Page 25 of In the Heir (Westerly Billionaire 1)
She took another step, and he laughed and hung on, so she kept going. Alisha made it to the table where the woman was standing in time to hear her say to a man who was seated, “Yes, I need you. Look at Ethan. Do you think he should be doing that? Could you help me with him before you start eating?”
With an easy smile, the man unfolded himself from behind the table and bent down to talk to Ethan. “Let go of the nice lady, Ethan.”
“Ice meme.” His bottom lip jutted out.
The man reached over and started to pry Ethan off Alisha while saying, “I probably shouldn’t have mentioned dessert so soon. Let go, Ethan. And don’t you dare bite her.”
Alisha froze and handed her plate off to a passing staff member. She helped the father loosen the child’s hold. Ethan looked tired and about to cry. He sounded spoiled, but he probably felt as overwhelmed by the crowd as she did. Alisha sympathized with the little man and remembered something she had tucked into her purse the last week of school. “Would you like a sticker?”
His mouth rounded.
She dug in her purse. “I have puppies, kitties, and maybe even a Spider-Man.”
Ethan clapped.
“All you have to do is sit down with your mommy, and I’ll let you pick one. Would you like that?”
He nodded and climbed onto the bench beside his mother. Alisha laid out the stickers, and Ethan calmly chose one with a puppy on it.
“Wow,” the child’s mother said. “Are you someone’s nanny?”
Alisha straightened and smiled. “Kindergarten teacher.”
“Same thing,” the father said.
“Not really,” Alisha answered, but refused to elaborate on a topic that was one of her pet peeves. She had a job most people thought they could do, but only those who had ever done it, and done it well, understood the challenge. Comparing it to babysitting was insulting, but very few people understood that.
“You looked lost a moment ago. Who are you sitting with? Maybe we could help you find them,” a beautifully made-up brunette asked from the other end of the table.
“Thank you, but I’m alone,” Alisha said.
“Alone?” the blonde asked. Then cheerfully she said, “Well, not anymore. My name is Nadine. You’ve met my husband, Josh, and my son, Ethan, of course. Join us. We have two large tables. What’s your name?”
“Alisha, but I don’t want to intrude,” Alisha hedged.
The brunette stood and came around beside her. “Are you kidding? We love meeting new people. Nadine and her husband renew their vows on a cruise every year.”
Oh boy, a bride who can’t let go of her wedding day. I thought they only existed on TV.
“My name is Brandi.” She motioned toward the man in a bright Hawaiian shirt. “That’s my husband. Freddy, come meet Alisha.”
Alisha shook his hand, then the hands of eight more people, whose names evaporated as quickly as they were spoken. Parents, grandparents, cousins, friends. Before she had a chance to say no again, she was seated in the middle of them while someone went off to the buffet to get her a hamburger and lemonade she hadn’t asked for.
“I know we sound crazy, but it makes us happy, and that’s what matters, isn’t it?” Nadine asked, then looked Alisha over expectantly. “Are you celebrating anything?”
“No,” Alisha answered with a forced smile.
“Who are you here with?” Brandi asked as she scooted closer.
Nadine referenced the table of people near them. “We sometimes come alone, but this time we brought the whole gang since it’s our ten-year anniversary.”
“Just me.”
“Just you?” Nadine’s eyes rounded. “You mean for the whole cruise?” Brandi looked equally shocked.
“The whole thing.”
There was a painfully sympathetic pause in the conversation.
“Well, that’s nice,” Brandi said in a supportive tone. “It frees you up for possibilities.” She turned to her husband. “Your cousin Henry didn’t bring his girlfriend. Did they break up?”
Alisha accepted the burger and drink that were handed to her and said, “I’m not looking to meet anyone.”
Nadine fed a slice of apple to Ethan while nodding. “That recent, huh? Was it serious?”
Oh, what the hell? It’s not like I’ll ever see these people again after this trip. Who cares what they know or think of me? “I was engaged.”
“That’s awful,” Nadine said. “But you’re doing the right thing. You shouldn’t stay home and wallow when something like that happens. It just makes it hurt more. Did he cheat on you? I was engaged before Josh. The loser slept with my roommate. Remember that, Brandi? I was heartbroken. But he did me a favor. I met Josh a month later. So don’t waste another thought on that douche. You’re better off without him.”
Ethan said, “Douche. Douche. Douche.”
Nadine picked him up and handed him off to her husband. “He’s ready for ice cream.”
“Ice meme!” Ethan exclaimed.
Josh laughed and took him. “I’ll take him for a walk to get some, then check if the room is ready. If it is, I’ll change him and take him down to the water park for a bit.”
Nadine stood and kissed her husband briefly. “Are you sure?”
He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “If I tire him out now, he’ll sleep for your mother later. We can leave him with her for a few hours.”
Nadine laughed and swatted her husband’s behind. “So we can go dancing?”
“Whatever you want to call it,” he joked, then winked and walked away with his son in his arms.
“Men,” Nadine said as she returned to her seat, but she was smiling. She looked across at Alisha. “I’m sorry to hear about your engagement.”
“It’s okay.” It wasn’t the broken engagement that had her suddenly feeling melancholy. Watching Nadine flirt with her husband inspired unwelcome visions of Brett.
Brett definitely had an imposing presence. She could imagine him intimidating a room of businessmen if he wanted to, but she’d also seen another side to him. He could be gentle and thoughtful. He was also often surprisingly funny.
He’d probably make a great husband one day.
Once again what she knew about him didn’t match her experience of him. She remembered Rachelle once commenting on a photo of Brett that had shown up online. He’d attended one of Eric’s movie premieres with a well-known actress on his arm. Rachelle had said she didn’t bother to try and keep up with who he was dating, because none of them lasted long anyway.
Which is the real Brett?
And since when do I care if a man is marriage material? I don’t need one to make my life complete.
Still, it was difficult to meet a family like Josh, Nadine, and Ethan and not wish that k
ind of love was possible in her life.
Why am I torturing myself like this? Brett isn’t looking for a relationship with me. At most, he wants sex. He’s probably not used to women who say no to him. I was a challenge to him, that’s all. One that will likely be replaced by the time I return home.
Enough of feeling sorry for myself. I have a cruise to enjoy.
She checked her Fitbit and said, “Look at the time. I need to see guest services about something. I should probably head over there now.” She worked her way out from the table and stood.
Brandi got up and hugged her briefly. “You are not alone on this cruise, honey. You have friends now. While you’re at guest services, ask if they can move you to sit with us.” She wrote her name on a paper napkin and handed it to Alisha. “Or just come over if you see us. We’re forty people altogether. There’s always some who don’t make it to dinner. We’d love to have you.”
“That’s so kind, thank you.” Alisha tucked the napkin into her purse. At that moment she had no desire to join them, but it was a long cruise. Who knows? Right now all I want is to be alone, but maybe I’ll be begging for company in a few days. “It was very nice to meet you—all of you.” She gave the group a general smile and a wave, and walked away.
An announcement stated that the rooms were ready, so she made her way to hers. She attended a muster where she and the other passengers were instructed on what to do in case of an emergency. Afterward, she ended her subsequent stroll around the ship when she thought she saw Brett getting into an elevator.
I have to stop thinking about him or I’ll never enjoy myself.
She returned to her room, showered, changed, and headed down for the early dinner in her assigned dining room. When she gave her ID key to the receptionist, the woman said, “It looks like your assignment has been changed. I’ll have someone show you to your new table.” She waved a staff member over to her and spoke to her on the side.
New table? As in with Brandi and Nadine’s group? No. It can’t be. I never gave them my last name. She scanned the room and cringed when she saw that very group, now more than doubled in size, seated in the direction the receptionist pointed toward.
