Sam
I couldn’t stop looking at Rose. A couple of minutes ago, she’d stood in the entry to the lounge looking kind of flustered, and if it hadn’t meant crossing in front of the guy giving the talk on Dubrovnik, I so would’ve gone to see what was wrong.
Not to mention she looked fantastic. Her dress was a blue-greeny color. Her legs looked impossibly long. And her hair— Well, let’s just say it was different. Instead of her usual straight style, thick waves fell across her shoulders. She looked like a model from a Renaissance painting who’d stepped into modern times. I wanted to bury my hands in that hair. I wanted to breathe it in. I wanted to lock myself in my room and not come out until we docked in Venice.
Because I had to do everything possible not to act like my uncle or my dad. I had to take the high road. No fast and easy hookups. Rose deserved better.
But then she smiled, and it practically radiated from her whole being. I was toast. Hosed. Lost. I liked this girl way more than I should. We’d met only four days ago. I didn’t understand her fear of Clio’s grumpy cousin. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to drag her out on deck, pull her against me, and kiss her until neither of us could stand up anymore.
I was a complete and total idiot.
Now Rose was talking to that lady again. The one with the iron-gray hair she spoke to a couple of nights ago. Who was the woman? A family friend? Or had she just met Rose on this trip like we had? It didn’t surprise me that they looked so friendly. Rose was easy to be around. But I still wanted to know what they were talking about.
“Is Rose using her mind control on you again?” Alexis asked, a little too close to my ear.
I raised a hand to brush her away. “Back off.”
“I was just wondering why you hadn’t moved a muscle in the last oh”—she looked at her watch—“eight minutes?”
How did I know this was going to happen? Alexis, in for the kill. “Very funny.”
“I’m not joking. Even now, you’ve barely glanced at me.”
I made myself turn completely toward her. “Is this what you want?”
Alexis smirked, tossing her head of curls. “What I want is for you to admit how much you like Rose.”
I let out a scoffing laugh. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That does happen occasionally.” She smiled so that her eyes went all squinty. “But not this time.”
“Shut up.”
Alexis laughed. “I shall never be thwarted! The truth will out.”
Uncle David stood in front of us, brushing something off the arm of his dress shirt. “Sounds like someone needs food.”
People were leaving the lounge. I snuck a quick look to see that Rose was still talking to her grandparents. “Yes,” I said, “your daughter always needs food when she starts outing the truth.”
My uncle gave me a wry look. “Don’t I know it.” He waved a hand toward Sophie, who was looking at the brochure the spa women had passed out. “Up everybody. Alexis needs to eat.”
“Why are people blaming this on me?” Alexis asked, still looking extremely pleased.
Sophie grabbed Alexis’s hand. “Come on. We’ll meet you two at the front of the restaurant. We’re going to the bathroom.”
“Hurry,” Uncle David said to their backs. “My stomach is growling.”
They didn’t respond. I got up slowly, watching my uncle watch the Flirty Lady, who was leaving the lounge with a group of people. I really needed to talk to him. Was now a good time? Probably not. But at least I could get on his schedule. “So, hey,” I said, and waited for him to look back at me. “I was wondering if you had time to talk tonight.”
“How about now?” he asked.
“It’s a longer conversation than the thirty seconds it’ll take to get to the restaurant.”
He eyed me. “There’s not some trouble, I hope?”
“No. Nothing like that. I just want to sound you out about some things.”
We moved toward the exit. “Sure, I’d like that. Right after supper then? Before Sophie’s party gets in full swing?”
Right. Sophie’s party. I’d almost forgotten. “Sounds good.”
***
After dinner, my uncle and I viewed the rolling wake at the back of the ship for several minutes without speaking. I didn’t know how to start. I knew I was going to piss him off.
Uncle David faced me. “I can’t believe my little Sophie is eighteen today. When’s your birthday, again?”
“November twenty-fourth.”
“Not long then.”
“It’s four months away. You don’t think that’s long?”
“Not really.” He stared back out at the water. “Everybody’s growing up.”
Speaking of growing up … “So, I have to say something that might make you mad.”
“This sounds exciting.”
I swallowed a laugh. Just say it. “Right. Well, I need you to know that I’ve been unhappy with how much time you’ve been spending with the … with Cynthia.”
My uncle’s gaze immediately flew to where the Flirty Lady sat at a table waiting for him. He looked back at me, the good humor gone from his face. “All right,” he said, his voice flat.
I forced myself to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry. I just feel like we’re supposed to be doing this family thing, and half the time you’re off somewhere with her.”
“The rest of you have been pretty busy too, you know.”
“Yeah, but we don’t have to keep doing our group tours. We could do something with you instead.”
“Are you speaking for the girls too? Do they know you’re talking to me about this? Because I haven’t heard one peep that they’re unhappy.”
I jammed my hands into the pockets of my khakis. “Maybe you should ask them.”
“Maybe you should too. That way, neither of us is making assumptions about what they want.”
“But—”
“What’s this really about, Sam?”
The warm sensation I always used to get around my aunt came unexpectedly racing in. I had to protect it, to protect her. “I just— Aunt Patrice—”
“Has been gone for five years.” His expression softened. “I loved your aunt. I still love thinking about the little things she would do to show everyone how special they are. But it’s beyond time I started thinking about my future. You kids have grown up. It’s time.”
“And you’re thinking about a future with her?”
“Don’t take that tone with me.” He gripped the rail like he wanted to pull it apart. “You don’t know anything about Cynthia. I barely do. But from what I can tell she’s a warm, loving person, and I intend to see where this relationship will go.”
And there it was. The words I’d been dreading. The truth of it was, I had no place giving him crap about this. I wasn’t his son. I didn’t live with him year-round. My cousins had the right to bitch; I didn’t. But it still made me want to hit something. “Yeah, well, good luck with that. We Briggs men don’t have such great track records where women are concerned.”
He shook his head, looking genuinely puzzled. “What on earth are you talking about?”
He just didn’t get it. There was no use talking anymore. “Never mind. We’d better go to Sophie’s party. They’re probably wondering where we are.” I moved away, but he caught my elbow.
“Is this about your parents?”
It’d be nice if the wide planks of the deck would open up so I could just fall through.
“Sam.” He tugged on my arm. “Look at me, son.”
The back of my neck had an anvil holding it down. I dragged my gaze up to his.
“I am not my brother. You are not your father. His mistakes are his and his alone. Okay? Even though we’re family, we’re not all the same.” He squeezed my arm and then let go. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with your parents, but I know they’re doing their best to work it out. You should cut them some slack.”
Easy for him to say. He’d never heard my mother crying in her room. And how had we gotten on this subject anyway? I just wanted to tell him how I felt about the Flirty Lady. He was supposed to get mad, not be all understanding. “Let’s go. Soph and Alex are waiting for us.” I didn’t wait for a response. Just turned toward the opposite side of the deck from Cynthia and headed for the stairs to the lounge.