Page 59 of Revenge Honeymoon

“Well? That we’d pay her well?” Donna scoffed. “We MacPhersons aren’t cheap. You need to talk dollars, my dear. Numbers. Don’t be shy. We are willing to offer her a fifty thousand dollar contract. Fifty thousand. Did you say those words: ‘fifty thousand’?”

Max shook his head. “No, I didn’t. I wasn’t sure...I thought maybe it was—”

“What? Crude?” Donna touched her carefully styled hair, which would likely be ruined within minutes of riding down the rapids. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to making deals. Isn’t that right, Bob?”

“That’s right.” Bob’s bushy eyebrows rose up.

“People like honesty. People like frankness.” Donna plucked a compact mirror from her fanny pack and scrutinized her makeup, wiping at her lipstick with a finger where it bled outside the lip line.

If that was the only way to make these women and Sylvia back off, maybe he should give it one more try. Would Ruby even listen to him? He didn’t see how he’d make it off the cruise alive without a signature on the release form. What if Donna was right? What if Ruby changed her mind once she heard about the money involved?

“We could sweeten the pot. Would that help?” Diana blinked rapidly.

“Um, I don’t know.” Max wiped the sweat from his brow.

Didn’t they have air-conditioning on this stupid bus?

"Of course it would, Di.” Donna scooted even closer to Max. “What if we hired you to be the photographer for our new ad campaign? She’s a pretty thing that red-head. Maybe you and she...well, maybe there’s a possibility the two of you—”

Max opened his mouth, but couldn’t speak. There was so much coming at him all at once. He didn’t know what to think. Didn’t know how to decide what was the best path.

“Well, folks, we’ve arrived at our destination.” The river raft and tour guide announced over the speakers. “Follow the dolphin sign to the entrance where they’ll hand out your gear. Group Four, you will be with me for the entire day.”

Max let out a sigh of relief. The guide’s speech interrupted the twins and Bob pushing him to answer. “I’ll think about it.”

Donna patted him on the shoulder. “You’ll make the right decision, I know it. Our perfect model is as good as secured. I have every faith in you.”

As Max made his way down the aisle to exit the bus, his mind jumped back to that moment on the pool deck when he’d agreed to take the twins’ photo. That’s when everything had gone sideways. How could he possibly make things right again?

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other bus…

On the bus ride up to the launch point of the raft trip, Ruby sat next to Emily in complete silence. That was not like Ruby. Sure, she had experienced the most devastating day of her life only a few days ago, but she’d come out of her funk and had managed to enjoy the cruise as much as anyone in her situation could have.

Would Ruby forgive her for her little white lie about Tyler?

As they wound their way up into the green mountains of Jamaica, their raft guide, Carson, also acted as tour guide, pointing out relics of the island’s plantation past, uniformed children walking to school, and explaining much of the vegetation that created a beautiful jungle-like canopy on either side of the road.

Although the ride was entertaining and the facts interesting, Emily’s stomach flip-flopped at the thought of a river ride full of rapids on a pitifully small raft. Would she be bounced out into the water? What if she hit her head on some rocks and had to be airlifted to a hospital? Did Ruby buy trip insurance? If she did, would she be covered?

“Will she be all right?” The Hispanic bride sitting across the aisle, whose name was Daniela, eyed her mute friend. “Is she still in shock?”

Ruby stared out the window and leaned her head against the glass.

“She’ll be okay.” Though Emily wasn’t quite sure about that. Yes, she’d felt a bit of guilt making up a lie about Tyler, but it had all been about salvaging Ruby’s feelings. And soon her friend would realize that. Wouldn’t she?

Daniela patted her arm. “You’re such a good friend.”

“Thanks.” Emily’s stomach churned. But she didn’t know if that was guilt because of her lie or worry about the fact she was going to die from fear. “Have you done any river rafting before?”

She wished Ruby would talk to her, reassure her that they’d have all kinds of fun. The usual stuff. But this quiet, no-talking Ruby was new to her. She’d have to find reassurance elsewhere before she panicked.

“Tony’s been dozens of times,” Daniela explained. “He says this river is not that bad. I mean, they let anyone sign up for it, even if you have no experience.”

Tony did not look like a Tony. He looked like a Sven or maybe even a Thor or a Ragnar, if she were honest. Who named a white blond, blue-eyed baby ‘Tony’?

“Right. We paid good money for this. They wouldn’t sign us up for certain death.” Emily smiled.

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