Chapter 7 - Gwen - Bumping into You
Chapter 7
Gwen
On the cruise ship, I reach the boarding agent in record time due to my priority boarding. Being an event planner has its perks. The agent scans my passport, takes an updated picture, and asks, “Anything change from your submitted health screening answers?”
“Nope,” I answer.
He nods and motions for me to pass. “Up the stairs to your right. Have a great trip!”
“Thank you,” I say as I walk by.
I love walking onto the ship. It has a red carpet and greeters to welcome me aboard; just another reason why I love to cruise with Regal Voyage Cruise Lines. They go above and beyond to make guests feel like royalty. Not one for pictures, I skip the photographers. Plus, with a wedding in a few days, there will be plenty of pictures to last me the next few years.
Looking around the Grand Promenade, my pulse slows as I take a deep breath. It’s almost time. My brother and my best friend are getting married. This is going to be the greatest cruise and wedding.
A ping from my phone breaks me out of my calm.
Mom
I don’t want to make you nervous, but we ran into some traffic and we’re running a bit behind.
What the hell?! Seriously, why couldn’t they just listen to me and get here yesterday? I love my mom and dad, but for Pete’s sake, it’s not every day your only son gets married to his childhood crush—someone who has been like a daughter to them for years. You’d think they would want to make sure they were here early!
Gwen
How far away are you?
Mom
I don’t know, like 5 hours away?
Five hours? Let me think. Okay, there are about six hours left before the set cruise departure time. That’s cutting it a bit close for my taste, but if they don’t make any stops until they get here, it should work out.
Gwen
Ok, you can still get here in time. Just don’t stop for anything, not even a fast bathroom break. You cannot miss this cruise!
Mom
We aren’t going to miss the cruise. We didn’t mean to make you nervous. I was just telling you so you wouldn’t freak out when we weren’t there as early as you thought we’d be.
Too late for not making me nervous. Ugh, if they don’t make it, I just . . . nope, no, not going there. Mom and Dad will make it. They have to.
gwen
I know mom, sorry. I’ll see you in a few hours. Love you!
Mom
Love you two honey.
I shake my head and roll my shoulders back. Right. Focus, Gwen . I take some deep breaths, in for four, hold, out for four. Ok, find Courtney and go over the plan. Nothing can go wrong when you plan for everything. And I am a pro at planning.
It doesn’t take me very long to find Courtney at our designated meeting place next to the clock tower on the Grand Promenade.
“Hi, Courtney?” I ask, glancing at her name badge.
“You must be Gwen. So lovely to meet you face-to-face,” says Courtney.
“Same,” I say. I’ve spent the last five months coordinating with Courtney over the phone about aspects of the wedding that involved the cruise ship. As annoying as it’s been to have to work with another wedding planner, it has been useful to talk to someone who knows the ins and outs of the cruise. And at least she hasn’t had to be told things twice. But now that I am here, I can take over the cruise details and not have to rely so heavily on Courtney. “Right, so let’s go over the itinerary,” I tell Courtney.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to go over the guest list. I’m a bit confused about who will be participating in which event.”
“Okay, sure. Holly and Greg will be participating in everything, except for the port at Cura ? ao night when I’ve planned a special dinner for them at the hibachi grill. Then, obviously after the wedding, they’ll be on the start of their honeymoon and doing their own thing.”
“Great,” says Courtney, checking a box on her tablet. “Then I have Mr. and Mrs. Palmer and Mr. and Mrs. Kenton.”
“Right, the bride’s and groom’s parents.”
“Now, I don’t see them on many of the activities at all. Is that correct?” asks Courtney.
I nod. “Yes, they said they’d not be doing many of the activities because they, and I quote them on this, ‘don’t want to slow us down and keep us from any fun.’”
Courtney laughs at that. “Sounds just like something my parents would say.”
“As part of the wedding party, there’s myself, Trent, and Margot, Holly’s younger sister.”
“And we have one other guest in the wedding party, a Mr. O’Sullivan.”
“Yes, Sully, as my brother calls him. He’s the other groomsman,” I confirm. “Holly’s other sister, Vivian, will be joining us too. She has a friend, Tammy, joining her who is not part of the wedding party. Vivian and Tammy will be participating in most of the events but not all.”
“Right, I see Vivian is only in a few of the items. Okay, then we have Gillian and Miles, with a five-year-old Magnolia, who is to be the flower girl, correct?”
“Yes,” I sigh heavily. I have a million things I need to look over and want to get this guest list over with. “You don’t really need to worry too much about all this, Courtney. I can handle the itinerary and who is supposed to be where and when.”
Courtney types on her tablet, then looks up at me. “I’m sure you’re more than capable of handling everything, but I’d love to be filled in just in case.”
“Right, just in case,” I say.
“So, the flower girl?” continues Courtney.
“Maggie, as she prefers to be called, is the sweetest girl. I have her signed up for the kid’s club as well. Gillian is Greg and my sister. She and Miles, her husband, are treating this trip as a babymoon before they welcome baby number two in a few months. They will mostly be spending time together as a family.”
“How perfect! I’m sure Maggie will have a wonderful time at kid’s club. Let your sister and brother-in-law know that there is an adult-only pool up at the front of the boat if they want some quiet time.”
“Of course,” I nod. “And that should be everyone.”
“Actually, there is one more,” says Courtney.
“What?” I ask.
“Vivian reached out to me earlier, and her plus one, Tammy, brought a plus one.”
“A plus one for the plus one? Who does that?” I ask.
“It’s Tammy’s fiancé, I believe.”
I sigh in frustration. Why can’t people just plan ahead? Why do people have to do things last minute like this? Don’t they know it messes with people’s plans? “Well, that certainly would’ve been great to know beforehand.”
“You’d be surprised at how many people add a friend or two to their cruises. It’s a fun place to be,” says Courtney.
“Is there any problem with the additional plus one?” I ask Courtney.
“No, we’ve already taken care of it. Except I’m not sure if the fiancé will be going to any of the wedding events?”
“Well, since I just found out about him, I’m not sure either. For now, let’s add him to only the activities that Vivian and Tammy are attending. That won’t be an issue, will it?” Internally, I’m seething at how Vivian and Tammy could do this when I confirmed with Vivian a week ago about her plus one—just one plus one, I might add. These complicated last-minute changes could all be avoided if people just communicated.
“Nope, another person won’t be an issue. I’ll make a few adjustments. Just have Vivian or Tammy contact guest services when they get onboard, and we will get the fiancé added.”
“Thanks,” I say. “Oh, and something else I should mention: my parents will be checking in a little later than we planned.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes, they hit some traffic but should make it right before the ship sets out.”
“Do you know where they are? Maybe I can offer an alternate route to help them make up some time?” Courtney suggests.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it handled.”
“Alrighty then, looks like everything is in order. Each person will get a notification in their app for the preselected shows, activities, and port excursions.”
“Perfect.” I look down at my list. “Now, could you show me where the wedding will take place? I’ve seen pictures online, but it’s just better if I see it in person.”
“Of course,” says, Courtney. “Right this way.”
Over the next four hours, I tour all the locations for the wedding and related events, go over all the details, and confirm each and every activity Holly and Greg picked out for the cruise. My list is checked off for the day.
“You all have a fun-packed nine nights ahead of you,” says Courtney as we wrap things up. “If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.” She hands me her card, gives a little wave, and heads off.
Looking down at my phone, I notice it’s just under two hours until the ship is set to depart. My parents are still not here yet.
I need a drink. Just as the thought hits me, my stomach growls. Maybe I’ll get some food first. Alcohol on an empty stomach is never a good idea.
In the elevator, I press the button for the sixteenth floor to head up to the Duke’s Diner for a quick bite to eat. I check my itinerary. We have dinner in the main dining room tonight at seven o’clock with the whole group, but I’ll meet up with just the wedding party at the Imperial Bar for some drinks around three o’clock. I better eat now before three o’clock rolls around or I’m needed somewhere else.
I grab a plate of food and fill my coffee mug before finding an empty table with a view facing out to the ocean.
My phone pings and I glance down, hoping to see an update from Mom, but it’s Vivian.
Vivian
Hi G, you know how I brought a friend, Tammy, as my plus one for the wedding?
Gwen
Yes. . .
I know where this is going.
Vivian
Ok, well don’t be mad, but she bought a last-minute ticket for her fiancé and he will be joining us too. Just for the activities I signed up for. They have their own table so we don’t need to change any of that. I just wanted you to know.
Gwen
No worries, Courtney already filled me in on this addition.
Vivian
Ok, great! I hope it’s not too much of a problem.
Gwen
We’ll make it work. The three of you need to go talk to a guest service agent and they will get you set up.
Vivian
Thanks G, I’ll message you if we have any issues.
Of course you will, I think and then, after counting to ten to calm my mind, I text her a thumbs up and take a sip of my coffee. Thank goodness for coffee.
After putting down my phone, I turn to the ocean. I don’t know what it is, but just seeing the ocean brings me a sense of calm. The chaos of the past few months, with Bradley breaking up with me, me planning a wedding for my best friend, my business taking off . . . there’s been a lot weighing on me. Most of it good, but the stress of it all caused a tightness in my chest.
Being here now, staring at the ocean, it feels like I can breathe again, that everything will be okay. I take a sip of coffee, close my eyes, and let out a deep breath.
“Well, this must be fate,” says an accented voice I couldn’t forget if I tried. “Alright there, not-my-valet?”
My eyes shoot open, glancing at a pair of piercing blue eyes. McHottie. What are the odds that I’d see the not-my-rideshare driver again? Why in the world is he on this same cruise?
“What are you doing here?” I bite out, setting my cup back on the table.
“Cruising.” He shrugs, setting his plate of food across from me like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Oh, to be so lucky.
“Obviously, but why are you setting your things at my table? What if I’m saving it for someone?”
His eyes glint with mischief as a dimple appears next to the smirk he’s sporting. I don’t have time for this guy’s flirtatious ways. There is too much happening today.
“Are you waiting for someone?”
“Well, no . . . but you didn’t know that.”
“No harm done then, and seeing as there isn’t another open table,” waving his hands around as if showing me the space, “and we already know each other, I think you can find it in your heart, Rose, for me to join you for lunch.” Raising his eyebrows, he waits for my answer.
I roll my eyes and give a brief, almost imperceptible nod. He takes the seat across from me.
Adjusting in my seat, I look out to the ocean and take several breaths. In for four beats, pause, out for four beats, pause, and repeat. I’m not going to let McHottie spoil the calm that has finally washed over me. Even though his presence causes my calm to slip ever so slightly.
I try to avoid looking at him as he takes a bite of his burger. It’s like a flipping sexy hamburger commercial up in here. Eating a burger should not look so sensual. Why does he have to look so good doing it?
“What’re the odds that both of us are on the same cruise?” McHottie asks, bringing me back to this odd little luncheon.
I swallow a bite of salad before answering. “Considering it’s a cruise port town and roughly six to seven thousand people can be on this ship, I’d say it’s high chances we both ended up here.”
“Fair enough,” he says, relaxing back in his seat and tilting his head as if he is studying me.
Sighing, I ask, “What?”
“Nothing, just trying to figure you out.”
I perk up in suspicion. “Why?”
“Why not? We seem to keep meeting up, and with a ten-day cruise ahead of us, I just figure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few days.”
“Who’s to say we will see each other again at all?” I ask, waving my arms around us. “As you can see, there are literally thousands of people on this ship. We may never meet again.”
“Ah, well now, second time’s the charm.”
“It’s ‘third time’s the charm,’ not second,” I say.
“I guess I’m just optimistic that a beore such as yourself wouldn’t mind getting to know a nice guy like myself.”
Sitting up a little straighter in my seat, my ears pinken at what he’d just said. “I’m sorry, did you just call me a boar and then basically ask if we could hang out?”
“No, no, that’s not it at all.” His eyes go wide. “I was merely saying you’re lovely to look at.”
“I’m lovely to look at?” I ask, brows furrowing as I curl my hands into a fist in my lap. There’s nothing more annoying to my inner feminist than someone wanting to be around me for just my looks. “I’m sorry. . . .”
“No apology necessary,” he says mischievously.
“I’m not apologizing to you, um . . .” I can’t remember his name.
“Niall,” he offers.
“Niall,” I snap, “I was saying I find it a bit offensive that you’d only want to get to know me because I’m lovely to look at. Is that all you think women are good for? To be nice to look at?” I start gathering my items in preparation to leave, then remember that the staff on the ship take care of bussing the tables.
Ugh, this guy. Just because McHottie is, well . . . hot, doesn’t mean that I only want to catch someone’s attention for my looks.
“I’m more than just a pretty face,” I say, putting my tray back down and standing to leave.
“For the love of . . .” Niall starts, and then mumbles to himself before saying, “It’s not just your looks, though you haven’t given me much in the way of conversation to give me reason to believe you have a class personality.”
My ears redden at his comment. “Just because I don’t want to talk to strangers doesn’t mean I have a bad personality. For your information, I have a great personality and am a super fun person to be around.” And with that, I fling my bag over my shoulder and walk away, leaving my lunch half-eaten on the table.