Page 13 of Bumping into You

I perk up in suspicion. “Why?”

“Why not? We seem to keep meeting up, and with a ten-day cruise ahead of us, I just figure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few days.”

“Who’s to say we will see each other again at all?” I ask, waving my arms around us. “As you can see, there are literally thousands of people on this ship. We may never meet again.”

“Ah, well now, second time’s the charm.”

“It’s ‘third time’s the charm,’ not second,” I say.

“I guess I’m just optimistic that abeoresuch as yourself wouldn’t mind getting to know a nice guy like myself.”

Sitting up a little straighter in my seat, my ears pinken at what he’d just said. “I’m sorry, did you just call me a boar and then basically ask if we could hang out?”

“No, no, that’s not it at all.” His eyes go wide. “I was merely saying you’re lovely to look at.”

“I’m lovely to look at?” I ask, brows furrowing as I curl my hands into a fist in my lap. There’s nothing more annoying to my inner feminist than someone wanting to be around me for just my looks. “I’m sorry. . . .”

“No apology necessary,” he says mischievously.

“I’m not apologizing to you, um . . .” I can’t remember his name.

“Niall,” he offers.

“Niall,” I snap, “I was saying I find it a bit offensive that you’d only want to get to know me because I’m lovely to look at. Is that all you think women are good for? To be nice to look at?” I start gathering my items in preparation to leave, then remember that the staff on the ship take care of bussing the tables.

Ugh, this guy. Just because McHottie is, well . . . hot, doesn’t mean that I only want to catch someone’s attention for my looks.

“I’m more than just a pretty face,” I say, putting my tray backdown and standing to leave.

“For the love of . . .” Niall starts, and then mumbles to himself before saying, “It’s not just your looks, though you haven’t given me much in the way of conversation to give me reason to believe you have a class personality.”

My ears redden at his comment. “Just because I don’t want to talk to strangers doesn’t mean I have a bad personality. For your information, I have a great personality and am a super fun person to be around.” And with that, I fling my bag over my shoulder and walk away, leaving my lunch half-eaten on the table.

Chapter 8

Niall

Well, that could have gone better.I watch Rose walk out of Duke’s. I haven’t been off my game that long, have I? I mean it’s not like I’ve been on many dates, but I typically catch the occasional eye when I’m out with my crew at the bar. I mean, who can resist a dimple and Irish accent? Well, obviously she can. She’s beautiful as ever but prickly as a thorn. Rose is a fitting name for her.

Maybe she was right. Maybe we won’t run into each other on this cruise. I’ll be doing things with the wedding party most of the time anyway and helping Greg with his request, so I don’t know why I even bothered to strike up a conversation with her.

Because there is something about her that calls to me.

I realize this is the first time in a long time someone has had that effect on me. I think back to the promise I made my mam and wonder if Rose could be the one to help me fulfill it.

Yes, she’s beautiful, but there’s something hiding beneath that rough exterior she keeps up when we interact that pulls me in, something about her that makes it fun to flirt with and tease her. Maybe I won’t write her off just yet.

Taking another bite of my burger, I get my phone out and text Greg.

Niall

Hey mate, just grabbing a bite to eat, then heading to the Imperial SkyDeck.

Greg

Great man, Holly and I are at the pool but we’ll be meet you there for drinks.

Setting my phone down, I finish up my lunch. It’ll be good to see the guys and get to know Holly better. I’m happy for Greg. He’s about to marry the woman of his dreams—which also happens to be the only thing my mam wanted for me before she passed.

---