Chapter 10 - Niall - Bumping into You
Chapter 10
Niall
Did Tammy just say they were all here for a wedding? It can’t be the same wedding, can it?
Before I can put much more into that thought, Rose drops my hand. “Thanks for going along with that.”
“Don’t be worrying yourself,” I say. “Helping people, it’s ingrained in me. My job and all.” I feel hollow at the lack of contact with my Rose.
My Rose?
Since when did I start thinking of her as mine?
Since her touch caused a chemical reaction.
Rose eyes me curiously. “Right, and what would your job be?” she asks.
“I’m a firefighter.”
“Well, you definitely saved me,” she laughs, the sound sweet like the soft tinkling of Christmas bells. “I appreciate what you did for me there, for playing along.” She picks up her frozen drink and takes a long sip.
“You looked like you needed it. I’m guessing he’s the ex?”
She glares at me but there is no passion behind it, no fire in her eyes. She sighs. “Yes, we dated for two years. He broke it off about eight months ago.”
“Wow. What happened?” I sit in the empty seat next to her.
“It’s really none of your business,” she says angrily, but then her facial features sag.
“Okay, fair’s fair.” I signal the bartender and order another Blue Hawaiian. We sit in silence watching the bloke make my drink. Only once I’ve taken a sip of the frozen blue concoction do I speak up again.
“So,” I ask, wanting to get more details about this wedding. “What brings you on this cruise? Obviously not the fascinating couple that just left here?”
Her mouth quirks up in a half smile, and I swear my tongue goes bone dry. I’d actually managed to get a smile out of Rose. Be still my heart.
“No, I am definitely not here because of them,” she huffs out gently. “I’m actually here . . .” but she trails off and looks past me.
A woman calls, “Gwen!”
“Sully!” I hear, and now I turn too.
Greg and Holly come around the corner.
Wait. . . . Did Holly say Gwen ?
I glance over at the beore I’ve bumped into multiple times now. Is she Greg’s Gwen?
Before I can ask a question or even know what hits me, I’m wrapped in a big hug from Greg. It’s as if we didn’t eat breakfast together this morning, but seeing as how I haven’t seen him in about three years, I wrap him back in a hug.
Next to me, Rose, or maybe Gwen, is attacked by Holly.
“Holly!” Rose squeals, clasping Holly’s hands. “I’m glad you made it on the cruise.”
“We’re finally here.” Holly smiles. “And it’s almost wedding time.”
“I know,” says Rose, “and I’ve made sure everything is in order.”
“This is going to be the best friend’s trip-then-wedding we’ve ever had!” Holly says.
“It’s the only friend’s trip-then-wedding we’ve ever had,” Greg replies.
Rose chuckles, her mood vastly improving and hopefully pushing thoughts of her ex and his fiancée to the curb, right where they belong.
“Come here, Gwennie,” says Greg, letting go of me and wrapping Rose up in a big hug.
“Why do you insist on calling me Gwennie? We’re not kids anymore.” She laughs. I catch a glimpse of Rose’s face and her smile is illuminating.
“It’s just a habit, a hard one to break,” says Greg. “You will always be Gwennie to me. And I see you’ve met Sully.” Greg steps back and pats me on the back.
“Yes?” Rose says, furrowing her brows as her eyes narrow at me.
I, catching her confusion, say, “Though I don’t believe we’ve properly introduced ourselves yet. Niall O’Sullivan. ‘Sully’ to my mates.”
“Of course you are,” she transforms her face and plasters a smile on it then reaches out her hand to shake mine. “Gwendolyn Kenton. ‘Gwen’ for short and Greg’s sister.”
So Rose is Gwen then. Greg’s request to spend time with his sister just got a lot easier.
“Hey, not just his sister,” pipes up Holly, pretending to be affronted, “but also my best friend for, like, forever, my partner in crime, a bridesmaid, and our wedding coordinator. Seriously, Niall, if you have any questions about what’s going on this trip, this one right here is your girl.”
My girl? I could get used to that.
“Good to know,” I say, grinning at Gwen.
Gwen claps her hands together. “Right, so when are Trent and Margot supposed to be here?”
“Right now,” says Trent, walking through the door behind me with Margot.
Gwen jumps, startled at their sudden appearance, but then she turns and gives Trent a big hug like she hasn’t seen him in years.
“Hi, Trent,” Gwen says, then laughs as he picks her up and spins her around. Trent may be built like a linebacker, but he’s all teddy bear.
“And where is the beautiful blushing bride?” asks Trent after he sets Gwen back down.
Gwen and I lock eyes as she steadies herself. I catch myself frowning slightly at the show of familiarity between her and Trent.
Margot and Holly barely release their hug before Holly is being spun around by Trent just as he’d done with Gwen. I smile seeing my friends so happy.
“I got the teddy-bear twirl as well when Trent found me on the Promenade,” laughs Margot. “We almost knocked down an old lady!”
Trent chuckles and shrugs, “What can I say? I missed you all.”
“You just saw most of us this morning,” laughs Holly.
“So?” Trent asks, a boyish grin on his face.
“What,” I say, “I don’t get a . . . what did you call it? Oh, teddy-bear hug?”
“Sully!” Trent says, noticing me next to Greg. “Come here, dude. How long’s it been?” We share a quick brotherly embrace.
“Too long, mate,” I admit, shaking my head.
“When are we going to convince you to join us all in Tennessee?” asks Trent. “You’re the only one that’s not there.”
I shake my head in response. This isn’t the first time he’s asked me this.
“Well,” says Holly, “we’ve got lots of time to catch up on the cruise. I’m so glad everyone could make it. Greg and I really appreciate it.”
“Of course,” Gwen and I say at the same time.
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” says Margot.
“You couldn’t pay me to stay away,” says Trent, grinning again.
Tears gleam in Holly’s eyes, and Greg brushes them away lightly before giving her a quick kiss.
My pulse races slightly at the reminder of my lips on Gwen’s cheek not too long ago. A light touch, a quick peck as I pretended to be her boyfriend. I glance over at her only to find her looking at me, offering a slight smile that quickly morphs into a glare.