AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER THREE
“Taken. I’m taken. Taken,” Marge spit out to every hot, young stud we passed by as we made our way onto the cruise ship. “Hands off. These goods are bought.”
As she told them no, I locked eyes with every six-pack-clad hottie I passed, my predatory gaze telling them the exact opposite. I wasnottaken, but I would like to be taken by them ... over and over again.
“Would you stop it?” Sylvie laughed, swatting Marge on the shoulder with her purse. “I’m also taken, and you don’t see me barking at every man we pass. Just act normal.”
Marge grabbed a fruit-adorned cocktail off the tray a cruise attendant held out in greeting. “Just don’t want any confusion, is all. I’m a taken lady.” She held up her glass and looked at it. “Hey! This kinda looks like the drink I had when I first met Roxie!” She grinned at us, then passed a look to all the nearby men and shouted, “You know, Roxie, my lady! Since I’mtaken!”
I burst into laughter and slung an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll be beating them off later, but for now, let’s just try to relax and have fun. We need to find our rooms and get unpacked. Then we begin our ten full days of pure paradise, ladies!”
Doris squealed with excitement as she hopped beside me. “I’ve never been on a cruise! This is just so exciting.” Her face fell as she leaned in. “And you’re sure there aren’t any real cougars on this ship? I really don’t want to be trapped on a boat with a wild animal.”
“The only cougar you need to worry about is me,” I said as a young man passing by captured my gaze, holding it with promises of pleasure sparkling in his aqua eyes.
I answered back with my own sultry promises, making a note to find him later.
“Okay, per the ship’s map, our cabins are this way.” Sylvie tucked the map into her purse and forged ahead, grabbing a cocktail on her way.
We each found our rooms, and I was pleasantly surprised by the suites I’d sprung for.
“Oh, Alice! These are too fancy!” Doris cupped her hands over her mouth as she stared into the first room. “I really feel terrible that you wouldn’t let us pay for our own rooms, and now to see these? It makes me feel bad. Did you at least use your AARP discount?”
I scoffed, my face contorting with the ridiculous question. “AARP? Why would I use AARP? That’s for old people.”
“Actually, that’s not true,” Sylvie said. “It’s for anyone over fifty. I know you’ve never told us your real age, but I think I can safely assume you’re over fifty. You should sign up. You get really great discounts. I use mine all the time.”
“I love AARP!” Marge agreed, then held up three fingers. “Anddid you know that if you hold out to subscribe until the third notice, they give you a free cooler? A free cooler! So awesome. I have six.”
“Six coolers?” Sylvie’s eyes went big. “What in the hell do you need six coolers for?”
Marge shrugged. “Why not? They’re free.”
“I didn’t know about the free coolers,” Doris said. “I could use a good cooler. Maybe I’ll wait to sign up until the third notice this year.”
“Nice coolers, too.” Marge nodded along. “You won’t be sorry. Alice, if you want in, I can get you the info. Then just hold steady and wait until that third notice. Thenbam!Free cooler.”
I closed my eyes for a beat. “I don’t want to use AARP, and I don’t want a free cooler. I would die of embarrassment to hand over an AARP card. Now, can we drop it and get settled in?”
“Sure thing,” Sylvie said, poking her head into the room Doris kept peering into.
“You can go in,” I said.
Doris grinned. “I can?”
I nodded, and she burst into the room.
“It’s fancy!” Doris hurried around to look at everything and then rushed to the window overlooking the ocean. When she turned back to the bed and saw the towel folded up like an elephant on the pillow, she squealed and rushed over to grab it. “Can this room be mine?”
“All yours,” I answered. “Ladies, the rest of us are here.”
Doris followed along with us as we oohed and aahed over our suites. After we each chose our rooms, I called them back out to the hallway.
“Now, there is an orientation we are all required to go to in twenty minutes. Something about safety.” I wafted my hand through the air. “You know. So we don’t die on the cruise or whatever.”
“Is this dangerous?” Doris’s eyes widened.
