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  If I’d known his sloppy, wet kiss was the reward, I wasn’t certain I would have tried so hard to reach the top. I didn’t know what to say.

  Everyone’s attention suddenly turned away from me as Cameron moved up to be harnessed, and people wanted to offer him encouragement. I sank down to the ground.

  Ryan crouched in front of me. “Thought I was going to have to call in a medical team to have that guy surgically removed.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from grinning. “It wasn’t that bad.”

  “Is he your new boyfriend?”

  “No. Actually, until a minute ago, I thought he was all about Brooke.”

  “You know these guys are all players. They’re going to say and do anything to get you into bed.”

  “I can handle it.”

  “If you say so.”

  It irritated me that he doubted me. I knew these guys were players. I was one as well.

  “Ryan, you’re not responsible for me.”

  “Look, I’m on this cruise because of you. So I feel some responsibility.”

  “Well, don’t. It was nice of Walter to want to make sure I have my own personal buddy, but it was totally unnecessary. I can take care of myself. And you’re free to do”—I waved my hand—” whatever.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  I struggled back to my feet. “I need to get back to the guys.”

  “We’re still on for tonight, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah. I’ll see you at eight.”

  I’d climbed to the top, and all he’d noticed was Shooter kissing me. I couldn’t have been more disappointed.

  “Hey, Lindsay?”

  I looked back at him.

  He grinned and gave me a thumbs up. “That was a hell of a climb.”

  CHAPTER 17

  Tonight isn’t a date.

  I told myself that over and over as I changed from one outfit to another, unable to decide on exactly what I should wear to a show that wasn’t a movie or a high-school play. It was a show like I saw advertised on TV in Vegas, or on Broadway, or any number of other stage productions. It was so not a date.

  Walter had purchased the tickets, was trying to be nice, was trying to make sure that everyone had a good time. Since he saw me as his daughter now, and he’d brought Ryan along on the cruise, he thought hooking us up was the way to go. So tonight we’d be hooked.

  I’d really planned to be totally casual after the wedding, to relax completely for the remainder of the cruise. But here I was dabbing on lip gloss, mascara, and eye shadow. I repainted my fingernails. I even applied a hot iron to my hair, making it straight and sleek, and oh-so-not casual.

  I couldn’t believe all the trouble I was going to, or how tightly knotted my stomach was. I almost felt as though I was back on that stupid rock climbing wall reaching for that last hold that would allow me to see everything that surrounded me.

  Only I felt as though I wasn’t seeing anything. It was so difficult not being with anyone I shared a past with. I liked Brooke. She was fun, and she certainly did believe in bringing the party with her. I had a feeling she was one of those people who didn’t like to be alone. Not for even a second.

  Which was cool. I didn’t have a problem with that attitude. But I hadn’t been too pleased with Shooter snatching an unexpected kiss. I had a feeling that Brooke would have been okay with it. The guys were probably thinking Brooke and I were like two peas in a pod when we were really more like an apple and an orange. Not much in common except for the fact that we were both girls.

  But that too was all right, I supposed. Although I was now wishing that I hadn’t asked Ryan to get Brooke a ticket. A little time away from the constant party atmosphere might have been nice.

  On the other hand I did want to make the very most of this cruise, and being off by myself limited the opportunities.

  The knock on my door had me taking a deep breath and a final glance in the mirror. I was wearing a slinky, sparkly pink dress that I’d picked up cheaply, thinking that I’d probably never wear it, but that it would be nice to have, just in case.

  And here I was wearing it with sandals. I hoped I didn’t give the appearance of having dressed up for a date. Because this is so not a date, I repeated to myself for about the hundredth time.

  I crossed the room, opened the door, and, after seeing him, wondered if Ryan thought maybe this was a date. He looked terrific. He was wearing a light blue button up shirt, and slacks.

  “I hadn’t planned to get this dressed up while on the cruise,” he began, then shrugged. “But I figured for a show…”

  His eye-rolling made me laugh. “Same here,” I admitted.

  “I think there’s some sort of dress code,” he said.

  “I figured. We didn’t have as many dress codes in high school as this cruise has.” Some of the dining rooms required fancy clothes—men in dinner jackets, ladies in dresses. Needless to say I planned to avoid them.

  “Yeah, it’s kinda strange to be on vacation, and have to dress up. Are you ready?”

  I tugged on the small purse hanging off my shoulder. “Have key, will travel.”

  He laughed at that. He had a really nice laugh. A deep timbre that echoed along the hallway.

  “We’ll be at Ocho Rios tomorrow,” I said, like maybe he didn’t know where we were going.

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Hike. Climb a waterfall.”

  We got on the elevator, and he pressed the button for the deck we needed.

  “Figure I’ll be doing the same. That, and shopping.”

  “I could use another toe ring,” he said with a grin.

  I patted his arm. “We’ll see. You could always go with us.”

  That invitation had come out before I thought about it. I held my breath, not sure if I wanted him there or not. But he shook his head.

  “I’m not much into crowds.”

  “I’m not sure how crowded it’ll be.”

  “I was talking about in general. I was referring to the increasing entourage that seems to follow wherever you and Brooke go.”

  “They’re all nice guys.”

  “If you say so.”

  The elevator stopped and we stepped off. I really didn’t want to talk about Brooke, or the guys, or how much I was missing my friends and would gladly swap everyone I’d met here for just one friend I’d known forever.

  We walked along the corridor, heading for the Starlight Lounge, where the show was being held.

  “Look, I’m sorry for ragging on your friends,” Ryan said.

  I glanced over at him. “They’re not really my friends. They’re just people to have fun with. Friends take awhile to make.”

  As we neared, I could see there was already quite a crowd of people waiting to get in.

  “There you two are!”

  I turned in the direction of the familiar voice, and there was Brooke in a tight little outfit that dipped a little too low at the neckline, revealing the fact she had a lot more to offer than I did. She’d colored the tips of her dark, spiked hair blue.

  “I’ve been waiting forever,” she said. She sidled up between us so that she was in the middle.

  “What do you know about the show?” she asked.

  “Glittery and sexy,” Ryan offered.

  “I’ll be the judge of how sexy it is,” she said.

  Our seats weren’t reserved, but we managed to get close to the front of the stage. Each row was a long bench, and every so often a round table was situated so people would have a place to put their drinks.

  Even with the jostling around and finding a place to sit, Brooke never relinquished her claim on being between us.

  Which I told myself was just fine. Ryan was a surrogate Walter, and I really didn’t need or want that. So if Brooke wanted to sit between us, that was okay with me.

  And Ryan certainly didn’t seem to mind. As a matter of fact, he seemed to be warming up to Brooke quite a bit. They were laughing and talking as though I