Marcus’s face is a picture as we emerge from the lift and join the rest of them. He bounds towards us and looks at us both incredulously.
“Since when did this happen? I’ve only been gone for a few hours and missed all the action.”
I laugh and flick him a mischievous smile.
He shakes his head and then addresses the group.
“Come on, I’ve booked us a boat trip around the bay. Elvis and I have arranged for a night of pure joy on the ocean waves. There will be lots of Mexican food, tequila, and shameless conga dancing as we sail around the bay.”
I look over and note Rachel’s sad expression and my heart lurches. Poor Rachel. She is in hell over there, so I pull Luke over to join her. I look at her sympathetically and smile.
“Come on, Rachel. Lots of tequila for you tonight and I expect you to show us all how to conga like a pro.”
Jo races over and looks angry.
“Great, now a whole night confined on a boat with Hugh Hefner’s replacement over there. He won’t leave me alone, despite the fact I’ve told him I’m not interested in his explanations.”
Rachel rolls her eyes and looks at her sternly.
“Let it go. Perhaps you should just let him try to explain. It’s obvious he’s feeling bad about the whole thing. Maybe it will take locking you both in a cabin together to make you see sense.”
Jo shrugs and looks down. Despite her hard exterior I know she is hurting, and that is why she can’t forgive him so easily.
We are interrupted as Jenny bounds up, Flynn in tow.
“I can’t wait to set sail. I have discovered a new love of water and this will be awesome.”
Jo looks up and smiles.
“You’re right, Jenny. Let’s just go and have some fun.”
The boat is anchored off a jetty not far from the hotel. It appears that we aren’t the only ones to set sail. I look with trepidation at the sheer amount of people heading onto what is quite a small boat. Then I look at Luke with a worried expression and whisper, “Do you think it’s safe?”
He grins and grabs hold of my hand, squeezing it gently.
“I’ll protect you. I know quite a lot about evacuating a ship should the need arise.”
Why do images of the film Titanic spring to my mind? I shiver inside. The fact that Luke’s hand is holding mine so tightly is doing strange things to me inside.
We follow the others on board and I note the flashing lights and the scrubbed deck of a large cabin. Tables are placed around the edge of a large dance floor and the noise is off the scale.
Music thumps out from large speakers and to say the whole thing looks tacky would be an understatement.
We find an empty table and place our drinks orders with Barry and Pete. I sit between Luke and Jo and look at the other people around us. It appears that this is the Party boat because every other person it seems is intent on having a good time. Inebriated guys knock back shots of tequila, with beer chasers. Girls scream and totter around the dance floor as if they are possessed by an uncool demon. They also appear to be somewhat worse for wear and the boat hasn’t even set sail yet.
I laugh as I see Marcus dressed up like some sort of tourist in a Hawaiian shirt with a feather boa draped around his neck. He is being pirouetted around by Elvis the concierge who is certainly taking his duties seriously in showing his guests a good time.
Luke nudges me and I look over at Jenny and Flynn who appear to be recreating the scene from Dirty Dancing. They are pressed together and gyrating to the tune of, Esposito and I grin as I see how happy she is.
As Barry and Pete head back with our drinks the boat suddenly lurches and moves away. This is it, no going back. The only thing keeping me from totally freaking out is the thought that if I die, I would die happy with Luke beside me for eternity. I have always believed that when you die you go to heaven with the others that die with you. Sort of like passport control. Loved ones who have gone before, meet you on the other side in Heaven Arrivals. If you’ve been bad you are pulled aside by security and sent downstairs. The trouble is, only my childhood cat would be waiting for me, unless you count my ancestors who I don’t really know. Even in death, I would be forced to live alone.
Luke nudges me out of my contemplation.
“Do you fancy a dance, Becca?”
Quickly, I push my seat back hoping it isn’t obvious that I can’t wait to be in his arms. Grinning, he pulls me onto the dance floor and my wish is granted. As I feel his strong arms circling my waist I feel as if I’m in heaven already. Would it be in bad taste to press myself against him like Jenny is having no trouble doing to Flynn? I’ve always been quite reserved and old habits die hard. Instead, I just allow myself to be led around the dance floor by my officer and a gentleman.
After a while, I feel Luke pull me closer and I shift so there is no air between our bodies. The swell of the waves and the effects of the tequila work their magic and I close my eyes and savour the feeling. Luke leans down and presses his cheek close to mine and I feel his breath on my face. His strong hands rub my lower back and I am grateful for the loud music because I’m so ready to start groaning again. The music starts to fade in the background as my senses go on full alert. It’s just the two of us in our own little section of paradise and I try to stop myself from singing Fernando again. I don’t know why I always sing that stupid song when I feel happy or sad. I’ve grown up with it and it has sort of become my theme tune through life. I wish I could have thought of a better one.
Despite the fact that the songs are fast and loud and the crowd is wild, Luke and I dance as if the song is slow and seductive. All around us, people are doing the sort of Dad dancing that should be banned in public places. Women jump up and down, shaking their heads and all of their assets, as they roll around the dance floor as the waves take them. Guys are doing some sort of weird robotic numbers while they openly stare at the women’s chests. Marcus appears to be doing some sort of ‘Oops Upside Your Head’ dance on the floor with Elvis between his legs and some guy dressed like a sailor behind him. Jo and Rachel are dancing demurely on the side watching Jenny and Flynn sex dance in front of them.
Luke and I just move. That’s all - we just move. There is no art to our movements and we are just hug dancing. The sort that shuts everyone else out and is just an excuse to have our hands all over each other legitimately in public.
I close my eyes and sink into his chest and his arms tighten around me. How did I get so lucky?
For the most part, the evening is a lot of fun. I enjoy dancing with my friends but not half as much as enjoy dancing with Luke. The trouble is, as the alcohol takes hold, things start to go downhill really quickly.
By now I have downed more tequila shots than I think is humanly safe for my body and am feeling pleasantly happy. Luke is similarly affected and we look around us with the smug looks of those who have it all. Jenny and Flynn are now openly snogging in the corner and Jo stands up and pulls Rachel with her.
“Come on Rach, all of these loved-up couples are making me want to launch myself over the edge of the boat. Let’s just dance and block this love fest out.”
Rachel grins as she follows her and I snuggle deeper into Luke’s lap, which for the last thirty minutes I have sat on with his arms wrapped around me. Pete and Barry have taken up residence at the bar to avoid Jo and I watch my friends hit the dance floor, with as much abandon as two uptight girls with a lot on their mind can do. I even think they are the only sober ones on board because I have noticed they are both on the soft drinks tonight.
Luke starts kissing my neck which deliciously distracts me as we start making out at the table. Gosh, I feel like a teenager; I am loving this trip!
Suddenly, I hear shouting and look up in alarm. It takes me a moment before I see what appears to be an almighty fight breaking out on the dance floor. I hear screaming as all hell breaks loose.
We jump up and I watch in horror as Luke dives into the fray, pulling people out of the way and dodging punches as he goes.
He emerges from the riot pulling Pete away from some guy with blood dripping from his nose. Jo is shouting angrily and Rachel is pulling her away.
I look around and notice that Jenny and Flynn seem unaffected and carry on kissing in the corner - really!
Rachel drags Jo over and I note the angry tears streaming down her face as Luke bundles Pete outside on the deck. I shake my head in confusion as Jo starts sobbing next to me.
“What happened, Jo?”
She sobs
“Some guy tried it on with me on the dance floor and Pete saw him. I pushed the guy away, but he pulled me back and the next thing I knew, Pete waded in and punched him. The guy’s friends joined in and started hitting Pete so I tried to pull them off. Then Luke waded in and sorted them out and Barry helped.”
She looks up, the tears running down her face.
“Do you think he’s ok? He took quite a few hits and there was a lot of blood?”
Rachel looks visibly shaken and says in a low voice.
“I’m sure he’s fine. It’s probably best that he went outside. We don’t want any more trouble.”
Grabbing her hand, I squeeze it reassuringly.
“It will be fine. It’s what happens when alcohol flows so freely.”
Just then, Marcus rushes up with a concerned looking Elvis. He holds his hand to his heart and looks at us with wide, dramatic eyes.
“Oh my god, girlies, that was so hot. I’ve come over all damsel in distress. What I wouldn’t give for guys to fight over me like that. If I were you, Jo, I would be outside on that deck pressed up against my hero. That was so hot.”
Rachel grins and shakes her head as Jo rolls her eyes and hisses angrily.
“Oh, shut up, Marcus. None of that was hot and sexy. If you must know I hate violence and fighting and that has just put me off him even more. I’m glad he’s outside so I don’t have to see his face because he’s the last person I want to see at this moment.”
Marcus shakes his head and rolls his eyes.
“Keep telling yourself that, Jo. I saw the look in your eyes when he was in the thick of it. You can deny it all you like but nobody believes you. You are punishing yourself more than Pete by keeping up this angry charade. For god’s sake just go and make up and do us all a favour. This is starting to get old.”
He flounces off and Rachel looks at me and grins.
Jo just looks annoyed and shrugs.
“He’s so irritating sometimes. He thinks he knows it all, well he knows nothing. I have every reason to be angry with Pete and it’s not just because of Margaret.”
She flounces off in the other direction and Rachel looks at me with a dumbstruck expression. “What do you think she means?”
Shaking my head, I look at Jo’s retreating figure thoughtfully.
“I think there’s something she’s not telling us. Nobody holds this much anger for so long against somebody who they are obviously mad about, without a very good reason. I wonder what it is?”
Rachel shrugs and looks concerned.
“We’ll get it out of her by the end of the trip. Just you wait and see.”