Free Caribbean Cruising by Rachel Hawthorne Page B

would he know? Is he my secretary?"
    I shrugged, realized she couldn't see my movements, and said, "I just felt—"
    "Abandoned? You probably felt abandoned. I would have. Geez, I'm sorry, Lindsay. Really. David and I just went out to be alone for a while. You know?"
    "Yeah, I know," I said, although I really didn't. The nice thing about best friends is that no matter what they say, you always know exactly what they mean . With Brooke I didn't really know her well enough to understand what she meant. What she was trying to say or not say.
    "So can I come by? I know it's late, but we could talk. You know, have a slumber party," Brooke said.
    "I guess so. Sure."
    I gave her my cabin number and the location of my cabin before I hung up. I turned on the bedside lamp, clambered out of bed, and slipped on a pair of jersey shorts. I figured my tank was okay as it was.
    It was funny how I could be feeling lonely one minute and then excited with apprehension the next.
    A knock sounded on my door. Man, that was fast. Her cabin must not be that far away from mine. That could certainly prove beneficial. It would make meeting up with each other a snap. I crossed the cabin, jerked open the door, and froze.
    Ryan. Not Brooke.
    I fought the urge to cross my arms over my chest. Surely he wouldn't realize I was in PJ's—
    "You were already in bed?" he asked.
    I leaned against the doorjamb trying to appear unflustered by his question.
    "I was, but now I'm not." I am too clever to live.
    "I was wondering if you wanted to catch a midnight movie."
    "Thanks, but Brooke is on her way over." Then I scowled because I'd felt the need to explain myself. My friends, my life, the things I had planned were none of his business.
    "She's trouble."
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    "She's fun. Totally cool. You just haven't given her a chance. You're welcome to join us," I offered.
    He laughed. "Thanks, but no thanks."
    I was feeling badly. He was alone tonight because I had things on my list that I needed to accomplish without him around. But right now I wasn't flirting with any guys. I wasn't going to make a move on anyone. I was feeling magnanimous. "Why don't you join us? We'll probably just sit out on the deck and talk."
    "About toe rings and cramps and how guys just don't get it. I'll pass."
    "Well, well, looks like I was interrupting more than sleep," Brooke said as she hurried toward us. "So are you guys an item or not?"
    "Not," we both said at the same time.
    Ryan grinned. "Tomorrow."
    And with that he disappeared into his cabin.
    "That guy is so hot. How can you not be an item?" Brooke asked. "And you're right next door to each other? How convenient is that?"
    "It's actually turning out to be a little in convenient. Come on in."
    She gasped as she walked into the cabin. "Wow! You have a terrace! My cabin is like a bed and a bathroom. No view whatsoever. This is totally cool."
    She made herself at home, raided the minibar, fixed us both a drink, and headed for the balcony.
    We sat out there, with the ocean breeze blowing around us, the lights from the ship glistening off the dark water. It was the perfect place to sit with a guy. The romantic possibilities were endless.
    "So explain Ryan."
    I glanced over at Brooke. "What?"
    She shifted in her chair, brought her feet up beneath her, and started ticking off on her fingers. "He approaches you at the pool. I see you talking to him in the gym."
    "You saw that?"
    "Yeah. I did. Then he shows up at the club and hardly takes his eyes off you."
    "No way!"
    "Yes way!"
    "He was dancing with someone else."
    "And watching you the whole time."
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    Had he been watching me?
    "He's Walter's godson. Walter invited Ryan on the cruise because he thought Ryan would enjoy it, and he thought I needed a buddy. And then I find out