“You think I should leave her?” Jeff asked.
“I told you. I don’t think anything. Your marriage is your business.”
“Yeah. And the internet and social media and promotion and cybersecurity and all that... Well, that’s our business, too, and Celia knows what she’s doing with it,” Jeff said.
Wes grinned. “Hey, you didn’t order your drinks.”
“Oh, yeah. She wants something frilly. You know, something fruity with a little umbrella in it.”
“They’re doing blackberry margaritas that look good.”
“But you ordered beer.”
“I don’t need a frilly umbrella,” Wes said, grinning.
Jeff groaned, showed his premiere badge, and ordered the blackberry margaritas Wes had suggested.
Luckily, the drinks were met by Celia with an expression of pleasure. She thanked Jeff and looked at Chloe and said, “These are so pretty!”
“They are pretty,” Chloe agreed.
“And you don’t want to try—”
“I learned years ago that I’m fine on beer!” Chloe told her. “Too much hard alcohol and I get the worst headaches! I can admire from afar!”
“Oh, look, there are Edward, George and, of course,” Celia said, giggling, “Sally! She does have a serious crush on our man.”
“Hey, Edward doesn’t seem to mind,” Wes pointed out.
“True. I guess I was just thinking...” Celia broke off and started laughing. “I guess with a man of Edward’s power and position, I thought he’d have a pretty young thing, table-dressing on his arm.”
“Hey, we all like what we like,” Jeff said.
Celia turned and smiled at her husband. “And very lucky for me, you like strong women who stand up for themselves!” she declared. “And, okay, so perhaps just a little bit waspish!”she added while making a face and drawing laughter from Wes, Jeff and Chloe.
“And what’s going on here?” Edward asked as he walked up on their group, George and Sally behind him.
“We’re explaining love, what makes the world go round!” Chloe told him.
“Oh, nice. I didn’t know it could be explained, even by the most advanced internet searches out there!” Edward said. “Um, I’m seeing towels on these chairs. I was hoping—”
“I put them there, especially for you!” Chloe assured him. “I’m not sure I’m supposed to save that many chairs, but I considered our entire dinner group so yes, of course, Edward, three are for you! And those right there are for Amelia if she comes out, and I see Daniel and Broderick over at the bar, so...”
“And there’s Broderick, looking over at us!” Edward said. He waved at Broderick and pointed to a few of the chairs. “Chloe, thank you! How nice that you thought to do this for all of us!”
“Well, I lied a little!” Chloe told him. “I told the towel guy that you’d specifically asked for these chairs and Edward, you’re kind of a big deal on this cruise!”
“Aw, that’s not using someone, my dear, that’s playing it smart!” Edward announced. He looked at George and Sally and asked, “What can I get you? These folks have their drinks—frilly and not—and I believe I will have something myself. George, I know you’re on duty—”
“Sir, you are as kind as can be, but I’ll take a soda!” George said.
“There’s Amelia!” Celia said, waving wildly so that she’d be seen. “Here she comes! We can see what she’d like to have before you head to the bar!”
Amelia was on deck; she’d been looking around but saw their group, waved in return and made her way toward them.
“This is so cool! Perfect seating!” Amelia said, joining them. She had a terry throw on over her bathing suit, but quickly tossed it aside, opening her arms to the sky. “What a day, what a beautiful day! Perfect to be out here—in thisperfectseating!”
“Well, we can thank ourperfectmarried couple for that!” Edward said, grinning. “Chloe and Wes got here first and found these seats for us. Just in time! The place is beginning to fill up! So, Amelia, I’m making the bar trip. What can I get you?”
