Page 49 of Ship Happens
“Where’s Cat?” I pluck up a strip of bacon, which seems safe enough, I guess. “She was sick last night, and I wanted to check in on her.”
Kindra pushes her plate to the side. “She must be feeling better, because she went with Jim and Ezra to set up for today’sbig event. The Normies will have a day on a private island, where they’ll get to watch a pirate show.”
I spit the glob of meat onto my plate and cover it with a napkin before pushing the plate away. That definitely wasn’t pork. “Sounds fun. Sign me up.”
“You’re already signed up, honey,” Eve says. “Who do you think is putting on the pirate show?”
I meant sign me up to sit on a private island where I can sip Mai Tais while watching some riveting entertainment, but it was stupid of me to wish for something so simple.
“Where’s Maverick this morning?” Eve asks. “You two are usually connected at the hip. The man never lets you out of his sight.”
“He wanted to sleep in. Bennett drugged him last night, and he’s got a touch of a hangover.”
Kindra shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “It’s always something with that one. If he wasn’t Ezra’s brother and my best friend’s boyfriend, I’d kick him off the boat. If he ever comes at you sideways, just mention the pineapple incident and he’ll shut up.”
Before I can ask about this incident, the dining hall doors swing open, and Maverick and Bennett shuffle into the fray. I wish I could muster Kindra’s annoyance at Bennett, but I’m kind of thankful he drugged Maverick like he was at his first rave. If he hadn’t, I never would have seen him in a new light.
And nowwe get along so well that I let him get on a first name basis with my fuckingvagina. Jesus fuck, what is wrong with me?
My mother was right to worry. I don’t like where my head is at right now.
Maverick sits beside Kindra and across from me, and Bennett sits beside him. Despite joining us for breakfast, they don’t have anything to eat. I glance back at the serving station.
“Don’t worry about us,” Bennett says as he realizes where I’m looking. “We ate with the Normies so that we could avoid Chef’s little surprises.”
“Thanks for inviting the rest of us,” Eve quips.
Bennett grins. “Don’t mention it.”
“How are you feeling?” I ask Maverick as I push my glass of water toward him. “Drink this. Hydration helps.”
“Don’t fucking mommy him,” Bennett says with a hard eye roll. “I mean, you’re old enough to be his mother, but you don’t have to act like it. That just makes the sex weird.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to stop the scream from breaking out of my chest, but I can’t contain my voice. “Maverick! You told him we hadsex?”
“No, butyoujust did,” Bennett says.
Okay,nowI want to strangle him.
I feel the girls’ eyes on me, but I’m too embarrassed to look up. Instead, I stare down at my eggs and wonder how long it would take me to choke to death on them. Probably a lot less time than it will take for me to squash this developing infatuation with someone I absolutely cannot be with.
An arm wraps around my shoulder, and Eve pulls my ear to her mouth. “Don’t let him get to you, honey. Bennett is a special brand of stupid, but his heart’s in the right place. Still...if you want him to stop, you know what to do.”
“Now, now,” Bennett says. “No secrets between friends. Say it loud enough for the entire class to hear.”
I clear my throat and pin Bennett with a glare. “She was just telling me about an interesting incident with a pineapple. I’d love to hear the dirty details.”
Kindra, Eve, and Maverick cover their mouths to hide how pleased they are with my little jab. I’m being so serious, though. I want to know what the fuck the deal is, and why the mention ofa pineapple has Bennett’s cheeks turning seven different shades of red.
“It’s not unusual,” Kindra says through a giggle.
Eve loses it now, uncovering her mouth and letting out a musical laugh. “The fuck it isn’t. It’s the mostunusual thing.”
“Says the woman who’s enamored with a chick who shoves objects into her ass and shits them out for fun.” Bennett scoffs and stands from the table. “Fuck all of you. I’ll see you assholes at the event, where Cat and I will soundly beat all of your asses in whatever games Jim has up his shitty sleeve.”
He storms off with his fists clenched at his sides. We sober as we watch him leave.
“I think we hurt his feelings,” I mutter.
