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She shook her head. "You two are my best friends, and I trust you more than anyone, but do you have proof to substantiate this crazy story?"
Maybe her friends were on drugs?
They had admitted to being on something that was supposedly not illicit, but it could be a new compound that some chemist had cooked up in a laboratory that hadn't been identified as an illegal substance yet.
Frankie tapped a finger on her lower lip. "Remember what Jasmine said about everybody being so good-looking? That's not because all the people on this ship are Perfect Match employees who were hired for their good looks. It's because most of the passengers of this ship are immortals and gods, and the closer they are to the godly source, the more gorgeous they are."
As Negal's face appeared in Margo's mind, she remembered thinking that he was an angel.
"Is Negal an immortal?" she asked.
"Even better." Frankie grinned. "He is a god."
14
VLAD
"Come on, Vlad." Bowen held the open cigar box in front of him. "You have to smoke one. It's a tradition."
"I'll take one." Gordon snatched a thick cigar out of the box. "Cubans are the best."
The box was a present from Kian, who had gotten one for each of the ten grooms, along with two bottles of very expensive whiskey. It was a nice gesture, and Vlad appreciated both gifts, but he didn't smoke. Apparently, though, his childhood friend had developed a taste for cigars while studying in the UK.
He snorted. "Do you get to smoke a lot of them at Oxford?"
"You'd be surprised." Gordon cut the end of the fat cigar. "I can't afford the real thing, but I get to smoke a fake one from time to time. It helps with philosophical discussions. Others prefer pot, but I promised my mother that I wouldn't touch the stuff." He took the lighter Jackson handed him, lit the cigar, and took a puff. "Oh, yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Superb."
Who would have thought that an airhead like Gordon would be getting a master's degree in philosophy? He'd never been studious and had displayed the depth of a puddle on a summer's day, but evidently there was more to him than met the eye. He was finishing his master's at one of the most prestigious universities in the world and intended to continue to a PhD program.
It was so good to see him.
"Are you going to take one or not?" Richard reached behind Bhathian, pulled out a cigar, and put it in Vlad's mouth. "Try it, and if you don't like it, give it to me. I'll finish it for you."
"Fine."
As the balcony door slid open and Roni stepped out, cheers sounded all around.
"Thank you." Roni took a bow. "If I'd known that everyone would be so glad to see me, I would have come earlier."
"I thought that you were still busy hacking," Vlad said. "Are you done?"
"For now." Roni took a cigar. "I'm sure I'll be needed later."
Nick wrapped his arm around Roni's shoulders. "If you need help, I'm here for you, buddy."
Roni frowned. "Why didn't I think of you sooner? The Guardians are setting up a hidden surveillance network at Modana's mansion. I'm sure they could use your expertise." He pulled out his phone, stuck the unlit cigar in his mouth, and started texting. "I'm reminding Turner about you," he said around the cigar.
Bowen came over with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. "I'm sure Turner didn't forget. The guy's mind is like a computer." He poured a glass for Vlad and another one for Bhathian.
Roni took the cigar out of his mouth. "That's a misconception. I’ve worked closely with the guy on several occasions, and he uses a damn yellow pad to organize his thoughts. He's just very methodical about it."
"If you say so." Bowen took two more glasses off the tray Vlad had prepared and poured whiskey for Roni and Jackson before turning back to Vlad. "Excited about tonight?"
"I'm glad that it's finally happening. Wendy and I were afraid that the wedding wouldn't happen because of the mission, and we would lose our spot. We were even discussing the possibility of having a lunchtime wedding tomorrow in case the Guardians were delayed."
It wouldn't have been the wedding Wendy had dreamt about, but it was better than postponing it once again.
When everyone had a lit cigar in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other, Vrog raised his glass. "To my amazing son and my lovely daughter-in-law. May tonight be all that you hoped it would be and tomorrow even better than that."
