Shipped(21)

Graeme’s lips twitch. “I thought you liked being in charge.”

I narrow my eyes at him. His expression is placid, but I don’t miss the flush in his cheeks and the tiny beads of sweat that have gathered around his collar. Is he nervous or something?

I shake my head. It doesn’t matter. “For the record, I will do anything to land this promotion. Even if I have to chat up every guest on this ship while coming up with a home-run marketing idea, I’ll prove I’m the better choice. Throw all the obstacles in my way that you want. I’ll still rise to the top.”

Straightening, he leans so close that his shoulder brushes mine and his warm breath caresses my ear when he chuckles. “Game on.”





7




Istill can’t believe you puked on that Russian chiropractor and I missed it,” says Walsh, her eyes obscured by a pair of reflective aviator sunglasses.

The safety briefing is over, and we’re back on shore on San Cristóbal for a short evening excursion to explore Puerto Baquerizo Moreno before the ship sets sail for Espa?ola Island, the first stop on our voyage. The café’s red umbrella above us casts a narrow shadow, and the strong sunlight warms my bare shins. Across the street, water laps against a concrete pier jutting into the bay.

“Is that a company record, yakking in the first fifteen minutes of a cruise?” Walsh asks.

Snatching her paper napkin from the table, I tear it into strips, lips pursed.

“I told you not to eat that sandwich.”

“Knock it off, okay?”

Kicking her feet up on the empty chair across the table, Walsh slurps her chocolate milkshake through a straw.

I tip my oversized sunglasses onto my nose and take a sip of water from my Nalgene. After “the incident” earlier, no dairy for me, thanks. I check the time on my phone and a notification pops up: I have new messages from Tory and Christina in our group text.

Tory

Ahoy, stranger! Make it to the ship okay?



Christina

I’m sure she did, chill out, Mama!



Tory

Gotta make sure our girl got there safe





I grin.

Hey! I’m alive, we made it!



Christina

Told you so!



How’s Galápagos so far?



Good, hot. Haven’t seen much yet because we’re still on San Cristobal.



Tory

Wear sunscreen and take lots of pictures



Christina

1. Sunscreen is always a good idea.



2. Have you met Graeme yet? What’s he like in person?



Ugh, yes… and he is exactly how I thought. TERRIBLE





My neck prickles and I glance automatically over my shoulder, but Graeme’s nowhere in sight. I haven’t spotted many other cruise-goers in this part of town. We picked this particular café because of the free Wi-Fi (score), plus it’s tucked at the far end of the main drag, away from the other tourists. If I’m lucky, Graeme won’t venture this way.

In fact, I haven’t seen him since the safety briefing. Good. I don’t want to see him. Today or for the rest of the trip. I click off my phone and peer up and down the street one more time. Still Graeme-less. Which reminds me…

I nudge Walsh with my foot. “Hey, why were you flirting with Graeme earlier?”

Walsh barely looks up from her own phone. “Huh?”

I reach over and cover her screen with my hand.

“Hey!” Scowling, she jerks it away.

Something about the stiffness of her lips has me frowning. “What’s wrong?”

Walsh’s shoulders slump. “Remember that interview I did at the spa down the street before we left?”

“Yeah?”

“I just got an email from the interviewer. ‘Thanks but no thanks.’ It’s the third rejection this week.”

I wince. “Something will turn up soon, I know it.”

“I hope so. I can’t mooch off you forever,” she adds in a mumble. Pursing her lips, she hammers her thumbs across the screen. “So what were you saying about Graeme?”

I should say something else to pump her up, give her hope. But I can’t help but agree with her—she can’t mooch off me forever. Eventually she’ll need to find her own place, and she definitely needs a steady income. Then there’s the matter of her presence on this cruise and why she’s here…

“Just don’t flirt with him, okay? It’s unprofessional. You’re supposed to be my sounding board, remember?”

She huffs. “Yes, yes. Sounds galore. What do you want to hear my thoughts on first?”

“Well, what do you think of the experience so far?”

Plopping her phone on the table, she tips down her sunglasses and peeks at me over the rim. “I think you were holding out on me and your coworker is hot as balls.”

“Walsh, no. Absolutely not. He’s exactly like Sean, and remember how horrible he was? How he treated me—”

“I know, I know. Graeme equals villain. But I’m allowed to appreciate physical male beauty, okay?” She cranes her neck. “Oh look, there he is now.”