Page 23 of Mark

I duck my head to stop him from seeing the smile on my face. He doesn’t know what to do or say. I can see it in the way he presses his lips together.

I think I’m in love with her right now. She reminds me so much of Summer. Calm, collected, and doesn’t let anything bother her.

When he walks off without another word, I let out a breath. “That was…” I shake my head, unable to find words.

“Epic,” she finishes. “The word you are looking for is epic.”

“Yeah,” I breathe out, watching him make his way back to where he was.

“I should go and meet up with my other half. He has our boarding tickets,” she reveals, turning to face me. “But don’t forget to come find me. We can have a drink.”

“I will,” I promise, smiling wide.

Maybe twelve days won’t be so bad after all.

CHAPTER SIX

Freya

Lying on my bed an hour later, I take in the box-sized cabin with a heavy sigh. Mum, Dad and the rest of the wedding party all have suites a few floors above and closer to the front of the ship. Mum and Dad gave me a map of the floor plan and helpfully circled what cabins they were in just in case I needed them. On my way to my cabin, I searched the suite number on the cruise website and found Mum and Dad have a double bed instead of two singles pushed together like mine. They have a seating area and a balcony with decking chairs that look out onto the sea. Plus, a complimentary mini bar in the corner of their cabin. As luxurious as this cabin still is to me, I can’t help but feel like I’m in the early 1900s and I’m in the servants’ quarter. I don’t like that there isn’t a window, but since I’m not paying, I can’t really complain. It has everything else I need: a shower, toilet, dressing table, wardrobe, and a television with a fridge and safe underneath. I just have an awful feeling this was done purposely to keep me secluded from the rest of the wedding party.

We aren’t leaving for sea until tomorrow morning, so I pull out my phone and dial the one person I know I can count on. I won’t be able to talk to her whilst we are at sea since it would cost me a fortune.

She answers after the fourth ring. “How attached to this cat are you?” she greets.

“He’s my baby,” I reply, smiling wide. “Why?”

This is why I need her in my life. She grounds me. Keeps me humble. And never fails to make me smile.

“He won’t leave me alone,” she huffs out. “How is the family?”

“I’ve only seen Mum and Dad and it didn’t particularly go well,” I admit, and grab a pillow to clutch it to my chest. “What you should have asked was: how did the flight go?”

I hear amusement in her voice when she replies, “How did the flight go, bestie?”

I let out a dramatic sigh. “I am so glad you asked, bestie. It was crazy fucking long, but that wasn’t the worst of it.”

“Okay, as fun as this is, I don’t understand,” she admits, her tone serious. “Did you hit turbulence or something?”

I laugh. “I wish that was all it was. But guess who I had to sit down next to for eight hours straight.”

“No way. The creepy cousin? What’s his name…” she ponders, clicking her fingers.

“No, Mike wasn’t next to me. Think closer to home. Think of the person who likes to take things that aren’t his.”

I hear movement over the phone. “No fucking way! The hot neighbour?”

“He isn’t hot,” I grumble.

He’s totally hot.

But not even if I was dying would I admit it to her.

“Tell me everything,” she demands. “Does he smell better up close?”

“I will put this phone down,” I warn.

“Okay. Okay. What did the insufferable, hot guy do?”