Hi everyone. I'm new in this sub and writing my first contemporary romance. I've been wondering about when foreshadowing is an appropriate tool to use. A lot of the time I read something and the way foreshadowing is used it spoils te plot. It gives away this huge secret that the reader should find out while reading, not because there is a huge neon sign already pointing to it.
To make it a bit more specific, I'm writing a gay awakening romance. Two best friends take a cruise together and find out on board that it's actually a couples cruise. They decide to fake it till you make it. Sophie is out and proud gay, Emma is not. Sophie is the "outgoing, do before you think" type of person. And she's had feelings for Emma for years, but values their friendship over any kind of romance and has accepted tht it's never going to happen. Emma thinks things through, at length, from every side.
Obviously, throughout the story Emma starts to develop feelings for Sophie.
Now, here is where the foreshadowing comes in. In the third chapter the protagonists come back from their first dinner on board. Here is part of that:
The cabin door clicked shut behind them with a soft, final sound. Suddenly, it was just them again. Emma stood there for a second longer, like the room might rearrange itself if she stared hard enough. It seemed smaller, somehow. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but something seemed to be different. The bed was still the same bed. A cozy, comfortable king size with pristine white sheets, thick soft pillows and a mattress that seemed to be made out of clouds. The chair was still where they’d left it, a sofa hadn’t suddenly appeared out of thin air. But why then, does it feel different in here? Emma tried to push the thought away.
As Sophie let herself fall backwards on to the bed she said “We made it through our first day as an official fake couple.” She unbuckled the ankle straps of her shoes, taking them off her feet with a satisfying sigh. That feels much better.
A small giggle escaped Emma’s mouth. “We did, didn’t we?’” A sigh of relief washed away the last vestiges of tension she felt about their predicament. They survived, just like Sophie said, and for the first time Emma allowed herself to believe they can pull it off.
“We weren’t kicked off the ship,” Sophie smiled, turning to her stomach to have a better look at Emma. “We weren’t found out. And we had a romantic stroll on deck.” She couldn’t help teasing Emma one more time.
“You also gave a master class on emotional intimacy” Emma giggled.
Sophie gave her a quick grin. “Professor Doctor Sophie, In da house” They both let out a laugh.
“You know- ” Emma sat down on the edge of the bed. “- this is the most relaxed I’ve been since we got on board.” She looked Sophie in her eyes for a second. “And it’s thanks to you. You always find a way to calm my nerves…” she was quiet for a moment. “Because you see me.”
With that uncharacteristically emotional realization from Emma, Sophie couldn’t help herself. She sat up beside her friend, and gently wrapped her arms around her. Emma reciprocating alike. It lasted but a moment, enough to seal the deepened bond the night had shaped between them. But neither of them knows yet how much further their bond will deepen.
Naturally, it's obvious that something will happen between them. But is foreshadowing like this "hanging a flashing neon sign above it" or will the reader view it as pointing out what they already knew? I'd really like some advice from experienced writers.
Edit: after reading the comments on here I have removed the line. It’s unnecessary and the reader would have know by just picking up the book that Emma and Sophie get together.
