,” she says.

“Oh, uh, I’ll have Angelica show you. Do you want us to have something to drink waiting for you?” he asks.

“I’ll have a white wine,” she says before following the stewardess inside.

My insides twist. ~Was that in my head?~

I shake it off and head to the bar, where another stewardess is already pouring Eleanor’s white wine.

“What can I get you, miss?” she asks.

“Um, I’ll have a Lemon Drop,” I say. “And keep ’em coming.”

She gives me a nod with a sympathetic smile.

Leon and Jett are chatting as I sit beside him and hand him a beer. I sip my Lemon Drop and smile as Leon talks about growing up in Croatia. Jett nods politely and laughs when appropriate; I can tell he’s really trying to engage with Leon.

Eleanor comes back out and sits next to Leon; she smiles sweetly between the two men as they chat. Suddenly, I feel completely out of place.

“So, Eleanor, how was your trip here?” I ask, craving the same effort Jett and Leon are exuding. Her eyes snap to me, then off to the distance.

“Oh, it was fine,” she says, dropping her smile.

When she doesn’t say anything else, I go on.

“Have you ever been to Venice? It looks lovely—I’m excited to explore it,” I say.

“I’m sure ~you~ are,” she says.

My insides freeze. ~What does she mean by that?~

I’m at a bit of a loss, so I sit back and sip my cocktail.

The rest of dinner is more of the same. Leon is very chatty but mainly focuses on Jett, who is responsive. Eleanor cuts in frequently, and I decide just to take a back seat. We’ll have more time to bond tomorrow.

***

The next day we’re taken ashore by the yacht crew, where we have a private tour of Doge’s Palace and then have a light lunch before exploring the shops and walking along the canal.

Eleanor continues to be cold to me, but I also notice Jett increasing his protectiveness as he constantly wraps an arm around my back or grabs my hand and asks how I am. He even tries to facilitate conversation between Eleanor and me, but she continues to be distant.

I can almost feel Jett tensing up throughout the day, but it actually helps me relax. At least it’s not all in my head, and Jett seems to be aware.

By the time we’re all sitting down for dinner at a beautiful little restaurant, I can feel the weight of the day and a slight tension in the air.

After we order drinks, Eleanor folds her hands in front of her and looks at Jett.

“So, what’s new…at work?” she asks.

“Well, Aria has been helping me pull back a little by hiring and training my new assistant while also moving us forward after the acquisition,” he says as he smiles at me and grabs my hand.

“Right, because she was your assistant,” she says, as if I’m not sitting at the table.

“Well, she was my temporary assistant. She is actually the VP of operations at DYAD,” he says quickly.

“Right. At the little matchmaking company you just bought,” she says, then she turns to Leon. “Jett recently acquired her company.”

Leon nods and laughs, and I feel Jett tense beside me.

“DYAD’s model is unique and quite successful. I had my eye on the company long before Aria and I met,” Jett almost snaps. “And Aria has been imperative to the transition. That company wouldn’t be what it is without her.”

My heart swells, but my body also stiffens; this is starting to feel awkward and slightly hostile.

“And then she found you. You did always have a thing for pretty assistants,” she says.

I look down at my plate, dreading what’s to come.

“Mom,” Jett says with frustration. “That is rude and, frankly, untrue.”

“Oh, Jetty, don’t be so sensitive,” she says, and she smiles at Leon, who wears a stiff smile.

The rest of dinner is quieter as Jett asks how my meal is, and we talk about the castle we toured earlier. I know he’s trying to keep the peace, but I can feel his anger simmering.

Back on the yacht, I decide to head to bed early, and Jett comes with me. I really don’t want to talk about his mom, but instead of prodding me, he just holds me for a minute or two.

Finally, he pulls back and looks at me. “You stay here and relax,” he says.

“What about you?” I ask.

“I just have to take care of something really quick.”

I change into shorts and a tank top, but I’m suddenly feeling a little warm and restless, so I decide to go out to the small deck beside our room for fresh air.

I wrap up in a robe and step onto the deck. The water is surprisingly still, and the air is quiet with the exception of a few voices.

The voices are muffled on the deck below but unmistakably belong to Jett and Eleanor.

“What is your problem with Aria?”