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A laugh bubbles from me. “I’ll kiss to that.”
And Ransom Baxter more than obliges.
* * *
The morning we disembark from the ship is always strewn with weary passengers, too much luggage, and a cattle call of humanity lined up on every deck as they await their group number to be called.
After almost two hours and six games of Skip-Bo, Bess, Nettie, and I are finally free to leave the ship. The plan is we spend a few nights in L.A. eating our way through the city, then fly up to Vancouver, eat our way through the city for a few days, and by then it’ll be time to meet up with the Emerald Queen once she repositions herself. Since Ransom is head of vessel security, he needs to travel with the ship. And since I’m on suspension, I need to make other plans.
Lucky for me, Bess and Nettie had a culinary game plan already in place and were more than happy to let me join them.
We say goodbye to Wes, Elodie, and the rest of the crew as we leave the ship—yes, Tinsley included, but Ransom isn’t anywhere around. But I completely understand he’s a very busy man.
We’re about to set foot on the gangway when a female voice calls out for Nettie.
“Nettie Butterworth,” she shouts once again and we turn to see Layla Beauchamp running this way with a small rectangular red suitcase—the exact suitcase that once housed a spark plug of a wooden dummy—who caused more than one fiery scene.
“Not this again,” Bess moans. “Tell her you don’t want that cursed casket.”
“Of course, I want it,” Nettie says as Layla approaches and she takes it from her. “Someone has to make sure it gets as far away from the Emerald Queen as it can get. Thanks, Layla,” she says, taking the red case from her.
“You’re welcome.” Layla crimps a smile my way. “For the record, I’m glad they didn’t give you the boot. It’s not like anyone believes in people coming back from the dead.” She takes off and Bess scoffs.
“It’s clear she’s never so much as opened the end table next to her bed.” Bess shakes her head. “Coming back from the dead is the driving force behind the entire New Testament.”
“Come on, ladies,” Nettie says as she leads the charge down to the terminal. “Let’s hand this luggage over to the baggage claim. They can do whatever they want with it. It’s nothing but an empty shell without Sparky in it.”
We land at the luggage counter in record time, and Nettie finds a staff member to hand the case off to.
“There’s nothing in it,” Nettie assures the man poised to take it. “In fact, I’ll show you.” She unbuckles the sides and out spills a familiar-looking wooden wraith who lands square on his own two feet.
Sparky’s jaw bobs open and closed, and his hand lifts a notch as his head turns.
The three of us belt out a scream before running for the exit.
“It’s back!” Bess cries.
“It waved at us,” I add.
“That’s because he was happy to see us,” Nettie says as she turns in the direction of the luggage counter and we promptly turn her right back around.
“No way,” Bess hisses.
“It’s not a good idea,” I tell her.
“But he’s calling for us,” Nettie protests.
“He is not calling for us,” I say, turning around, only to see a lethally handsome man calling for us to slow down.
“Ladies,” Ransom pants before landing a kiss to my cheek. “I just got done with a meeting, and I have a few hours off before I need to be back on the ship. How about lunch?”
“You’re on,” Bess says.
“If you’re buying, I’m eating.” Nettie is more than thrilled to accept his offer.
“I would never say no,” I tell him as I wrap my arms around his waist.
“Hear that?” Nettie waggles her brows his way. “She’s going to be easy.”
