Love Overboard

Chapter 43

FOUR EXHAUSTED SEPTUAGENARIANS COLLAPSED AROUND a table in one of the small lounges. An hour of searching for Lacey had produced zero results. Emily threw down the battered silver mask, and it bounced off the wood and fell to the floor. She’d been clutching it since they left the party.

“Was this yours, baby?” Althea leaned over and retrieved it. “Why’s it so mangled?”

Emily ignored the question and slumped on her chair. “I warned him. But did he listen? No. Lacey wouldn’t have been nearly as hurt if she’d learned it from him.”

Daisy flipped the French cuff of her lace sleeve. “Who told her?”

“Not me.” Althea waggled a hand. “I didn’t say a word.”

Emily massaged the bridge of her nose. “A man came aboard at the last port. Jon’s father sent him to fetch his son ahead of schedule. He was a verbal atomic bomb. Couldn’t have dropped more information if he was trying. Lacey walked up behind them while they were talking and heard everything.”

“How do you know this?” Gerry asked.

“I just happened to be standing nearby.”

“‘Just happened,’ huh?”

“You tried to tell him.” Althea’s head shook like an overloaded washing machine. “He should’ve come clean right away.”

Daisy folded her hands on the table. “I hope she’s not too crushed.”

“Do you think she got off the boat?” Althea asked.

“I seriously doubt it,” Gerry said. “We’re in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.”

“If she wants to be alone,” Daisy said, “we should respect her wishes. Lacey’s not the type to do something foolish. She’ll come out when she’s ready.”

“What about Jon?” Emily shoved her chair back and paced beside the table. “He’s leaving for Florida soon. They have to make up before he goes.”

“But Lacey’s heart must be shredded.” Gerry wrung her skirt with twitchy fingers. “How can they reconcile that fast? It took her years to let him in.”

Daisy hugged herself. “Poor thing.”

“I knew it was going too well.” Gerry’s melancholy side kicked in. “Things were bound to turn corybantic.”

“Cory who?” asked Althea.

“Corybantic.” The retired librarian explained. “Crazy, frantic, bonkers. Everything’s gone sideways.”

Althea grimaced. “Between you and Emily, I’m gonna need a dictionary for this conversation.”

“Oh, I could shake that boy.” Back and forth Emily marched. “If he’d listened to us, this wouldn’t have happened. But he had to make his fancy proposal. Now he’s got nothing.”

“What do we do?” asked Daisy.

Emily stopped pacing and rubbed her hand against her chest. “I … I don’t know.”

The other three stared.

Althea’s mouth sagged. “That’s the first time I ever heard you utter those words.”

Emily’s shoulders slumped. She looked at the ceiling. “Lord, what do we do?”

The Shippers waited for an answer, but quiet reigned in the small common area. Almost everyone was at the ball.

Gerry’s chair creaked as she leaned forward. “How about—”

A shrill laugh pierced the silence. Two women in spiky heels and matching fuchsia dresses tottered past. They giggled as they held a cell phone above them, filming a video as they walked.

“Wait.” Daisy pointed with a finger. “Over there.”

Beyond the videographers, Lacey appeared. Dirt smudges covered the skirt of her ball gown, and her hair was a stringy mess. With long, purposeful strides, she passed the matchy-matchy girls.

“Go,” Althea whispered to Emily.

The other Shippers stayed at the table as their leader approached the girl whose cheeks were flushed, eyes swollen and bloodshot.

“Lacey,” Emily called.

Lacey stopped.

Emily stood a foot away from her, respecting her space. “Are you all right, dear?”

“No.” The bedraggled hostess didn’t elaborate.

Emily took a step closer. “You don’t have to be. This evening must’ve been a terrible shock.”

“To say the least.” Lacey tried to walk around, but Emily blocked her.

“Before you go, you should remember Jon is leaving tomorrow. Technically today, since it’s after midnight.”

“What?” Lacey’s thoughts stuttered at Emily’s words.

“He’s boarding a plane for Florida when we dock in Cozumel. Do you truly want to let him go like this?” She drew near. “I’m not telling you to take him back, dear. That’s your choice. But at least hear him out and then tell him exactly what you think—no matter how hard it is to say. When you get to be my age, you’ll lie awake at night and ponder all the times you should have spoken up and didn’t. Trust me. Don’t let this be one of the times you left things unsaid.”

Lacey’s resolve melted under the sympathetic blue gaze. She nodded.

“Good girl.” Emily took her hand. “He’s not at the party. Come with me. I’ll show you where he is.”

She led Lacey through the ship to the main auditorium. They entered the gold-filigreed doors to the darkened room. Only the lights surrounding the stage were on. Jon sat at the edge with his legs crisscrossed, his shoulders hunched so low they almost touched his knees. His head lifted as they approached. He hopped to the floor and met them at the end of the aisle.

Emily let go of Lacey’s hand. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

Lacey’s fingers missed the warmth of Emily’s grasp. She tucked her hands in the folds of her dress and focused on Jon, but he didn’t say anything.

He stared at her with tortured eyes. They told her how sorry he was. And her hard expression replied it was too little, too late. If anyone walked in the room, they’d swear it was silent. But Jon and Lacey carried on a whole conversation without speaking. The semidarkness offered them sanctuary for their mangled hearts.

“Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asked.

“Thank you.” She stiffened when he reached for her. “Please don’t touch me.”

Jon ruffled the hair above his forehead. “I messed up big-time. The truth is, I hurt you—and it’s killing me.”

“Yes. It hurts.” She exhaled slowly. “But we have other things to talk about.”

He moved once more to take her hand, but she hid it behind her. His jaw clenched. “What kind of things?”

“Emily caught Ricardo bringing bags of flour aboard in Progreso. He claimed it was because he burned a bunch of tarts, but the chef knows nothing about him buying replacements.”

“Wait.” Jon shook his head. “What?”

“I remember that on the first cruise you took with us on this ship, Ricardo also arranged for extra supplies. We have shelves of provisions in storage. What difference could one grocery bag make? It doesn’t add up. You should check out his story. Just in case.”

“Okay.” He patted his pockets. “I’ll tell Collins … but Ricardo’s not going anywhere unless he has a jetpack hidden under his bunk. First, let’s finish talking about us.”

Lacey retreated. “What do you mean? We need to check Ricardo’s cabin.”

Jon advanced and grabbed her hand. “We will. But this is more important right now. Lacey, I made a lot of excuses earlier. I deceived you and broke your trust. There’s no defense for it, but I hope you’ll forgive me anyway.”

He placed his other hand on hers. Lacey’s fingers curled into a fist. She tugged it from his grasp.

“Other women would call me a fool for rejecting a man like you.” She held the fist tight against herself. “But I can’t help it. My brain hears the words you’re saying and tells me to let the hurt go. But my heart tells me I fell for a liar.” Lacey pounded her torso. “It feels like an old raisin, all dry and shriveled.”

He spread his arms wide. “What can I do?”

“It’s not your fault I have … issues.” Lacey took a step back. “It’s not your fault I judged your past actions through the lens of my father’s shortcomings.” She took another step toward the exit. “Really, this is on me.”

“What? No. I should have told you about my real name a long time ago.”

“Yes. You should have. But you didn’t. And you can’t change that. Like I can’t change how it triggers my insecurities. The answer to your question is—nothing. There’s nothing you can do. Except check out Ricardo’s cabin, and … and … go away.”

Jon didn’t argue. He stood there, silent and grim. But his eyes pleaded with her.

Lacey turned. Her feet carried her up the aisle and out the auditorium door. She walked without looking where she was going—or caring. She wasn’t running from love this time. She was choosing to walk away. But the result was the same.

She left him. Again.

And he didn’t follow her. Again.