Page 29 of Revenge Honeymoon

“Absolutely.” Emily touched his arm.

Ruby smiled at the chance to try out the zip line multiple times using cash handed to her by Mr. Jameson Hardy, father to horrible, bride-dumping Tyler Hardy.

They must sell bathing suits on this ship somewhere, and Emily would find one that suited her overly lush body, right? Perfect in all ways and only showing the parts of her that she liked the best. Like her arms. Or maybe her knees. Her knees weren’t too bad. Surely a bathing suit like that would exist on a cruise ship, which was setting sail to a tropical paradise where ninety-nine percent of the people would be wearing bathing suits all day long for dancing, lounging, eating, parasailing, snorkeling. Everything. Bathing suits should be the only things in the ship’s stores.

“Before I open up for more honeymoon shoots, I could do the boudoir thing, if you wanted.”

Emily bit her tongue for real this time.

* * *

BLAT BLAT BLAT.

Emily's alarm on her phone went off.

Annoying, but effective.

Seven a.m. on the dot. Two hours before the stores opened. Five hours before they'd agreed to meet Max on the pool deck for some drinks and relaxation.

Next to her, Ruby rolled over with a moan. "Shut that stupid thing off, Em." She grabbed her pillow and covered her head.

"Sorry." Emily searched for her phone in the semi-dark and switched off the alarm.

Ruby said something unintelligible.

Emily dug through her suitcase and plucked out clean underwear—her last pair—a T-shirt, and a pair of shorts. Would the ship's stores also carry a decent selection of women's underwear? She crossed her fingers and headed into the cramped bathroom for a shower.

Last night, they'd parted ways with Max and returned to their cabin without too much trouble. Ruby had ordered more drinks than Emily had realized, so it had been necessary to help her friend into bed. No way did Rubes avoid a hangover this morning.

As she washed her hair, bumping her elbows into the walls of the micro-shower, her stomach growled. Even though dinner had been amazing, her stomach had always been on a schedule. Breakfast by seven-thirty, lunch by noon, snack at three, dinner by seven.

Put on repeat.

In fact, wasn't that the reason her purse contained a number of protein bars and baggies of trail mix at all times?

Stepping out of the teeny shower, she toweled dry, slipped into her clothes, and dried her hair. The humidity gave her pretty waves that normally only appeared after a long day at the beach. A touch of mascara, a little bit of lipstick, a dash of pressed powder on her nose, and she was ready to face the breakfast buffet line.

Would they let her bring a plate to the cabin for Ruby?

She slipped on her sandals next to her suitcase and plotted how to sneak something out of the dining room. From the vanity next to the micro-closet, she snatched a couple of tissues and stuffed them into her purse. A bagel. Maybe a few sausages. Rubes didn't eat all that much.

"See you in a little bit," she whispered.

Ruby answered with a single snort, then rolled from her back to her side and pulled the sheets over her head.

Out in the hall, Emily joined an older couple dressed in workout gear and wearing sun visors. The wife strode a few feet ahead of her husband with arms at a ninety degree angle from her body.

"Faster, Stu," the woman urged. "We have to get in at least five thousand steps this morning."

Stu puffed and panted behind his wife, slipping past Emily as she exited her cabin. His face reddened with exertion, he looked her up and down and said, "Morning walk?"

She shook her head.

"Lucky you." Stu picked up the pace and caught up to his wife. "How many more steps, baby?"

Emily smiled to herself. All types on the Honeymoon Cruise. In her head, she had imagined only a bunch of young Just Marrieds. Having a variety of age groups and personalities had been a pleasant surprise, the last thing she wanted was to compare herself to other women her age and wonder why she wasn't married yet. Or at least seriously dating someone.

But looking at Stu and 'baby,' it seemed as if love could happen at any age.

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