Page 33 of Honeymoon for Seven

Nick shrugged and Ginnie was suddenly very happy she’d ordered a BLT, though she didn’t know if that would be anymore interesting for his mom.

“At least go sit out on the patio.” His mother waved an arm toward the sliding doors.

Their eyes met and with a short nod, they agreed to move outside for lunch. Plates in hand, Nick followed her. To her surprise, expecting him to sit across from her at the large table, he set his place down beside her. “I’ll be back out with our drinks.”

Her gaze lingered on his back as he walked into the suite. He paused a moment to ask his mother something, then grabbed the two bottled waters and turned around. A bottle in each hand, he held them up and smiled.

She could run through a pretty long list about now of all the things she liked about Nick. Thoughtful. Considerate. Polite. Loves his family. Good sense of humor. Winsome smile. Amazing voice. And deep eyes she could melt into if she let herself. For just a second, she considered how much she was going to miss having him around when the cruise was over, and just like that, an ache filled her chest where only moments ago her heart had been beating merrily waiting for him to join her.

Could it be that just like her sisters, she’d gone and fallen for a stranger on a ship?

“Here you go.” Nick unscrewed the cap and set the bottle with the glass he’d brought on the table in front of her and shot her an even brighter smile that made her toes curl.

Yep. She’d done it. She’d fallen head over sandals in love with a man she might never see again after a few more days. Now her heart really hurt.

It took every ounce of self-control Nick had not to set her drink down and lean over and steal a kiss while he was at it. Not a ravishing can I take you on the table topkiss, but a sweet, sensitive press of lips to show her just how much she’d come to mean to him. And how much was that? So many things he admired about her. The way she just stepped in to help. Sacrificed her own fun for people she hardly knew. Smiled at his dumb jokes. Laughed at the same things he did. And the way her hips swayed when she walked could mesmerize a blind man. But most of all, he loved how they could talk about anything, whether for snatches of five minutes of time, or whole hours. Not that they’d had that many opportunities to chat for longer than over dinner, but he’d enjoyed every word she’d said. No matter how you sliced it, he loved being around Ginnie. Everything was just better when she was involved.

Everything was better with her. The words played around in his head. Could this be it? Was this what being in love felt like?

Wiping a smidge of mayo away from the corner of her mouth, Ginnie smiled sheepishly, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink and her deep brown eyes sparkling with a combination of humor and embarrassment. His heart did a kick and he could hear it shouting at him:you’re in love, you idiot. Head over heels, hook line and sinker in love.

How was that even possible? Didn’t people need time—lots of time—to know if someone was the one?

Swallowing, Ginnie tipped her head and her smile softened. “Don’t like your lunch?”

“Hmm?” He shifted his attention to his untouched hamburger. “Oh, no. I was just thinking.”

“About?” She leaned over and took another bite.

Even the way she ate was cute. Aw, hell. If there was such a thing as love at first sight, this was it. He was very much in love with Miss Ginnie Ummarino. Which left one question: what the heck was he going to do about it? “Dance with me?”

“I’m sorry, what?” She stared at him as if he’d sprouted a third eye, or worse, horns.

“I mean tonight. After the kids go to bed. Let’s go dancing?”

Her soft smile tilted up higher. “I’d like that.”

“Are we still going for the scavenger hunt?” Jake popped his head out the door.

“We are.” Nick turned his wrist and glanced at his watch. “But it doesn’t start till after Phoebe wakes up from her nap.”

“Okay.” Jake ran back inside and Nick heard Rachel call out, “If we wake Phoebe up we can go.”

Like a shot, Nick was up and out of his seat. “No!”

Chuckling, Ginnie came running in behind him. “We have to wait for the right time to go and it’s not now.”

Three faces fell with disappointment, but Monica pulled her favorite bunny closer against her chest and frowned. Nick had his doubts she believed them, but it looked like she was going to take their advice at face value.

None of which mattered because in about ten minutes, as if she’d heard every word of conversation over the sound machine inside, Phoebe stirred.

“Do you want to get her or shall I?”

“I’ll do it. You’ve had to change more than your share of diapers for a vacation.”

“I don’t mind.” Ginnie really did have a marvelous smile, especial when it made her eyes light up.

“Next time.”

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