I give them a smile and pull my chair closer. Almost immediately one of the servers comes by with a choice of cool drinks. I grab an iced tea and set it on the metal table next to my chair.
“Miss Wilson.” Joyce is looking straight at me.
“Please, call me Ang—Marie. Call me Marie.” Crap. I almost forget my cover. This pretending stuff drives me nuts. One thing was fooling the concierge, but I feel bad giving a fake name to everyone. I bet Joyce wouldn’t even care, but I don’t want to chance it.
If she notices my slip-up, she doesn’t show it. “Of course, dearie. Thank you.” She tilts her chair up with a bit of effort, leaning forward to talk. “I remember when I was young and beautiful like you.” She might be a bit nutty, but she’s sweet.
“Thank you. You’re still so beautiful now, I’m sure you were a knockout then.” It’s true, she has one of those faces where you can almost see the beautiful young woman under the surface.
Joyce laughs. “You forgot to add ‘for my age’ to that, Marie. But, I appreciate it.” She looks off in the distance, like she’s remembering something. “When I was young, I had all the boys falling at my feet. Enjoy it while you can. Life is so short and fleeting.” For a moment, she sounds wistful, but then she speaks with renewed energy. “But those are old people worries, and you’re far too young for those. So, tell me, Marie, are you excited?”
“Excited?” I have my suspicions that this is tied to whatever’s happening on the upper deck. Does everyone on this ship know what it’s about except us?
“Oh, so he really hasn’t told you yet, has he?” Her smile is mischievous, and she looks ready to burst with it.
I decide to pump her for some info. All this secrecy is getting pretty irritating. “So...” I drag it out while I eye her with a conspiratorial grin. “What’s going to happen? You can tell me, can’t you?”
“Oh no, young lady. If your husband-to-be hasn’t seen fit to tell you, I’m not going to spill the beans. I don’t want that brute coming after me if he finds out I ruined his fun.” Joyce laughs, eyes bright and obviously not terribly worried about Gavin.
I roll my eyes, but I can’t really get mad at her. “What do you think he’s going to do? Give you a spanking?” Images of yesterday morning flash before my eyes, and I feel a tingle that runs right down to my core.
This time she laughs outright. “Maybe?” She adds eagerly, “Is he good at it?” My iced tea catches in my throat, unleashing a wave of rolling coughs while I try to get my breath back. “Oh dear. Should I hit your back?” She makes as if to get up.
Waving my hand at her and shaking my head, I make her sit back down. “I’m—” Another cough. “I’m alright. Just went down the wrong way.” I get my breathing back under control. “What were you asking again?” Then I remembered.
“Well, I don’t think I have to tell you that you’ve picked a tough one, do I? Handsome of course, but he looks like a spanker, that one.” She winks with a mischievous grin. “Like my first husband, Jim. He was a strong believer in discipline. And with those big hands of his...” She trails off, lost in the memories, while I stare at her in disbelief. “Well, let me tell you, some days I was too sore to sit.” She sighs, like she’s remembering fond times. “Those were the best days.”
I hide my stunned expression behind sipping my drink. “That’s very... interesting. What happened to Jim?”
“He was run over by the town drunk many years ago. It was a shock, but at least it was quick. He never knew what hit him, poor man.” She sighs.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, horrified. Some days I just can’t keep my foot out of my mouth.
“Oh, it’s alright, dear. It was many, many years ago. He was a good man. Strict and firm, but a good man. And boy, did he know how to tan an ass.” She grins broadly at what apparently are some very good memories for her, disturbing as that seems.
“He sounds like he was...” I was a bit at a loss for words. “An interesting man to live with.”
She titters. “That he was. He was my first, you know? First everything. I was only seventeen when we married, but we were together for over twenty years before his accident. He put four children in me, boom, boom, boom, right in a row. Virile as a bull.”
I want to say it’s all the sun that’s making my face all red, but it wouldn’t be the truth. She certainly doesn’t hold back.
“Hang on to your first one, Marie. They’re always special. Just you wait and see.” There’s a certainty in her voice that makes me wonder. “Anyway...” She braces against her deck chair and stands. “I should get Mabel upstairs so we can get ready. It takes a while when you get to be our age, and she needs a little extra help.”