Sweet Reality

by Laura Heffernan

  He chuckled. “Sweet, sweet Jen. That was all part of the plan.”

  “No way,” I said. “Aren’t you here with Ariana?”

  “We may be on the ship together, but we’re not here as a couple. Let’s just say Ari and I have a similar agenda. Danielle graciously agreed to help, once I waved enough money at her.”

  He had to be lying. None of what he said made sense. Why would Danielle help her ex-husband lure me away from Justin for the day?

  Money’s a powerful motivator, a voice inside me said.

  But she got a huge settlement, I argued with myself.

  I didn’t want to believe Dominic, but the evidence lay before me: no Justin, no Ariana, no Danielle. Just me and Dominic, alone on a “romantic” excursion with ten other people who physically couldn’t talk to me, a representative of the Network, and a video camera.

  Bile rose in my throat when I realized all three of them played me. “You’re despicable. I can’t believe I ever thought I loved you.”

  He shrugged. “You’ll come around. All I need is time to convince you how sorry I am for not telling you about Danielle sooner. Then you’ll realize we’re meant to be together.”

  “Are you high?”

  “Nope. I’m a determined man in love.”

  “And I’m a woman in love—with Justin.”

  He looked around the boat. “Speaking of, where is your darling ‘Reality Lover’? If he’s so great, why isn’t he here with you?”

  “I forgot my sunblock. He went to get it,” I said. “Something must have delayed him.”

  “Something or someone? Wasn’t Ariana with him at the dock?”

  My head dropped into my hands. How stupid of me not to predict something like this. “I should’ve gone with him. I’d much rather be stuck on the boat with Justin than enjoying our excursion without him.”

  “Well, you’re not. And since we’re here, we might as well make the most of our day together. Just think, you spend an excruciating, miserable eight hours with me, and when we get to the ship, your golden boy can kiss you and make it all better.”

  I hated myself for the chuckle that escaped me. Dominic was right, though. I didn’t need to make myself miserable all day because Justin wasn’t here. I’d always prided myself on being able to make the best of bad situations—before I met Ariana. Surely I could enjoy one tour of Jamaica and one beach horseback ride, even if my ex happened to be nearby.

  “At least let me give you some sunblock,” Dominic said. “You burn like crazy.”

  The last thing I wanted was my ex-boyfriend slathering lotion on my back, leaning forward to whisper seductively in one ear while turning to ensure the cameras captured his good side. Silently, I cursed everyone I knew: myself for forgetting the SPF 100; Justin for going to get it; Rachel for spending the day shopping instead of providing backup on this excursion; Danielle for whatever part she played in this switcheroo; Dominic for taking her spot on the excursion; Ariana for engineering the whole thing; Ed and Connor for planning this cruise in the first place; the Network for casting us all on The Fishbowl.

  Still, I’d burn to a crisp if I stayed out here much longer, and I couldn’t reach my own back without extendable arms. “Fine.”

  A smile that used to be sensual but now made me queasy stretched across Dominic’s face. “Great. Turn around and I’ll rub your back.”

  “No need.” Stifling my revulsion at the thought of his hands on my flesh, I pulled my waterproof bag off my back and rifled through it before producing Justin’s aerosol can of SPF 30. “Spray me?”

  His face fell so fast I wanted to laugh, but he took the can. “Turn around. And hand me your bag so you don’t have a giant strap mark across it tomorrow.”

  I turned my back on him, willing the catamaran to travel to shore faster so I could get away from him. Once there, ignoring my ex should get easier. Even in a twelve-person excursion where we didn’t know anyone else. Make that a ten-person excursion. Sigh.

  With a deep breath, I forced away those thoughts and turned toward the railing, letting myself enjoy the cool mist hitting my face and the dazzling view unfolding in front of me. If it had been Justin standing with me applying the sunblock, my mind would’ve been racing at the day’s possibilities for romance.

  Instead, the voice that said, “All finished” was too deep, too rumbly.

  “Thanks,” I said, putting my hand out for the bottle and my bag.

  “No problem.” He put the bottle into the bag and zipped it. “You sure you don’t want to spend the day with me?”

  The boat tooted its horn, signaling our arrival at the main dock. Not a moment too soon. The faster I could get away from Dominic, the better. I gazed out at the shore, already trying to figure out how to keep him from getting on the bus taking us to our excursion.

  Men appeared on the dock, pulling the ship in and securing it. When he realized I didn’t intend to answer his question, Dominic repeated it.

  “Positive,” I said. “I’d rather spend it with a snake—of the reptilian variety.”

  “I’m very sorry to hear that,” he said, flinging the strap of my bag over his own head. “Especially since you handed me your wallet, which has your key card, and you can’t get on the cruise ship without it.”

  Well . . . . crap. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. How could I have handed over my bag? Even to get sunscreen, it wasn’t worth it. I should’ve let myself burn.

  Dominic trotted down the gangway toward the bus, leaving me with no choice but to follow him, cursing under my breath. Behind me, Janine followed, her handheld camera never straying from the two of us. It was going to be a very long day.

  Chapter 12

  Inside the Guppy Gabber, Wednesday:

  Justin: Karma’s a bitch, right? I complain about everyone lumping me and Jen together as a couple, and now I don’t get to spend the day with her in Jamaica. I hope she and Danielle are having fun together.

  What do you mean, Danielle’s not there, either? Why is she with her ex-boyfriend?

  Ariana: Well, Jen did it again. I was looking forward to Dominic teaching me to do snuba today, which is like a cross between scuba diving and snorkeling. Anyway, she somehow got him to join her excursion instead. I’m trying so hard to be nice to her, but she’s making it impossible.

  Danielle: Oh, my head. My eyes. I’m never going to drink again. Alcohol is evil, kids. I swear I only ordered a couple of drinks last night, but they must’ve been strong.

  . . . Wait, what time is it? I missed the excursion? Crap. I gotta go find Jen.

  A bus provided by the cruise line sat at the dock, prepared to take us across the island to the stables where we’d get our horses. After boarding, I pretended to ignore Dominic, chin held high, until he patted the seat next to him and held up my bag. He grinned like the cat who swallowed the canary. With a groan of frustration, I fell onto the seat beside him, refusing to look at him.

  Thankfully, our bus driver, an extremely upbeat woman named Aimee, kept up a monologue all the way to the excursion site, sparing me the need to talk to Dominic. Or look at him. I prayed most of the sights would appear out the far side of the bus, giving me a valid reason for staring in the opposite direction. Mostly, I saw ocean, which reminded me of the ship, which reminded me of Justin.

  We weren’t “Jen and Justin” today. I hoped that made him happy. If I’d known we’d be separated, I’d have followed Tammy Rae on her excursion. Even though I felt optimistic about our meeting after dinner, creating more of a bond with her could only help my cause.

  Beside me, Dominic leaned closer than necessary to peer out the window, his shoulder brushing mine. A few times, he whispered to me, his lips much too close to my ear. I kept shoving him away, shifting further toward the far edge of my seat until I essentially squatted in the aisle. I knew exactly what he was doing—trying to catch a shot, a look, a second where I appeared to be flirting with him or enjoying his attention. I’d kiss Ariana before I’d give the Network a
chance to make me look unfaithful to Justin. Even if it meant acting like a three-year-old, with crossed arms, lip pout, and all.

  By the time we arrived at our destination, I was ready to smack Dominic, cameras be damned. Only my desire never to see the inside of a foreign prison held me in check.

  After parking the bus, Aimee directed us to a small, grassy area outside a stable, where a dozen horses stood saddled and ready for us. Not having sat on a horse since getting my Girl Scout Equestrian badge at twelve, I opted for a gorgeous, calm palomino named Plantain. Dominic, having a bit more experience with horses than I did, found himself on a black gelding with more spirit. Hopefully he’d ride on ahead, leaving me to enjoy the scenery in the back, pretending not to notice Janine recording my every move.

  No such luck. About thirty seconds after Aimee led the tour group away from the stable down the road, Dominic appeared at my side.

  “Don’t you want to lead the way with the experienced riders?” I asked.

  “And miss the chance to spend quality time with you? Absolutely not!”

  I gritted my teeth. “Why are you doing this?”

  “You never let me apologize,” he said.

  “Stalking me and stealing my stuff is a weird apology,” I said. “At least give me my bag. It’s not like I can turn around and head to the ship at this point. I have no idea where we are.”

  Plus, although I hated the company, I enjoyed the leisurely ride along the shore. The view took my breath away. Now that I’d come this far, it made sense to appreciate the excursion. After all, when would I ever see Jamaica again?

  He thought about it for a minute. “I’ll give it back if you give me a kiss.”

  “Bite me,” I said. “Give it back or I’ll have Jamaican police arrest you for theft after the excursion.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Care to test me?”

  Perhaps Dominic saw something in the set of my jaw, the furrow of my brow. Or maybe he figured I’d be nicer to him if he handed it over. Either way, he moved his horse closer and held out the bag. Just as my fingers closed around it, Plantain lunged forward, snapping at Dominic’s horse. He jerked away, dropping his booty in the process.

  Dropping the reins, I lunged for the bag, my fingertips snagging the strap before it hit the ground. Plantain calmed as Dominic moved away, and I hugged her neck for a minute, silently thanking my regular Pilates classes for giving me the core strength not to fall.

  “Good girl,” I murmured. “Remind me to give you all the apples later.”

  We stopped while I caught my breath, and Aimee appeared at my side a moment later. She shooed Dominic toward the front of the pack. He apparently recognized the wisdom of not arguing for once.

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  I sat up and righted myself before answering, then slung the bag over my shoulders. “Fine. Another horse got too close, and she got territorial with him.”

  Aimee laughed. “Ah, yes. I forgot to warn you about that. Plantain doesn’t like other horses invading her personal space. I’m afraid your friend is going to have to ride up front for a while until she cools off. Maybe you can switch mounts after lunch.”

  I beamed at her. “That won’t be necessary. I’m happy to ride alone, enjoying the view.”

  With a contented sigh, I nudged Plantain in line behind the others. We moved along, headed south along a road hugging the coast. Even after a week on the water, the spectacular views took my breath away: the beaches, the flawless blue of the water, the sky dotted with clouds. If only Justin had managed to make the boat, this excursion would be absolutely perfect.

  After about an hour, Aimee led the group onto a beach and drew her horse to a halt. Dominic hovered nearby, but when Plantain glared at his horse, he moved away. I leaned forward and patted her ear, murmuring promises of treats in the near future.

  This tour ended with a swim in the ocean with the horses, one of the main reasons I picked it. How many chances would I get to swim in the ocean with a herd of horses? And to have it paid for by the Network? Just the one. When my whole life went to hell a year and a half ago, I’d sworn to grab life by the reins and live it to the fullest. That meant seizing opportunities. I could snorkel or shop anywhere.

  A small stand with changing rooms sat on the beach where we’d stopped the horses. I dismounted and tied Plantain to a tree as directed so she wouldn’t wander away. Then I changed quickly, untied the rope, and remounted, quickly donning a life vest. Following Aimee’s lead, I turned my horse toward the water along with the other nine people in the group. A few steps into the saltwater, the horses took off at a run, and suddenly, I felt free.

  Clutching the reins, I leaned back and lifted my face to the sun. Warm water cascaded over my legs, and the breeze sent my ponytail flying out behind me. Riding in water was nothing compared to riding on the land. Here, the horse was in control, and she pranced in the water. We flowed through the water until it became too deep to run, and Plantain started to swim.

  All too soon, Aimee signaled and turned the horses toward the shore. Even though the end of the swim meant the start of getting back to Justin, a wave of disappointment went through me. Then my stomach growled, reminding me of some of the benefits to be found on the shore.

  While we’d been swimming, other members of the tour group set up picnic tables with sandwiches, fried plantains, and soda. They took our horses. I let Plantain go with a hug and a regretful sigh, making them promise to give her something special.

  Once I got my stuff back, the need to be polite to Dominic evaporated. Still, the members of our group gathered around the table, laughing and talking about our experience. Even though I didn’t understand a word, their laugher and enthusiasm pulled me in to the interaction. When Dominic began translating for me, I almost forgot I hated him.

  After lunch, Aimee gave us fifteen minutes to wander, change, and take pictures before meeting at the tour bus for the return trip. I popped into the restroom to change into my regular clothes. The room was a bit of a hike from the beach. On the way there, I daydreamed about how different things would be if Justin were here, sneaking off with me for some alone time.

  I’d just shimmied out of my bottoms when cheers went up in the distance. I wondered what surprise the tour company brought for us. The ocean made my hair crunchy, though, so finding out could wait a minute. I rinsed the saltwater out in the sink and reapplied sunblock as best I could before returning to the beach.

  The empty beach.

  What the hell?

  My breath came in huge gasps as I stood open-mouthed, looking one way, then the other. At absolutely nothing.

  No horses, no bus, no tourists. Just me, the sun, and the sand.

  “Hey, Jen?”

  And Dominic. Of course.

  I whirled on him. “What did you do? Where’s the bus? Aimee? The horses?”

  He raised his hands. “Don’t blame me. You disappeared—I had no idea where you went.”

  “You didn’t think to check the bathroom before the entire group abandoned me?”

  He pointed to a small set of outbuildings, about five feet away, behind where the bus used to be parked. I hadn’t noticed them earlier.

  “I did check the bathroom,” he said.

  I pointed down the beach. “I went over there. I didn’t see the closer one. What happened?”

  “Janine stepped on a jellyfish on the beach. You didn’t hear the screaming?”

  “I heard people cheering. Thought it was all part of the excursion.” Stupid, stupid, stupid. I should’ve rushed back immediately.

  “Definitely not cheers of joy,” Dominic said. “Aimee got another tour guide to take her to the hospital to get checked out, and then she hurried everyone else onto the bus. I went to the bathrooms looking for you, and then I headed into the trees, just in case. By the time I got back, they were gone.”

  How convenient for him. I didn’t believe this story for a second. He probably stabbed Janine himself
. But arguing wouldn’t get me to the ship. “So what do we do now?”

  He pulled his phone from a pocket in his shorts. “We’ve got about five hours to get to the docks. Ready to walk?”

  I pulled my own phone out of my waterproof bag, but it only showed one bar. The phone dropped my first call, and my second. I typed out a text to Justin, with no idea if it would send or if he was anywhere to even get it. If he and Ariana hadn’t made it to the island, Justin’s phone might still be in airplane mode. Or the battery could be dead again. He certainly hadn’t tried to call me.

  That thought didn’t improve my mood. I shoved my phone into the bag and stomped toward the road. “Fine. Let’s go.”

  We walked for what seemed like forever. Without any water, we conserved energy by not speaking. At least, I did. My fury at the situation fueled each step. I couldn’t prove it, but I’d have bet Sweet Reality that Dominic somehow arranged this to give us time alone together. Janine was also a suspect. Anything for ratings, right? That’s what they did.

  Then a thought struck that made me stop dead in my tracks. The bakery. Tammy Rae. I needed to meet her in a few hours. She’d never give me the recipe if I showed up late, disheveled, sunburnt, pissed off, and with another man. I needed to get to the ship—and apologize to Justin—ASAP.

  Finally, a car turned into view. I jumped into the road, waving my arms. Dominic pulled me back to the sidewalk. “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to get a ride.” I snapped at him as the car swerved around me, honking. “They don’t exactly have Uber in Jamaica, do they?”

  “You can’t get into a random car with a stranger.”

  “No problem. No one I get into a car with will be stranger than you.” The joke wasn’t funny. He didn’t laugh. I sighed. “I want to get back to the ship. This was supposed to be a fun, romantic getaway with my boyfriend, and it’s turned into an utter fiasco.”