Graeme is beelining to her like a fish on a hook. He drops to his knee on the sand in front of Walsh at the same time he lifts his DSLR camera. When she scissors her legs, knees bent at ninety-degree angles, her back toes point to the rising sun. Behind her, the ocean glimmers like stardust. Graeme’s camera clicks are as constant as a drumroll.

Everyone’s watching now—even Xiavera. Heat explodes in my cheeks and my muscles tense to the point of cramping.

There’s a splash behind Walsh and the crowd gasps. A sea lion’s head bursts through the waves as it lumbers onto the beach not five feet away from her.

This seems to break the spell. Still upside down, Walsh glances at the sea lion then at Graeme with his camera pointed at her. With far less grace than before, she tumbles out of her handstand and backs several steps away. She searches the crowd. When she finds me, her eyebrows flicker into a momentary frown.

Several guests applaud. Graeme approaches her. He’s smiling. Jealousy burns inside me like a fireball.

Two middle-aged ladies join them, and soon Walsh is leading the women in an impromptu set of sun salutations. Settling onto the sand, Graeme watches. His camera never stops clicking.

The rest of the morning is a blur of wildlife, people, and activity with barely a minute of downtime. Breakfast was a rushed affair since our group was late returning to the ship, followed by snorkeling and a quick buffet lunch. And now it’s time for either kayaking or a Zodiac ride.

Throughout everything, I haven’t been able to look at Walsh, much less speak to her. Because I have so many words I want to say I’m choking on them. And that means I haven’t talked to Graeme either, because if Walsh plastered herself to him any tighter, she’d become permanently tattooed on his arm.

I make a disgusted noise in my throat. Walsh said she’s kayaking, so that means a Zodiac ride for me. I’ve seen enough of her making a fool of herself over Graeme to last a lifetime.

Her high-pitched giggle echoes from across the mudroom, cutting through the chatter of a couple of dozen guests waiting their turn to disembark so we can all explore Floreana Island a second time today. Graeme shifts his weight beside her. I grind my molars so hard a tick starts in my jaw.