Page 6 of Revenge Honeymoon

“We want to do the photo shoot.” Ruby crossed her arms.

“We do?” Emily said

“You do?” Sylvia said.

“Of course we do. It’s part of the package.” She stomped her adorable size seven espadrille on the floor. “And I want everything the package included.”

Sylvia’s expression changed immediately from confusion to graciousness. “Of course, Ms. Evers. We wouldn’t want it any other way.” She handed Emily her passport and gave Ruby the day’s schedule. “You’re all set ladies. Here’s your room assignment and key cards. Just follow the signs to the luggage drop off and then head for ‘Boarding.’”

Ruby tucked her key card into her bra and readjusted the neckline of her low-cut sundress. “Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.” Sylvia gave a wide smile and waved as the two women headed toward a sign that said ‘Luggage.’

* * *

Ruby and Emily lay sprawled across the king-sized bed in their balcony stateroom and giggled. They’d both consumed a bottle of champagne that had been waiting for them inside the room when they’d finally found it on Deck Eleven. They’d also managed to eat half the fancy chocolates in the gift basket and a package of crackers.

Although they’d been in a celebratory mood when they saw the size of their suite (Ruby mentioned what a great deal she’d gotten on it), an hour or two of laughter and commenting on the worst features of Ruby’s ex-fiance grew tiring.

“What was I thinking, Emily?” Ruby rolled off the bed and took both empty champagne glasses with her.

“That you were in love.” The former maid-of-honor rested her hands behind her head and stared up at the ceiling. “That Tyler was the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me to think it through?”

Emily pushed herself up onto her elbows. “You’re almost twenty-nine. I guess everyone thought you knew what you were doing. Not as if you haven’t had long-term boyfriends before.” But in her gut she’d known Tyler had a few negative qualities. And Ruby was right, she’d never said a thing. Why not? They’d always talked about boyfriends before. But not this time. This time Emily had stayed out of it.

Ruby set the glasses on the narrow dresser across from the bed. She caught sight of herself in the mirror hung on the wall above it. “Sometimes I think I’m cursed.” She shook out her hair until it covered half of her face. “Maybe this cruise is my chance to forget about all of it.”

“Forget about all of what?” Alarm bells rang in Emily’s head. This was supposed to a fun cruise to get some revenge on Tyler and enjoy themselves on a luxury trip, not sink into some sort of depression.

“Oh, I don’t know, weddings, romance, men.” She twirled around, leaned against the dresser, and let out a heavy sigh. “Let’s have a pact.”

“What kind of pact?” Emily didn’t like the sound of this. Last time Ruby asked her to make a pact, they’d ended up deciding to be each other’s dates for New Year’s Eve until the helicopter pilot swooped in and changed Ruby’s mind on December 30th. Emily had been left to nibble canapés alone in a corner at the big party they’d bought tickets to attend and watch all the couples kiss and fondle each other at midnight. Yeah, pacts never turned out well for Emily.

“For the next ten days, we are strictly about fun.”

Emily nodded.

Okay, that sounded all right.

“And no talking about men, dating, love lives, all that crap.”

For a fleeting moment Emily remembered Max the Gorgeous who’d boarded without his female partner. Sure, he was out of her league and probably would never notice a woman like her, but maybe once they arrived in Cozumel, there’d be other semi-attractive, right-in-her-league men to flirt with. In fact, that had been one of the reasons she’d been happy to change up her plans at the last minute and sail on the cruise. Her romantic life had been practically non-existent in the last year. She’d grabbed a chance to take a break from the stress of her everyday existence and be someone else—relaxed, fun, experimental.

“Em, are you with me?” Ruby bumped her friend’s foot with her thigh.

The lost look on her best friend’s face jarred her into answering, “Of course. I’m with you.” She swung her legs around to the side of the bed. “I will do whatever you want me to do. This is about you, friend. We are here to have the best damned cruise possible.” Emily scooped up the daily schedule Sylvia had handed to them. “Photos at five, dinner at eight. What else do we want to do?” She glanced at her watch. “It’s only one o’clock. We should be setting sail any minute.”

A horn blew loudly.

“See?” Emily approached the sliding glass door that led to their balcony. She pushed the door open, and a gust of wind blew in.

Ruby joined her outside. “Oh, wow. What a view.”