Page 96 of Revenge Honeymoon

“Sylvia,” Max said in a voice that sounded like a cross between annoyance and worry.

Emily crept up behind him and touched a hand to his lower back to let him know she was there to support him against meanie-pants Sylvia, who could be customer service perfection one minute and nasty ice queen the next.

“I thought we were going to meet this morning, but I couldn’t find you at the breakfast buffet.” The cruise director’s thin arms were akimbo.

“I didn’t think it would be a problem if I postponed until after the excursion.”

“You are here to work.” She glanced at Emily. “Not to philander with the guests.”

Emily sensed a tremor in his body beneath her hand.

“I have a contract,” Max said. “I’m not one of your employees. You know that. I know that. I exchanged my photography services for a free vacation. That’s exactly how it was sold to me.”

“Is that what your friend told you?” Sylvia replied with an ugly twist to her mouth. “The professional photographer who bailed on us at the last minute and left us with an amateur?”

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Being a meanie was one thing, but insulting Max and his talents? That was a bridge too far.

Emily stepped out in front of her newly minted boyfriend to give the tall, slim woman a piece of her mind.

“Emily,” Max soothed. “It’s all right.”

“Ah, you’re going to let your cruise floozy defend you?”

Emily gasped. Max narrowed his eyes.

Sylvia raised a brow. “When am I going to be able to tell the MacPherson sisters you have the model release form secured, and we can move forward with the advertising campaign?”

“There aren’t any photos,” he said.

“What?”

“I deleted them.” Max caught Emily’s eye, and he smiled a quick smile.

“Why would you do that?” Her gaze jumped from Max to Emily and back to Max. “Wait, are you trying to ruin my career?” Sylvia clutched at her throat. “I asked you to take those photos. They are the property of the cruise line. We’ll sue your ass. When you land in Tampa you’re going to be in some serious hot water.”

As the argument grew heated, Emily noticed the line of cruisers grew behind them. The three of them were blocking most of the space between the card scanner and the hallway.

The usual cool, calm, and friendly cruise director had morphed into a completely different person before everyone’s eyes. Sylvia’s face contorted into an ugly mask, and her gestures grew wild and threatening.

Then, it was as if a switch turned on. Sylvia looked around at the audience that had gathered, dropped her hands, smiled broadly, and said in a surprisingly sweet tone, “Welcome back, folks. Hope you had a wonderful day in Cozumel. Tonight’s entertainment includes a juggling spectacular in the main theater at eight and a karaoke contest on the pool deck with Mario at nine.”

Sylvia stepped back against the bulkhead to allow passengers to board.

What a psycho! How dare she threaten Max. Talented, kind, gorgeous Max. Her boyfriend.

Emily squeezed his hand in reassurance—one, to reassure Max she had his back no matter what nasty two-faced Sylvia dished out and, two, to reassure herself Max was real and not a figment of her imagination after a day of too much sun.

“If I don’t have the photo and the signed form in my hands by midnight tonight, we’ll be dropping you in Grand Cayman, and you can find your own way home.” Sylvia turned on her heel and disappeared.

* * *

“Wow, what’s wrong with her?” Ruby asked as Sylvia stomped toward the stairs.

Emily turned her head. “Hey, I was wondering if I’d see you before dinner.” She gave her bestie a warm embrace. At least one bit of good news: Ruby had returned to the ship rather than run off with Tyler. She was dying to ask what happened between Ruby and her ex, but didn’t want to be pushy.

“Looks like you had a good day.” Ruby touched a lock of Emily’s hair still encased in jungle mud.

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