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"What happened?" Margo's voice was laced with concern.
Frankie bit her bottom lip, searching for a plausible explanation. "Uh, there were some complications with docking in the Acapulco harbor." She hoped her improvised excuse sounded believable. Actually, it was true to some extent, just not the whole truth. But Margo wasn't easily fooled, and she could smell bullshit a mile away. Of course, Frankie didn’t improve the situation when she decided to embellish the story. "Apparently, you can't just show up with a ship and drop anchor. You need to reserve a spot, and they don't have anything open until tomorrow."
"My bullshit detector is flashing red. What's the real story, Frankie?"
Damn. She could never lie to Margo, not in person and not over the phone.
Frankie sighed. "I wish I could tell you, but I can't."
There was a brief silence before Margo spoke again. "Lynda's bachelorette party is wrapping up tonight, and everyone's flying home in the morning. Maybe I should just call it quits and head back as well. I still have work, you know."
"Please, don't. The cruise is still ending on schedule. The crew can't extend beyond that, and you're not expected back at the office until after the cruise anyway. Just book one more night at the hotel. It'll be worth it, I promise. We will have so much fun, and besides, you won't believe the selection of hot, single guys. It's like a hottie buffet."
Margo laughed. "You should have opened with that. I'll book one more night."
They chatted a bit more about Lynda and her bridesmaids and how Margo's relationship with her future sister-in-law had improved over the past couple of days.
Frankie glanced at her watch and sighed. "I wish I could talk with you more, but I need to start getting ready. You know how long it takes me to put makeup on for an occasion like this."
"Knock them dead, girl, and have that boyfriend of yours take pictures of you in the venue. I want to see you in your dress."
Frankie winced. "I'm not allowed to send out photos of anyone or anything other than myself." No one had told her that, but she'd been told that all of her communications would be monitored. If she tried to send photos of people she shouldn't, they would just not go through. "That's why I didn't send you pictures of Dagor and his friends. Tom's partners are super secretive about everything, and I don't want to risk our future employment with Perfect Match for some pictures."
If everything went well and she transitioned, she wouldn't be taking the job offer, but Margo would.
"So have him take a picture of you before leaving the cabin. I'm sure that's okay."
"I will." Maybe.
Anandur
Anandur couldn't suppress his grin as he headed to his bachelor party, decked out in his embellished Superman costume. He'd added a pair of black, devilish horns and smeared red makeup over his face. It was a nod to the demon illusion he often used to intimidate his enemies, although it had been a while since he'd gotten to use that bad boy.
Kian no longer took an active part in skirmishes, and there hadn't been many of those lately, either. The only time Anandur still saw action was when he occasionally took part in rescue missions. Perhaps the next time he went out on one of those, he would do his demon stunt just to keep up the skill.
"Hello, my Justice League friends." Anandur made his grand entrance, flinging his cape back and thrusting his chest out.
The cabin erupted in cheers and laughter.
Kian handed him a glass full of whiskey. "We were placing bets on what you were going to wear. I won."
"Awesome costume." Bhathian regarded him with a frown. "I hope that's not how you are going to show up to your wedding?"
"I wish." Anandur took a sip from the whiskey. "If I do, my bride will just walk away. She made me promise to wear a tux, but I'll do something to dress it up. Wearing a boring penguin suit is not my style."
Scanning the room, he spotted Kri, who technically should have been a bridesmaid because she was Wonder's friend too, but she'd been his friend longer, and when he'd asked her to be his groomsmaid she'd been more than happy to accept. She had on a tux, her long blond hair was braided, and her pretty face was free of makeup as usual. She looked sharp.
"Superman with horns and a demon's red face." Arwel laughed. "Now that's a combination Hollywood hasn't tried yet."
Anandur laughed. "Maybe I should do like Stallone, write a script and sell it on the condition that I get to star in the movie. It's going to be a blockbuster."
"Good idea." Kri clapped him on the back. "But it will sell better if you take Wonder with you. They'd snatch her up in a heartbeat."
"I know." He grinned. "She's the real Wonder Woman." He lifted his glass in a toast. "To my lovely Wonder, to love, and to new beginnings."
His brother clinked glasses with him and offered him the rarest of gifts—a smile. "I'm happy for you. Wonder completes you."
Anandur affected a gasp and put a hand over his chest. "Wow, Brundar. That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard you say. Thank you."
