Page 4 of The King's Fake Bride

The call ends, and I scramble to finish packing before calling the airline. I pace around my apartment, cleaning as the line rings several times.

“Hello, Andrea from INTEL Air speaking. How can I help you today?”

“Hi, I missed my flight this morning because I mixed up the time, and I was looking to get another flight to Mykonos for today. I have a bachelorette party I have to get to. My ticket is under Amy Harlowe.”

Keys tap in the background before Andrea hums. “There are no more direct flights to Mykonos for another five days. Would you be interested in a flight with a layover?”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. Five days from now would be too late. I’d miss the whole weekend. Gabby would be so disappointed.

“A flight with a layover is fine. Anything to get me there as soon as possible.”

Andrea makes a noise in the back of her throat, whispering something to someone on the other end of the line that I don’t catch. “My colleague has told me that there’s a direct flight to Athens in three hours, and from there you can catch a boat to Mykonos.”

“Andrea, you are a lifesaver.” I head back to my room, slinging my purse over my arm and dragging the suitcase behind me. “Book me for the ticket, please. I’m on my way to the airport now.”

“Great. The ticket is booked and waiting to be paid for at the counter.”

“Thank you. Have a good day.” I end the call, heart racing as I fly down the stairs of my building and out to the parking lot.

I’ll do whatever it takes to be there for Gabby, even if it means flying halfway around the world, using money I can’t afford to spend.

“The last boat has left for the day,” the translation app informs me as I gape at the man standing in front of me.

“No. That can’t be right.” I look out at the crystal blue water, and sure enough, the boat I was supposed to get on is filled with people and leaving me behind.

I take a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that burn the corners of my eyes as I stare at the sun shining on the waves as it creeps closer to the horizon.

This can’t be happening right now.

I didn’t get on a plane with two screaming babies, sit through a grandmother trying to tell me about every single ailment she’s ever had, and spend the last of my emergency savings to get here.

Groaning, I tilt my head back, squeezing my eyes shut.

When I open them again, the man is still standing there, looking at me like I have three heads.

I’ve been traveling for nearly twenty-four hours. The plane spent hours sitting on the runway when a storm kept it from taking off, and once we actually got in the air, it was a steady stream of chaos.

And now I’m standing in a country where I don’t speak the language, wishing that a boat would turn around.

The man taps my shoulder and points to a little orange boat before nodding to my phone.

I hold it up to him, and he starts speaking. “That boat will be leaving soon.”

Smiling, I gather my bag and head down to the boat. The man gestures to one of the few empty seats, helping me on with my luggage. I sit down, my stomach lurching.

Maybe it would have been better to wait until tomorrow when the bigger and more stable boat could take me, but Gabby’s weekend trip is going to be over in two days. I have to get there tonight if I want to spend any time with her and our friends.

Which means that I hold on, trying not to throw up as the boat rocks against the waves, leaving the sloping side of Athens behind.

One of the women beside me smiles and gestures to the purse in my lap. I hold it out to her, thinking she wants to get a better look, but she snatches it from me and starts rummaging through it, skipping past the wallet and heading straight for the packet of peanuts inside it.

She takes the snack and hands the bag back to me, saying something in a language I don’t recognize before tearing into the bag.

My jaw drops, and I can’t seem to pick it up as the old woman tears into the bright yellow package and pops nuts like she doesn’t have a care in the world.

Would it be wrong to throw an old lady overboard?

It might make for a good story, but I doubt anybody would be happy to find out that I’ve been starting fights with little old ladies.

---