Sven’s face twists with obvious confusion so I say, “Never mind. See you around.”
Great. Not only am I dateless for the day, I’ve just admitted my own roommate, who was tasked to cheer me up, has dumped me.
Maybe I’m a real nasty person no one wants to be around. Look at me. Not a friend in the world. No family around me, and the last thing I posted on social media was a picture of me with a gun-shaped vibrator.
Pathetic.
My head hanging low, I pass into the dining hall and grab a tray. I hope my tablemates are not present, but no such luck.
Alice and Sylvester are there, along with the fortieth-reunion club.
“How did the ball go?” Sylvester asks. “We didn’t see you after the foxtrot.”
“You didn’t see us either,” Alice says. “We were dressed as Christmas trees.”
“All lit up, but stuck to our roots,” Sylvester adds. “You won’t find trees dancing.”
“I’m glad you had a good time,” I manage to choke out between bites of toast, while keeping my gaze planted on my placemat, where I read about the cruise’s various events.
Alice leans close and taps me. “What did you do to Jordan?”
My heart stops, and I carefully lift my eyes and glance at her. “Is he okay? What happened?”
“He spent the night with me,” she says matter-of-factly. “Poor kid.”
I almost choke on a piece of toast. “Why do you say poor kid?”
“He wasn’t his usual cheerful self,” Alice says. “He believes you don’t want him to carry out his assignment.”
“Oh, no, he misunderstood. I’ll be glad to hang out with him the rest of the cruise. Honest.” My eyes wander around the dining room, looking for my own personal Loki. “Where is he right now?”
“Having room service in my cabin. I told him he’s acting like a big baby, but he claims he’s going to be in trouble no matter what happens.”
Sylvester grunts and elbows his sister. “You’re not supposed to repeat confidences.”
“In trouble. With who?” My gaze pops between brother and sister. “I’m not going to give him a bad report. He’s very entertaining, and I had a great time yesterday, from the lobster breakfast to all the spa treatments, shuffleboarding, dinner with Sven, and the Christmas Ball. It was magical, even the walk on the top deck with a mysterious caped man.”
Alice snickers and is about to say something when Sylvester cuts her off. “See? Nothing to worry about. There’s no trouble.”
No trouble for Jordan, but I can see it now. He really doesn’t want to do this job for Jade, but now that he took her place on the cruise, he feels obligated.
I shouldn’t be so dependent on him. Maybe there’s another woman on board he’d rather pursue. Maybe it’s Dr. Lin.
Hey, who am I to judge? May-December relationships can go either way.
“If Jordan would rather hang out with someone else, I’ll let him off the hook. My happiness is my responsibility, not his, and I’m sure Jade wouldn’t hold it against him. It was very sweet of him to care so much about making me happy, but I have an entire ship of people to make friends with. Tomorrow’s Christmas Day, and I’m sure I can do everything on my own.”
“We’ll be glad to hang out with you,” Sylvester says. “What activities do you have planned for today?”
I tell him about the wave machine, and he mentions a cakewalk and gift exchange he and Alice have on their agenda.
We agree to meet at the wave machine after I go to the onboard mall to buy gifts for the exchange. I purchase a bottle of perfume for Alice and a golf jacket for Sylvester. I can’t leave Sven out, in case he’s part of our group, but he’s the type who has everything. I buy him a box of thick Cuban cigars, figuring as a future politician, he could make use of them.
As for Jordan, I owe him an apology. I’ve been too selfish and demanding. Everything was about me, me, me, and how hurt I was. Meanwhile, he, too, was rejected by his family, and I never once asked him how he felt about it.
It can’t be fun for a healthy, active, young man to be confined on a cruise ship with a jilted, has-been bride.
I browse and browse the boutiques and jewelry stores, but I can’t find that special item I want him to remember me by.
