Finally, with Connor still filming everything, the two of us moved to the other side of the platform and Ryan reminded us how to strap in. I leaned back in the harness, letting it hold my weight and surveyed the land below. Absolutely beautiful.
Justin reached across the gap between us. His clammy hand enclosed mine. Hopefully, he’d feel better after the first jump, or we’d need a backup plan. I couldn’t expose him to this type of fear over and over so I could spend the day with Tammy Rae. Not even if it made for good television.
“You ready?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “But I trust you.”
“Okay then. Count of three.” With a deep breath, I counted, and on “two” I shoved my feet against the platform as hard as I could, pulling Justin with me. He yelped, but I held firm, and a moment later he zoomed past me, taking the lead. Our arms stretched across the distance, a visible reminder of our connection.
Since the harness held me securely, I didn’t need to grip the lines. I let my other arm fall free behind us like Ed. My head fell backward, and I laughed as the wind rushed past my face.
Justin twisted in his harness. “This is amazing! It’s like we’re flying!”
A peal of laughter escaped me at the pure joy on his face. When we signed up for zip-lining, I never dreamed it would be this exhilarating—not only for me, but for both of us.
We hit the platform on the other side with dual thuds, the sound swallowed by the claps and whistles of the rest of our tour group. Ed put two fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle he’d learned from Abram, one of our competitors on The Fishbowl.
Beside me, Justin grinned from ear to ear. The second our harnesses released, he scooped me up and spun me around. “That was amazing! Thank you. God, I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. My arms went around his neck as warmth shot through my body. I parted my lips with a happy sigh. Justin’s tongue found mine. Our bodies melded together, and for a moment, we were the only two people in the world. Everyone else on the platform faded away.
This was why we needed to be here. It wasn’t all about getting secret recipes and promoting the bakery: we craved time together, as a couple, to enjoy each other.
A thud behind me announced the arrival of Connor on the platform, bringing us both back to reality. Ryan arrived on the other line, seconds behind him.
Justin’s cheeks turned red before he released me. “Sorry, I got carried away.”
“You can carry me away any time you want,” I said.
Our other guide zoomed down the line to wait for us at the next platform, while everyone else lined up to take the second turn. From the front of the line, Ed called out to Justin. “Want to race, lover boy?”
He turned to me. “Do you mind?”
“Absolutely not.” He looked like a kid in a candy store. After how upset he’d been earlier, no way would I take that away from him. “If you win, I’ll give you another kiss on the other side.”
Justin leaned forward. “I hope you’re not kissing either winner, because Ed outweighs me by about twenty pounds. He’s solid muscle.”
I laughed. “Go.”
Once the two of them took off, I found myself in line behind Tammy Rae. With several other people ahead of us, this gave me an excellent chance to talk to her–if only I knew what to say after my first attempt at conversation failed so spectacularly.
Before I could say anything, she turned. “That was amazing, you know. What you did for him.”
“It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing. He was totally freaked, and you talked him down, got him to come along and enjoy the trip, and now he’s acting like a different person.”
“We complement each other well,” I said. “He helps me when I get freaked out, too.”
“You’re a good team,” Tammy Rae said.
“Thanks.”
“Maybe I didn’t give you enough credit before. I saw the sparks between you two when you were alone, but they also spent a lot of time showing Ariana flirting with him. I bought into all her bullshit about you creating a ‘showmance’ with Justin to take attention away from her. But you care about each other.”
Her words brought a huge, goofy smile to my face. The same one I got whenever thinking about Justin and our future. “We do. It was never about ratings or staying on the show for me. All I wanted was to ignore him and focus on winning the money. But I fell in love with him, even though I kept telling myself not to.”
“You’re a cute couple,” Tammy Rae said as she strapped herself to the line. “Tell you what: I may have been wrong. Give me some time to reconsider. We’ll talk more about the recipe tomorrow after dinner. Deal?”
Before I could help myself, a shriek of joy escaped, and Tammy Rae laughed. I clapped my hands over my mouth. “Yes, absolutely deal. Thank you!”
She grinned up at me before taking off. “Thank you for reminding me what it’s like to be young and in love.”
Young and in love and part of a team. I couldn’t wait to tell Justin we’d be getting the recipe after all. Maybe America only noticing us as one-half of a whole couple wasn’t entirely a bad thing.
After several more thrilling jumps and a mouth-watering lunch, the zip-line company bused us back to the beach. The cruise liner sat in the harbor, awaiting everyone’s return, but we didn’t have to be there for several hours. As I surveyed the beach, wondering what our options were, Justin tugged my hand.
“Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
He pointed away from the others, at a line of small bamboo structures with colorful walls dotting the beach. “Clam shells. Mini ocean huts built for two.”
“Mr. Taylor, are you propositioning me?”
“Oh, God, yes. We haven’t had quality time alone together in days. Those things have beds inside.”
Butterflies fluttered in my belly. Even after more than a year together, I still got excited every time he touched me. That morning when I woke up, I’d reached for him, finding only the disappointment of empty air beyond my tiny twin bed. My body craved his touch. I didn’t know how I’d be able to stand a week of this.
After two days of sleeping apart and being constantly “on,” nothing sounded better than locking myself up in a room alone with my boyfriend. Even one where the walls were just curtains.
“Did you say ‘alone’?” I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, and he laughed.
“I’ll race you.”
Before I accepted the challenge, he took off down the shore toward the bungalows. Without a thought, I followed. Running in sand wasn’t the same as running on the street, and I lacked experience even walking on beaches. Florida-born Justin soon took an impressive lead. Still, I slogged along behind him, determined to catch up before anyone noticed we were gone and tried to stop us.
One word kept me going: Alone. I chanted it under my breath.
In five hours, the cruise liner would leave port, and we needed to be on it. But until then, I intended to fall into my boyfriend’s arms and experience paradise with him. Alone.
Chapter 11
The Queen Kelly’s Voice
Welcome to Montego Bay, Jamaica!
Wednesday edition
Montego Bay is well known for its variety of glittering beaches, water so blue it looks like an Instagram filter, and popular golf courses. There’s also a protected Marine Park, which allows our cruise-goers to get an up-close look at wildlife on coral reefs. Whether snorkeling or diving is more your speed, there’s something to see for everyone.
We’re expecting high temperatures in the upper 80s with clear skies and lots of sun on this beautiful November day. Anyone who forgot their sunblock can pick some up at the gift shop before we drop anchor or after we set sail this evening.
Our large ship isn’t allowed to enter the main port, so we’ll be ferrying passengers from our very own floating dock over to the island. Life
jackets will be available onboard and are required for all passengers. We’re expecting smooth waters today, but if you’re predisposed to seasickness, visit the infirmary after breakfast for a shot to get you through the day. Pills are also available for those who prefer.
Return to the ship after lunch for an introductory ASL lesson taught by Deaf Teen Mother Madison at 2 PM in the large theater. The Fishbowl Ariana will also be on hand to assist.
We’ll be leaving the harbor at 5 PM sharp, with the last catamarans heading for the floating dock at 4:50 PM.
Tonight, join all the Reality Stars in the Rocker Lounge for themed drinks and dancing until the sun comes up!
Inside this Edition:
Full schedule of onboard events 2
Map of Montego Bay, Jamaica 4-5
Things to Do in Montego Bay 3, 6
Meet Your Entertainment Director 7
As Justin and I left the dining room after breakfast Wednesday morning, something tickled the back of my mind. We’d signed up for an excursion in Jamaica. Outside. My waterproof bag held my swimsuit, a towel, cheap plastic watch, and flip-flops to wear on the beach, but something was missing. I halted to rummage through it a second time. Justin stopped short behind me. Rachel stumbled, nearly walking into him.
“What’s wrong?” Justin asked.
“I forgot my sunblock,” I said.
“No worries. You’ve got mine in there, right?”
“Your SPF 30? That’s about as effective as putting a Band-Aid on a bullet hole. I need mine. Don’t worry—I’ll run to my cabin for it, and meet you at the floating dock.”
“We have to be there in fifteen minutes,” Justin said. “Here, give me your key, and I’ll go get it.”
“No need,” Rachel said. “I’m going to swing by our cabin before heading to the casino for a bit. I’ll let you in.”
“Are you sure?”
He leaned over and kissed me briefly. “We don’t have time to discuss it. I’ll see you in a few.”
The two of them raced down the hall. I texted Danielle to tell her I’d be there soon and started toward the meeting point. Because the ship took up so much room, the Queen Kelly wasn’t allowed to pull all the way into the port. Instead, the harbormaster dropped a floating dock and smaller boats carried us across the sea in groups of ten to twenty-five.
Watching the boat rock on the waves, my stomach flip-flopped. Maybe I could wait for Justin on the dock until I didn’t want to throw up. Or cancel the trip and go sit on the upper deck, not puking.
“You coming?” A smiling guy about my dad’s age stood on the deck, directing people into the boats. His flat-topped white hat identified him as the captain.
“I’m waiting for my boyfriend.”
“Wait onboard,” he said. “That way, these nice people behind you can take their seats. I’m sure your boyfriend will be here shortly.”
With a shrug, I moved into the boat. Another wave hit me, but the nausea was nervousness, not actual seasickness. Once someone reassured me this thing wouldn’t sink, I’d be fine. Probably.
Danielle hadn’t arrived yet. Neither had Justin, but given his detour, I wasn’t surprised. A large group of Latina women who appeared to all know each other occupied most of the other seats. They spoke animatedly in Spanish, paying no attention to me. As I searched for three empty seats together, Janine joined the boat. I smiled and waved. She wore a camera bag slung across her upper body. Before I could ask, the captain whistled to get everyone’s attention.
“Okay, before we take off, it’s time for roll call! When I say your name, raise your hand.”
He went down the list of names, while I kept glancing nervously at the ship. Reid and Taylor would be at the end of the list, but where was Justin?
“J. Reid?”
“Here!” I said, before remembering to raise my hand.
“D. Rossellini?”
I looked up to wave Danielle over, but before I could, a deep voice answered.
“Here.”
Not Danielle. Dominic. What was going on? Did she set me up? Danielle swore she would be on the excursion, which meant Dominic couldn’t tag along. I’d been genuinely excited about getting to tour the island with her. And now, Justin and I were stuck with her stupid ex instead. My stupid ex.
Or I was.
“J. Taylor?” The captain said. “Is there a J. Taylor onboard?”
I said, “That’s my boyfriend. He’ll be here any second.”
“Okay. A. Sassani?”
Oh, no. A tremor rolled down my spine. Somehow, when she didn’t respond, I wasn’t surprised at all. The captain called the last two names again, but only silence answered.
“Okay, then, that’s everyone. Have a seat and we’ll be ashore in about ten minutes.”
I stood. “Excuse me. My boyfriend isn’t here yet. We need to wait.”
“Sorry, ma’am. It’s eight o’clock. We take off at eight, whether the boat is full or not. No time to wait for stragglers.”
“He’s not a straggler. Look, he just went to get my sunblock. He’ll be here any second.” I moved toward the exit. “If you can’t wait, I’ll get off the boat and wait for him myself.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
To my horror, when I reached the side of the boat, the floating dock now sat about ten yards away. Each waved pushed us further from the ship, toward the Jamaican shore.
“I pulled anchor before starting roll call,” the captain said. “That was so I could tell the cruise director who made it and who didn’t. I’m afraid we’re headed for shore now.”
Justin appeared in the doorway of the ship, where the floating dock now led to nothing. I waved at him, but a crew member held him in place. He waved back, mouthing something I couldn’t see.
“Can he take the next boat?”
The captain looked at the sky. “I’m afraid not. The wind’s picking up. By the time we drop you off, it won’t be safe for these little boats out here. We’ll be staying at the dock until it lets up. These catamarans can’t sail in bad weather.”
With every word he spoke, my heart sank further. “You mean I can’t go back to the ship myself?”
“I’m afraid not. You’ll all have to stay safe on dry land for a few hours. Anyone not already on shore will remain on the cruise ship until the weather clears up. It’s for safety. But don’t worry. Your excursion is on the other side of the island, and I’m told it’s clear, calm waters over there.”
Great. Clear, calm waters for me to go on a “romantic” horseback ride with my ex-boyfriend while my current boyfriend remained behind with the woman who’d do anything to wreck our relationship.
* * *
Dominic took the seat next to me, despite the two empty seats on the other side of the tiny vessel. I stood to move, but the boat rocked, and I found myself thrown backward, nearly landing in his lap. After lurching to my feet, my gaze darted to Janine who was, naturally, already filming us. Wonderful.
“Hey, babe.”
“Don’t call me that. I always hated when you called me that.”
“Is there another term of endearment you’d prefer? Schnookums? Sweetie?”
“How about ‘Woman I swear never to speak to again’?” Grumbling, I grabbed my bag and jumped up again. This time, I rocked with the boat and managed to stay upright.
A voice blared on the loudspeaker in the corner. “Please stay seated for the duration of the trip. We’ll be on land shortly. Thank you.”
Great. I couldn’t move without falling overboard.
Well, I may be stuck sitting next to Dominic, but I didn’t have to talk to him. I turned my entire body toward the young woman on my left. “¡Hola! ¿Como estás?”
Her rapid-fire response left me desperately wishing I’d picked up more than about fifty words of Spanish since moving to Miami. Unfortunately, whatever the friendly woman beside me said in reply, it wasn’t “Where is the bathroom?” or “Donald Trump es horrible.”
I
smiled helplessly, wracking my brain for something to say. The only words in my head were, “Yo soy una margarita.”
I’m a margarita? Great, Jen. Just shut up.
Over my shoulder, Dominic spoke, addressing the woman in flawless Spanish. She smiled at him and chuckled before turning her attention to the man beside her and the toddler in his lap. Darn it.
I stared at my lap resolutely for about thirty seconds before curiosity got the better of me. “What did you say to her?”
“I apologized for my American sister and said you have a condition that makes it impossible for you to think before you speak.”
Rolling my eyes, I returned my gaze to my lap. I shouldn’t have asked.
“Hey, since we’re stuck with each other, and I’m apparently the only other person who speaks English, you could try talking to me.”
“I have nothing to say to you. Besides, Janine speaks English.”
Dominic gestured over his shoulder with one thumb. “That Janine?”
On the other side of the boat, the eager production assistant still held a camera to her eye, pointed at me and Dominic. She didn’t seem inclined to pause the video so I could chat with someone other than my ex.
For a moment, I heartily wished I could whip my microphone out into the ocean, never to be seen or heard again. Then chuck the camera, and possibly Dominic, in after it.
But I agreed to do this show. And I didn’t want to spend five hundred dollars to replace a wireless mic destroyed in a fit of pique.
Swallowing my frustration, I forced a smile for the benefit of the viewers. “I may be stuck with you, but I don’t have to like it. What are you doing here? Where’s Danielle?”
“I convinced Danielle to let me take her place. She admits we were a bad couple, and she’s agreed to help me make things up to you so you’ll give me another chance.”
I looked at him like he’d sprouted a second head. “What are you talking about? Doesn’t Danielle have a restraining order against you?”
Sweet Reality Page 11