Page 77 of The Vacation Mix-Up
“My shorts blew away too!”
“That’s because you left them out on the balcony of a ship sailing at twenty knots.”
Stunned by her knowledge of how fast we’ve been traveling, I burst into laughter.
“It’s not funny!”
“Come on, it kind of is.”
She growls and storms back inside.
“I’m sorry,” I say, following her. “I wasn’t thinking when I put them out there.”
“No shit!”
“I’ll buy you a new one.”
“Oh, I know you will. And you’ll do it before we get to Iceland. I’ve booked a shore excursion at the Blue Lagoon, and despite the popularity of nudity in Nordic regions, I’m not bathing without a swimsuit.”
This time, I can’t help but double over.
“Damn it, Riley!” She giggles. “It’s not funny!”
“It is.”
The flaming-red of her cheeks settles to a blush-pink, and she slumps onto her bed. “I can’t believe you did that.”
“What can I say? I’m an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot. Well—” She holds her thumb and forefinger roughly an inch apart. “—maybe a little.”
“I’ll take you shopping before we get to Iceland. I promise.”
She sighs. “Don’t worry about it. I probably needed a new bathing suit anyway.”
“No, I insist.”
Huffing, she gets to her feet and retrieves her coffee. “What are your plans in Qaqortok today?”
“Not much. I’m just going to wander around the village. How about you?”
She bites her lip, a wave of joy spreading across her face. “I’m taking a helicopter charter over a glacier. I’m so excited. I’ve never seen a glacier. I’ve never even beenneara helicopter.”
I blink. “You’re flying over a glacier?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you see the shore excursion on your booking profile?”
I shamefully shake my head. Stupid, uninterested me hadn’t given the booking profile the time of day, and now my level of regret is as high as the Arctic Circle.
“Have you booked any shore excursions yet?”
“Only the Stonehenge tour.”
“Riley! Youmustbook the Blue Lagoon. You absolutely cannot visit Iceland without going there.”
“Okaaay,” I drawl. “Maybe I will.”
“No. Do it now, or you’ll miss out. Here, give me your phone.” She holds her hand out, so I slide my cell out of my back pocket, unlock it, and pass it to her. Tapping the cruise app, she scrolls then taps, scrolls then taps, then hands it back to me. “There. You’re lucky they have a couple of spots left. I read that you usually have to book several months in advance.”
