I didn’t realize until hearing Charlotte’s voice how much I missed her. We normally texted every single day, and here it was the fifth day and I was finally hearing from her. I did tell her not to call me unless it was an emergency or my birthday because the call would be expensive, but hearing her voice was so refreshing.
I lifted myself up again to see Asher sleeping soundly. I didn’t want to wake him, so I quietly got out of bed and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. “I’ll tell you what I did do,” I told her, still in a soft whisper.
“A hot foreign guy!”
“Your dream—not mine. I did meet a couple. Swingers. They propositioned me, Charlotte! Can you believe that?”
“Oh my gosh!” I could just see her smiling ear-to-ear as she said this. “That’s crazy. Did you take them up on it?”
“Are you kidding me? You would do that before I would.”
“True. Although I don’t think swinging is on my to-do list. If it ever is, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Gee, thanks. Anyway, I did go out with a guy, Jack, but he turned out to be a player.”
“So you screwed him?”
“Ew. No. Do you have to be so gross about it? I didn’t want to rush anything, and I’m glad I didn’t, because the next day I saw him with another woman already.”
“Isla, you’re in your thirties now. Live it up. Have a one-night stand! You need this. Need this. Your vagina called me and asked me to release her from the prison you’re keeping her in.”
She sure wasn’t going to hold back. Charlotte talking about my vagina wasn’t what I wanted to discuss on my birthday, or any day for that matter. Next subject, please.
“How’s Asher doing? Is he having fun?”
Her voice cracked as she asked this, as though his well-being on this trip was one of her priorities. “I think so.” I didn’t know if I should tell her about our almost kiss. It probably wouldn’t happen again. “He’s been hanging out with some chick named Helena. I guess they knew each other from way back when.”
“Some chick? Do I sense a bit of jealousy in your tone?”
“Jealousy? No. Please. Why on earth would I be jealous?” Asher said the same thing. I didn’t like it one bit.
“No idea, but you never use the word chick, and you said her name like she was the Devil’s spawn or something. Or like she has cooties.”
“Well, she might, the way she hangs all over him. She probably hangs over all the guys like that.”
“Isla Hunter! This is not like you. Talk. Now.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” So sue me if I didn’t want to watch some chick hang all over one of my closest friends when we’re supposed to be on vacation together. I didn’t care to witness any PDA, much less googly eyes between my friend and some skank.
“You just called her a skank!”
“No, I didn’t.” Did I repeat all of that out loud? No. I didn’t.
“You said the word skank under your breath.”
Seriously, I thought I kept that silent, in my brain, only for me to hear. Charlotte wouldn’t give it up now. If I didn’t come clean, she’d nag me and nag me until I shared what happened with Asher.
“Okay.” I cracked the bathroom door to check on Asher. Still stiff as a log on the sleeper. “So I’m going to tell you something. Don’t go crazy, okay?”
“Okay . . .” The doubt in her voice didn’t reassure me of anything.
I whispered so I didn’t wake Asher. ”Yesterday Asher and I almost kissed.”
“You what?” I pulled the phone away from my ear as she yelled. “You almost kissed him or he almost kissed you? How did this happen? Are you two like a couple now? Tell me. I want details. Tell me. Now!”
“How can I if you aren’t going to let me speak?” When she took an avid interest in something, she spoke a mile a minute and getting any of your own words in was nearly impossible.
“Fine. I’ll be quiet.” She let a small squeal out on the other side of the line, and I rolled my eyes. I probably shouldn’t have said anything.
“We were on a beach at Grand Cayman chatting and building a sandcastle. Our eyes just connected for a second, and we came inches from a kiss. Some boy came crashing into our area and that was that.”
“Damn. So what does this mean?”
“I don’t know. Probably nothing. Maybe something. Maybe I’ll talk to him later about it. We’re docking at Cozumel soon.”
“I’m glad I’m not there. It sounds like I might have been a third wheel.”
I doubted that because Charlotte was my absolute best friend, and I always made sure to include her in everything. Had she been here, the near kiss never would have even happened. I’d probably be drinking margaritas with Charlotte while Asher hung out with Helena the entire trip. I was certain of it.
“I have to go, but you have an amazing rest of your birthday, and you better text me if you two do end up kissing!”
“Fine. We won’t, but I promise to text if we do. Which we won’t.”
“Mmm hmm,” Charlotte teased.
I hung up and pressed my phone to my chest as I pictured Asher and me finishing that kiss.
I couldn’t lie to myself. I wanted to finish it. More than anything.
Charlotte’s remark about being the third wheel proved ironic as I lagged behind Helena and Asher while we toured Xcaret Park in Cozumel. I read about the eco-archaeological park before the cruise, and this was the one thing I really looked forward to experiencing. Instead, I took it all in as Helena pushed her body closer to Asher, and Helena’s sister-in-law, Abigail, looped her arm in Helena’s. Every time Helena laughed, I rolled my eyes. Everything Asher said made her laugh. Even if he wasn’t trying to be funny.
The park offered so many different sightseeing opportunities. We visited the museum of Mayan cities where we learned about Cozumel’s natural and cultural history as well as pirate attacks. The butterfly pavilion had me in awe as the insects fluttered around us, much like my belly did every time I stole a glimpse at Asher’s bright smile. The colors at the park were so vibrant, like nothing I’d ever seen. We ate lunch at Cafe El Museo, which was located on the second floor above the museum. I allowed myself to enjoy the lobster. At least I enjoyed something.
Over lunch, I learned more about Helena than I ever expected or wanted to. I hated to admit that she was pretty nice. Damn her for being nice. She now called Texas home and worked as an administrative assistant at a non-profit organization. She attended the University of Texas on a scholarship and came across as very smart.
I hated that about her.
I couldn’t describe what was coming over me. How could I go from Asher being a good friend just five days ago to today wanting to drop-kick this woman for showing interest in him?
“How do you like being a librarian?” Helena asked as the waiter brought out dessert for us. I wanted to dig in to the flan and never look up from my plate.
“I love it,” I said as I took a forkful. “Ever since I was a little girl I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I’d go to the library and talk with the librarian for a half an hour to an hour every time about all the books. She’d assign me books to read, challenging me with each one. I always wanted to do the same.”
“Do you work at a public library?”
“Yes. It’s fantastic. I love it best when I can turn a nonreader into a reader. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
“I wasn’t a big reader until the past few years. I enjoy young adult books. The romantic ones. You probably think that’s silly.”
“No, I don't. I read them too. I don't care much what people read as long as they're taking the time to do it. Who am I to judge the types of books that people like? With so many people glued to their electronics these days, I think it’s easy to forget about books. I don't book shame like some people do. You have to do what makes you happy. Whether you like Roald Dahl, the Twilight series, Stephen King, or Jane Austen, I just care that you pic
k up the book and read.” I took a breath and told myself to settle down. It was so easy to go off on a tangent when it came to talking about books. Nothing matched the passion I had for the written word.
Except for maybe the way Asher’s eyes locked on mine in that moment.
“What?” I asked. Was I going to say that every time he looked at me?
“Nothing.” He shook his head, picked up his fork, and stole a bite of my flan. “I just never heard you talk about your job quite like that.”
“Oh. Did I say something bad?”
“Not at all. I think it's great.”
Asher smiled, a small twinkle in his eyes. I tried not to lose myself in his rugged face. My cheeks started to numb from how long I held my smile.
“Asher, you say you travel a lot for your job. Have you ever been to Texas?”
Helena. Of course, Helena had to interrupt us. The exchange Asher and I had between us, whatever it was, it was something. He looked at me like he did before we almost kissed. I finished the kiss in my mind, and it was amazing.
“No, I haven’t,” Asher said. “I travel mostly in the north and the west.”
“If you ever make it Texas, I'm more than happy to show you around.”
I bet you are, I thought in a sarcastic tone. Asher nodded but didn't respond. That made my heart flutter. Did that mean he wasn’t interested?
“We should start heading back to the port,” he finally said as he wiped the napkin across his mouth—those full, gorgeous lips—and set it down on his plate.
That sounded like a great idea to me because I didn't want to spend any more time with Helena and Abigail. Hopefully we could ditch them once we returned to the ship. Or at the very least I could crash in our cabin, order room service and a bottle of wine to salvage the rest of my birthday. Alone. I’d rather spend the rest of the night by myself than watch Helena drool over Asher.
The four of us took an uncomfortably silent cab ride back to the port. The driver pointed out some landmarks and facts along the way, which I was grateful for. When we arrived back at the ship, Asher surprised me by taking my hand and leading me toward one of the dining areas.
“Where are we going?”
“Yeah, where are we going?” Helena said behind us. I didn’t even realize they were tagging along, but since Asher had my hand, I tried not to care. We’d get rid of them soon enough.
“Wait here,” Asher said as he dropped my hand when we arrived at what must have been our final destination. He took off into the kitchen. Was he supposed to be back there? I didn’t want him to get into any trouble. I considered stopping him, but he asked me to wait.
So I waited, my hands clasped together in front of me as I made sure not to make eye contact with either Helena or Abigail. We didn’t have anything to say to each other. The only connection we shared was Asher.
The kitchen door swung open, and Asher stepped out with a group of the cooks behind him. In his hands, he carried a cake with lit candles. As he approached me, he and the staff sang “Happy Birthday.”
I blinked away the tears because, boy, they wanted to escape. I couldn't believe this. When did he arrange this? How long had he planned this? No one had ever done something so incredible for me before on my birthday. This made the entire day with our added guests worth it.
I smiled at Asher as I made a wish and blew out the candles. His heart was so big.
“Coffee cake with salted caramel frosting.”
“Wow. That sounds marvelous.”
“Just like you,” he said, his eyes never leaving mine.
It took everything in me not to throw my arms around him and kiss him just then. I wanted my mouth on his, our tongues entangled as we explored each other.
That feeling immediately disappeared when I saw Helena’s hand reach for his.
My wish didn’t come true.
Chapter Eleven
Day Six: At Sea
This cruise couldn’t be done soon enough. Seeing Helena touch Asher and him not pull away—not immediately—made me sick to my stomach. I forced myself to eat the cake even though Helena’s touch, regardless of how short, tainted every bite. I would have rather shared the cake with Asher back in our cabin, but instead I had to be polite and eat with Helena and Abigail in the dining area. As soon as I could duck out of there, I did.
One more day on the ship. No more stops. Soon we’d be welcomed back in Miami where we’d spend one night at the hotel before flying back home. Back to reality. Back to a life where I didn’t see Asher every day and I could move on from this experience. And back where I could play it safe and stick to my careful, uneventful life.
Thank God I’d booked myself a spa day. I spent the morning lying on a heated table while a masseuse kneaded her hands into my skin, trying her best to loosen up all the balled-up tension this cruise granted upon me. After, I sat for a pedicure and manicure. I opted for bright red polish, a way to really pamper myself.
I wished Charlotte had been with me. Instead, I read a few entertainment magazines and caught up on the latest Hollywood gossip. I hadn’t seen the latest between Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, so I scoured the articles and columns for information. When I wasn’t reading, I closed my eyes and relaxed, listening to the women on the other side of the room complain about the lack of “doable” men on the ship and another group discuss the talent show taking place later on.
Talent. I didn’t have any of that, unless making a fool out of myself counted.
By the time I finished with my dedicated spa day, dinner rolled around. Our final dinner on the ship. I had to sit with Asher—it’d be weird if I didn’t—but I really didn’t want Helena and Abigail to join us. Lucky for me, they didn’t, and I noticed them sitting far over on the other side of the room. Good.
“I didn’t see you at all today,” Asher said to me after we ordered our food and the waiter brought us our wine. He seemed surprised, as if I should be at his beck and call while he took every chance he had to hang out with Helena.
I really needed wine, and I could have drunk the entire bottle.
“I pampered myself. For my birthday.” Maybe I said it in a petty way, but while Asher surprised me with the cake, he didn’t really do much to celebrate with me, and for that I held a little bitterness close to my heart.
“Good for you.”
Good for me? What was that supposed to mean? No, I couldn’t read into that. He very well might have meant exactly that—good for me. And it was good for me. I enjoyed myself.
“What did you do today? Did you see Helena?” I could have kicked myself for even saying that. I didn’t want to know.
“Actually, no. I saw Dan earlier today, and we hung out at one of the bars. Then I visited the art gallery and after picked up some gifts for Charlotte at the gift shop.”
“She’ll like that.”
“Any excuse for gifts, that’s Charlotte.”
Charlotte loved being showered with presents, though she seemed to expect them so often it was more of a surprise to her when she didn’t get one. Even so, I enjoyed giving her things. Whether she received a keychain or a silly card, she’d love it. I’d be sure to find something for her before we left the ship.
My salmon and asparagus arrived as the waiter topped off my wine. Perfect. The pairing couldn’t have been better. Asher’s filet mignon smelled amazing too. The food on this cruise was stellar to say the least.
Asher cut into his steak, and his eyes practically rolled back into his head when he took the first bite. “Mmm. Perfection.” He chewed the first piece and took a sip of his wine. “I wonder if they ever found that ferret and where it came from.”
“What are you talking about?” I didn’t want to talk about weasels over dinner.
“The ferret. The one that pushed you into the pool.”
“Oh yeah. I forgot about that.” Even though it was only a few days ago, it felt like forever. Every minute on this ship dragged on. I wanted to be done with dinner and go back to my cabin,
fall asleep, and wake up back in Miami. Maybe I could even change my flight and head home a day early. “He didn’t push me in either. He scurried across my legs and I panicked.”
Asher cracked a laugh. “Sorry. I’m imagining a ferret standing on its hind legs and literally pushing you into a pool. It’s pretty funny.”
It probably was in his mind, but thinking about that night made me also think about him going back to our cabin with Helena. I hated being reminded of what went on behind those doors.
“What’s wrong, Isla?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what’s wrong? You’re not all there. You’re physically here, but your mind is somewhere else entirely. We’re supposed to be having fun.”
I supposed I had drifted off a little there. When my mind wandered, it tended to get lost. If I wasn’t careful, someone would have to call a search party for it.
“But I thought I wasn’t fun.”
Asher dropped his fork onto his plate, the vibration startling me and the people around us. “What’s that supposed to mean? I never said you were boring.”
“No. Not exactly. You did say that I never laughed or had any fun when I was with Tim. But maybe that’s just me, Asher. Maybe I’m destined to be alone and keep a resting bitch face my entire life.”
“Whoa.” He put his hands in the air as if to surrender. “Slow down. I don’t know where this is coming from, but I never said you weren’t fun. Those words didn’t come out of my mouth. What I said was that when you were with Tim you didn’t laugh as much as when you weren’t. Those are two entirely different things.”
Perhaps. Still, I couldn’t help but feel that a part of him would rather watch paint dry than hang out with me. He had spent all that time with Helena when he could have hung out with me. Who wanted to be on a cruise with boring old me when sexy, intelligent Helena was on board?
“Stop whatever you’re thinking, Isla. I know you’re trapped in that head of yours, putting yourself down. Don’t. We’re here to have fun. This is our last night on this cruise. Let’s go to that talent show. We can make fun of all the contestants.”
Circle in the Sand (Oceanic Dreams #3) Page 8