When la sporcizia finally departed, there was a universal sigh of relief onboard. And when Theo announced that we’d have a crew pool party the next evening as a thank you for handling the difficult guests, that sigh of relief turned into a cheer of celebration.
Well, for everyone but me, anyway.
“He really is the best owner ever,” Celeste said shortly after we got the news. We were all downstairs in the crew galley, and everyone except for me had a well-earned drink in their hand. “I mean, most of the time after handling a group like that, you have one night of rest and then you get up to do it all over again. On the worst days, they get off the boat in the morning and you’re welcoming the next charter that evening.” She shook her head, her dark eyes more tired and worn than I’d ever seen them. “Theo is a god.”
Ivy chuckled. “I don’t know about all that, but he at least takes pity on us.” Her smile bloomed then. “A pool party,” she said, shaking her head. “This is going to be epic.”
“Are you going?” Emma asked me with a nudge.
I shrugged. “I don’t know…”
“Oh, come on,” Celeste said. “You have to come! Even you got your fill of la sporcizia. You should celebrate your first real guest experience.”
“Parties aren’t really my thing,” I said — to no one’s surprise.
“Yeah, but it’ll just be us!” Ivy said. “It’s not like you’re going to a club or something. Oh!” She perked up, her sea green eyes bright and bushy-tailed. “This is the perfect time to do your makeover!”
Emma and Celeste squealed and looked to me excitedly just as I tried to shrink away. “Oh... I don’t know…”
“You promised!” Celeste said with a pout, which was not exactly true, but the way the three of them watched me like it was my decision whether the party happened or not, I felt a prickle of guilt and expectation nudge me over the edge.
“Okay,” I conceded to a chorus of claps from the girls. “But,” I said, holding up one finger. “Nothing too crazy, okay? It’s a pool party, not a gala.”
“It’s a nighttime pool party,” Ivy reminded me. “An evening of champagne and food and a night under the stars.” She lifted her hands to the ceiling before pulling them to her chest. “It will be magical.”
Her eyes found Joel then, and he smiled in return, and I silently wished for a case of food poisoning to get me out of this mess.
“Oh… my… God,” Celeste said behind Ivy. They were both crowding over me in Joel’s and my stateroom, Ivy brushing something on my cheeks as a final touch before she pulled back to join Celeste in admiration.
“I’m a miracle worker.”
Celeste scoffed and elbowed Ivy, but then her hands were reaching for me, and she pulled me up from the bed, rushing me to the bathroom. “Just look at yourself.”
She shoved me in front of the mirror, and then she and Ivy were behind me, waiting expectantly over each of my shoulders while I took in the reflection that I could hardly believe was me.
Celeste had taken over my hair, weaving it into a braided crown that wrapped around my head entirely before the braid continued down over my left shoulder. A few tendrils were free from the braid, curled into tiny soft waves that framed my face.
Ivy had been master of the makeup, and though I couldn’t imagine ever taking as much time as she had doing my own makeup, the result left my lips parted, jaw hanging open. My skin looked flawless, all freckles and blemishes covered, and somehow my cheek bones were more prominent, my nose thin and long. She’d even contoured my collarbones, which I didn’t even know was a thing, and painted my lips a siren red.
But what stole the show — and my breath — were my eyes.
Though I was never one to dote on myself, I had always appreciated my blue eyes. They were something that made me feel beautiful. But tonight? They weren’t just blue.
They were diamonds. They were a turquoise sea washing against a private island beach. They were aqua waterfalls in a jungle. They sparkled and shone bright, framed by dark liner and long, black lashes. The lids were dusted various shades of brown and gold, which somehow gave me a natural look but with a pop of something magical and alluring.
“Oh, Ivy…” I whispered, reaching up to touch my face. She swatted my hand away before I could make contact.
“Don’t mess it up!”
“I can’t believe this is me,” I whispered.
“Well, believe it, sister,” Celeste said. “Now, what suit are you wearing?”
I frowned at her in the mirror. “I only have one.”
We made our way out of the bathroom, and I pulled the suit from where it was shoved in one of the dresser drawers. It was a simple, burnt orange two-piece, with an athletic-like halter top and high-waisted bottoms that covered my hips and butt completely. The last time I’d worn it was when I’d been in the hot tub with Theo.
One look at it and I knew Ivy and Celeste were not impressed.
“Okay, no. You can’t take all this,” Ivy said, gesturing to my face. “And pair it with that.”
“Not to worry,” Celeste added with a wave of her finger, and she was already dashing out the door. “I have a few extras!”
She was gone before I could protest, and then for the first time, I was alone with Ivy.
She smiled, shaking her head as she touched up something above my left eyebrow. “You’re stunning. Joel is going to lose his shit when he sees you.”
I flushed. “Thank you for doing this.”
“Of course. This is what girlfriends do. And we’re friends, right?”
She smiled, and I think I managed
