Page 66 of Going Overboard

‘Oi!’ she replies. ‘Perhaps we could pick some songs for each other too. That could be fun?’

My mind goes into overdrive, wondering what songs I would choose for everyone. Al, I don’t know why, but ‘YMCA’ by the Village People just feels right. For Brody, I do know why, ‘I’m Too Sexy’ by Right Said Fred. Perhaps I shouldn’t be allowed to pick for anyone, I’m not exactly reaching for modern masterpieces.

Neil returns from the bar with a tray full of drinks, saying that way no one has an excuse to dip out. The drinks have names like Sex on the Deck and Ship Happens. Hilarious. I don’t think I’ve eaten or drunk anything on board that wasn’t totally delicious, so I’ll try anything.

Al has a tray too, full of snacks. Popcorn, pretzels, crackers, olives and… pickles. Shit.

I look up, from glaring at them, to realise Nikki was doing the same, except she has the biggest smile on her face.

‘Jessa… pickles… your favourite,’ she points out.

‘Yay,’ I say, trying to muster up some fake enthusiasm.

‘Fill your boots,’ she prompts me.

‘I don’t like to eat, before I sing,’ I tell her, hoping that’s the end of it, but I can tell by the look in her eyes that she’s not going to let this one go.

‘I’m starving,’ Brody says. ‘I could eat them all, to be honest. I’ll get Jessa some more.’

He picks up the little bowl and starts popping mini pickles into his mouth.

‘Okay, but it kind of seems to me like Jessa doesn’t want to eat one,’ Nikki says. ‘And I think that’s because she doesn’t really like them. Because you guys cheated at Mr & Mrs.’

‘Not this again,’ Neil says, laughing, but I think his patience is wearing thin.

‘It’s fine,’ I tell Neil, not wanting him to feel anything negativein the run-up to his wedding – especially not caused by me. ‘Brody – can I have one?’

‘This is the last one,’ he says, holding one between his thumb and finger.

It’s only small – how bad can it be?

‘Please?’ I say, pouting at him.

‘Okay, sure,’ he replies. ‘Just so long as you don’t love them more than you love me. Taking a man’s last pickle isn’t cool…’

‘Ah, but if you love me more than you love them, you’ll give me it,’ I reply.

He smiles. We both know I don’t want it, we both know I have no choice.

I lean forward, my mouth open, taking his hand in mine, and eat it straight from his fingertips.

Oh, God, it’s so nasty. So salty and sharp and… and what does it even taste like? It’s vile. But I keep my game face on, I eat it like a champ, and then – partly to upset Nikki, because she’s backed me into this corner, and partly to take the taste away with literally anything – seeing as though I’m still holding Brody’s hand in front of my face, I take his index finger in my mouth and suck it. I notice his eyes widen for a split second, but his game face is as good as mine.

‘You really can’t get enough, can you,’ he says.

‘I really can’t,’ I reply with a wink.

‘Ew,’ Nikki blurts.

‘Okay, well, now we all know Jessa likes pickles, can we have fun?’ Kelsey asks. ‘Jessa, come look at the music catalogue with me.’

I do as I’m told, following her to the screen where you choose the songs, just away from everyone else’s ears – and drowned out by Al, who has just started singing ‘Suspicious Minds’.

‘This is actually so much fun,’ Kelsey says, swiping on the screen. ‘I’m going to pick a song for Brody.’

‘What song?’ I ask.

‘You’ll see,’ she replies. ‘It’s mad, I’ve never seen you so flirty, so into PDA, so loved-up…’

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