Page 61 of Revenge Honeymoon

The jilted bride didn’t finish her sentence.

What could she be thinking? Would she actually take that lout back? No way. Not after everything he’d put Ruby and her family through.

“Are you still in love with him, Rubes?”

“Maybe?” She sniffed, and tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t know. I’m so confused right now.”

Emily wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders. It didn’t feel like the right time to bring up her doubts about Tyler. If Ruby didn’t see it for herself, would her words carry any weight? “Why don’t you put your phone away and think about it later. You don’t need to decide anything now. We’re about to take this exciting river rafting trip.” Hopefully, she’d be alive at the other end. “Let’s enjoy the day. Wednesday is so far away.”

“Ladies, if you intend to take your trip, you will need to exit the bus and pick up your protective gear.” Carson had made his way down the aisle to the middle of the empty bus where Ruby and Emily sat.

“Right.” The auburn-haired beauty tucked her phone in her fanny pack. “Let’s go, Em.”

For a fleeting moment Emily’s mind had been so latched onto the Tyler Text Bomb, she could almost pretend she wasn’t about to sacrifice herself to the Jamaican rapids of doom. Almost...

“Yes, right, let’s go.” Emily stood up and swallowed her fear. There was no turning back now.

* * *

Emily knew she looked ridiculous. With less-than-small boobs, a life jacket was not a pretty sight. The orange contraption wouldn’t lay flat against her chest, and the gracious guide had to help tighten the straps until she could barely breathe. Her mind was so focused on blending into the background, rather than drawing attention to her embarrassing situation, she’d lost track of the other dolphin bus.

When the guide gave her vest one last tug, she grunted and lifted her eyes to see Max—still as gorgeous as ever—flanked by the Pink/Blue Twins. Apparently, he was now best friends with them. They smiled. He smiled. Bob smiled. The other husband, whatever his name was, didn’t smile. Maybe he wasn’t the smiling type. But he downright glowered and stomped behind the other four.

Then Emily saw, perhaps, the reason for the man’s expression, Blue Twin had her arm linked with Max’s.

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.

Her gaze met Max’s for a split second.

His pale face and slack expression made her think of a hostage in a bank heist. He looked absolutely petrified. What had him so scared?

Max and his twin companions approached the equipment counter to receive their helmets and lifejackets.

“Em, let’s take a selfie.” Ruby held her phone and stretched out an arm for her friend to join her outside the equipment shed. “The flowers behind us look so beautiful. Come on.”

Emily joined her bestie for a photo. With the life jacket reducing her breathing to nothing more than Mount Everest oxygen levels, she moved slowly. Anything faster than a turtle’s pace wore her out.

Tucking her helmet under the arm, Emily smiled and waited for Ruby to take a few photos. Above the equipment shed were a series of warning signs in bright yellow:

Caution Slippery Surface

Steep Drops Open River Banks

Danger Risk of Falling

Danger Deep Water

Wear Helmets at All Times

Life Jackets Required Beyond This Point

Emily bit the inside of her cheek. This excursion was supposed to be fun. The signs made it seem as if she would walk to certain death if she followed their guide to the river.

Ruby scrutinized the photos, oblivious to the terror that built up in Emily’s mind. “These look great.”

“I’m scared, Rubes.” She pointed at the signs.

“What?” Ruby glanced up at them and waved her hand. “You don’t have anything to worry about. They have to put those signs there.”

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