“Good. Okay, we need to go and touch up your makeup for the ceremony,” Jacqueline’s mom says. “Meddelin, can you call your auntie and ask her to meet us at the bridal suite?”
“Sure.” I take out my phone and dial Second Aunt’s number while everybody else rushes off to prep for the ceremony. Why’s she taking so long to pick up?
Noise floods through the receiver. “Hallo? Meddy?” Second Aunt’s practically shouting.
“Second Aunt? Where are you?”
“Aduh, Meddy. Got a bit problem.”
Oh no. My chest tightens, and my free hand clenches into a fist. No, whatever it is, please don’t let it be too, too bad. I’ve just handled one crisis, can’t I have a break? It’s a struggle to keep my voice level. “What is it?”
“Ummm. Well, you see. Well. Hard to explain whose fault, you know? Because nobody telling anybody what anybody do, so then everybody doing everything.”
“Second Aunt, you’re killing me. Please just tell me what’s happened.”
“Well, hmmm. Hard to explain.”
Could I be any more frustrated? Pretty sure I’m so freaking anxious and annoyed right now I could choke a horse. Though I wouldn’t. But I could. “Second Aunt!”
“Well, no matter, nothing can do. What you call me for?”
I shake my head a little, trying to clear it of the angry fog. Deep breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Focus on the wedding, on poor Jacqueline. And anyway, I can always ask Ma what the hell’s going on. Ma can never keep a secret from me. “The bride needs you to touch up her makeup before the ceremony.”
“Ah, okay! I go there now.”
As soon as she hangs up, I scroll through my contacts to dial Ma’s number, but someone clears his throat, interrupting me.
“Nathan!” Oh no, how long has he been there? What has he heard? What have I said?
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Ha, no, you didn’t.” He did. “Can you I help?”
“What?” He frowns.
I wince. This is what happens when I try to speak while frantically rifling through my conversation with Second Aunt for anything incriminating. “Sorry, I meant, did you need something?” Did that come out too brusque?
“Um. I wanted to apologize for—” Nathan gestures around him with a sigh. “You know. Everything that just happened. I tried to dissuade them from searching your room. I know that was a real intrusion.”
Everything inside me melts. “Thank you for saying that. I know you did everything you could. But it’s okay, I didn’t mind, and it all got sorted out in the end, so.” I love you. I’m still in love with you. FOCUS. Sweet as he’s being, I can’t let myself get too distracted right now. I need to call Ma and find out what’s going on. “Anyway—”
“Where’s your boyfriend right now?”
“My what now?”
Nathan takes a deep breath, obviously trying not to show that he’s feeling a bit hurt by whatever he’s about to say. “Your boyfriend? The guy who was in your room before.”
Everything that just melted inside me moments ago freezes into sharp points. Shit. Step. Carefully. “Oh, um, he went for a walk around the resort,” I say, weakly. Oh god, he must think I’m the biggest asshole ever, having kissed him twice and then telling him I have a boyfriend. Argh!
“Really. That’s . . . interesting.” His handsome face is unreadable. “Only I took a look at the yacht passenger list, and he’s not listed as a passenger when you came to the island.”
“That’s—yeah. Uh huh.” Think! Quickly! “That’s because he’s actually one of the staff members?” I blurt out. My mind struggles to keep up with my mouth, going over the words. That’s actually not a bad idea. “Yeah, he’s actually not my boyfriend, he’s sort of a one-night stand. Or a one-morning stand, if you will.” I give what sounds like the world’s fakest laugh.
“So one of my staff members left his post to have a—a thing with you, and then took a nap in your room? I’ve gotta tell you, as his employer, I’m not very pleased to hear that.”
Can this possibly get any worse? “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble,” I warble. “I just—he wasn’t asleep for very long, we’d just—you know.”
Nathan sighs, his broad shoulders sagging a tad. “I know. I’m probably just letting my jealousy get in the way. Honestly, it’s fine. You’re both consenting adults. It’s been a bit of a day, that’s all.”