Page 27 of Mark

“You weren’t?”

“Good Lord, no. Your mother and father should have talked Esther out of this wedding long before this. How on earth she could do this to her own flesh and blood makes my skin crawl. But that Danny… he’ll be lucky if I don’t accidentally take a stumble into him and knock him overboard. He doesn’t deserve someone like you, but it still bothers me he chose Esther over you.”

“I see it as she’s done me a favour,” I half lie. I don’t want him back. I’m not even hurt he chose her over me. Because Nanna is right. Anyone who needs to choose, doesn’t deserve me. In my eyes, Esther is welcome to him and he’s welcome to her.

“Too kind for your own good,” she tells me, and clicks her fingers to grab the attention of the barman. “Get this one a strong sex on the beach and put it on my tab.”

“Nanna, it’s all-inclusive.”

She waves me off. “It’s the thought that counts.”

“Alone for an hour and you’re making friends already,” a voice I recognise declares.

I grin at the newcomer. “Hayden, this is my nanna, Maya,” I greet. “You enjoying the cruise?”

“I will enjoy it more with a few cocktails in me,” she replies, as her guy comes to stand next to her.

“Well hello, fresh meat,” Nanna greets, tugging down her shirt to show some cleavage.

“Nanna, he’s spoken for,” I groan.

“Me?”

Hayden pats his chest. “Babe, you have a lot to learn,” she mutters. “We’ll see you later.”

“Don’t go on my—”

“Nanna, let them go,” I grumble, reaching for the drink the bartender left on the bar.

Nanna suddenly sits up, her expression going blank. “Prepare yourself. The devil child is approaching with its sidekick.”

I gulp down my drink so fast and turn into my nanna when I click my fingers, signalling to the barman to pour another. I have seconds before Esther is next to us, her arm linked through Danny’s. She has on a mid-length white summer dress, the bodice shaped like a corset. Her hair has been put up into a high ponytail, and I flinch at how tight it is. Danny is in a cotton white shirt with white cotton shorts, and I inwardly snort at how ridiculous they look standing next to each other. It reminds me of the time they did a couple costume for Halloween. Esther was Harley Quinn and Danny was the Joker. Fitting for both of them.

“You made it,” she greets, her voice filled with happiness, but I know it’s all for show.

When she leans into hug me, I awkwardly hug her back. “Wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

She pulls back, leaning into Danny and putting her hand over his chest. Danny scans me up and down. “I’m glad you came, Frey.”

He’s acting like we are long distant friends instead of ex-lovers. I force a smile, knowing if I don’t, they’ll only run back to Mummy and Daddy and tell them I’m not being nice.

My sister practically glues herself to him as she looks up at him, then at me. “Yeah, we both are. We couldn’t get married without you. You are a big part of our lives.”

“Because she was fucking him for three years and grew up with you?” Nanna asks.

Esther doesn’t even pay her any attention. “When Mum and Dad said you were still having issues about us, I did worry,” she replies sweetly, then reaches over to place her hand over mine. “But you still came, and it means a lot.”

“Oh God, get me another drink,” Nanna booms. “Make it a triple.”

“Nanna, you should take it easy,” Esther scolds.

“I’ll take it easy when I’m six feet under,” Nanna mutters.

“Well, we should go make the rounds and greet the rest of our guests,” Esther announces.

I force another smile. “Enjoy yourself.”

My relief when they leave is short-lived when Mum and Dad head over to me. “Have you sorted your attitude out?” Mum asks.

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