Page 33 of Mark

“Same. Although being surrounded by grandchildren, books and a few cats wouldn’t hurt either.”

“Is she bothering you?” I hear someone ask. I had been so transfixed on Freya, I didn’t notice we have company.

I’m assuming this is her sister.

Any other person and I would have made a dramatic statement about Freya trying to get me into bed. But it’s not anyone else. It’s her sister, and if what Hayden told us is true, not a very good one.

“No. Me and Freya go way back. I was just saying how nice it is to see her.” And to prove it, I place my arm around her shoulders. She doesn’t shove me off but she does tense.

“I thought you were calling it a night, Esther,” Freya muses.

Esther flicks her hair over her shoulder. “We were, but when Mum said you were going to the sailaway party, I thought Danny and I could join you,” she admits, smiling coyly around her straw. “We just wanted to test out the new bed first, otherwise we would have joined you sooner.”

I hold a hand over my stomach. “Oh God, I think I’m going to be sick!”

My threat causes Esther to take a step back.

“It must be all the alcohol,” Freya teases, rubbing my back and playing along.

“No. It was definitely from the images she just planted in my head.”

Freya’s lips twitch as she helps me straighten.

“Excuse you?” Esther snaps. “You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough to know you screwed your sister over and still sleep at night,” I deadpan. “Come on, Freya. I think Nanna needs another drink.”

I take her hand, ignoring how soft and warm it is linked through mine. As we reach the spot where her nanna is getting a lap dance, I let go of her hand.

“That was awesome but I’m not thanking you,” she declares sharply.

I grin at how cute she looks when she’s mad. “Never asked you to. I guess by your response, it’s true what Hayden told us before dinner.”

“If you mean is my ex-boyfriend marrying my sister, then yes. It’s all true.”

“Why are you here then?”

“Because I’m a glutton for punishment?”

My lips twitch, despite who I am talking to. I should walk away. She’s caused me nothing but grief since the day I met her. Yet my feet stay firmly in place. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s it.”

“Woah, woah, woah,” echoes from the crowd. We turn to see Nanna tumble from her chair.

“Shit,” Freya hisses, racing over to help her.

I reach them as Freya is helping her up. “This is the best cruise ever.”

“Nanna, you are embarrassing me,” a shrill voice cries. “Get up before you cause more of a scene.”

All three of us on the ground turn to the woman in question.

“Only one person here is an embarrassment and it’s not these two,” their nanna slurs.

“All right, Nanna. It’s time to get you to bed.”

She places her cold, wrinkly hand on my cheek as I help her to her feet. “Is this handsome young man going to take me to bed?”

“Nanna,” Freya warns.