I turn on the charm and wink at my partner. “If you could maybe show me by helping me shoot a practice disc. You know, hold the stick with me and guide me through the motions.”
“Certainly. I should have thought of that before we started to play.” He clears his throat and adjusts the grip of the stick while positioning the cupped area against a disc.
I giggle and fling my hair and wiggle my butt and then laugh some more as I pretend to “get the hang of it.”
“That’s enough time out.” Alice juts herself between me and her entirely too charming brother. “You two lost, so get over it. Dinner’s starting soon, and this game is boring. Wish we could find better partners.”
“Dani’s the perfect partner for me,” Sylvester says. “Aren’t you?”
“Yes, definitely.” I giggle. “We need to find a date for Alice, don’t you think?”
“We should,” Sylvester readily agrees. “I wish Alice would date as much as I do.”
I’m sure he’s a real wit, and actually, I wouldn’t mind dating him. But tonight, I need Alice’s cooperation more than her brother’s.
“I know a very nice man who would love to date your sister tonight. I’m sure he’s better at shuffleboard than I am,” I whisper in Sylvester’s ear.
“Honestly, she’s young enough to be your granddaughter and she’s only after your money,” Alice lectures her brother. “Be back in the cabin to change for dinner. Don’t make me warn you again.”
“Oh, you have money?” I bat my eyelashes at Sylvester. “I love green stuff, don’t you?”
A loud snicker pops from Alice, and she yanks my arm, loosening me from the older man. “You’re to leave us alone, young lady, or I’m calling security.”
“Oh, don’t be such a narc,” Sylvester says. “We’re supposed to be friendly to everyone on board the cruise.”
“Unlike you, I don’t speak to strangers.” Alice’s lips are white from being pressed together all the time, but inexplicably, a snicker pops out from between her teeth.
“Ah, but we’re not strangers since we played shuffleboard together,” Sylvester protests.
“Let me handle this.” I place a consoling hand on his shoulder. “Alice, can I speak to you privately?”
“Better me than my senseless brother,” she says under her breath. “Okay, make it quick. Syl, you better return the sticks and discs before we get charged for losing them.”
Her brother dutifully picks up the discs and stacks them in a holder.
“Here’s the deal.” I cup my hand and whisper in case Sylvester is not as hard of hearing as his hearing aid would indicate. “I’ll leave your brother alone, if you agree to a date tonight with my friend Jordan Reed.”
“Why me?” Alice squints at me, as if my bright-red dress is hurting her eyes.
“Because your brother’s hitting on me and you don’t like it.”
“Promise to stay away from him the entire cruise and I’ll do tonight only.” The sharp-eyed brainiac points her stubby finger at my cleavage.
“Deal.” I clasp my arm around her thin, bird-like shoulders and give her a huggy squeeze enough to annoy her into an explosive snicker. “You won’t regret it. Let’s go meet your man now.”
“Wait, where are you two going?” Sylvester clambers toward us, having returned the shuffleboard sticks and discs to the monitor.
“Girl talk,” I say. “I really enjoyed the shuffleboard lesson. It’s so great to learn from a pro.”
“Semi-pro,” Sylvester says humbly. “Would you like to sit with me and Alice for dinner tonight?”
“I would, but Alice and I are busy tonight. She has a date.”
“With you?” Sylvester’s jaw drops, and he blinks at his sister.
I shrug a what-can-I-do gesture and nod while Alice snickers before adding, “Syl, I won’t be eating dinner with the Golden Gators tonight.”
“Dani can eat with us,” Sylvester says. “We have no problem with the two of you together.”
