“Fine,” she conceded yet again, throwing her head back and staring at the ceiling.
She closed her eyes. She would never see him after this evening anyway. Why not get it off her chest. What would he say? It might be interesting to hear an independent male perspective. She would give him the ugly truth, but she was going to make him work for it.
“I left the groom standing at the altar because I realized we weren’t compatible.”
“Come on, you can do better than that!” he scoffed.
“He has an outrageously controlling mother with whom he never fights. Veronica can do no wrong. Drop by at all hours of day or night? Not a problem! Set our social calendar and select our friends? Sure, why not? Decorate his apartment? Fine. It became painfully clear to me that he’ll always be a mama’s boy.” Madalyn paused to grab her beer and take a long drink. “His mother is domineering and painfully formal. I couldn’t even call him Charlie. ‘Darling, it’s Charles,’ she’d say. I would never be good enough for her little prince. That’s not the kind of life I want for myself.”
Now it was his turn. Let him judge her if he wanted. She reached for a bunch of grapes on the plate, happy to satisfy her hunger while he processed what she had said.
“And you realized this at the altar?”
There was no judgment in his tone of voice; it was calm and neutral, as if he was trying to understand. Okay, maybe it sounded a little skeptical, but not horribly so. Not enough to make her feel like she was being judged at any rate.
“Yes,” Madalyn replied. “Well, no.” She rubbed her temples with her right hand and then pulled her shoulder-length brown hair behind her ear. “It’s complicated, Royce. I think I knew for a long time, but for some reason I wasn’t willing to admit it to myself. I’m a lawyer. I like to fix things. I thought he would change if I could help him see what was happening. It’s hard to turn away from a path you’ve been following for a long time; especially when you’re a goody two-shoes lawyer,” she said, recycling his words.
Royce let out a long whistle. “That took a lot of courage to walk out of a church with one thousand guests.”
“More like a run than a walk . . . but that’s what Jeanine said,” Madalyn replied, shrugging her shoulders.
“Jeanine?”
“My sister.”
“Do you regret your decision?” he asked, tipping his beer bottle toward her before taking a deep drink from it. Something about the way he looked made her wonder if he was afraid to hear her response.
“Oh, hell no!” she exclaimed without hesitation. “It’s over and has been for quite some time. It just took me a long time to admit it. He even thanked me for it this morning,” she said. “I received a bouquet of yellow roses with a card that said ’I guess I knew it was over too. Thanks for being so strong.’”
“So what are you going to do?” Royce asked.
“About what?”
“Dinner.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to see if they can move me to another table. I hope it’s not an issue. I’ve waited a long time for this cruise—especially for the food. Oh well,” she said, lifting her chin. “It’s not like I’m going to starve. I just won’t be able to eat in the formal dining room.”
She glanced at her watch. Crap. It was almost eleven o’clock. She had to leave to meet Susie and Liz at the disco. After her recent confession, she supposed they were her best hope for a fun-filled week.
“Um, thanks for the drink, Royce,” she stammered. “I’m supposed to meet up with some girls I met earlier. We’re going to the disco. I need to head back to my room to change.”
“Do you mind if I join you?”
She stared at him open-mouthed. “You want to come to my room?”
He chuckled and shook his head lightly.
Madalyn cocked her brow. “What’s so funny?”
“You are,” he said, smiling broadly at her. “Do you always take things so literally? Is everything black and white? I’m asking if I can join you at the disco.”
“Oh.”
She felt like an idiot. Of course he meant the disco. What was the matter with her? It must be post-traumatic stress from having explained her situation. Was he making a play for the single woman, fresh out of a relationship, no strings attached? If so, he must feel like he had won the lottery.
She wondered if the girls would bring Mike and Jason along. Probably.
“Only if you promise to dance with me,” she said. He seriously owed her one after the grand inquisition. “I haven’t been dancing in ages.”
He stood and held out his hand to help her up.
“All night long, if you like,” he said, smiling.
They made their way out of the bar toward The Nile Deck where her stateroom was located, and agreed to meet up at the disco at eleven o’clock. She turned right at the elevators and walked down the hall looking for her room number on the door. Royce joined her and walked quietly by her side. She glanced sideways at him and smiled.
“Are you always such a gentleman? You don’t have to escort me to my room.”
His eyes danced under her scrutiny. “What makes you think I’m escorting you to your room?”
Oh. Why was she jumping to so many conclusions? She burned with curiosity. “Where is your room?”
“Right here,” he stated, pointing to room E34. He pulled out his room card and turned to watch her stop in front of E32.
“I see,” she murmured, staring at his profile while her eyes undressed him—dropping all the way down to his round buttocks—as he entered his room.
She fumbled with her key. Focus! She entered her room and flopped down on her turned-down bed next to the cute little monkey towel that her steward, Miguel, had left for her. She pulled the monkey onto her lap and stared at it.
Royce hadn’t run. She looked up, and for the first time she noticed an adjoining door to his room. Funny she hadn’t noticed it earlier. He was just through that door getting changed.
Wasn’t this her fresh start? She would never see him again after this week. He would make an excellent rebound man. The forbidden thought made her giggle. Her hand quickly covered her lips. She had never had a fling in her entire life. Perhaps thirty was a good age to start.
Chapter Three – I Will Survive
Madalyn silently gave thanks to Jeanine for retrieving her suitcase that morning from the hotel and sparing her from a potentially uncomfortable confrontation with Charles. She wasn’t sure if Charles had stayed in their honeymoon suite overnight, but she didn’t have any desire to enter the lion’s den. Yet, she relished the opportunity to wear all of the new clothes she had purchased specifically for the cruise.
Her silver mini-dress exposed the milky white skin of her back and the open toed high heels were alluring, showcasing her bright red toenail polish. Checking her reflection in the mirror, she touched up the eyeliner on her oval-shaped eyes and smoothed her thin eyebrows. Her sisters may have inherited the baking gene, but Madalyn had inherited her mother’s beautifully arched brows instead of the bushy mess her sisters dealt with from her father’s side of the family. The sassy yet sophisticated waves she’d managed to create in her shoulder-length hair made her glad she hadn’t followed Katie’s advice to try bangs for a change. It might be all the rage but the longer locks were more versatile. Hopefully, the crew wouldn’t find her curling iron stashed in the cupboard. She puckered her full lips and applied a generous layer of sparkly pink gloss.
Club Oasis was already full at eleven o’clock with seventies and eighties disco music blaring from the speakers. It was loud and difficult to talk. They sat at the bar while they waited for the others to arrive. Two bottles of beer and one tequila shot on a fairly empty stomach was starting to have an effect on Madalyn, but she welcomed a little liquid courage and drank deeply from her bottle of beer. Royce stared at her through hooded eyes.
He leaned into her, placing his lips directly next to her ear, “You look st
unning, Madalyn.”
She could feel the warmth of his breath and it sent delicious tingles up her spine. “You clean up real nice too,” she said, brushing her cheek slightly against his and inhaling his masculine scent. He wore a heady fragrance she didn’t recognize.
“What is that cologne?” she asked. “I can smell a hint of lavender.”
“Guilty Black Pour Homme by Gucci,” he said with a smile playing on his lips. “It’s made for scandalous lovers. Or at least that’s what it says on the bottle.”
“Is that so?” she said, raising her brow. “You came on the cruise prepared?”
He wrapped a single arm around her, pulling her close. “Mmm … hmm.”
Her gaze drifted to where the two buttons on his crisp white shirt opened at the neck. She had to resist the urge to reach out and touch the curly chest hair poking through the opening. He seemed to be the entire package: handsome, intelligent, sexy, and humorous. She couldn’t fathom why he was single. With his good looks, he must have plenty of women at his disposal. Maybe it was time to turn the tables on him and see how he enjoyed a grand inquisition.
“Why are you here by yourself, Royce?”
He bit his bottom lip and hesitated. Good. It should be his turn to squirm a little.
“I haven’t been on a vacation in over five years—since my father’s death,” he admitted. “I was ordered by the Board of Directors of my company to rest before we embark on several significant changes to the business. ‘Re-energize’ was the exact word they used.”
Royce ordered to do something? Madalyn found the thought amusing. And since when did “a family business” have a Board of Directors? She tried to recall the name of a pharmaceutical company in Chicago, but nothing came to mind. Even so, it didn’t explain why he was on the cruise alone.
“But you must have any number of women or friends you could’ve asked along.”
“I’m not a gigolo, Madalyn!” he chuckled and took a sip of his beer. “I haven’t had any interest in a relationship for the past few years. My focus has been on growing the business. I work a lot. The cruise was pretty much a last-minute decision.”
“Lucky me!” She murmured in his ear before she lost her nerve, and heard his quick intake of breath. Oh, yes, she was getting warmed up and ready to flirt. A little more liquid courage and she would be climbing onto his lap.
Royce recovered quickly. “What are your plans for the rest of the cruise? Have you looked into any of the shore excursions?”
“I’m not sure,” Madalyn said, and nuzzled up against him, letting her leg brush up on his. “Susie and Liz are going shopping in Old San Juan. I may join them.”
“I know of a few nice restaurants in Old San Juan,” he said. “There’s also a night club which features a new salsa band every evening.”
He leaned in and for a fraction of a second Madalyn though he might kiss her. She licked her parted lips in anticipation. His lips suddenly twitched into a devastating smile.
“What do you say to a little salsa dancing?”
She held up her hand in protest. “You haven’t proven you can dance, Royce. Let’s see how you do out on the dance floor tonight. But dinner sounds lovely.”
“I’ll have you know, I was voted best dancer in my senior year book!” he bragged with a devilish grin.
“Why is that not surprising?” she asked, rolling her eyes at him. “But that was . . . what . . . twenty years ago?” She pulled back with a smirk, fully anticipating a playful slap.
“What are you smirking about?” he asked, poking her in the side.
“Nothing,” she laughed.
“What were you voted? Most gorgeous eyes?” He reached over and ran a single finger down her cheek in a gentle caress. “That aqua blue is mesmerizing.”
Yes, he was mesmerizing. She wanted to lean her whole face into his hand and soak up his warmth. But that might scare him away. So instead she simply shook her head no.
“I was voted ‘most likely to succeed’. Don’t I look like the nerdy bookworm, growing up with glasses and braces?”
He furrowed his brows and shook his head. “I get the part about most likely to succeed. You’ve done well for yourself. But I would’ve pegged you more as a cheerleader, not a nerd.”
Madalyn had never known cheerleaders to be goody two-shoes. Was he just trying to butter her up? He reached over and rubbed her arm for a moment, staring intently into her eyes. His touch felt warm and sensual. Butterflies began fluttering across her stomach.
“Hey,” he said and looked down the neck of his beer bottle for a moment before searching her eyes. “I know we just met. I’ve planned an excursion in St. Croix, our second port of call. How about spending the day with me? Your friends are welcome to join so you don’t have to worry about me going all stalker-like on you.”
A slow smile lifted the corners of Madalyn’s mouth. She had imagined Royce many different ways in the past few hours, but never as a stalker. It was sweet of him to want to reassure her. The thought of spending an entire day with him was intriguing.
He leaned in and whispered, “Let me take you on an adventure, Madalyn.”
“What kind of adventure?”
She couldn’t help the stupid girlish grin that was plastered on her face. It had been a long time since a man had cared enough to want to try and impress her—no less an incredibly sexy man.
“It won’t be special if I tell you what it is.”
“I adore surprises, Royce.” she murmured. He wanted to go on a special adventure with her. “It sounds like fun!”
She wanted to seal the deal with a peck on his lips, but she didn’t dare. Looking over his shoulder, Madalyn spotted Susie and Liz entering the disco with Mike and Jason. She was glad Royce had come along. Madalyn lifted her hand and waved at them. Susie smiled back as they made their way through the crowd.
“Hey, who’s the hottie?” Susie whispered to Madalyn and then offered her hand to Royce.
Madalyn gave her a wicked grin and shrugged her shoulders, trying to act nonchalant. The rest of the party arrived and Liz introduced everyone. Royce excused himself for a minute to make a special request from the DJ. Within seconds, Liz and Susie cornered Madalyn against the bar.
“Damn, Madalyn. Where did you find him, and does he have a twin?” Liz asked.
“He says he has a brother.” They both looked around expectantly. “Not here on the cruise!” Madalyn said.
“That’s too bad.” Susie giggled.
“You’re nuts. Mike and Jason are cute,” Madalyn said, checking out the men.
Jason wore his dark brown hair a bit longer and combed back off his face with a clean, short goatee. His V-neck shirt revealed trim but sculpted arms and a broad chest. Madalyn wondered if perhaps he was a swimmer. She certainly wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers. His friend was a looker too, but had a bad-boy thing going on with a slightly crooked nose and small scar above his right eyebrow. All he needed was a black leather jacket to go along with his dirty blond cropped hair and he’d be a modern day James Dean.
Susie and Liz checked them out too and then smiled at Madalyn in agreement.
“What took you so long to get here?” Madalyn asked.
“We stayed through dessert at dinner and then Liz had to change clothes for the fourth time today,” Susie said, rolling her eyes.
“What?” Liz said. “Every venue has an outfit. What’s wrong with that?”
Royce returned and placed his hand on Madalyn’s lower back. The feel of his warm flesh on hers, so close to her bottom, ignited a slow burning need in her. She turned to gaze into his eyes and smiled.
“How about that dance?” he asked.
She nodded in response and waved goodbye to the other ladies as he grabbed her hand, leading her out to the middle of the dance floor. Take a Chance on Me was playing—classic ABBA. The easy tempo eased them into a dancing mood. Royce pulled her into his arms and led them around the floor while he sang the lyrics to he
r in his deep baritone voice.
“Damn, Royce, you weren’t kidding!” Madalyn said. “Where did you learn how to dance?”
“I wanted to be Tony Manero when I was in elementary school,” he admitted with a wide grin.
“Saturday Night Fever?” She giggled and buried her face in his chest for a second. “You could pass for Tony from a distance!”
“You can’t possibly know that movie. Were you even born when it came out?”
She shook her head. “You’re forgetting I have an older sister. Jeanine is ten years older than me. It was one of her favorites. I’ve watched it at least fifty times.”
As if on cue, Staying Alive blared through the speakers and Royce gave his best impression of the Tony Manero stance: legs spread shoulder-width apart with his arms extended in opposite directions, one up and one down. He looked adorably hot.
The crowd around them suddenly cleared a space on the dance floor and cheered him on. Royce accepted the challenge and grinned from ear to ear, unbuttoning his shirt even further with his eyes locked on Madalyn. All he needed was a few gold chains around his neck and the image would be complete.
He owned the dance floor, so cool and confident, swaying his hips and gyrating in tempo with the music. It was entertaining as hell to watch him. When the song ended, the crowd closed in on him, shaking his hand or patting him on the back. Royce pulled Madalyn into his arms again and grinned down at her sheepishly.
“Did I pass your test?” he asked breathless.
“You get an A plus,” she assured him with a gentle hug.
“Does that mean you’ll go dancing with me in Old San Juan?”
“Yes, Tony,” she said. Her eyes sparkled mischievously. “Are you an overachiever in everything you do?”
Before he could answer the DJ announced the next song. “This one’s for you,” he said. “You know who you are, baby!”
Madalyn smiled at Royce when the first verse of the song began. The entire bar immediately joined in. Everyone knew the lyrics by heart. How could they not? Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive was arguably one of the best disco songs ever written. All hell broke loose on the packed dance floor after the first two verses when the music kicked in. Oh, the irony of this song! It spoke directly to Madalyn; she would survive. She gazed at Royce and caught his wink. Her mouth dropped open. Was she the “you” the DJ was talking about? He raised his brows at her and tried to rein in his smirk. Yes, this was his dedication to her! Smartass.
Little White Lies Page 3