Chapter 13
More from the Guppy Gabber, Wednesday:
Justin: Has anyone seen or heard from Jen? She wasn’t in the dining room, my phone’s dead, and I can’t find Rachel. We were supposed to call my sister before leaving the port. It’s not like Jen to forget. I hope she’s okay.
Tammy Rae: I waited for an hour to meet Jen to talk about my cupcakes. I guess she didn’t want my recipe as bad as I thought. What’s worse, though, is that her mother isn’t going to get an autographed picture now. It’s so sad when the fans get hurt because of someone else’s thoughtlessness.
Rachel: After I got back from shopping, I went up to the deck to lounge in the sun and nap. I had no idea Jen wasn’t onboard until Justin showed up looking for her, after dinner. We went to our cabin to check, but she wasn’t there. The producers finally told me she missed the deadline to get onboard. I hope she’s okay.
Summoning all of my psychic powers, I narrowed my eyes, held my arms out toward the boat, and willed it to turn around. Shockingly, nothing happened. Eight years as a diver in high school and college turned me into a decent swimmer, but it didn’t give me the confidence to throw myself off a pier in pursuit of a floating hotel moving away from me. Or the lack of self-preservation. I needed to stop the ship, see if a speedboat could take me out to catch up.
Cruise ships in some areas worked with pilot ships, meaning captains who lived in the area came out to help the boat in and out of tight harbors. They’d pull right up to an open railing on the eighth or ninth deck and the captains would hop over. I could do the same. If I could find a boat. And someone to open the gate on the railing.
I reached for my phone, realizing too late I’d left my bag in the car. They wouldn’t let me on the boat ever, at this rate. Or into America. Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.
Whirling around, I searched for our taxi. Gone. My heart pounded in my ears.
“Jen? Hey, Jen? Hello??” Dominic caught up to me. A wave of relief flooded me when I realized he’d brought my bag. My precious bag.
Before I said anything, he held it out. “Here.”
Without looking at him, I yanked the bag out of his grip and stalked away. This was all his fault. Thankfully, my phone found a signal. I refused to think what this call would cost.
My initial instinct was to call Justin, but he’d have to go find the right people to talk to. It’s not like my boyfriend possessed the power to turn the ship around. If he’d even turned his phone on while the ship was in port. Instead, I scrolled through my contacts list until I got to Ed’s name. Ed didn’t know how to turn his phone off or set it to airplane mode. Even on actual planes.
“Hey, beautiful, where are you? Was the ride amazing?”
“Actually, that’s why I’m calling,” I said. “Justin missed the boat this morning. I wound up on the excursion with Dominic instead. And the ship left the port without me. I’m standing on the dock, watching you sail away. Can you get Connor for me?”
“Hold up. Say that again?”
I repeated myself, slower this time. Giggling filled my ear.
“Ed, this is serious! I’m stranded in a foreign country with my ex-boyfriend.”
“Oh, honey, I know, I’m sorry. But you have to see the humor. That Ariana is an evil genius.”
“Would you believe I’m not quite appreciating your point of view right now?”
“Okay, fine. We’ll laugh about this later.”
“Much later,” I said. “I need to talk to Leanna. She can talk to the captain and get me onboard.”
“Sure. Connor’s at a meet-and-greet, but I’ll have him text you her number.”
“Now, Ed. This is an emergency. I have nothing but my passport and like ten dollars American. No way to get to Grand Cayman tomorrow. Or home.”
“No problem. I’ll call you back in ten minutes if we haven’t found her.”
“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver,” I said. “And when you’re done, can you do me another favor?”
“Yes, I’ll talk to Justin for you. Don’t worry. Stay safe and get back here as soon as you can.”
After he hung up, I paced the dock, refusing to look at Dominic. I had about a billion things to say to him, none of them appropriate to say in public, but I needed to talk to Leanna first. Once I fixed this problem, I’d know exactly how pissed I had a right to be. With any luck, my feet would hit the deck of the Queen Kelly before the late seating in the Simon Dining room.
Nine minutes later, my phone rang, displaying a call from an unfamiliar number.
“Connor?”
“Jen? It’s Leanna.” She didn’t sound happy. “What the fuck happened?”
“Ariana happened.”
“Ariana’s here on the ship. You’re not.”
“Yes, she is, but she detained Justin so he couldn’t join me on the excursion, then she sent my ex with me in his place, and he made sure I missed the boat. Now we’re both stranded in Jamaica. Please help me.”
“We can’t possibly turn the ship around to come pick you up.”
“I know, but can I get a boat to come out and meet the ship? The Network must have some kind of protections in place in case something like this happens. Or the cruise line. What do they normally do when someone misses the sailing time?”
Silence. I pictured her head tilted, tongue sticking out between her teeth while she pondered the best way to use this situation to create more drama. Producers: Helpful, yet evil. No way the Network would let me come out of this unscathed. I’d be lucky if she didn’t tell me to make out with Dominic before she’d help.
“Usually, they tell people to get to the next port of call at their own expense. You may join the cruise again in Grand Cayman if you can get there.”
“Great! How are you going to get me there?”
“How is this my problem, Jennifer?”
My spirits plummeted. The Leanna who’d seemed so cool and helpful during the early days on The Fishbowl vanished. We’d been friendly until I’d refused to participate in the last mini-challenge. Not my fault I didn’t want to win an in-house dinner with Dominic, who they’d mistakenly called my “serious boyfriend.” Nope. I’d been happy to let Justin win a visit with Sarah instead. I’d never dreamed that move would bite me in the ass later.
My mind raced, seeking any way to sway her back on my side. Or to get her begrudging assistance. “Well, let’s see: You invited Ariana on the cruise, knowing our history. You let us bring guests. You put me and Justin in separate rooms to drive a wedge between us. You sent me and Dominic out with a production assistant who happened to disappear, which is how we lost the bus in the first place.”
“What are you accusing us of, Jen?”
“Oh, come off it. I’m not stupid,” I said. “Getting left behind can’t have been a coincidence. The Network is footing the bill for this whole week. You’re going to make an utter shitload of money off these episodes, especially since Dom’s following me around with puppy dog eyes. You’ll get sixteen million viewers, easy. But if you ditch me in a foreign county, I’ll take my chances violating the nondisclosure clause in my contract.”
She didn’t respond, so I pressed on.
“But if you help me, I’ll play along, do what I can to get the show over twenty million viewers. I’ll promote the heck out of it after we get home. Do you want to give up the publicity? There are three days of cruise left. Don’t you want to see me confront Ariana? I promise, it’s going to be good.”
Leanna sighed in my ear. “Okay, fine. There’s an airport in Kingston, but you’re nowhere near it. I’ll see if I can find a captain to bring you over to the next port on a private boat. I’ll call you back.”
“Thanks, Leanna. You’re a peach.”
She didn’t answer. I didn’t expect her to.
Dominic approached as soon as I put my phone away. “So what’s the verdict?”
“You were not a part of the conversation.” I turned and walked down the pier, knowing he’d catch up to me easily. A moment later, he appeared at my side.
“Where are you going?”
“Away from you.”
“Are you going to abandon me in Jamaica?”
“Only if I can’t find a way to shove you in the ocean with no one noticing.”
He stopped, pulling my arm to bring me to a halt with him. “C’mon, Jen. I’m sorry. I just wanted to spend more time with you. How can you fault me for that?”
“When you want to spend time with someone, you ask! You don’t steal their passport, follow them around a foreign country, and then strand them on a pier. You want to talk, to make up? To quote Bianca Del Rio, ‘Not today, Satan!’ Leave me alone.”
To my surprise, he burst out laughing. “God, I’ve missed you. The way you phrase things. Your smile, your jokes, everything.”
I glared at him. He wouldn’t be seeing my smile any time soon. Not after all this.
“At least let me buy you dinner,” he said. “We haven’t eaten in hours, and you don’t have any idea when the producers will call you.”
“I’m not leaving this pier unless it’s on a boat.”
He pointed behind me. “There’s a bar right over there. You’ll feel better once you eat. The second Leanna calls you back, you can ditch me. Scout’s honor.”
Before I could refuse, my stomach howled. We’d been in the sun all day, riding horses, then we walked at least three miles. I hadn’t eaten in more than six hours. Passing out from hunger on the dock wouldn’t get me on the Queen Kelly any sooner.
“Fine,” I said. “But don’t talk to me.”
* * *
Still refusing to look at him, I stomped to the small restaurant at the end of the deck and took one of the empty seats at the bar. Dominic started to sit on the empty seat next to me, but I put my hand over it.
“Don’t. There are plenty of empty seats. Leave me alone.”
He started to argue, but must’ve seen something in the firm line of my mouth. Or the daggers flying out of my eyes. “I’m going to the bathroom. We’ll talk in a minute.”
The bartender brought me a menu, but I waved him off, requesting a mai tai and whatever local delicacies they offered. Dinner would probably cost a fortune. Good. Dominic was paying.
Before my drink arrived, a short, stocky guy with cornrows and warm brown eyes slid onto the stool beside me. After an entire day of glaring at Dominic, being rude to strangers felt like too much effort, so I smiled at him. He smiled back, flashing one perfect dimple. He was nice to look at, although at least fifteen years older than me.
“I like your dress,” he said.
My dress? In case my outfit had changed since walking into the bar, I glanced down at my black capri pants, tank top, and running shoes. Ah, well. “Thank you.”
“You are American? My name is Isaac.”
“Jen. Yes, American.”
“Wonderful. I love America!” He winked at me, which finally tipped me off that this guy was hitting on me. Wonderful. At least Janine wasn’t around to film it.
The bartender returned with my drink, and I took a long sip, wondering how to extract myself from the conversation gracefully. Then he said, “Bartender, I will pay for her drink.”
“No, thank you. I can’t let you do that. I have a boyfriend,” I said.
“What kind of boyfriend would let a beautiful woman like you walk around these bars by herself?”
“Well, we kind of got separated. Physically, I mean. But I’ll be seeing him soon.”
He nodded sagely. “Ah. Sorry for your breakup. Now you drink with me. I’ll make it better.”
Not wanting to be rude, I raised my glass. “Cheers. But really, I’m fine, thanks.”
“Do you like the Foo Fighters? Lots of American women like the Foo Fighters.”
I wracked my brain, coming up totally blank. What a random question to ask a stranger. “That’s a band, right? They were popular before I was born, I think, so I’m not very familiar with their oeuvre.”
“What a shame. Come home with me. I’ll play you Foo Fighters, yes?”
This guy needed to be hit with a clue by four. I sighed and stirred my drink before meeting his gaze firmly. “I appreciate the offer, but I have a boyfriend, and I’m not interested.”
A hand landed on my shoulder, and I jumped. “The lady said she’s taken.” I never thought I’d be happy to hear Dominic’s voice. To me, he said, “Hi, honey. Sorry I’m late. Are you ready to move to our table?”
Gratefully, I nodded, sliding off the stool. As badly as I wanted to never see or talk to Dominic again for the rest of my life, he momentarily seemed to be the lesser evil.
“Thank you,” I said when we sat down. Even though I blamed him for this entire mess, I could be gracious. Sort of.
“No problem. I’m glad you changed your mind about having dinner with me.”
I snorted. “You’re incorrigible. I’m not having dinner with you.”
“Oh, no? You want me to get up, give my seat to your friend over there? What was his name again?”
“Shut up. I appreciate you rescuing me. Even though I hate needing rescue.”
“It’s a different culture here. You just need to be firm. You’re too nice. I should’ve known better than to leave you alone.”
Briefly, I wondered if I were too nice to throw my cocktail in his face. Except, after the long day, I needed the drink.
“Smile,” Dominic said. “You’re in love with me, remember? The other men in the bar are looking at us.”
I showed him my teeth in what probably could not be accurately described as a smile. “Have I mentioned lately that I hate you?”
“Not in so many words, but this seems like the perfect time for a relationship post mortem, doesn’t it? I’m an ass, I treated you horribly, and I deserve to be strung up the nearest flagpole by my testicles.”
Laughter burst out of me, filling the room. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but Danielle may have a different point of view.”
“Danielle already got my nuts in the divorce. She can do whatever she wants with them.”
“She’s wonderful,” I said. “How could you cheat on her?”
The bartender delivered a platter of steaming fried plantains to our table. The scent set off my stomach, drowning off any further conversation. Not that I wanted to talk to my ex about our relationship. Or about his marriage. Instead, I dove into the food.
More plates followed. We devoured jerked chicken and rice, some amazing fritters, and something called “ackee and salt fish.” Dominic, a firm believer in drinking local beer whenever possible, washed everything down with Red Stripe. I stuck to my mai tais, which probably contained as much water as alcohol. Even after my third, I didn’t feel the slightest buzz. Except everything Dominic said seemed hilarious. Like when he offered to go to the bar for more chips and guacamole.
Finally, Leanna called me. The Network arranged for a local boat owner to take us to the Cayman Islands, where we’d rejoin the cruise ship in the morning. I would’ve preferred to get back immediately and sleep in my own tiny bunk bed—after talking to Justin and Tammy Rae, of course—but she said the ship wasn’t allowed into the harbor until morning. Even if they were, it wouldn’t be safe to open the gangway in the middle of the night. Since she was doing me a huge favor by not making me swim, hitchhike halfway across the island to get to an airport, or pay for my own boat, I didn’t argue. Instead, I thanked her politely and disconnected.
Then I sent another text to Justin. No response. What a time for his phone to give him problems.
Dominic paid the bill, and I led the way. Using the directions Leanna gave me, I found our ride. Either the ship was fairly new, or the owner possessed an awesome sense of humor, because the Boaty McBoatface waited for us in the harbor. When Dominic saw the name, he burst out laughing. A genuine smile broke out across my face. Anyone who’d name their vessel Boaty McBoatface should be interesting. This last stage of our voyage might turn out okay after all.
“Welcome aboard!” The man greeting us stood about six feet tall, with flawless ebony skin, dreadlocks down to his waist, and perfect, gleaming white teeth. My best guess put him a couple of years younger than me. “I’m Ty, and I’ll be your guide this evening.”
Dominic introduced us, while I steeled myself for another rocky voyage.
“Are you okay?” Ty asked when I settled onto a seat in the corner.
“I’m fine thanks,” I said. “Just not a big fan of boats.”
“You’re in Jamaica on a cruise ship, aren’t you?” Ty kept a perfectly straight face, but Dominic chuckled behind him. I glared at him.
“Okay, fine, I’m not a big fan of small boats,” I said. “I always worry about getting seasick.”
“Ah, well, then! I have the thing for you. Would you like some of the good ganja?”
The good ganja? Oh, dear.
“No, thank you. I don’t smoke. Do you have any ginger ale?”
“No problem,” he said. “I’ll bring you some brownies instead. Special recipe.”
Chocolate probably wouldn’t settle my stomach, but since my fear of seasickness outweighed any actual nausea about a hundred to one, no reason to say no. I’d never been one to turn down chocolate without a good reason.
Dominic started to say something, but I interrupted him. “That sounds amazing. Thank you, Ty.”
Without another glance at Dominic, I pulled a book out of my bag and stared resolutely at the pages. My mind wandered, and my eyes spun uselessly across the words. Hopefully no one would ask me about the book. It didn’t matter. I just wanted to ignore my ex until we got back to the Queen Kelly where I could handcuff myself to Danielle and avoid him until we got to Miami while simultaneously apologizing to Justin and getting Tammy Rae’s secret ingredient.
A moment later, Dominic settled onto the seat beside me. “Did I mention I’m sorry?”
“Did I mention I’m not speaking to you?”
“You just did.”
Ty saved me from answering by appearing with a large plate of brownies and a bottle of ginger ale. Although we’d just eaten, my stomach found space at the sight of the thick, chocolate icing. After a horrible day, it looked even more enticing than a coco-chocolate cupcake topped with toasted coconut.
“Thanks,” I said. “How much for this?”
“On the house. Or rather, on your Network. They’ve got you covered,” he said. “You can sleep down below. There are two couches and a bed. I’ll show you when you’re ready.”
As nice as it sounded to crawl into bed and lie there until the boat reached the Cayman Islands, I was too on edge after our day to even pretend to sleep. I wanted my brownies and ginger ale.
Twenty minutes later, realizing I didn’t feel seasick in the slightest, I got up to explore the boat. This was my first time on a yacht. If I wanted to embellish the details for the viewers in my interview when I returned to the cruise, I should know what a rich person’s boat looked like.
Below decks, the ship held a living area larger than some downtown Seattle apartments. Blue couches lined the walls, clean and firm. From what I’d seen of tiny house shows, the cushions probably concealed storage. The door across the room would lead to Ty’s bedroom; I left it closed. The kitchenette took up about twenty square feet, most of that taken up with tiny, adorable appliances, but a determined person could cook in there. I spotted a wireless router in the corner and wondered where you got wi-fi in a boat. A door next to the kitchen showed the smallest bathroom I’d ever seen–just a showerhead over the toilet and a drain in the floor. How efficient.
Upstairs, benches lined the deck. A covered area in the middle held two sets of chairs. Ty showed me how one converted to tables and the other concealed life jacket storage. I reached immediately for one, but he stopped me.
“This should be a smooth trip. You’ll wind up below decks for most of it,” Ty said. “I’ll let you know if you need a jacket, but for now, just enjoy the trip. Nothing beats an ocean sunset.”
He had a point. I tossed back the rest of my brownie and wandered around the deck, looking for a good spot. The sail remained furled for this trip, as we’d use the motor to take us to the Cayman Islands. The view from the front of the yacht beat the one from the ship, because this close to the water line, I saw fish playing in the sea.
Although it was early, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an alien orange light across the water. Or maybe aliens hovered out of sight. Only a UFO could make this day more unreal. I giggled at the thought, glancing up to examine the sky.
The stars were so beautiful. How had I never noticed? I moved toward the railing, into the open air and looked up. The sky swallowed me. Somewhere in the distance, music played. My body swayed to the rocking of the boat, and I tipped my head to the sky, relishing the breeze on my face. It felt like angels brushing me with their wings.
A moment later, Dominic appeared holding out an unopened bottle of water. “You’re going to want this.”
“Thanks. Look at the sky! The stars are so big! And Tammy Rae was right: the ocean is totally vast. I feel so small, you know? So insignificant. Like none of this matters. Why am I being so mean to you? You brought me water! I love water.”
Laughing, Dominic leaned against the railing. “So how were those brownies?”
“So good. I love brownies. Are there any left?”
“I think you’ve had enough.”
As we passed another, larger ship, music and laughter drifted across the harbor to us. People stood on the deck, milling around.
Jumping up and down, I waved. “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, people! I’m Jen, and I’m on a reality cruise!”
Someone shouted, but I couldn’t make out the words. They were dancing, so I danced, too. They cheered and shouted, so I shouted back. “Yay for new friends!”
Dominic lifted his water bottle and clinked it against mine. “To new friends—and old.”
“Man, I feel amazing! Don’t you feel amazing?”
“Yeah, I feel pretty good, too. You’re funny like this.”
“I’m not funny, your face is funny!” I hooked my elbows around the railing to see how far I could bend backward. “I’m so happy. Why do I feel so happy? I don’t like you. I miss Justin. I love Justin.”
He turned and cupped my face, his eyes searching mine. “Hey, Jen? When Ty said ‘special recipe brownies,’ you knew what he meant, right?”
“Like his mom’s recipe? Some secret ingredient?” The lips of his mouth turned upward, like he struggled not to laugh. “What?”
“Jen, when someone offers you ‘special’ brownies or ‘funny’ brownies, they have pot in them. You’re totally high right now.”
Me, high? No way! No one ever offered the nerdy girl drugs. And I’d never, ever accept them. I needed my brain cells intact. On the other hand, this explained why my soul soared on the ocean breeze while we talked.
Although I wanted to be angry at Dominic’s revelation, my brain lost control over my emotions. I burst out laughing. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “I figured you knew.”
“How could I possibly know that?”
“How could you possibly not know that? You went to college.”
“I’ve spent half the week trying to find out a secret ingredient for a special recipe Sarah and I need for our bakery,” I said. “When Ty said special recipe, that’s what I thought he meant. Perfect. Now watch, Tammy Rae’s secret ingredient is probably pot.”
As frustrating as the day had been, it was impossible not to see the humor in the situation. Or the THC had taken over my nervous system. Giggling helplessly, I let my feet slide down until I sat on the deck with a thump. When my bruised butt hit the deck, I gasped.
“What’s wrong?” Dominic asked.
“I fell on my ass on the deck yesterday. I’ve got a bruise the size of Neptune.”
“Don’t you mean Uranus?” Dominic sat beside me, and the two of us laughed until tears ran down my face and my sides ached.
“Do you want me to take a look at it?”
“No, I don’t need you to check out my butt. Thanks, anyway.”
“I meant the bruise. I’m a nurse, remember?”
I’d almost forgotten. When we were together, he rarely talked about work, and after I found out about Danielle, I figured he made up the traveling nurse thing to explain his long absences. It never occurred to me that he might possess actual medical knowledge.
“Thanks, but no. I’ll be fine.”
The mental image of Dominic “examining” my butt set off another fit of giggles. When I calmed, he was watching me.
“What?”
“You,” he said. “You’re having an awesome time. Admit it, spending the day with me is not the worst thing that possibly could’ve happened to you.”
“It could be the brownies talking, but you might be right,” I said. “This hasn’t been a terrible day. But I still never want to see you again.”
“Jen, I do feel horrible about the way things ended between us. Danielle and I married too young. I didn’t know what love felt like until I met you.”
His words sent a pang through me. Before I met Justin, nothing would’ve made me happier than to hear those words. But it was too late. I’d moved on, and now I understood how a real relationship worked. Justin and I had a partnership, something more than canceled dates, apologies, and stolen moments, always at my place.
“Don’t say that, Dominic. It’s too late. We’ve been over for almost two years.”
“I’m an idiot. I should’ve left her the minute I met you.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter now. Danielle is happily living the single life, and I’m in love with Justin.”
“Are you?” he asked.
He scooted closer, so near that the heat of his body enveloped mine. I inched backward until I bumped into a corner of the ship. Ignoring him, I took another drink of water, then turned my attention to the sky.
“Man, the universe is huge up there. Like the ocean! We’re such tiny parts of this massive whole. As insignificant as ants. Crawling around on the deck like ants, too. When did I get so deep?”
He chuckled, bringing my attention to him.
We sat very close, our knees almost touching. Our heads mere inches apart. Man, he had a big head. How had I never noticed his big head while we were dating?
That probably was the brownies talking.
“What do you mean?” I asked. “Of course I’m in love with Justin.”
“You’ve spent the last ten hours with me. Laughing, joking, drinking. Dancing. We’re in this amazing place, on this amazing journey. And where’s Justin? On the ship, with Ariana.”
“It’s not his fault he missed the boat. It’s not like he purposely ditched me to hang out with her.”
“Of course he didn’t. That’s why he’s been calling you all day.”
I forced myself not to reflexively reach for my phone. “His phone stopped working the first day on the ship. The battery won’t charge.”
“Right. How convenient. Right after you run into Ariana, his phone stops working?”
“I never said it was after we ran into Ariana.”
“But it was, right? Didn’t they have a thing together on the show?”
“Before the show. A long time ago. It meant nothing.” Even to my own ears, the words sounded weak. I hated Dominic for pushing at my sore spots. But wasn’t this what I’d worried about all along? That Justin would leave me for Ariana? What if he’d somehow arranged to stay behind with her?
No, that was ridiculous. The brownies were making me paranoid.
“Come on, Jen, let this happen,” Dominic said. His face was so close to mine, I couldn’t see the stars anymore. “Forget Justin. That guy’s not good enough for you. I love you, you love me.”
“That’s ridiculous.” I shook my head. “Justin’s the best thing that ever happened to me. And I don’t l—”
He cut me off, bending forward and pressing his lips against mine. In my shock, I froze. Two things brought me out of my stupor: Dominic’s tongue wriggling its way into my mouth, and the unmistakable click of a camera shutter.