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“You are funny,” Skylar said with a wink.
“I’m sorry,” Genevieve replied. “I just wish Kurtis was here.”
Skylar and Franky exchanged a look. She would never get used to hearing Genevieve call her brother Kurtis—the name he’d given her when he pretended he wasn’t a Schultz—and she felt horrible for playing along with this charade and lying to Genevieve for him.
“He’ll be here,” Skylar told her.
Genevieve’s eyebrows lifted. “He will?”
She nodded. “He had some things to take care of today.”
“What things?”
“I don’t want to spoil anything, but you’ll see him at the gala tonight.”
This seemed to calm Genevieve as she breathed out a sigh of relief and turned her attention to the boats outside, all lined up and ready to race.
Skylar looked at Franky again, who seemed equally concerned with the situation Sebastian had gotten himself into.
“Want to head up top to watch?” Franky asked the girls as he stood.
Skylar jumped up enthusiastically.
“I think I’ll watch from inside,” Genevieve told them.
“Are you sure?” Skylar asked.
She nodded in reply.
“Okay. We’ll see you after.” Skylar glanced back at Genevieve once more before following Franky to the upper deck. Once this was over and the truth was out, she hoped Genevieve would be able to forgive Sebastian.
On the main deck, Skylar’s dad was seated with some work friends, chatting and laughing.
“Is there a Charm One and Two?” one of the men asked, regarding the name of the yacht.
Dad shook his head. “Have you never heard this story?”
“Can’t say that I have,” his friend replied.
“Well, the meaning is twofold. It all started back in college.” Dad gave Skylar a wink as she passed by, and she smiled as she followed Franky to stand by the railing, keeping her ears open as her father told the story he’d shared with her when he bought the yacht.
They weren’t waiting long before the regatta was signaled to begin, and the sailboats took off across the shining Lake Michigan water. It was a captivating sight, and seeing the crews in action always gave Skylar a thrill. The yacht gave them the perfect view of the race, and Skylar found herself jumping up and down when the end grew near.
Franky chuckled beside her.
She looked over at him. “What?”
“You’re cute, that’s all.”
“I’m cute? What am I, twelve?” she joked.
He locked eyes with her. “No, you’re not.” The tone of his words sent a thrill through her, but she knew better than to make too much of it. Franky had a flirtatious personality. It was just how he was. It didn’t mean anything.
The Roaring Twenties themed gala that evening was the perfect ending to what had been a very successful day of events for the Schultz Foundation. Skylar stood next to the stage, all fancied up in a black flapper dress with gold sequined patterns and fringe along the bottom, listening to the snappy jazz tunes, and watching the guests take a spin around the dance floor. Her hair was styled in thick waves and pinned up in the back, with a matching gold and black headband to complete the look. Glancing around the room at all the 1920s era fashion made Skylar feel as if she’d been transported back in time.
“Sky!”
She startled at the sight of Gus rushing toward her, looking very dapper in a brown suit, complete with vest and bowtie, with his usually loose, wavy hair smoothed back.