Page 86 of Revenge Honeymoon

“Just call me Ruby, please.”

“Your name’s Ruby Evers?” The portly man asked, his eyes round. “Maybe the message is for you.” He pointed at the sky.

The former bride shielded her eyes with her hand and squinted up into the bright, cloudless blue above them. Her face paled. “Emily.” She gripped her friend’s arm so tightly the circulation cut off.

After scanning her own card, Emily slipped it into her pocket. “What’s wrong?” Besides a delightful sunburn and peeling skin, she’d arrive home with the world’s largest bruise on her upper arm.

“It’s Tyler.” Ruby jerked her chin upward.

Above the cruise ship, the pier, and the crowds of people flew a black-and-yellow biplane flying a banner that read:

Ruby Evers, forgive me. I love you. Meet me in the Plaza Del Sol.

Dammit.

What was Tyler up to, the jerk? Was he going to play around with Ruby’s feelings and leave her even worse off than he did less than a week ago?

“You aren’t seriously considering meeting him, are you?” She had to give it to the man, though, he knew how to get a girl’s attention.

“I’m looking for my crabs. All my crabs.” Down on the pier, a woman waving a flag with a cartoon crab holding an umbrella drink called out to the disembarking guests. “I’m missing some of my crabs.”

“There’s our group, Rubes.” Emily turned her gaze away from the ridiculous flying sign and pointed at their ATV excursion group. “We have to go.”

Ruby took a step back. She wrinkled her nose.

Oh no.

No, no, no, no.

“You’re going to meet up with him, aren’t you?” Emily’s heart sank. Visions of every ATV accident possible filled her head. Ruby had promised to be the driver. She’d done this before. Emily knew zip about ATVs and off-roading.

Ruby played with the end of her ponytail. “I told you in the room that if Tyler was here in Cozumel, I wanted to hear what he had to say.” She gestured at the banner as it flew by for a second time. “I think I have to do this.”

Emily’s mind flashed back to the panicked look on Ruby’s face the day of the wedding. Her disbelief, then horror, then uncontrollable tears. “I don’t understand it, but I support you, Ruby. Whatever you want. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” If Tyler hurt her best friend again, she’d strangle him. Well, maybe not really strangle him, but launch a nonstop barrage of whatever terrible insults she could come up with.

Ruby hugged her hard. “Thanks.” Her friend let out a heavy breath. “I’m going to find a taxi and figure out how to get to Plaza Del Sol. I’ll see you back here before five. Promise me you’ll have fun.”

Emily clutched her string bag close to her chest. “I will.” Even though she knew she wouldn’t. Maybe she could beg off and sit with the bus driver while everyone else rode the trails.

As Ruby headed toward town and away from the clusters of excursion goers, Emily joined the crabs.

“Are you one of my missing crabs?” the woman with the flag asked.

“Yep,” said a familiar voice behind her.

Holy Hell. It was Max.

Chapter23

ATVs Are Death Traps

Every nerve fiber in her body erupted into flames. That voice. The low, rumbly voice. The same one from last night, in bed, when they were naked together.

What to do? What to do?

She froze. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

“Are you together?” the crab flag holder asked.

---