Not so fake love

Part 3

Early the next morning Penelope and Colin both separately planned to get up early and head out to avoid the other but the two were so similar they each left their room at the same time.
"If it isn't my boyfriend!" Penelope giggled shyly. He smiled in response and grinned like an idiot at the word boyfriend. Swinging their backpacks over their shoulders and dragging their suitcases over to the elevator the two fell into a comfortable silence. The lift ticked down the floors while quiet lift music hummed away from the speakers. "Ready?" Penelope asked as the ting signalled they had reached the ground floor.
"As we can be." Colin held out his hand for her to grab which she did and it sat snug in his firm hold. The doors slid apart and the Bridgertons and few select guests came into view, all huddled in a group. Lily and Marco scowled bitterly while clutching their bags. "Morning Bridgertons. Sorry we slept in." Penelope was shocked at her use of we and how easily the excuse slipped from her lips and sensed Colin's shock as he squeezed her hand. Daphne appeared before them elbowing her way through the crowd of holiday goers.
"Apologise later we've got to go! The taxi is waiting!" That women could be scary when she needed to be. Colin and Pen found themselves sat at the back with the bags. It was crammed and a tight squeeze Pen and Colin were practically sat in each others laps which exerted even darker stares from Lily and Marco.
"Well this is cozy isn't it." Colin whispered.
"Not comfortable being this close to your girlfriend Colin?" Penelope teased. Colin smiled and brushed a loose strand of hair of hers behind her ear. Pen blushed as his hand grazed her cheek.
"Of course I like being this up close to my beloved girlfriend!" He laughed throwing his arms round her and hugging her close. She felt right there. Like she belonged in his arms. Shoot did he have feelings for Penelope Featherington? No, surely not.

"Colin? Are you ok? Do you want me to move I don't have to be this close if it makes you uncomfortable they're not even looking." She began to pull away but he kept his arms tightly wrapped around her.
"You don't need to move. You're right where you belong." He said earnestly sending electricity racing through Penelope's veins. Penelope looked up at him and smiled nestling into his chest. They spent the ride to the dock in comfortable silence. It took about half an hour for their taxi to reach the glittering blue sea. Daphne marched them out to the gang plank.
"Right you lot pick a partner because the ship only has enough rooms for us all to share except Greg and Hyacinth cause they're the youngest and two more people get singles!" El immediately went to Phillip which Penelope expected but left her alone. Marco was glaring at Colin and Penelope realised what would most likely have to happen. At the same time Colin spotted Lily begin to sidle up to him. In synch they grabbed each other's hand. As they glanced at each other both felt the blood rush to their faces. "Ok! El and Phil you can have the biggest room so cabin 1. Fran and Micheal cabin 2. Benedict and Sophie cabin 3. Simon and I will take cabin 4. Anthony you and Kate take cabin 5. Mum you and Marcus (Lord Anderson,) take the next biggest room Cabin 6. Colin you and-" Daphne gulped in shock at the sight of her brother clutching the hand of the family friend Penelope even though their fake dating scheme was known by the Bridgertons it still took her a moment to take in their desperation to trick the two non-Bridgertons to such a point they were willing to share a room in order to deceive them. "-Penelope can take cabin 7. Agatha and Frederick cabin 8. Gen and Laurent cabin 9. Now the rest of the rooms are singles so Gregory you can room next to Hyacinth; don't complain it's just adjoining rooms cabin 10 and 11." Daphne ordered the wedding party that was single bar Colin and Penelope. "So that's cabins 12 and 13 for Marco and Lily; Right we'll meet up in the dining area on the top deck in two hours for lunch then we're setting off!" Daphne clapped her hands to signal everyone should get to their rooms. Looks were sent Colin and Pens way as the group began filing into the cabins. Marco and Lily sent equally dirty looks at them but quietly made their way round the other side of the boat to the single cabins. Meanwhile Colin and Pen awkwardly shuffled to cabin 7. Opening the door it revealed a room with blue knitted anchors and a mini bar set against the far wall. In the centre of the room a thankfully wide double bed with sea foam grey sheets sat drinking in all the attention of the room. The rest of the room was occupied by a chest of draws and a hard wooden chair.
"I was hoping there'd be a sofa or something to sleep on." Colin hummed quietly.
"That would have been useful yeah." Penelope agreed. "What the hell we're both adults we can share a bed without it being inappropriate." They pulled their suitcases over to the chest of draws and began to unpack their things. "So what are you most excited to do in Italy. You went about 5 years ago right? I remember how you described the food, the beaches, the mountains! It was like reading poetry. You have such a talent for writing I'm so glad you pursued it as a career." Penelope gushed referencing his travel books he'd written and published alongside his influencer work.
"That's a mighty compliment coming from the writer of the Whistledown magazine." Colin responded pointing a finger into Pens arm. "Your publications get bought by everyone!" Penelope blushed at the compliment. Even though she'd seen the numbers every time someone complimented her on her highly popular magazine she couldn't help but go shy and bashful.

The pair spent the rest of the two hours unpacking and taking photos out the port hole windows of the Italian sea for Instagram.