“No!” I said, gripping Ollie’s hand tighter. I hoped I didn’t look like I was panicking because I definitely was. I thought about Ollie leaving, of packing my bags and having to move back in with my parents... I hadn’t even spoken to them since returning home.
Captain Xav held my gaze. “Do you remember the values of this boat?”
“Of course, but we’re not—”
“Ireallyvalue honesty, you know,” Captain Xav said.
There was a beat of silence in which the three of us just looked at each other.
And then Ollie swore and pried his hand from mine. “You’re right, Cap.”
“Ollie!” I glared at him. How could he go and ruin things before doing so was absolutely necessary? Clearly, I could never ask him to help me bury a body.
“It’s not Neen’s fault,” Ollie said, resting his elbows on the table. “I... talked her into it. It was my idea. I didn’t think. I was just—”
“It was my idea!” I said, and smacked him on the shoulder.
Captain Xav held up a hand, and the both of us shut our mouths. “You act like I ought to be surprised by this, but you two are as transparent as a glass-bottom boat. I didn’t need to find this,” he said, nodding to the marriage license application, “to know what was going on. Oneminute Ollie tells me he’s out of options and going back to Ireland, and a few days later he tells me he’s got it all worked out? You two are inseparable. It wasn’t hard to figure out.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” I said.
Captain Xav shrugged. “Didn’t want to lose the best stewardess and chef I’ve ever had.”
“So why all the drama now?”
Captain Xav leaned toward us over the table. “Because you two are clearly incompetent.” He shook his head. “Leaving it in the goddamn crew mess. Where are you getting married?”
I stared at Captain Xav. This conversation was... not going the way I expected. “The... courthouse...”
Captain Xav sighed and looked up at the ceiling before settling his gaze on us again. “The courthouse.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I said.
“I think you two need a little help,” he said. “Fortunately, you have me.”
Which was how I’d ended up wearing a thrifted wedding dress on board theSerendipitya week later as Captain Xav took photos of me and Ollie after performing the shortest wedding ceremony of all time. The dress was a gorgeous little thing. Off-white and with a soft neckline and pencil skirt, it was somehow elegant and casual at the same time. If it weren’t for Captain Xav’s running commentary, it would’ve been easy to pretend it wasn’t a wedding dress at all.
“You’ve got to kiss,” Captain Xav said. I shot him a glare. “What’s that look for?” he added, lowering Ollie’s phone. “Not very bride-like.”
“You’re having fun with this, aren’t you?” I said.
“What’s the immigration officer going to think when you show them your wedding photos and you look like you’ve been sucking on lemons? A kiss will sell it, but if you want to take that risk, so be it.”
I glanced up at Ollie and shrugged. He shrugged back.
“Great,” Captain Xav said. He held up Ollie’s phone and motioned for us to scoot closer together. “And maybe I am having fun with this. Why shouldn’t I?”
Ollie and I faced each other. “I think I hate him,” I said under my breath.
“For making you kiss me? Gee, thanks,” Ollie said.
“Don’t act like you want to do this any more than I do,” I said.
Captain Xav cleared his throat.
“Will you cool it?” I said to Captain Xav, though I didn’t take my eyes off Ollie. “We’re doing it, okay?”
Ollie took a step closer and rested his hands on my waist. It was a typical South Florida summer, hot as could be, and the way he held me only made me feel warmer all over.
