The One After [SHAWN MENDES]

Chapter 3

I carefully formulated my response to his question about whether I was ditching him, because he was the most perceptive drunk I'd ever met. "No! I didn't want to say this, but I really need to pee."

"So do I. We can go together."

Apparently my earlier instincts were wrong, because Shawn Mendes was now giving me 'let's hook up' vibes, though his game was pretty weak. I would have pegged him as a charmer, but he wasn't flirting or using any smooth maneuvers with me. I was flattered that he was interested, yet it felt distant, like he was on autopilot.

We found the closest restrooms and I went into one while he took the other. I stayed in mine for at least five minutes, thinking he'd assume I'd finished first and had returned to the private lounge. When I opened the door and peeked out, there he was, leaning casually against the opposite wall with a smirk on his handsome face.

"You okay?" he asked.

Great. Now he thought I was sick or something. Perhaps that would make him lose interest, but I wasn't about to pretend to have diarrhea. I had some dignity. "Just freshening up."

"What that even mean? I hear women say that, but they never look any different afterwards."

I laughed. "In my case it meant cleaning up my eyeliner a little since it sometimes gets messy at the corners."

He leaned closer to inspect my eyes. "Looks perfect to me."

"Because I freshened up!"

"You've got cool eyes. Are they blue or green?" he asked.

"Hazel. And thanks."

"I like them. They're unusual, Lacy."

Wincing, I corrected him. "It's Lucy, and thank you again."

A guy who I recognized as one of the frat bros came down the passageway, looked at me and Shawn, and chuckled before going into one of the restrooms.

"Do you know him?"

I nodded. "Yes...I mean not really. We met earlier."

"You're a popular girl."

I wanted to say that was basically my job, but I knew better. "We should get back to your friends."

Just then, an announcement came over the PA system. "Queen of Canada guests, our cruise will soon be coming to an end. Please gather up any personal belongings and proceed to the exit ramp when we dock. Do not drive home if you've had one too many drinks. Your cars will not be towed if they are left in the lot overnight."

Brody added the last part after there were two drunk driving arrests following a particularly boozy cruise. The police had warned him that over-serving was a crime.

Liam's friend scooched past us again and once he was gone, I looked at Shawn. "You're not driving are you?"

"Why? Do you want to give me a ride?"

His double entendre did not go over my head since I was very used to comments like that. "No. My friends and I will share an Uber." The Uber part was yet another lie, since I was going to drive myself home.

"We've got limos picking us up." We stood there awkwardly before he spoke again. "You could ride with me, and we could go back to my place for another drink."

There it was; the anticipated come on.

"I've got an early morning tomorrow," I told him, which wasn't a lie. I often helped out at my dad's bakery on the weekends, though my day job was doing the bookkeeping for his business, as well as the three my uncles owned.