Chapter 8: Make It Real

"Are you ready?" Andrew asked, placing a hand behind Kenzie's waist. 

Kenzie gulped, looking down at the water slide snaking down to the ship's deck. Andrew had convinced her to take the plunge after three days of putting it off.

Yes, they have been out in the sea for four full days, and going down the famous slide was one of Andrew's bucket lists for Kenzie. 

"I can't do this." She shook her head and repeated, "I just can't!"

"Oh, come on, Kenzie. Live a little," Andrew urged. 

She found herself looking at the deep blue ocean and added, "Andrew, I am definitely in for living a little, but this is just not what I expected. I can see the ocean from here, Andrew! I can't do this!"

From behind her, Andrew chuckled and said, "Sweetheart, you aren't jumping into the ocean. You'll just land in the landing pod below, right on the ship's deck. Trust me when I say you aren't escaping me that easily. Now, go on. I'll follow."

She thought about it again but decided against it either way. She swung around and said, "I am usually adventurous, Andrew, but I have not been to an amusement park for so long and this? This is just not what I expected! I am literally standing what? forty or fifty feet above the ship."

Holding on to Andrew's muscular arm, Kenzie told, "I really can't, Andrew. I really can't."

They were two godly frames, standing at top of the cruise ship's water slide, wearing nothing but their sexy swimwear. 

Gasping in dismay, Andrew gave up, raising his hands. "Alright." He looked at Kenzie's blue eyes and said with a concerned face, "It's okay, sweetheart. I don't mind that I married a wuss."

He took her hand and added, "You are still beautiful, anyway - "

"What did you just call me?" Kenzie's nose flared, realizing how Andrew had called her a coward. 

"Ah. I may have exaggerated a little, but I get that you are scared - "

"I am not a wuss, Andrew! Fine! I'll take the slide and prove you wrong!" She was clearly upset, turning red as she shifted back to the slide. 

She gasped and gulped, giving one last look at the obstacle course beneath her feet. 'I can do this! This is totally the same as a roller coaster, right?'

Kenzie gave one last glance at Andrew and heard him say, "Go on, sweetheart. I'll follow you."

She crossed her arms against her chest and took a deep breath. Then, she took two steps forward and from there, there was no turning back. She screamed the second her body started to go down... fast. "Aaaahhhhh!"

To Kenzie's surprise, she enjoyed taking the drop!

When Andrew followed after her, they went at it again and again. They ended up spending the rest of the afternoon at the ship's water park. 

Already covered in a second layer of summer wear, Andrew and Kenzie grabbed some snacks at the bar by the water park. They were laughing their hearts out, recalling the excitement at the slides. 

With gleaming eyes, Kenzie revealed, "I have never had so much fun in years. Seriously! I mean... I was just so occupied with getting a career that I had probably forgotten to have fun."

Andrew smiled in satisfaction at her words. He said, "I am glad I am here to witness your smiles. I vowed to make you laugh till death do as part, remember?"

"Yeah." Chuckling, she replied, "Yes, you did, husband."

"Oh, hi! You were that married couple who had an encounter with a stalker at the "SEA" restaurant a few days back, weren't you?" Out of nowhere, a woman in her late thirties with black hair approached them, together with her husband. 

"Um." Kenzie frowned and studied the couple. It looked to her that they wanted to make acquaintances, so she wasn't sure if she should be honest with them or not. She ended up explaining either way, "Um. Well. We aren't really married."

From the corner of her eye, she sensed Andrew's disapproval, but since he did not object, she continued, "It's really a long story. You see, the stalker lady was following him too much and since we were hanging out together, we sort of just made her assume that we were married. You know, just to get her off his back."

She was almost out of breath as she described. 

"Oh, such a shame," said the woman. "So you aren't really a couple?"

Kenzie shook her head. 

"Wow, you look really good together," remarked her husband. "We could not tell. Did you come on the cruise together?"

It ended up being a lengthy explanation for Kenzie while skipping a few private details. 

When the other couple left, Andrew finally gave his piece. He said, "Was that really necessary? They don't know us. We don't know them and we will probably not see them again. The same could be said with the other people out here who will most probably try to make friends with us."

Bemused, Kenzie lowered her gaze at him, asking, "What do you mean?"

"We could simply say we are, in fact, married. Simple. Easier to explain to new acquaintances and easier to get Madelyn to leave us alone," Andrew pointed out. 

Somehow, Kenzie understood where Andrew was coming from. Before she could respond, another couple came to introduce themselves. 

"Hi, I'm Janice and this is my husband, Rob. We have seen you around. Are you guys married?" Said the woman with red hair. 

One second and then another second passed. It would seem to Kenzie that Andrew wanted her to make the decision. She smiled at the woman and said, "Yes, we are married. This is Andrew, my husband and I'm Kenzie."

"Great!" The red-headed woman answered. "We approached you because we wanted to invite a few couples to our private party over at the lounge next week. We were hoping you could come. You guys look like a really nice couple to get to know."

They sat on Kenzie and Andrew's table, exchanging pleasantries and talking about the first stop on the cruise. Soon, they finally left to find another couple to invite to their party. 

When Kenzie and Andrew were alone, the man finally spoke. He said, "See what I mean? Wasn't that much easier?"

"Pffft! Yeah. Haha! That was a lot shorter." She sneered and clarified, "I mean, saying how I had to rescue you from a stalker brunette and how we ended up helping each other, pretending to be married and object to their opinions because we look like we are married."

"Haha! It's such a mouthful!"

"Mouthful, indeed," Andrew agreed before letting out a set of laughter himself. 

***

The next day, the cruise made its very first stop, and while going around Lisbon, Spain, Andrew and Kenzie met another family. Same as the last, they were asked if they were married. 

"Yes, we are married," Kenzie acknowledged to the family of four, a couple, and two teenage kids. "I'm Kenzie and this is my husband, Andrew."

After parting ways from making another friend, Andrew said to Kenzie as they stood in the middle of the streets of Lisbon, "That wasn't so bad, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I could get a hang of it." She shrugged and joked, "Getting married, I mean. Haha!"

Andrew took Kenzie's hand, and as they walked together back in the direction of the ship, he said in passing, "If you are up to it, we could make it real."

At his words, Kenzie swore, she felt her heart flutter.

*** AUTHOR'S NOTES ***

My lovely readers,

Thank you for following my stories; from Sam and Ethan to their kids. This novel is a sequel to "Mommy, Where Is Daddy? The Forsaken Daughter's Return." 

"Flash Marriage: A Billionaire For A Rebound" is the story of their daughter, Kenzie Wright. Hence, you can read this story as a stand-alone. However, if you are up to it, you may start with the abovementioned novel, featuring Kenzie's parents. 

You may also want to check the story of Kenzie's brother, Kyle. It is entitled "I Kissed A CEO And He Liked It."

The series is exclusively available on goodnovel.