Gilly smiled, briefly mollified, then her eyes bulged as she put her hand over her mouth and ran back into her room.Scott and Ezra exchanged looks before Scott hurried inside after her.
“I hope she’s not sick the whole cruise,” Pippa said.“That would be a complete bummer.”
“I hate you,” a woman shouted from the room on the other side of mine.
“Stupid cow,” I heard a man with a British accent shout.“I told you no the first time, but you’re too dumb to understand the word.Let me spell it out for you.N.O.No.It means it’s not happening.It’s never happening, and no matter how many times you ask, the answer isn’t changing, so quit crying over something we’ve already discussed.”
I glanced at Pippa, then Ezra, then back to Pippa.I could feel my eyes bulging from my head.This was coming from the room next to ours, and while their balcony door was closed, their voices were coming through loud and clear.
“Holy crap,” I mouthed.
Pippa winced.“I know, right?”she mouthed back.
The sliding glass door slid open on their balcony, and we all looked over as a teary-eyed woman staggered out to the rail.The bombshell beauty with caramel brown hair held her fist to her chest as she looked out over the water before looking around and noticing she wasn’t alone.With a sniffle, she said, “Oh, hi, sorry.”She gently wiped at her face with her fingertips, then patted the area under her eyes dry.“The majesty of the sea.It always gets me.”
The majesty of the sea and a nasty man, I thought.“No worries,” I told her.“I completely understand.The gorgeous view is enough to make anyone emotional.”
“I know I’m feeling emotional,” Pippa added in solidarity.
“Who’s emotional?”Gilly said, stumbling back onto her balcony.Then she noticed the stranger.“Hi there.”Her eyes bulged and her hand flew back over her mouth.“‘Scuse me,” she gutted out before running back inside.
I gave the woman an apologetic wince.“She’s got motion sickness.”
“Poor dear,” she said, tucking her chin.Her small bow mouth pursed for a second.“Do you all know each other?”
“Yes,” Pippa answered.“We’re best friends and business partners.This is our first vacation in years.”
“Well, arealvacation,” Jordy said.“Nothing but sun and fun, with no problems to solve other than where to set our stuff down at the pool.”
The woman sniffled again.“How nice for you all.”
“I’m Nora Black.”I gestured to Ezra.“And this is Ezra.Over there,” I pointed to my friends, “are Pippa and her husband, Jordy.Our seasick friend is Gilly, and she’s here with her husband, Scott.”
“I’m Callie,” the woman said.“My husband, Sebastian, and I are here for our fifth wedding anniversary.”
Yikes.Only five years married, and he was already calling her names likestupid cow?I felt sorry for Callie.
“Happy anniversary,” Ezra said.
She blushed and averted her gaze.“I better get back inside.”
After she went in, I whispered, “That was super sad.”
Ezra nodded.
Pippa waved me over.When I was close, she hissed, “That’sCalliope Grant.”
I gave her a quizzical look.
She shook her head, looking exasperated.“She’s a vocalist who wonUltimate Singer of Americasix years ago.You know, the national contest where the winner gets a recording contract with Zeta Records and a global tour.”
I shrugged.“I’ve never heard of her.”
However, Ihadheard of the show.It was one of the ones Ari, Gilly’s daughter, loved to watch.“Do I know any of her songs?”
“Doubtful.”Pippa shook her head.“Her husband, Billy Grant, fell from a hotel balcony the night of the finale...”Conspiratorially, she added, “...while she was on stage, getting her accolades.”
“Herhusband?”Ezra asked.“Why wasn’t he at the show with her?I mean, the finale seems like a big deal to miss.”
