Chapter 2
DUCK
I shake my head. Melissa Prescott may be the only person left on the planet who calls me Wade and not Duck. The irony slays me. Her question, though, is beyond amusing. “Why is that excellent, Melissa? What do you intend to do with that information?”
“Are you kidding? For the first time since we’ve met, we’re both single at the same time. I intend to flirt my ass off.”
“It is a good looking ass,” I agree. Melissa wears the mid-western look well.
Brown hair, brown eyes, a tan that comes from being outdoors rather than a tanning bed.
She has enough curves to make holding onto her a pleasure rather than an exercise in avoiding angles like she’s a pointy, plastic Barbie doll.
Her dress tonight isn’t doing her any favors, but it’s not stopping her from being a ten out of ten either.
“See, it’s already working!”
Tipsy Mel is a blast. I’m still stunned that her fucking moron of an ex-husband cheated on her.
I asked Josh for the details when the women left to visit the ladies’ room together.
I haven’t met Bob’s new woman, but I know he wasn’t trading up.
Mel is as good as it gets. And not just physically.
Bob had a smart, funny, hard-working gorgeous woman who could cook.
He is an idiot. “I’ve known you for twenty years, Melissa.
I’m not blind. But like you said, we’ve never been single at the same time. ”
“What are we going to do about this, Wade?”
“Right now, we’re going to have another drink.”
Melissa puts her hand over her glass. “Thank you, but I’m in a perfect place right now. I’m exactly where I should be for the ceremony. A little more will ruin it.”
While I love being around her when she’s hit too much, the lady said no, so I empty the bottle into Joanie’s glass, and the party continues. The eight of us finish our desserts with stories about the last two decades flying across the table.
I see a steward approaching but before he arrives, I feel a presence at my back.
On the other side of the table, Joanie and Melissa freeze at what they see.
I stand quickly, shoving my chair back with more force than is necessary, hoping to hit whoever is standing beside me. I’ve already guessed who it is.
“Duck, good to see you again.”
I ignore the hand he offers. Bob Overbridge flushed any goodwill I felt toward him as a friend of a friend after he fucked over Melissa. If a man wants out, he calls it quits with whoever he’s with. If he cheats, he deserves what he gets. “Bob.”
“Happy anniversary to the lovely couple. May I steal Melissa away for a moment?”
“No, you may fucking not. You weren’t invited to this party.” I expected Mel to be the one to respond, not a fully loaded Joanie. I’m glad to see loyalty still runs strong between the two women.
“What are you doing here, Bob?” I ask.
“We’re—I’m on vacation. I didn’t realize you’d all be on this cruise,” Bob says. He has aged hard and has more lines on his face than any two people at the table combined. “Mel? I just need one minute.”
“No. Go away. Leave her alone.” Joanie’s voice is rising from pissed off to furious. Heads at the table next to ours turn.
“Please?”
Melissa puts a hand on Joanie’s forearm.
The bride looks ready to vault across the table.
Josh stands and lays a meaty palm on Joanie’s other shoulder.
Jennifer’s husband and Michael shift in their seats, ready to move their women out of harm’s way.
That leaves me to deal with Bob. It’ll be my pleasure.
“The lady made herself clear, Overbridge,” I say. “You should go.”
“Sweetie, what are you—” A high, Southern-accented voice says.
“What are you doing here? Bob, what is she doing here?” A young redhead latches onto Bob’s arm.
She glares at Mel, who looks deeply absorbed in sipping her water.
“I don’t know how a failed chef can afford a cruise like this, but I don’t appreciate you stalking us and ruining our vacation, Melissa.
We need to have a talk about your behaviour and—”
“We’re done,” I say. “Remove yourselves or I will.”
Bob looks pissed, but he knows he’s outnumbered by very fucking hostile forces.
Once I’m sure that they are halfway across the dining room, I take my seat again.
Melissa gives me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.
“I saw a ship’s office talking to a waiter, who pointed to our table.
I think they’re ready for us. Let’s finish up so Joanie and Josh can start their second honeymoon. ”
We make our way to a private meeting room on the Opal deck that has its own balcony.
The woman leading us in a white uniform identifies herself as the ship’s purser.
“Normally I process the ship’s regular administrative paperwork.
It’s a lovely treat to handle different paperwork for such a special occasion. ”
Captain MacLeod is waiting for us in a formal white uniform of his own.
Joanie is going to love it in the pictures.
“Mr. and Mrs. Klein, it’s a pleasure to meet you.
I understand that it’s your twentieth anniversary.
It’s my privilege to preside over your ceremony.
Twenty years is a wonderful achievement, and we on the Tropical Wave are honored to be a part of it. Will the bride stand here?”
Melissa takes a wobbly step forward, “Here!” she calls.
“Trouble, you’re the bridesmaid, not the bride,” I whisper, trying to keep her beside me.
“Oops. Not here!” she giggles.
Maybe Melissa was right to turn down that last glass of champagne. Otherwise, she’d be on the floor already.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together…”
I don’t hear the rest of it. Melissa has a two-handed grip on my arm and is holding onto me like a lifeline.
We’re both swaying, and I’m not sure if it’s a result of me trying to hold her upright, or if the ship is rocking.
I’m sporting a good mood myself. While the ladies drank bubbly, Josh order the men a reunion flight: our old friends Jack, Jim, Johnny and José all appeared to offer toasts during the meal.
It didn’t stop Melissa from pressing at least one glass of champagne on me, which I pretended to sip from when she toasted the happy couple.
If the swaying wasn’t enough of a distraction, Melissa puts her head on my shoulder as the captain continues. “I wish I’d had something like that. Imagine twenty years,” she whispers.
“You deserve it.”
“So do you, Wade.”
Josh and Joanie exchange rings. When Josh kisses the bride, we burst into applause. Tears shine in Joanie’s eyes as she accepts hugs from all of us.
“That was beautiful,” Melissa gushes.
“It’s too bad you two never got together in all of these years. You’d make the perfect couple,” Joanie says. “Wade, why didn’t you ever put a ring on this prize of a woman?”
“Bad timing. I was with somebody when we met, and then she met Bob.”
“Bob’s not here now,” Joanie notes. “Don’t you like each other? This is the weekend to grab a good thing with both hands. Like Josh did.”
Melissa shocks the hell out of me when she says, “Oh, I’d climb Wade like Mount Everest if I thought he was interested in anything more than exchanging quips.”
There’s harmless flirting and then there’s seduction, and Melissa just threw down the gauntlet. “I’m interested, Trouble.” How could I not be? She’s hot in all dimensions, ticking boxes that I don’t even normally think about.
“Then prove it,” she dares me.
“Captain, do you take requests?” I ask. We have nothing to lose and a three-night honeymoon at sea to gain.
The captain breaks away from his discussions with his purser. “Do you two even know each other?”
“Only for twenty years,” I say.
“They really do,” Josh adds. He winks at me. “Duck has been my best friend since we enlisted in the navy, and Joanie’s known Melissa since they were kids. They were even the witnesses at our first marriage.”
“And neither of you are legally married?”
“Divorced,” we answer in uniform.
“Not from each other,” I specify.
The captain looks at the purser, who responds with a “We can make it happen!”
Joanie steps forward and whispers something in his ear. He nods. “I guess we can do a double ceremony. Why not? What are your names?” Captain MacLeod asks.
“Melissa Alexis Prescott.”
“Wade Alan Clifford.”
Captain MacLeod smiles and clears his throat. “Let’s do this. We are gathered here, again, to wed these old friends and send them on a new adventure together. Friendship is an excellent basis for marriage and can only add strength to an already strong foundation. Do you have any rings?”
“This wasn’t exactly planned,” I remind him.
“They’re symbols, not requirements. Wade Alan Clifford, do you take Melissa to be your lawful wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor and cherish her for as long as you both love each other?”
“I do.”
Mel squeals and clasps her hands to her chest. “Wade, that’s so romantic!”
“Melissa Alexis Prescott, do you take Wade to be your lawful wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor and cherish his for as long as you both love each other?”
“I do!”
Michael and Tammy start hooting and whistling. Joanie bursts into tears, forcing Josh to comfort her. I decide that I’ve waited long enough and take Melissa’s face in my hands in for a kiss.
For a minute I forget that we’re not alone. Melissa’s mouth is heat and fire. I pull her against me and she fits perfectly. The only problem is that she’s wearing too many clothes.
The captain clears his throat. “Could you let me finish, please, Mr. Clifford?”
“Sorry, Captain.”
“You may kiss the bride.”
If I thought our friends were loud before, the laughter and cheers now are deafening.
I hook one arm around Melissa’s waist and spin her into a deep dip.
Her eyes widen. Then she starts to take care of our too-many-clothes problem by undoing my tie one-handed while holding onto my belt with the other.
When I set her back on her feet, Josh gives me a friendly punch in the shoulder. “Way to make me look bad, man.”
“It’s not my fault that you’ve lost the romance. Maybe you can do better on your twenty-fifth anniversary,” I tell him.
“Will the husbands and wives come over to sign the paperwork to get your shipboard marriage certificates?” Captain MacLeod asks.
While Melissa and I wait for Joanie and Josh to finish, I turn to her. “Do you want the souvenir wedding certificate?”
“Sure. I’ll put it with Josh and Joanie’s invitation. We’ll have to get a photo of the two of us at a supper or something to balance the picture frame as a vacation memento.”
“It’s all yours,” I say as we step forward to sign.
“We’ll have copies for you before you disembark in Miami,” Captain MacLeod says.
“So, we’re done here?” I confirm.
“You are. Have a good night, folks, and thank you for sailing on the Tropical Wave.”
I bend and toss Melissa over my shoulder. I need to continue what our kiss started.
“Wade, what are you doing?” Joanie asks.
“I’m going on my honeymoon. We’ll see you in the morning. Maybe.”
Melissa throws kisses to them all the way to the door.