Page 46 of Fire and Ice Cruise

Before I can dig deeper, Nicolette moves to the front of the room and claps her hands twice.

“All right, ladies and gentlemen! If we could all take our seats, we’ll get started with the second half of our session.”

Holland and I part ways with a brief goodbye as women shuffle back to their chairs, clutching fresh plates of food and coffee cups. I land in my old seat and Nettie plops down beside me with what appears to be an entire chocolate fountain’s worth of chocolate-covered strawberries.

“Did you leave any for anyone else?” I ask.

“Survival of the fastest, Trixie. Survival of the fastest.”

Nicolette waits for everyone to settle, looking polished and professional in her burgundy sheath dress. Her dark hair is perfectly styled, her makeup flawless, and she radiates the controlled competence of someone who’s spent decades in courtrooms.

“Welcome back,” she says smoothly. “Now that Holland has inspired us to reinvent our intimate lives, let’s talk about protecting ourselves while we do it. Because nothing ruins a second act faster than discovering your assets are gone and your legal protections are nonexistent.”

Nervous laughter ripples through the room.

“We’re going to cover estate planning, divorce settlements if you’re leaving a marriage, protecting your assets if you’re entering a new relationship, and the legal realities of dating after fifty. And like I said earlier, all the fun stuff they don’t tell you about in romance novels.”

“This should be cheerful,” Bess mutters.

Nicolette launches into her presentation with the confidence of a woman who’s explained this a thousand times. She’s engaging and funny, making dry legal concepts accessible, and the room is completely absorbed.

But I’m watching Marina, who’s taking notes as if her life depends on it.

And Nicolette, who keeps glancing at Marina with an expression I can’t quite decode.

Celeste floats near the ceiling, looking bored. “Pay attention, Troublemaker. One of these people is a killer. And killers are always very interested in estate planning.”

She’s right. Because when you’re planning to murder someone—or when you’re running from a past that could destroy your future—you need to know exactly how to protect yourself when everything falls apart.

CHAPTER 15

Suddenly Hitched—What a Trip!

Hello, Trixie!

Update from my Iceland cruise! Remember how I wrote about my college BFF and our terrible travel compatibility? Well, I took your advice and we had “the talk.” She was surprisingly understanding, and we agreed to do our own things during the day and meet up for dinner. Crisis averted!

Except now I have a NEW situation. Yesterday during the waterfall excursion, I met someone. A man. A very charming, funny, age-appropriate man named Sean who made me laugh so hard I nearly slipped on the wet rocks (not my finest moment). We ended up talking for two hours on the bus ride back about everything from terrible first jobs to our favorite books to why turning fifty feels both terrifying and liberating. He’s traveling solo, recently divorced, and seems genuinely interested in getting to know me.

Here’s the problem: My BFF saw us having coffee together this morning and got WEIRD. Not jealous-weird, more like uncomfortable-weird. She made some comment about “being careful with shipboard romances” and “not everyone is who they seem,” then changed the subject when I asked what she meant. Now I’m second-guessing everything. Is she being protective, or is there something about Sean I should know?

Also, he asked me to join him for the northern lights viewing tonight, and I really want to say yes, but I don’t want to make things awkward with my friend. We’ve finally found our groove!

Exhausted but Intrigued

Dear Exhausted but Intrigued,

First of all, congratulations on the successful BFF negotiation AND on meeting someone who made you laugh hard enough to risk injury on Icelandic terrain. That’s the kind of midlife magic we all deserve.

Now, about your friend’s weird reaction—trust your gut here. Her comment wasn’t casual concern, it was specific. She either knows something about Sean, or she’s projecting her own relationship baggage onto your situation. Either way, you deserve clarity.

My advice? Ask her directly. Something like, “You seemed uncomfortable when you saw me with Sean. Do you know him, or is something else going on?” Give her the chance to be honest. Good friendships can handle direct questions, especially when you’re both trying to make the most of a trip this big.

As for the northern lights viewing—GO. You’re not responsible for managing your friend’s discomfort, especially when you don’t even know what’s causing it. If Sean turns out to be problematic, you’ll figure it out. But don’t miss out on a potentially wonderful evening because of vague warnings and uncomfortable vibes.

You’re almost fifty. You’ve earned the right to take chances on people who make you laugh, even if it gets a little messy.

XOXO