Chapter 25 - Gwen - Bumping into You
Chapter 25
Gwen
“Fancy meeting you here,” Niall chimes cheerfully, drawing me in by his side. His arm wraps around me, making lazy circles with his thumb on my skin. His touch ignites a spark that surges outward, electrifying my senses.
“Apologies for holding things up,” Niall continues, gesturing toward me. “Gwen just aced a hole-in-one, and I guess we got a little carried away celebrating.”
Tammy, her eyes sparkling with giddiness, says, “Oh, no worries at all. I’d be just as happy if I were in her shoes.”
With a gentle turn, Niall guides me back toward our abandoned clubs as he says, “Well, we won’t hold you up any longer.” We gather our belongings and move onto the next hole. Niall quickly finishes hole eight in just two strokes.
I marvel at his focus, considering the playful escapade we’d just shared. What amazes me even more is how I yearn to continue what we started with that kiss. My feelings are a swirl of confusion. “This date wasn’t so bad,” I tell Niall.
Niall chuckles, a warm sound that eases my embarrassment. “Well, this not-so-bad date isn’t quite over yet.”
“No?”
“Nope. Ready for some Mexican food?”
“I love Mexican food!” How did he know?
“ Cúla búla ,” Niall grins. “There’s a little restaurant just on the other side of the ship. I’ve heard their nachos are amazing.”
After reaching the restaurant, we place our orders and find seats by the windows overlooking the mesmerizing expanse of water. The ocean’s beauty never ceases to amaze me. From the corner of my eye, I catch Niall’s gaze fixed on me.
His curiosity can’t be ignored. “Something troubling you?” he asks, his eyes probing.
“No, everything’s fine,” I reply, though thoughts of that unforgettable kiss swirl in my mind. Why did I have to get caught up in that moment? But it’s a kiss I can’t, no, won’t regret—it was electric, unlike any other.
“Right,” he says, a hint of amusement in his tone.
“Don’t ‘right’ me. You don’t know what I’m thinking,” I say, trying to conceal my thoughts, as if he really could read my mind. Sometimes I wonder about the way he’s so in tune to my emotions, to my expressions, to me.
Our plates arrive, laden with nachos and tacos, and we devour them eagerly.
“Feck,” says Niall, “the nachos and tacos vanished faster than I anticipated. Should we order more?”
“No,” I respond. “I think I’m sufficiently stuffed. I wouldn’t want to doze off during trivia tonight.”
“Good call. Shall we?” he asks, extending his hand to help me up.
I glance at his hand; my brief hesitation melts away. “We shall,” I respond, amused by our formality. After all, we just devoured some of the messiest food.
An exhilarating thrill courses through me as I take his hand in mine. He’s momentarily stunned before he breaks out into a smile.
“We have time for a game of ping pong before trivia if you’re interested,” he offers.
“I’m game. Though, as you know, I can be a bit competitive.”
“Seems so. I’m not complaining though. It worked out quite nicely for me last time.” He grins at me and squeezes my hand lightly.
“You’re incorrigible,” I laugh, bumping him with my hip, as we walk around to our spots at the ping pong table.
Niall takes one side, grasping the paddle with a confident grip. His eyes lock on me, an inviting smile playing on his lips. I stand opposite him equally poised, excitement and determination coursing through me. See, I can have some fun; I’m not always all work and no play.
The table seems to stretch between us like a stage for our duel. I lightly drop the ball, the soft thud echoing in my ear, marking the beginning of our match.
The ball sails easily through the air, a white streak of anticipation. My serve is crisp and well-calculated, bouncing near the edge of the table, a challenge Niall is more than willing to accept.
He responds with a swift return, his focus unwavering and his grin never leaving his face. His eyes dance with his excitement from the game.
Frick, why is that so sexy?
I may not have as much confidence in my swings, since it’s been years since I’ve played, but I’m able to meet his shots with grace, my eyes staying locked onto the ball as if my life depends on it. The occasional times I glance up at him cause chills to run through me, excitement and a promise of a good time filling me with both exhilaration and nerves.
Gone is our light banter. We are both focused on the task at hand, neither of us willing to back down. I send a particularly tricky shot to Niall, sending the ball skimming just above the net.
His response is swift and unexpected, the ball ricocheting off his paddle with finesse and leaving me momentarily stunned. Applause from nearby observers adds to the electric atmosphere, turning our private game into a small show.
I’m happy. It’s nice to take a break from stressing about everything all the time.
Niall wins, and while the competitive part of me is upset, he is just so happy that I can’t help but be happy too.
“I guess you do have a bit of the luck of the Irish,” I say. “You were bound to win at something eventually.”
“You didn’t just say that,” Niall laughs throwing his head back, his whole body shaking from laughter. Pure joy radiates from him, his laughter infectious as I join in.
Glancing at his watch, he turns it to me, “Looks like it’s about time we head over to the Knight’s Tavern.”
Nodding, I set down my paddle and follow him. I’m beginning to think Niall could make anything fun. Usually, I get so competitive that I lose sight of the fun, but with him, he makes just eating nachos or sitting on the beach exciting.
The Knight’s Tavern is a haven of twinkling lights and cozy corners. Decorations of fishing nets, crab boxes, and images of krakens and shipping vessels line the walls. By the time we get there, the others are already sitting near the piano where the trivia host is setting up his station.
We sit down just in time as the trivia host picks up his microphone. “Welcome, everyone, to the Way Late Trivia Challenge!” The host’s voice booms, sending a ripple of excitement through the large crowd.
I’m honestly surprised by the amount of people here with it being so late, but I guess on a cruise people are awake at all hours.
“We’re about to embark on a journey through the realm of random facts and knowledge,” the host continues enthusiastically. “I hope you all are ready! If you haven’t picked up your paper and pencil, we have plenty up here for everyone.”
A few people move to pick up their pencils and papers then head back to their groups.
Glancing around at our group of six, I see that Margot is leaning forward in her seat, determined and ready for the questions to start. Niall, sitting comfortably next to me, oozes confidence and a laid-back charm. Catching my gaze, he gives me a flirty smile. Holly holds the pencil and paper poised and ready to go.
Next to her, my brother sits giving Holly an endearing smile. They really are so perfect for each other; I don’t know why I didn’t see it sooner. And then there is Trent. His face is already adorned with a mischievous grin. Smacking his hands together in excitement, Trent says, “Let’s get this party started!”
The host chuckles at his exuberance, picks up the microphone, and announces, “Without further ado, let’s dive into your first question!”
The question is called out, and Margot whispers the answer to Holly, then says, “I’ve got this one, guys. Prepare to be amazed at my medical knowledge!”
The questions continue, each one a unique challenge that showcases our group’s strengths and quirky hobbies.
“I’d be surprised if we don’t win this thing outright,” says Niall.
“Shh,” I slap him on the arm, “You can’t say things like that in the middle of a game. You’ll jinx us!”
“Ouch, okay, okay, I get the point,” he rubs his arm in mock pain.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Oh don’t be a big baby. I didn’t hurt you.”
“You’re right, but maybe you could kiss it and make it better,” he whispers in my ear.
A shiver runs through me at the mention of a kiss. My mind jumps back to the multiple kisses we’ve shared now, the sounds of the room disappearing, and my cheeks heat.
“G, what’s the answer?” Holly asks me.
Looking around, I blank. “I . . . what was the question?”
Holly looks at me curiously as Niall tries to hide his amusement behind his hand, and I catch Margot giving me a smile.
After they repeat the question, I give them a quick answer.
The last question gets asked, then the host goes over the rules for scoring. Cheers and groans fill the air as correct and incorrect answers are revealed. The room echoes with the sounds of laughter and a good time.
Three teams tie for first place, including our group.
“Alrighty, we will ask one final showdown question,” says the host. “Our three teams that tied for first will give an answer and the one who is closest to the correct answer wins. Ready?”
We all cheer then huddle closer together so no one overhears us when we discuss the final question.
Grinning, the host does a drumroll on the top of the piano before saying, “For the grand finale and the chance to win these logo cozies: How many countries does the equator pass through?”
“There’s Ecuador,” I start us off, “Colombia, and Brazil.”
“And Gabon and Republic of the Congo,” adds Greg.
“Don’t forget about the Democratic Republic of the Congo too,” says Margot.
“I’m pretty sure Uganda and Kenya are both in that general area,” adds Trent
“Somalia, Maldives, and Indonesia,” Holly continues, adding tallies on her paper. “That’s eleven. Is that correct? Are there any others we missed?”“Two more, I believe,” says Niall. “You left out Kiribati and S?o Tomé and Príncipe.”
“I don’t think I’ve heard of those before,” says Margot.
“Alright teams, ten seconds,” announces the trivia host.
“Eek, hurry,” I say, my competitiveness coming out again. “Let’s add them all together, what does that give us?”
Holly quickly double checks her notes. “Thirteen. Okay, that’s our final answer.”
We put down our pencil right as the host calls time.
“Alright, will one member of the winning team bring up their paper to show me their answers?”
Holly practically runs over to the host. The other two teams’ representatives head over as well.
Once all three teams have given their answers, the announcer reviews them.
Holly sits down as the announcer says, “Everyone was very close but only one team got it right. The question was: How many countries does the equator pass through? The correct answer is the equator passes through . . . thirteen countries. Holly, congratulations, your team is tonight’s winner.”
Laughing that we got it right, we share triumphant high-fives and fist bumps.
“See, Rose. I told you we had this!” says Niall.
“Alright, alright, you were correct,” I concede.