Moving through the galley to the opposite side of the room from where Mackenzie just exited, I give Marcel the finger when I pass him and head to my bunk.

“Oh, shut the hell up.”

Marcel’s laughter follows me all the way down the hall.

CHAPTER 8

Mackenzie

“Can you believe the nerve of him? I mean, honestly. He avoids me all day and then has a stick up his ass because I was down in his precious crew area. It’s not like I care, but he didn’t need to act like such an asshole,” I complain to Brooke as we lay our towels down on the soft white sand of Trunk Bay Beach to relax and get some sun before it’s time to head back to the boat.

We were supposed to leave this morning to cruise around the islands for a few days before we made our final stop at St. Croix, but Allyson and Arianna decided they hadn’t done nearly enough shopping last night, and had my dad tell the captain to keep us at St. John for another day. I was pissed at first when I found out my dad jumped to do their bidding and didn’t care that it would require more work and more planning for the captain and crew, but when I realized I wouldn’t have to be stuck on the boat for another damn day where I might run into Declan, I jumped at the chance to get the hell away from him.

Sure, I stupidly stayed behind last night. And while it’s true I did nothing more than push my food around my plate at dinner, and my stomach was threatening to eat itself by the time everyone left to come over here, I didn’t stay behind just to have Marcel make me the most delicious cheeseburger and french fries I’d ever eaten. I stayed behind because, like an idiot, I listened to Brooke when she suggested I make up an excuse not to go with everyone so I could find Declan and make him stop avoiding me.

I never imagined that when I finally found him, or actually, when he finally found me, that he’d treat me the way he did and talk to me like he had. And to make matters worse, he did it in front of Marcel, who had been so sweet to make me an extra dinner and let me practice my high school French that I’d had no use for since I’d graduated.

It took everything in me not to smack Declan across the face when he made the comment about getting my dress dirty. So much for thinking it would be easy for me to show him I’m not a spoiled princess like Arianna and Allyson. It’s obvious that’s all he sees when he looks at me, and I wasted my time thinking I could prove him wrong. I wasted my time thinking maybe he, too, couldn’t stop remembering that kiss we shared, wondering if he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. I should have stuck to my guns. I never have been, nor will I ever be, the kind of woman who can have a fling. Especially with a man who clearly hates my guts and isn’t affected by me in the least.

“Yes, you’ve told me. At least seventy-five times since lunch,” Brooke deadpans, replying to my earlier complaints as she pulls off her cover-up and flops down on her towel.

“Sorry, am I getting on your nerves? Just tell me to shut the hell up,” I apologize, lying down next to her and perching myself up my elbows to look out at the crystal clear water stretched out in front of us, our yacht visible in the distance.

“Shut the hell up,” Brooke mutters, covering her eyes from the sun to look up at me. “At least shut up about the whole not caring thing. You wouldn’t be bitching about it all day if you didn’t care. You’re hot for the guy, he kissed you and made you see stars, and now you’re pissed he was a jerk. I’m pissed too. I kind of want to chop off his balls when we get back on the boat, but I’ll leave that up to you. It will make you feel better.”

Just like always, Brooke makes me laugh and forget my problems for a minute.

“Just let me enjoy my anger for a little while longer and I promise I’ll stop complaining. Right now, it feels better to be pissed off than sad,” I tell her, flipping over onto my stomach to rest my chin on my arms.

“I’m sorry your dad didn’t come with us today,” Brooke says softly as I scoop up a handful of sand and watch it run through my fingers.

“It was stupid of me to even ask. I knew he’d pick them over me.”

Not only have I felt like a fool all day for the way Declan spoke to me in front of Marcel, and how easily he dismissed me, I wanted to kick myself for letting down my guard and telling him about the road trips my dad and I used to take in search of the perfect burger and fries. Even though I regret showing him a piece of me that he didn’t deserve, at least it gave me the courage to ask my dad to spend the day with me today when we were eating breakfast. I wanted him to miss spending time with me as much as I missed being with him. When I told him about how Brooke and I planned on renting bikes to ride around the small nine-mile island to see the sights, his eyes lit up and for just one minute, I thought he’d quickly agree.

But just like always, Allyson complained that she couldn’t possibly shop without my father’s opinion on her purchases, and Arianna wrapped her arms around his neck, called him daddy and told him she was looking forward to spending the whole day with him.

They didn’t value his opinion, and they didn’t want to spend quality time with him. The only thing they wanted was the Gold Amex in his wallet.

“Alright, no more feeling sorry for yourself. We’re still on vacation and we’re going to have a good time, dammit,” Brooke suddenly announces.

I watch as she sits up and digs into the backpack she brought with her, pulling out two flasks. She hands me one and takes the lid off of the other before tipping it back and taking a healthy swallow. When she pulls it away from her mouth, she clunks her flask against mine and gives me a smile.