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In contrast, her own parents rarely hugged her and Rob, let alone strangers.
Growing up, Margo had spent so much time in Frankie's house that her mother used to complain that she had moved in. It had been so much more fun with Frankie's large, warm family, especially compared to how quiet and cold her own home had been.
She also loved visiting Mia's grandparents, but since they had moved into the secret compound to be near Mia and Toven, she didn't get to see them as often.
Oh, wow. Suddenly, it made perfect sense why they had done that.
The compound wasn't the private retreat of the Perfect Match reclusive owners. It was where the gods and immortals lived, and humans were not allowed unless they were related to the immortals. She should have realized that as soon as Mia had explained that her miraculous healing wasn't the result of some experimental treatment but of her transition into immortality.
Talk about a dive down the rabbit hole, but thankfully, many had made that journey before her, and her besties were there to guide her. The big question was if she was destined to join them or would have to leave.
With a sigh, Margo glanced at the shoebox on the floor and regretted not taking them out before putting on the dress. It was so tight that the zipper would pop if she tried to bend, and there was no way she was opening it and closing it again.
Sitting on the bed, she flipped the lid off with her toes and somehow managed to fish the pumps out of the box and slip them on. They were a little too big, but she didn't mind. They were black, like her dress, high quality, and they made her legs look great. The dress was full length, but it was shorter in the front and longer in the back, which meant that having a fabulous pair of shoes wasn't going to be a waste.
Pushing to her feet, Margo walked over to the mirror and checked her hair.
She hadn't had time to wash and dry it, so she gathered it into a classy chignon and pinned it in place. Frankie's coloring was much darker than hers, so using her foundation was a no-go, but a dab of blush on her cheeks, black mascara on her eyelashes, and red-colored lipstick was more than enough.
Anything more, and she would have looked like a clown.
Rummaging through Frankie's collection of fashion jewelry, she found a pair of fake diamond earrings and clipped them on.
"Not bad," she said to her reflection in the mirror. "Not bad at all."
Her new phone went into a black evening purse that she'd also borrowed from Frankie, and she was ready to go.
No, she wasn't.
She was fighting exhaustion, and the dress was too tight. It was so tempting to stay in the cabin and go to sleep, but that wasn't how she was made. She could power through the fatigue.
Margo squared her shoulders, strode out of the bedroom, and walked out of the cabin.
She would sit at Mia and Toven's table, they would introduce her to some of their friends, and she might even meet the formidable regent that Bridget had warned her about.
It didn't matter if Negal was escorting the nurse. There were plenty of other fish in the sea, as Mia's grandmother liked to point out, and they were all gorgeous and immortal, and hopefully, some of them were also nice and smart. Frankie had mentioned a Guardian called Max, but since she wasn't attending the wedding, she wouldn't be there to introduce him to her tonight.
Maybe she could ask Mia to point him out to her.
"Right." Margo chuckled as she pressed the button for the elevator. The introduction would have to wait.
There was no one else in the corridor, and as the elevator doors opened, there was no one inside either. Everyone was probably already at the event, and Margo hoped they were still in the reception part of the evening because it would be awkward as hell to walk in alone if everyone was seated.
When the elevator announced the dining hall deck, she started to take a deep breath but then remembered that she couldn't and took a couple of small ones instead.
As the doors opened, she was greeted by the sounds of soft music, murmurs of conversation, and laughter. It was so normal, so like any other event she'd been to, and the anxious knot in her belly eased up a little.
Taking a look at the large mirror across from the elevator, she turned this way and that, enjoying how the cascading tiered tulle ruffles moved. It was really a gorgeous gown if a bit over the top for Margo's taste. Not that it revealed anything, but the tight corset-style bodice and the layers of tulle made it look like a black bridal gown. Thankfully, there was no such thing as a black wedding dress, so she wouldn't court the bride's ire.
"Looking good." A guy with smiling eyes stood next to her and checked his bowtie in the mirror. "Margo, I presume?"
She turned to him. "How do you know who I am?"
"Easy. I know everyone on board, and I haven't seen you before." He offered her his hand. "I'm Max."
Talk about serendipity.
Unless there was more than one guy named Max on this cruise, this was the Guardian Frankie wanted her to meet. The one who had led the attack on Modana's complex.
