Calmer Cruises: A Humorous Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery (Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Book 12)

by A. R. Winters

  Sam and Cece let out identical happy sounds while I sighed.

  “You don’t think so, Addy?” Cece gave me a curious look.

  “I’ll keep my dates with Ethan at the pizzeria, thanks.” I shrugged. “To each their own, though. I’m not judging.”

  Much.

  “But you are still going to the classes with us, right?” Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t even try to get out of it now. We’ve already signed up.”

  “Oh, I’m going.” I grinned. “It’s still something I want to do, especially now that we’ve heard a little bit about both classes.”

  It just wasn’t my idea of romance, but I wasn’t going to press the issue. Sam and Brad could have their quality time together. However, I’d have to remember not to look in their direction too much.

  “Well, I still think it’s sweet.” Cece gave me a pointed look. “Makes me wish Ryan had the morning off so we could do some couples poses as well.”

  I put my hands up in a mock surrender as I stood up from the table. “Okay, okay, you all win. Yoga can be healthy and romantic. I’m going to go grab some of that vegan chicken before a food fight breaks out between the two groups over there. Does anyone else need anything?”

  “I couldn’t eat another bite.” Cece shook her head. “That vegan chocolate cake is calling my name, though.”

  “I’m perfect right here,” Brad said, answering my question without taking his adoring eyes off Sam. I had to admit they really were cute together. And at least he seemed to genuinely be head over heels for her, so I couldn’t knock that. “Sam is the only sweet thing I need in my life.”

  Okay.

  Time to make a run for the buffet line.

  Chapter Three

  “So let me get this straight.” I frowned, rushing down the corridor toward the ship’s gym with Cece and Sam by my side. “The class we’re going to right now is an extra one? As in… not the one we’ve already signed up for?”

  Cece sighed and gave me an exasperated look. “Yes, but this one is going to be sort of a primer for the main class. It’s run by a trainee, so I thought it might be a good idea to get some practice in first, since some of us are a little out of shape.”

  I opened my mouth to let her know that I happened to be in pretty good shape, thank you very much, but we reached the door and were ushered into the yoga studio before I could get much more than a few offended grumbles out.

  “Don’t worry,” Sam whispered, nudging me as we grabbed some mats and joined the rest of the group that was already gathered and waiting for us. “It’ll be fun. And we’re already here, so we might as well make the most of it, right?”

  I nodded, but not without a little more grumbling. I’d been in the middle of a really nice dream when Cece had started pounding on our door and insisting that Sam and I jump out of bed and join her for this class.

  “This is so exciting!” The yoga instructor moved around the front of the room, shaking hands and giving hugs. “My name is Tara Tinsel, and I’ll be running today’s class. I wasn’t sure what kind of turnout we could expect for the very first session, especially so early in the morning.” She made her way back to where Sam, Cece, and I were standing and pulled us all in for a greeting that was way too chipper and personal for this hour of the day. “Guru Shakti is going to be so impressed with all of you. He loves it when his students are just as devoted as he is to the concept of Roar Power Yoga.”

  No doubt Guru Shakti would have been disappointed by the not-so-devoted thoughts that had been going through my head over the past several minutes. It was probably for the best that I’d mostly kept those thoughts to myself.

  Sam looked over and smirked. She was probably thinking the same thing. Cece, on the other hand, seemed to be fully on board and drinking the Kool-Aid.

  And the instructor seemed to be loving the extra attention from Roar Power’s newest convert.

  “We’ve been looking forward to this class.” Cece was practically bouncing up and down as she continued. “I tried some of Guru Shakti’s special water last night at dinner, and I don’t know if it was the water or just really good timing, but it made the headache I’d been fighting all day completely go away. I’m going to have a case delivered to my cabin as soon as possible.”

  “That’s fantastic news!” Tara seemed genuinely thrilled to hear about Cece’s miracle cure. “Make sure you sign up for Guru Shakti’s private movie screenings, too. They’re all health and wellness based, and it’s a great opportunity to get specialized advice and treatment for all sorts of things. He really is a treasure, and the fee for his time is very reasonable.”

  Did this miracle Roar Power Water also contain something that transformed the normally cynical and sarcastic Cece into someone who actually believed in this garbage?

  I nearly snorted out loud but just barely caught myself. Not before catching another look from Sam, though. I wanted to get her opinion on all of this, but it would have to wait a little longer.

  Tara had finally stopped singing the guru’s praises and had turned on some fast-paced Eastern-sounding music that would have been really nice if she hadn’t also started barking out orders like a drill sergeant.

  “Start stretching,” Tara clapped to the beat. “Reach, reach! Higher! That’s it! Now down and back up again… one more time.”

  I was already out of breath. Beside me, Sam was panting and grunting as she stretched her arms toward the sky. On the other side of me, however, Cece seemed to be keeping up just fine. She was even still smiling.

  “What kind of torture did you sign us up for, Cece?” Sam ground out through gritted teeth.

  “We haven’t even started yet,” Cece laughed. “Are you really struggling that much already? Do you need to stop?”

  Yes.

  Please.

  “No way,” Sam said, crushing any hope I might have had about calling it quits and going back to bed. “I can keep up just fine. I’m just not used to yoga being this… aggressive.”

  I shook my head. “It isn’t supposed to be. This is… crazy.”

  “Remember,” Tara piped up from in front of the class, “if you have time and breath to make conversation, you’re doing something wrong. Now, let’s stretch.”

  I looked over at Sam and shook my head. “Nope,” I mouthed.

  She nodded toward the door. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking right now?”

  The rest of the class moved to balance on one foot while they stretched, and that sealed the deal for me. I had to get out.

  Like two prisoners coordinating our escape, I counted down with my fingers as I inched closer to the door.

  One.

  Two.

  Three.

  Sam and I bolted, ignoring Cece’s surprised gasp as we ran out the door. We didn’t stop running until we were out on the deck with the cool ocean breeze whipping through our hair. It was such a good feeling after being trapped in that oppressive room.

  Sam leaned against the railing and closed her eyes for a moment before looking back over at me. “She’s going to be mad. You know that, right?”

  I wasn’t sure if she was referring to Cece or the instructor, but it didn’t matter. I was so relieved to be out of the room that I wasn’t particularly worried about either of them.

  “She’ll be okay.” I waved my hand in a dismissive gesture as I struggled to catch my breath. “I’m sure that style of yoga is great, and I bet it has a lot of benefits, just like they said.” I shook my head. “But I’ll never know for sure because I’m not stepping foot back in there.”

  Sam laughed. “That makes two of us. Come on, let’s go get some breakfast. Those five minutes of exercise worked up an appetite.”

  It was the first sensible thing I’d heard that morning.

  The knocking on our cabin door made Sam and me instantly stop talking. I sat up in my bed and looked over at her, miming to stay quiet.

  “Do you think it’s Cece?” Sam whispered. “I bet she’s angry…”

>   I shrugged. “We’ll have to see her sometime, regardless. We’re on a ship. There are only so many places we can hide.”

  Not that either of us had been trying to hide. After high-tailing it out of that Roar Power yoga session, we’d gone for a nice, relaxing breakfast and then back to our cabin for a little nap. If Cece had been looking for us, we certainly couldn’t have made it any easier on her.

  “It’s your turn to answer.” I nodded toward the door. “Just… make something up. Say I wasn’t feeling well and we had to come back here.”

  “She’s going to know that’s a lie.”

  “Well, whatever.” I sighed. “She might be annoyed that we left her there, and I can’t totally blame her for that. But it just wasn’t our thing. She can’t really be mad about that, can she?”

  Sam gave me a look that suggested otherwise.

  “Sam? Are you in there?” The voice from the other side of the door wasn’t Cece’s. It was a man.

  And when Sam heard that voice, her face instantly changed from dread to eager anticipation. “It’s Brad…”

  He knocked again. “Sam? Addy?”

  Sam jumped up and hurried to the door then opened it wide and ushered a confused-looking Brad inside. “Thank goodness it’s you. We thought you might be, um… someone else.”

  Brad looked from her face to mine and then back again. “I… what? No, it’s just me. I was stopping by to see if you two wanted to join me for that yoga class—remember? Like we’d talked about?”

  I groaned and flopped back onto my bed. “No, thanks. Count me out. You guys have fun, though.”

  “This might not be the best time, Brad,” Sam’s voice was hushed and a lot less enthusiastic than it had been just a few moments earlier. “Addy and I just got back from the Roar Power session and it really wasn’t much fun—not for us, anyway. I’m sure plenty of people would love it. Cece seemed to be having a great time. It just wasn’t what we were expecting, you know?”

  I lifted my head to see how Brad was taking the news. He looked disappointed, no doubt about that. But he didn’t look angry at all, so that was a plus—and just more proof that he really was a nice guy.

  “Well, I was hoping to go to the Roar Power class with you, too,” Brad admitted. “But the one I’m talking about is different. It’s the… the breathing one? Breathe Light?” He shrugged. “I mean, how intense could it be with a name like that? It might be just the thing you need to recover from the other class.”

  I sighed and looked over at Sam again. I wasn’t too thrilled about another workout today but the hopeful puppy dog look on Brad’s face was more than I could resist. And if I was having trouble saying no, there wasn’t any hope at all for Sam.

  She had already stood up again and started gathering her things.

  “Looks like we’ll be joining you.” I mustered a smile. “I hope you’re right about the class. A little relaxation really does sound good right now.”

  “Thank you for coming to get us.” Sam looked up at him and smiled as we walked toward the door. “It’s going to be nice spending a little time with you today. And like you said, how hard can the class possibly be? Surely we can all breathe for a little while.”

  I shook my head. It wouldn’t matter if we were meant to walk over hot coals at this point. Sam was all in as long as Brad was there.

  “Don’t worry.” Brad grinned. “If we don’t like it, we can leave early and head for the pool.”

  Now that was an idea I could support.

  We’d barely made it through the door of the yoga studio before Tomek stopped us. “Petal isn’t here, but I’m sure she’d be happy to set up an appointment for more photos or an interview if you’d like.”

  I shook my head. “We’re not here on business this time. My friends and I were hoping we could experience your class firsthand. Petal made it sound so relaxing and inviting, we just couldn’t resist.”

  Okay, so maybe I was laying it on a little thick, but it really was the truth. And if I’d judged Petal and Tomek correctly, they enjoyed their truth with a generous helping of flattery.

  Just as I expected, Tomek’s demeanor instantly changed. He opened his arms wide and welcomed us inside with a smile. “In that case, I think Petal would be thrilled to have you join us. I think you’ll find we’re much more laid back than some of the other classes you’ll find on the ship.”

  He gave me a pointed look, and there was no doubt he was referring to Guru Shakti. I could only smile. Even though I was technically off-duty, I didn’t want to say anything negative about one of our VIP guests.

  “Oh, wow,” Brad interrupted, lighting up as he pointed toward the long buffet table against the wall. “There’s food, too? This is already looking better than I’d expected.”

  Tomek nodded. “All of our snack selections today are completely vegan and have been chosen for their uplifting, nutritional properties. I think you’ll find that they can enhance your workout—not that it needs any enhancements, of course.”

  “Of course not.” I smiled as Brad and Sam walked off to grab some snacks. “Is there anything else you can recommend we do before the class starts? We want to be as prepared as possible.”

  “Not a thing.” He shook his head. “You’ll find that this class is more about mindset than anything else. So whenever you and your friends are ready, simply grab a mat, find a place to sit, and close your eyes. Once everyone is comfortable, we’ll begin.”

  It already sounded more appealing than the grueling, fast-paced warm-up we’d experienced earlier that morning. With snacks in one hand and yoga mats in another, Sam, Brad, and I walked to the back of the class and sat down.

  Most of the other people there had already taken up their cross-legged, closed-eye positions. “Just do what they’re doing,” I whispered, gesturing toward an older couple who were actually smiling as they sat with their eyes closed.

  I was feeling more reassured by the second. If a couple in their eighties was looking forward to the class, it was definitely a good sign.

  Just a few seconds after we’d sat down, we heard Tomek’s voice. It was quiet but still easily carried over the silent room. All of the nerves and urgency had completely faded from his tone, and I actually had to crack an eye open to make sure he really was the one speaking.

  “Just let your bodies relax,” he intoned. “Let your brain rest. Stop worrying about what you’ll do when you leave this class. Stop thinking about what you did before you came in. Just breathe. Feel the light enter your body. Feel the tension leave. The tension in your shoulders, your arms, your chest, your legs… all leaving… all gone…”

  My eyelids felt heavy, and I honestly felt more relaxed than I’d been since… well, ever. It was amazing. I could even feel all the worries and tension leaving my body, just like Tomek had said.

  I let my brain relax, and I focused on the sound of Tomek’s voice even though I had sort of stopped listening to his actual words.

  I was just so relaxed.

  So calm.

  So… sleepy…

  Chapter Four

  “Addy!” Kelly’s voice startled me, nearly causing me to drop my camera as I snapped a few photos of passengers enjoying the water slide at the pool. “I was hoping to run into you. This is perfect timing.”

  “You found me.” I smiled, bracing myself for whatever Kelly was about to suggest. Her assignments were never bad or even particularly difficult. But they definitely weren’t ever what I’d call predictable, either. “What can I help with?”

  “I just spoke with Guru Shakti and—get this—he asked me to find you! You, specifically.”

  My breath caught in my throat, but I tried not to show the sudden flash of panic I felt. “Oh? That’s… really? Me?”

  Had he found out that Sam and I had skipped out of the morning Roar Power session? Was I about to be tortured with more of that aggressive stretching?

  “I know!” She nodded enthusiastically. “Isn’t that great news? He was so happy
with the pictures you posted that he wants more. He has another class starting in just a few minutes, so I thought it would be the perfect time to get some shots of his whole group. You can do that for me, right?”

  “Oh, right.” I exhaled the breath I’d been holding in. “The pictures. Of course.” That made more sense. “I should probably be on my way if they’re starting soon. Thanks for letting me know.”

  She waved me on. “I can’t wait to see how many likes and comments we get from these pictures. We should probably start inviting groups like this on board more often.”

  I actually laughed before I could stop myself. “That would definitely keep things interesting.”

  Kelly might not have seen the way Petal and Shakti interacted or how their respective groups were complete opposites, but I’d witnessed it firsthand. And it was obvious to me that there was some friction between them. Still, a bunch of yogis that were mostly practicing breathing, stretching, and healthy living couldn’t cause too much trouble, right?

  With my camera in hand, I hurried across the pool deck toward the door Kelly had just appeared from a few minutes ago and then through the corridor to the yoga studio that I’d already visited twice that day.

  I could hear Guru Shakti’s voice even before I’d made it to the studio door. His words were punctuated by loud cheers from the other people in the room, and I could feel the electric energy in the air as I opened the door and tried to slip in without drawing too much attention to myself.

  It turned out that I didn’t need to worry about anyone paying attention to me. All eyes were on Shakti as he paced in front of the class. The mirrors on the wall behind him made him seem larger than life, and it felt like I was interrupting a motivational speech more than a yoga class.

  “You’ve all heard me say it before.” He raised his hands into the air and made a gesture that encompassed the entire room. “And you’re all here because you’re believers. Because you’ve taken the initiative and have made the right decision for your future.”