"Knew us well," Austin puts in. "But on the cruise she fell hopelessly back in love with Nicholas, which is weird because she could have fallen for me, and she called off the wedding to Owen and married Nicholas instead in October."
"And Owen got married himself in June," Melissa says. "He and Celia met two days after we got home from the cruise in March and they both want the same thing in life—"
"Marriage without even a hint of anything romantic, as far as I can tell," Austin supplies.
"So now they're married," Melissa finishes.
We sit silent for a moment, taking this in, then Austin laughs. "It's like a soap opera, eh? But enough about us. What's your story, Corinne?"
I blink. "Well, I'd been working for twenty years to get into an orchestra in Toronto. I finally got an audition last year, but I failed, and there are only two clarinet spots in that orchestra and once people get in they stay for decades so I don't have a prayer of trying again. So I've been working at a coffee shop while I do some admin assistant training so I can get a better job, and because of that once we get home I'll be working in a law office. Which is good because I don't actually like coffee."
Austin tips his head to one side, and I realize I've said too much. "Sorry. Didn't mean to ramble on. Or be a downer."
Melissa makes a sympathetic sound. "I'm so sorry. It hurts to give up on a goal."
It actually hasn't hurt anywhere near as much as I'd expected. In the hotel room I was surprised by how calm and cool I felt as I simply put the plan aside and built a new plan. It's simple logic: what I planned is no longer possible so I need to go in a different direction until I find my perfect life.
But I appreciate her sympathy so I don't want to tell her that and make her feel stupid, and besides Austin is saying, "You know how I handle that sort of thing?"
I shake my head.
"I don't have dreams in the first place. No way to fail then."
He said that like he was joking, but as the others laugh our eyes lock and I see something dark and real in his. He seems as light and frothy as the fancy drink he ordered for Arabella but I think he might have more going on than meets the eye.
I do like what meets my eye, though. That's not a surprise, since he looks a little like my ex-boyfriend Clay, who I couldn't be with any more because we'd spent so much time talking about my music and his and so as part of my plan I had to accept that I needed to move on. Austin's arms aren't covered with tattoos like Clay's, though, and his t-shirt and shorts show off a more-muscular but still sleek physique I wouldn't mind seeing in a bathing suit. Good thing we're on a Caribbean cruise so I might get the chance.
"You said Toronto." Austin's eyes sharpen. "You're from there?"
We all nod, and Melissa says, "Cool. Us too. What time are you flying back next weekend?"
We share our flight details and learn that we're leaving three hours before they are. Too bad. I wouldn't mind hanging out in an airport departure lounge nearly as much if it were with Austin.
He goes around the table getting bits of everyone's life story, making Arabella and Shari and even a passing waitress giggle and blush as he flirts with them, but his eyes keep returning to me and every time they do that strange but wonderful shock I felt when I first saw him ripples through me. Though I can't imagine he could be anything more than a cruise-ship fling, if he could even stay focused on me long enough for that to happen, I'm liking the idea of spending some quality alone time with him. I'm not showing yet, so he doesn't have to know about the baby, and maybe we could have a little fun. I haven't been kissed, or even hugged, since I broke up with Clay, and I have a suspicion Austin would be amazing.
When everyone's told their tale, Galen's friend Glenn says, "So is this a family cruise? Your other brother and his wife are here too?"
For the first time, Austin looks awkward. "No, Owen and Celia didn't come."
Melissa lowers her gaze, studying the table as if it fascinates her, and Nicholas clears his throat and says, "It was too difficult for him, since last year..."
He doesn't finish the sentence, but since we know the history between Owen and Melissa he doesn't have to.
"Ah," Glenn says, sounding apologetic.
After a short pause, Austin says, "But to make up for their absence, we have our mother. Our mother the man-eater."
"Poor Raul," Melissa and Nicholas say in unison.
Arabella shakes her head. "I'm going to need a handbook to keep up with you people. Who's Raul?"
"He's a sweetheart," Melissa says. "He met Linda, the guys' mom, last year on the cruise, and they got married at the end of it."
"In the time slot Melissa and Owen were supposed to use," Austin said wryly. "Great start to a marriage, eh?"
"Apparently not," Nicholas says, "because she dumped him right before Christmas. On the twenty-fourth, in fact."
December twenty-fourth, the day I found out my second artificial insemination had worked. Three months to the day from that awful moment standing on the stage hearing Barry's name announced instead of mine. I'd planned to be pregnant within three months, and getting that news exactly on the 'right' day had been even better because it had felt so significant. Clearly my new plan of having a baby and completely rebuilding my life was right for me.
"Which makes..." Austin makes a show of counting on his fingers. "Four not-so-dearly departed husbands for Mom, and about a million boyfriends. Our childhoods were marked by a revolving door of men."
Nicholas rolls his eyes and nods, and I glance at Galen and say, "Ours weren't."
Austin laughs. "Most people's weren't."
Galen grunts, and I say, "Well, in our case Dad just took off and had his revolving door, of women in his case, at his new bachelor pad instead."
Melissa shakes her head with what looks like disgust, and Austin points at her and says, "No leaving Nicky, okay? No revolving doors for my little nephew."
"Niece," she says. "But fine. I'll stay with him. If I have to."
The love in her eyes when she looks at Nicholas makes it clear she's not seeing this as a hardship, and I have to take a sip of my orange juice to push back unexpected tears. I bet she and Nicholas read the pregnancy test together, and laughed and cried together when it was positive. I got my results from a nurse who wanted to take off to finish her Christmas shopping, and went home to laugh alone. No crying, though. I can't remember the last time I felt enough emotion that I wanted to cry. That didn't even happen in that hotel room where I was planning my new life.
Austin puts his hand on my shoulder and I look up in surprise.
"No worries, Corinne," he says. "The revolving doors are not our concern. All in the past. The past, man. It's all smoke."
His tone on the last sentences makes it clear he's quoting something, and from the drugged-out way he speaks I recognize that it's the sidekick's lines from my favorite western-comedy movie "Can You Smoke a Cactus?", so I say in the same style, "Smoke and spines, man. Watch your fingers."
His eyes widen. "Wow, nobody ever recognizes that. Corinne, I look forward to many pleasant hours on this cruise quoting movies at you. And having you quote them at me."
I smile, but I pick up the 'on this cruise' part. He's setting his boundaries. That's fine, though. They fit into my plan. I have little George or Jenna on the way, Georjenna as I've been calling my baby in my head, and he or she has to be my top priority.
But I'm sure Georjenna wouldn't be opposed to Mommy having a few fun hours with Austin. How could that cause any trouble?
Chapter Two
Austin and his relatives give us the promised tour of the ship, and every time my eyes meet his a spark dances through me. When I met Clay it took months for me to see him as anything but a goofy guitarist, but my connection with Austin is instant and strong.
Of course, I loved Clay, and I'm not envisioning anything like that happening with Austin. But he's new and different and funny and when he looks at me I feel like he forgets about everything else but me.
He does look away at the other girls, and at other pretty women we see moving around the ship, but he always looks back and gives me that same feeling again. And I can certainly use a distraction from wondering how my family will take the news that I chose to get pregnant on my own. I have to tell them after we get home and I am not looking forward to it.
Austin points out the fancy restaurant where he and his family eat dinner together every night. "Mom likes it that way," he says, then nudges Nicholas. "Although I seem to remember somebody skipping a night last year."
Nicholas smiles and puts his arm around Melissa's shoulders. "We were on the cruise line's private island together all day and into the evening," he says, "and if it had been up to me we'd never have left."
Melissa cuddles into him and Glenn says, "That's where we're going tomorrow, right, that island?"
Austin nods. "What are your excursion plans?"
He's looking at Glenn when he starts the sentence but by the end he's turned to me, so I answer. "We haven't booked anything officially," I say, trying not to show how badly I'd wanted to. I hate not knowing exactly what will happen each day. "These guys thought we should talk to people here and see what they think we should do."
"We're people," Austin says. "What are your top choices?"
"I found a cooking class on the private island that sounded—"
I cut myself off as Austin shakes his head. "Did it last year. It was terrible. I think I knew how to cook better than the instructor did."
"But it got great reviews," I say. I read them all, for every excursion, so I know.
He tips his head to one side. "Who're you going to believe, me or a bunch of anonymous reviewers?"
I want to say the reviewers, since there were so many of them, but I know I can't so I shrug.
Melissa chuckles. "Not you. She's smart."
He laughs. "I do better with stupid women, I guess. But anyway, the class was brutal. What's not brutal is the horseback riding. You ride 'em right into the water. It's fun. We could do that maybe?"
Galen and his friends jump in to agree with Austin's plan. I don't, though. I can't. My doctor told me that snorkeling and swimming are fine for me but I should avoid anything that involves deeper water or might result in a fall. "I think I'll just relax on the beach. I'm not much of a horse person."
Austin winks at me. "They're pretty tame horses. I can keep you safe if you'd like to go. Or you could snorkel."
The sticky note I left in my cruise brochure on the first day's page has snorkeling marked as my second choice. "I like that idea. Is the sand really as white as the brochure makes it look?"
"Whiter," Melissa says. "And we're not riding either." She pats her stomach again. "Baby says she doesn't want to."
Austin shakes his head. "Keep telling you, it's a boy. And you'll name it Austin."
We all laugh and Melissa says, "You're wrong on both counts. It's a girl, and it'll be Belinda Clementine. After Nicholas's grandmother and mine."
"And if it happens to be a boy, it'll be Nolan Gregory after our grandfathers. Not Austin. Not ever."
Austin punches his brother's arm and argues that Austin's a way better name, and I wonder if I'll be having Jenna Helena Kostopoulos or George Demetrius Kostopoulos. Either way's fine with me.
"So it'll be you, me, and Nicholas snorkeling and then soaking up the sun," Melissa says to me once Austin settles down, then her cheeks pinken. "Although we'll probably want to wander off a bit near the end of the day if you don't mind. Recreate a few old memories."
I nod, of course, and Austin laughs. "Make sure you don't get sand in anything sensitive." Ignoring Melissa's smack of his arm, he adds, "I'm free after the riding, so I'll hang out with Corinne then while you two go off alone. She'll keep me in line."
I widen my eyes. "By myself?" I say, trying to sound horrified though I love the idea.
We all laugh, then Melissa takes a peek at her watch and shakes her head. "We should go," she says, sounding reluctant. "Have to get changed for dinner."
Shari says, "Do you really have dinner with Mom every night?" and flutters her eyelashes at Austin. "Don't you wish you could hang out with people your own age?"
My heart sinks. This girl is Barbie-doll pretty. I... look Greek. I'm not hideous, but with my dark hair and eyes and typically Greek nose I'm no Barbie, and I hate the idea that Austin will look into the blonde's blue eyes and not look away.
He does smile at her, but his voice is cool when he says, "She covers the costs of the cruise and everything we do on it, Shari, and all she asks is that we eat dinner with her. Small price to pay, in my opinion."
She blushes, and I find myself inappropriately relieved that he doesn't agree with her. Positive feelings toward Austin are dangerous. I can't let myself get attached to him. Even if he weren't the kind of guy he seems to be, there's no future in it.
He keeps talking, sounding more like his usual light-hearted self. "And I do hang out with people my own age, before dinner and after. Which reminds me, anyone want to get another drink at eight or so tonight?"
He said "anyone" but his eyes are on me, and I can't hold back a smile. "Sure."
Most of the others echo it, but Galen's silence tells me he's not keen. Well, I am. Keen on having another drink with Austin and even more keen on spending at least part of the day with him tomorrow. He even seems to want to spend time alone with me, and though that surprises me I want it too.
Galen said I should live a little on the cruise, and I'm sure time with Austin will liven things up nicely.
Chapter Three
After dinner at the casual buffet restaurant because none of us felt like getting dressed up, Galen and I and his friends lounge on the deck with our books and ereaders to read and enjoy the view of the wide-open ocean until it's time to meet our new friends.
Shari tries to convince me and Arabella that we'll like the romance novel she's reading about a woman who finds true love on a cruise ship. Arabella, though, is a science fiction reader and doesn't want to branch out, and I am happy with my copy of Melissa's book, so she eventually gives up on us. It bothers me, but doesn't surprise me, that she doesn't try to get Galen or Glenn to pick up her book. Only women are supposed to want to read only about love, I guess. Men are permitted other interests. Well, I have other interests too, like following my plan and providing the best life possible for my child.
At a little before eight, Galen says we should get going. Shari wants to change her clothes first, and for once I'm in agreement with her. I looked okay when we saw Austin last time but I'd like to look better this time, and plus I need to pee. As always. I can't imagine how bad that'll be when Georjenna is bigger and sitting directly on my bladder.
After changing into a vibrant purple sundress and brushing out my wind-tangled hair and redoing my makeup in my small but comfy private cabin, I head to the bar where I'm supposed to meet Galen and the rest.
They aren't there.
But Austin is.
He's standing leaning against the wall by the doorway, and his smile as I approach says he likes what he sees.
"There you are," he says when I reach him. "Was starting to think you'd stood me up." He clears his throat. "Us, I mean."
I blink. "The others have already gone in?"
"Yup."
"Oops. Sorry." I thought Shari would take forever to get ready so I didn't rush.
Austin brushes a curl of my hair back from my cheek. "I'm just glad you're here now."
His casual touch sends fire through me but I manage to squeak, "You are?"
"Yup." He opens the door for me. "Melissa wants to talk books with you."
Disappointment apparently makes a great fire extinguisher. "Oh. Okay. Sure."
I walk through the door, and he says as I pass, "And I missed you."
I turn back and he winks at me.
I can't think of anything to say, so I wink back.
He laughs, and I do too, and we arrive at the table still chuckling.
<
br /> Shari looks up with an unimpressed expression. "What's so funny?"
He shrugs. "You had to be there."
Melissa and Nicholas burst out laughing, for no apparent reason, and Austin pulls out a chair for me then sits beside me and says, "It's contagious, I guess. So, Corinne, what can I get you?"
"Virgin piña colada?"
He tips his head to one side and studies me. "You don't drink at all? Not that there's anything wrong with that."
"Sure she does," Galen says. "Come on, sis, live a little."
I thought once you weren't a teenager any more you wouldn't be pressured to drink. "I took seasickness medicine," I say, catching a glimpse of the band on my wrist and using it for inspiration. "Just in case. Not supposed to drink with that."
"True," Glenn says. "I brought some with me and it says the same thing."
"Well, I've got a problem with you not drinking," Austin says.
I turn to him, surprised, and he grins. "You'd think I'm way funnier if you were drunk."
As it turns out, he's hilarious even when I'm sober, and after an hour or so of sitting close beside him in the dimly lit bar breathing in his sexy cologne I feel as though I am drunk.
He's been teasing everyone at the table all night, with humor not cruelty, and he turns his attention again to me. "Corinne, if you're going to be working for a lawyer, you'd better have fun and take it easy this week. They're notorious slave-drivers."
Since Travis warned me of this himself I feel fine saying, "I know. Terrifying."
Austin says, "I have a fool-proof relaxation technique for cruises. It involves looking at the... wait, it's secret. Can't tell everyone. Come over to the window with me?"
"Why will you tell her and not us?"
Austin turns to Shari. "Because she got my movie reference. That's the only requirement for learning all my secrets." He looks back at me and says, "Well?"
Plan Overboard (Toronto Series #14) Page 2