Here’s a sneak peek at the next book in the series:
“WE’RE HERE!” CINDY LEWIS CRIED. She shielded her eyes from the sun as she stared up at The Princess of the Seas, a massive cruise ship that would be her home for the next five days. “I can’t believe we’re finally here!”
Cindy’s stepsisters, identical twins named Olivia and Sophia, glanced at the ship.
“Yay,” Olivia said, sounding bored. “A boat.” She started texting someone on her shiny new phone.
“I can’t wait to get on board!” Cindy continued. “I mean, just look at it! It’s—it’s amazing!”
“Just amazing?” snickered Sophia. “Not, like, totally amazing?”
Olivia glanced up from her phone. “Not totally the most amazing EVER?” she added.
Then Olivia and Sophia cracked up as they did their special double-snap-high-five combo. A few days ago, just before Cindy’s dad, Mark, had married the twins’ mom, Leslie, Cindy tried to join in their high five.
She hadn’t made that mistake again.
Cindy shrugged off the twins’ laughter. So maybe she was a little excited about the cruise. What was wrong with that? Cindy had dreamed about going on a cruise for as long as she could remember. It seemed so romantic—five dazzling days at sea, four starlit nights, and one exotic port of call on a tropical island. She had practically memorized the brochure her dad had given her when he and Leslie had invited the girls to join them on their honeymoon.
“What do you think, princess?” her dad asked Cindy as he joined the girls. “Pretty swanky, huh?”
“Definitely,” Cindy replied, still staring at the ship.
The Princess of the Seas was unlike any boat Cindy had ever seen before. It had sixteen decks, and was taller than all of the buildings in the town where she lived. Each deck was decorated with elaborate carvings and jewel-toned banners that fluttered in the ocean breeze. Garlands of tropical flowers swooped around the railings. The shimmery gold trim against the bright white ship reminded Cindy of a sunburst gleaming through a cloud. Somehow it made the ship look like a magical place. A place where anything could happen. A place where maybe—just maybe—dreams could come true.
The whole weekend had felt like a dream to Cindy. It was hard to believe that just two days ago, her dad and Leslie had gotten married! Cindy would never forget how it felt to walk down the aisle on her father’s arm or to stand with Olivia and Sophia as one of Leslie’s junior bridesmaids. And when her dad and Leslie shared their first kiss as husband and wife, that moment was so beautiful that happy tears had filled Cindy’s hazel eyes. Just remembering it made Cindy grin. She truly felt like the luckiest girl on the planet. Not only were her parents still friendly—Cindy’s mom had even attended the wedding—but Leslie seemed like the nicest stepmother ever. And the twins had instantly become Cindy’s stepsisters. Cindy had always wanted a sister. And now she had two!
A large crowd had gathered on the dock. Cindy turned to her dad. “Are all these people going on the cruise?” she wondered.
“I don’t think so,” her dad replied as he scanned the crowd. “Bon voyage—the moment when the ship sets sail—is a big deal. Lots of people come to wave good-bye to the passengers.”
Despite the warmth of the day, Cindy felt a shiver of anticipation when her dad said “bon voyage.” It sounded so exciting!
“I can’t wait to explore the ship,” Cindy said. “When do you think we can board?”
“How about right now?” Leslie asked as she joined them. “All our luggage is ready to be loaded, and I’ve got our boarding passes right here. So what are we waiting for?”
Then Leslie noticed that Olivia was still glued to her phone. She and Cindy’s dad exchanged a glance. “Finish that text, and hand it over,” Leslie said, with her palm out. “You too, Sophia.”
“And you, princess,” Dad said to Cindy.
“But why?” asked Sophia.
“Using a cell phone on a cruise ship is ridiculously expensive,” Leslie explained. “I’m talking international roaming charges. Even a short call could cost hundreds of dollars.”
“But I won’t call anyone,” Olivia said, still grasping her phone. “I’ll only use my phone for texting. Promise.”
“Texting is just as expensive,” Leslie said firmly. “Besides, this is our very first vacation as a family. It’s for spending time together, not sending texts.”
With a loud sigh, Olivia finally gave up her phone. But she didn’t look happy about it.
Leslie led them over to the long ramp that stretched up to the ship. Near the base stood a man who was wearing a funny-looking pinafore, with a long gold trumpet in one hand. He unfolded their boarding passes with a flourish. “Hear ye, hear ye,” he announced in a booming British accent. “Presenting the honorable Mr. and Mrs. Lewis!”
“Mrs. Lewis, huh?” Leslie said with a grin. “Sounds good to me. I think I could get used to that.”
“You’d better,” Cindy’s dad replied as he put his arm around her.
“Gag me,” Olivia whispered to Sophia.
Cindy pretended that she hadn’t heard. She thought it was adorable that her dad and Leslie were so much in love.
“And the fair maidens Lady Olivia, Lady Sophia, and Lady Cindy, of the house of Lewis!” the man continued.
Cindy tried not to giggle as she walked up the ramp. Yes, the whole scene was kind of corny.
But it was kind of fun, too.
“Marshall,” Olivia suddenly said, stopping short.
Everyone turned to look at her.
“It’s Olivia and Sophia Marshall. Not Lewis,” she continued.
The town crier bowed low. “A thousand pardons, milady,” he said.
Olivia ignored him as she continued up the ramp.
Cindy flashed an apologetic smile at the town crier as she followed Olivia. What was Olivia’s problem, anyway? It was an honest mistake. Who cared? And why was she acting like it would be the worst thing in the world to have the last name Lewis?
Just before they reached the top of the ramp, a jester leaped in front of them, making Leslie jump.
“Hark! Who goes there?” he called. “A pair of lovebirds, newly wed, about to embark on the sweetest of honeymoons?”
Leslie turned to her husband with her hands on her hips. “Did you tell them it was our honeymoon?” she asked, pretending to be mad.
“Guilty,” he said with a grin. “So you’d better get used to the special attention.”
“Allow us to capture this moment for posterity,” the jester said as he ushered the two of them over to a photographer. The jester made a big show of posing them before a large cardboard castle. “Now say ‘Cheese!’ ”
“Cheese!” they chorused, with enormous smiles on their faces. Then Cindy’s dad turned to the photographer. “Can we get a copy of that?”
“Sure,” she replied. “There’s a photo gallery on B deck. We take pictures of the guests throughout the cruise and hang them there for everyone to see. The photos are also available for purchase.”
“And now the whole family!” the jester cried as he brought Cindy, Sophia, and Olivia over to the castle. “Sire, let’s have you stand just behind your beautiful daughters with your lady fair beside you.”
Olivia whispered something to Sophia, just low enough that Cindy couldn’t quite hear it. But from the way Sophia dissolved into giggles, Cindy had a feeling that whatever Olivia had said, it wasn’t very nice.
Is this how it’s going to be for the whole trip? Cindy wondered. Olivia constantly snarking on everything. . . and Sophia laughing at her cracks?
“One . . . two . . . ,” the photographer said as she peered into the camera.
Well, let them be that way, Cindy decided. I’ve been looking forward to this cruise for months, and I’m going to enjoy it. No matter what.
“You know, hold on a second,” the photographer said. She hurried over to the group and put her hands on Cindy’s shoulders. “You’re so tall that I�
�m going to put you right back here next to your dad . . . there . . . that’s better.”
Cindy flicked her long blonde hair over her shoulder as the photographer returned to the camera. She smiled as big as she could. . . .
And then it happened.
Cindy spotted the cutest boy she had ever seen.
He was walking up the ramp, wearing a sky-blue T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts. The sun glinted off his reddish-brown hair. He squinted a little in the bright light and stopped for a moment to look at The Princess of the Seas. Another guy behind him—his brother, maybe?—gave him a little push. The boy almost stumbled, but he caught himself, laughing. The way his smile reached all the way to his eyes—the way his nose crinkled a little as he laughed—Cindy felt like she could barely breathe. She was dizzy and giddy and all fluttery inside, like a hummingbird carried away on the ocean breeze.
Then the gorgeous guy looked right at Cindy.
And smiled just for her!
Angela Darling was nicknamed “The Love Guru” by her friends in school because she always gave such awesome advice on crushes. And Angela’s own first crush worked out pretty well . . . they have been married for almost ten years now!
When Angela isn’t busy reading romance novels, she works as an editor in New York City. She knows deep down that every story can’t possibly have a happy ending, but the incurable romantic in her can’t help but always look for the silver lining in every cloud.
LOOK FOR MORE CRUSH BOOKS AT YOUR FAVORITE STORE!
authors.simonandschuster.com/Angela-Darling
SIMON SPOTLIGHT
Simon & Schuster, New York
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 2014 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Text by Ellie O’Ryan
Designed by Dan Potash
Jacket design by Dan Potash
Jacket illustration copyright © 2014 by Autumn Whitehurst
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
SIMON SPOTLIGHT and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-4814-0493-8 (pbk)
ISBN 978-1-4814-0494-5 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4814-0495-2 (eBook)
Library of Congress Control Number 2013941963
Isabella's Spring Break Crush Page 9
