Page 46 of Revenge Honeymoon

Ruby’s brown eyes softened. “I’m sorry I got mad at you, Em. I don’t think it was fair of me to force you to pretend to be a lesbian just to spare my feelings.”

“Aw, Rubes, I never ever ever wanted to hurt your feelings.” She grasped her bestie’s arm, even knowing she end up with a hand full of cream. “I wanted this to be the happiest of adventures. So I’m sorry I took that away from you with my big drunk mouth.”

“I still want it to be the happiest adventure.”

“Okay. How do we do that?” Emily took a break from reading the menu.

“Forget about the rest of the guests. Who cares if they stare at me? Jamaica: here we come!”

* * *

Max polished off the last of his ribeye steak. Even though it had been cooked to perfection, he had a hard time enjoying it. Sitting alone in a dining room full of paired up, happy people hit like a slap to the face.

Who would blame Ruby and Emily for standing him up?

Not him.

From their perspective he’d blown them off at the pool and didn’t deserve a second chance.

Even though his cabin was right down the hall from theirs, he couldn’t muster up the courage to knock on their door and apologize once he’d returned from his meeting with Sylvia. And why would they care? He was a stranger to them. They were two best friends with a long history and were here on a fun getaway. He was the third wheel who’d been dumped by his girlfriend. Loser material.

They probably met someone more interesting to sit with for dinner.

He scanned the dining room from behind the potted plant, but could only catch a glimpse of a few tables.

They probably shrugged off his absence as no big deal.

His shoulders slumped, and he picked at the mixed vegetable medley on his plate.

Maybe he should’ve begged off the cruise and turned around at the port. This was the dumbest idea he’d ever had. Except for the money he could make.

His photography friend, Alex, had talked up the cruise as an opportunity to rake in the bucks. Besides the free room and board, the cruise ship paid a per diem. And any photo packages he sold or framed pieces on display that were purchased, he received a decent cut of the sales. Alex had told him, these honeymoon cruises were rich with newlywed husbands ready to please their new wives.

“Sir, would you like some dessert?” A portly server with a mustache interrupted his thoughts and whisked away his not yet empty plate. “We have three delicious choices this evening: Key Lime Pie, Carmel Sundae Explosion, and a Tropical Cheesecake.”

Max’s stomach rebelled against the idea of more food. “I’ll pass, thanks.”

The server brushed some crumbs off the tablecloth. “I’m sorry to see your dinner companions didn’t show this evening.”

His heart raced. “So they aren’t seated at a different table?” Max rose half-way out of his seat for a better view of the dining room.

Where were they?

“No, sir,” the server said. “The two pretty ladies? I wouldn’t forget them.” He smiled, and his mustache twitched.

Who could forget adorable Emily and her engaging laugh? And her friend, Ruby, stood out in a crowd as well.

And they didn’t come to dinner?

Maybe their absence at the table had nothing to do with him at all.

Would they think it strange if he stopped by their cabin at—he checked his watch—nine o’clock at night? He did have a good excuse: his suit jacket he’d lent to Emily. Then maybe he could explain himself.

He really didn’t relish the idea of being stuck on the cruise for another week, alone, with no one to talk to, no one to hang out with.

“Thanks for letting me know.” He gave a curt nod.

As Max rose to leave the dining room and head out on his mission to apologize to his new friends, the fifty-something twins on the pool deck who’d asked for a photograph, stopped him.

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