Not really a stretch since I don’t know anyone here, but okay.
Forcing herself not to think of Garrett in all his tall, dark, and handsomeness, Avery drew a line through that one, too.
With a quick glance at the other seventeen things her meddling sister had felt the need to pen, she wondered just how many would be crossed off by the end of the cruise.
Some were simple, such as the talking to someone she didn’t know thing and try something new to eat each day. But others made her wonder if Alex had been drunk when she’d compiled the list. Number twenty was a prime example.
“Kiss a hot guy?” Avery snorted. “Yeah, right.”
Leave it to Alex to come up with something so ridiculously impossible.
Refusing to think of the hot guy she’d already met, Avery folded the paper and put both it and the pen back into her purse then walked over to the sliding door. Unlocking it, she pulled it open and stepped onto the balcony.
Her hair flew across her face as the warm, salty air whipped around her. Tucking the wayward strands behind one ear, she moved closer to the chest-high railing.000
A hint of fuel filled her nostrils as she cautiously peaked over the edge. Not too far. Just enough to see the ocean’s water sloshing lazily against the ship’s hull.
She’d purposely chosen a room on the balcony level closest to the water. But it was still a long way down.
The low hum of a motor purred to life from somewhere far below. Glancing at her watch, she noted they still had an hour before the ship was scheduled to depart.
Must be getting things warmed up and ready to go.
Avery took a moment to gaze at the endless ocean to her left. Her heart beat a little harder as she wondered what the next few days would have in store.
Glancing back to the land on her right, she had to admit the view was less than desirable.
Shipping crates lined up in a row on a concrete slab. Two giant cranes she assumed were for loading supplies onto the ship.
Because her room was located on the starboard side, she couldn’t see the U.S. Customs building she and the other passengers had gone through prior to boarding, but she spotted several other industrial-type buildings that seemed to stretch on for miles.
But it was land, and to Avery, it was safe.
Take a good, long look, Aves. Once this sucker takes off, there’s no going back.
The realization sent her heart racing. Her chest tightened and breathing became more and more difficult.
Recognizing the telltale signs of an anxiety attack beginning to unfold, she went back inside and slid the door shut. With a sideways glance, she focused on her luggage which had been delivered prior to her coming into the room.
There’s still time. You could find one of the staff. Tell them there’s an emergency and you have to get off the ship so you can get back home.
They’d have to believe her, right? They’d have to let her off the ship.
For a second, Avery seriously considered grabbing her bags and getting the hell out of there.
But then what?
She’d be forced to go home and prove her sister right. Admit that she was every bit the boring, predictable woman Alex had accused her of being.
No. That wasnothow this was going to play out.
It was just a short trip. A dream vacation for most. And no matter how uncomfortable this coming week may be, Avery was determined to see it through to the end.
If she didn’t, if she walked away now, she had a gnawing feeling she’d regret it for the rest of her life.
Straightening her spine, she marched back over to where her purse lay. Yanking the list free once more, she flattened its seams and studied the contents closer. Not only was shenotgoing home…she was going to do every damn thing on the list.
Even number twenty.