Page 60 of Revenge Honeymoon

Daniela furrowed her brow.

Hm, maybe Daniela didn’t have the same sense of humor as Ruby.

“If you’d read the description in the cruise app, you’d see we’ll mostly encounter class three rapids on this river, which are considered beginner-level,” Ruby said in a monotone without even changing the position of her head. “Everybody will be required to wear a life jacket and helmet, and they’ll give us a safety briefing before we ever set foot on a raft. They know what they’re doing.”

Joy exploded through Emily’s body like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Ruby was waking up and acting more like herself. “You are so right.” She squeezed her friend’s arm. “Perfectly, wonderfully right.”

Ruby sat up straight and gave Emily a wan smile.

“As we approach the parking area, please follow the dolphin sign to the entrance where you’ll pick up your gear,” said their guide. “Group One, you will be with me for the entire day. Don’t follow anyone else, just Carson.” He pointed at his name tag. “Ya, mon?”

“Ya, mon,” the entire busload of tourists echoed. They’d been taught at the beginning of their ride that everyone in Jamaica said ‘ya, mon’ for everything. And so far he’d been right.

The bus pulled into the parking lot.

Ruby’s phone blinged.

“That’s weird.” The former bride unzipped her fanny pack. “We don’t have any service off the ship.”

Emily shrugged and scanned the lot for the other buses that carried dolphins. When would they see Max again? or the Weird Twins?

“Oh, my God, Em.” Ruby showed her friend her phone screen. “Tyler texted me.”

Chapter16

River of Doom

Emily’s heartbeat raced. “What did Tyler say?” She tried to sneak a peek at Ruby’s cell phone. “How could you possibly receive a text with zero service?”

Tony spoke up. “It’s possible. If a text was in transit before you left Tampa, and you are in an area with service—?”

“He says he’s flying to Cozumel.” Ruby’s hand flew to her chest. “He said he wants to talk it out,” she read the text in a squeaky voice.

“Screw him,” Daniela said with nostrils flared. “That’s your fiancé, right?”

Emily half-turned her body to block Daniela’s view of Ruby. The last thing she needed was for Daniela to remind her best friend about the lie she’d told in the theater. “You aren’t seriously going to meet up with him are you?” she whispered.

“I don’t know.” Ruby stared at her phone. “What am I supposed to do, Em?” She looked up at her best friend with big eyes. The cold shoulder she’d given to Emily during the whole ride from the pier disappeared.

What a relief, as Emily couldn’t have handled her friend’s irritation much longer. She needed her best buddy back.

If Tyler had sent the text the day they left on the cruise, maybe he was having second thoughts about his crappy wedding no-show. But who cared? He’d chickened out when it mattered the most and left beautiful Ruby broken-hearted and embarrassed. There was no coming back from that. Any man with some sense would’ve skulked away in shame. Only Tyler would think he had a chance.

“You can’t seriously be considering meeting up with that monster.” Daniela stood to exit the bus and gave her husband a wide-eyed look. “Babe, tell her he won’t change. Tell her men like that don’t deserve forgiveness.”

“Would everyone please exit the bus and gather near the equipment shed.” Carson’s voice blasted through the speakers.

“Ya mon.” The whole bus repeated the mantra. Even Ruby and Emily found themselves saying it.

Daniela and Tony became swept up in the surge of people who flooded the aisle.

The two remaining women huddled over the cell phone and read the text together.

Babe, I booked a flight to Cozumel. See you Wednesday. Let’s talk.

“So is he going to be waiting for you with a bouquet of flowers?” Emily stared at the text.

“I don’t know, Em. That’s all he sent. And I can’t text him back.” Ruby leaned her head against the headrest. “What if I see him and—”

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