A Cuppa Cruise Conundrum: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 7)

by Constance Barker

  A few days wasn't a lot of time to prepare for a trip. Spontaneous I'm not. But the dress needed a place to be worn and a cruise ship fit the bill perfectly. I would need to find someone to look after the shop. And I'd need to inform all the guests and hope at least some of them could drop everything and join us on short notice.

  "Okay talk to your friend. A cruise sounds like a great idea."

  Chapter Two

  Thoughts of the cruise made my heart race and my stomach flip. With so much to do before we left I had a list in my purse, one by the cash register at the shop and another one at home. All of them had the same items to work on. I compared the one in my purse to the other two so I could synch them all up. I also had the list on my phone. I was determined not to forget anything. It'd been ages since I'd been on a vacation and I just knew I'd miss something.

  I didn't have plants or pets to worry about but I did have the shop to find coverage for. Usually I’d leave it in the hands of my aunts, but they're coming with me on the cruise. I mentally went through a list of people in my head that might be able to help out. I'd reduce the hours of the shop for those five days as well.

  The bell above the door jingled and Mildred bustled into the shop.

  "Good afternoon," I said.

  Mildred smiled at me and walked up to the counter making a show of checking the menu even though it hasn't changed since Valentine's Day. "Afternoon, dear. I'll have regular coffee to go."

  I made her beverage without trying to up sell her a muffin or cookie. She doesn't usually get any food with her coffee order so it didn't make sense to try. She still looked great after her vacation in February. I wonder if the five days away on a cruise ship will be as good to me. I don't really tan but I could come back well rested. And the ship does have a few shops. If it had been one of the bigger ships I could be shopping at a floating mall.

  Even though she got her coffee to go Mildred walked over to a table near the doors and sank into a chair. She sipped her drink tentatively and looked out the window. I was dying to ask her how her life was at the moment, but everyone knew she wasn't dating anyone right now. Not since the last man she dated ended up dead. She was sticking to her vow to change her life.

  I grabbed a cloth and started wiping down the tables. The afternoon rush would be starting soon and I wanted to make sure everything was clean so the customers could dirty it again.

  "How are things going, Mildred?"

  "Wonderful. Sorry to hear about your party."

  "Thanks. Toe worked something out for us. We'll be celebrating on a cruise to the Caribbean."

  "That sounds lovely! You'll have a great time. A nice leisurely vacation will do you some good."

  Did I really look that tense? I did have a lot on my mind lately and the stress of having to move the party to a new venue was taking its toll. One party was already planned out with little to worry about except final head count. Now I had to plan a whole new party, though Toe was doing a bulk of the planning with his friend now. It did take some of the pressure off me. But with not as much to plan I felt like I was missing something.

  "Mildred, what are you doing in the next five days?"

  A look of fear crossed her face and I got the feeling she didn't want to go on a cruise. I felt a little bad for the segue. I could see how she might think an invitation to the party was imminent.

  "Well, I have a few plans."

  "That's too bad. I was going to ask if you could look after the Coffee Cabana while we were gone."

  She relaxed a little and took another sip of her coffee. "Oh, well, in that case I'd be happy to."

  A wave of relief washed over me. "It will be reduced hours. Just the morning rush and afternoon rush. And I'm working on getting some more help in the afternoon."

  "I'll be fine but happy to work with someone else too. It will make it easier with two of us here."

  “Thanks so much for the help. That’s one thing off my list.”

  I went back behind the counter and crossed one item off my list but made a note in the margin to call Trevor. He’d helped me out in the shop before and would make a good helper for Mildred.

  I looked at the rest of my impossibly long list and groaned. There was no way I’d be able to get everything done so I’d have to settle for the big victories. Finding someone to look after the place was one. Fitting in a trip to the salon could wait since there would be one on the ship. I didn’t have to buy a new bathing suit. The one I had from last year would suffice but maybe I could find one on the ship.

  I scratched stuff off my list that didn’t need to get done before I left. The list looked a little more manageable and less stress inducing with half the items gone. Now my most pressing task was to pack. Since the ship was like a small floating village if I forgot to pack anything I’d be able to get it on the ship.

  I breezed through the rest of the day, my mind focused on what needed to be done before leaving. I called Trevor and got his agreement to help Mildred all day Saturday and Sunday and after school until we got back on Wednesday.

  Since my aunts would be coming with me I needed to find an alternate provider of baked goods. I was going to be gone but I didn’t want my customers to have a different buying experience. Thankfully Reva, from one of the great cafes in Sweet Home, agreed to bake extra every day and drop off cookies and muffins first thing in the morning.

  All my minor errands taken care of or figured out, all I needed to do now was get through the rest of the week. Friday morning couldn’t come soon enough for me. I couldn’t wait to board the ship and relax, dance and eat amazing food with my fiancé and my family and friends.

  ***

  Friday morning I slept in since I didn’t have to be at the Coffee Cabana at six for a change. I woke up at 6:30 and hurriedly got ready, made sure I had everything packed in a small suitcase, shoving in the last minute stuff that I’d needed to use that morning. We were all meeting at the Coffee Cabana before heading out in two cars to the port. The rest of the guests were meeting us on board. Toe had arranged for everyone from Sweet Home to have an entire corridor of cabins to ourselves.

  I did one last check around my apartment to make sure I hadn’t left anything on then exited, making sure I’d locked the door. Since we’d only be gone for a few weekdays I didn’t bother to have my mail picked up by anyone. Not that I got a lot of snail mail these days anyway. For anything important I would have my iPhone with me and access to email while I was on the ship.

  When I approached the shop I saw a group of people milling about outside and my stomach dropped. At 7 in the morning the shop should already be open with a steady stream of customers entering and leaving. Was I wrong to believe Mildred could handle the responsibility of taking care of things while I was gone? She can be a bit flighty but she is good with customers.

  As I got closer I realized the group consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Carver and Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins who were going on the cruise with us. They held take away cups of coffee and one of them munched on a muffin. I breathed a sigh of relief and greeted them all with a quick hello before entering the Cabana.

  Inside Mildred beamed behind the counter as she handed over what looked like a latte to Joseph Commiskey. He took a sip and smiled with a nod. I’d shown Mildred how to use all of the gadgets so the customers could still get their specialty drinks as well as plain old coffee. If she had problems or questions Trevor could help her later.

  “Lily! You look eager for your getaway,” Mildred said when I approached the counter.

  It was a little surreal being on this side of the counter and having someone other than my aunts prepare a drink for me. “Thanks. Barely slept last night from all the excitement.”

  “I bet. What can I get you this morning?”

  “It feels a little weird having you make me something when I’m right here. I can pop back there and get a coffee.”

  The bell above the door jingled heralding the arrival of my aunts, and from the sound of the masculine laughter,
Harvey and Toe as well.

  “Nonsense. You are on vacation.”

  “Then how about seven coffees with cream and sugar.”

  She eyed me skeptically like she didn’t believe we all took our coffee the same way. And she was right but I knew my aunts could drink it any way it was served. Jules would still be as half asleep as I was and wouldn’t care how it was prepared just that it had caffeine. The men, they sometimes switched it up anyway.

  Jules and Eli finally arrived, pushing through the door and holding it for a few other customers. Now that the whole gang had arrived my nerves and excitement flew up another notch. This was really happening. In a few hours I would be on a cruise ship with Eli and my family and friends. Drinking in the sun. Lounging by the pool. Eating delicious food. My stomach grumbled and I eyed the baked goods in the display. They looked almost as good as my aunts’ muffins and cookies. Even though I was hungry, no time to eat at home when I was anxious to get started with the mini vacation, I didn’t want to take a muffin. Those were for actual customers. I didn’t know if Reva would be replenishing them like my aunts did through out the day.

  We grabbed our drinks and then piled into cars. The drive to port flew by and before I had time to worry anymore about forgotten items we were standing in front of the ship. Salt air cleared my sinuses and misted my face. The sky was a light blue with no clouds. The early morning sun grew brighter with each passing moment, warming my shoulders.

  For our first day on board I’d donned a cream-colored tank top and black capris pants. Eli wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. The warmth from his body seeped into mine and I turned to smile at him. He brushed my lips with a light kiss then picked up his suitcase. There had been so many moments of contentment since we’d gotten engaged and I added this one to the list.

  When our deck was called to line up for check in we hurried to form a line. I noticed that over half of the people standing with us were from Sweet Home. I assumed that meant we were all in the same corridor. We went through check in showing our documentation then were ushered to a waiting area after being given a color code. The whole thing seemed overly complicated to me but I followed instructions until finally our color was called and someone gave us directions to our stateroom.

  We marched onto the ship in awe of its size. Even though it was one of the cruise line’s smaller ships it dwarfed some of the nearby boats. The walk through the lobby and down the corridors provided too much sensory information for me to take in. I wanted to study everything, check out all the shops, and find the pool.

  “What does everyone want to do first?” I asked as we weaved our way through other passengers.

  “Pool,” Jules said.

  I turned to see Hildie and Essie nodding agreement. Despite living in Florida we rarely got any swimming in. I loved the water but didn’t swim so much as I floated, meandered through the water with the occasional kick to propel me forward. The thought of lounging by the pool or in the water with a drink by my side, no cares in the world for a few days was my idea of Heaven. I hadn’t realized how stressed the engagement party had been making me until I stepped aboard ship knowing it was all taken care of now. All Eli and I had to do was show up.

  “Casino,” Mr. Jenkins said.

  “I think they don’t open until we’re actually sailing,” I said.

  Disappointment crossed his face and he shrugged while his wife smiled. Mrs. Jenkins obviously wasn’t much of a gambler. “Then hang out by the pool until we’re far enough away from land for them to open the casino doors.”

  Crewmembers walked about and I tried to find the captain. Not that I thought he would actually be out here in the midst of the chaos of check in but I hoped. A tall handsome man with dark red hair milled about smiling at people as he made his way through the throng. Other crewmembers stopped him as he went to ask questions or show him something. Jules craned her neck and stood on her toes when the man disappeared into the crowd.

  “I wonder who he is,” she said.

  “You’ll have five days to find out,” I said.

  “Hopefully it won’t take me that long.”

  Before we could get to the elevator that would whisk up down to our deck a young woman dressed in a white blouse and navy blue skirt intercepted us. She grinned broadly making her blue eyes twinkle. Her brown hair was pulled back into an efficient yet flattering bun. She held a tablet, flicking her finger across the screen to read something.

  “You must be the engagement party,” she said.

  We all nodded. Toe must have given our description because there were hundreds of other people on board. It’s not like we were wearing signs that said “ready to party” around our necks.

  “I’m Sarah Milton, your cruise director. Hospitality is my middle name so if there’s anything you need just let me know.”

  “Thanks.”

  I did the quick introductions. Someone behind me pressed the elevator call button.

  “You are going to love your engagement party, Lily,” she gushed. “You leave everything to us and we’ll see you at the club tomorrow night at 8. We’ve got it closed off to the general public.”

  “Great. Thanks for doing all this,” I said.

  The elevator pinged and the Sweet Home citizens started to pile on with a few “general public” people thrown into the mix.

  “You find your room and we’ll talk later,” Sarah said.

  I watched her hurry off in the direction the handsome guy had taken. I squeezed into the elevator. Thankfully they’d left just enough room for me. The doors closed and the elevator zoomed down until it reached our deck.

  Once we got settled in our cabins we would have the rest of the day and tomorrow to have fun. Tomorrow night would be the actual engagement party with the captain of the ship in attendance plus our guests from Sweet Home. I couldn’t wait to sample the food. My stomach grumbled. Once we got to the pool area I would go in search of a small meal to tide me over until dinner.

  We found our corridor and our staterooms. Eli and I had adjoining rooms. Hildie and Essie were sharing a room. Jules was across from my room. Harvey and Toe had rooms farther down the corridor with the rest of the Sweet Home residents spread out in this corridor and over flowing into the next. Not all of them had been invited to the actual party but a few residents heard about the cruise and thought it sounded like fun. So we could socialize and have fun with them while on board even if they didn’t attend the actual engagement party tomorrow.

  I paused at my door and glanced over at Eli who was looking a little green. “Are you okay?” I asked.

  He nodded and smiled. “Just getting my sea legs.”

  “We haven’t started to sail yet. Do you think you’ll be okay once we push off?”

  “I’ll be fine. Let’s get this vacation party started.”

  We opened our doors at the same time. I knew the rooms wouldn’t be huge on a small ship but I was surprised by how well the space was used. It made the stateroom look bigger than it was. No wasted space and no frivolous accessories to suck up the square footage. The small dresser was plenty big enough for my measly belongings. I hadn’t packed much since the cruise was only five days and most of that time would be spent at the pool. I bee lined for the balcony, surprised that Toe had arranged for a room with one. I stood there breathing in the salt air, the sun warming my face and I sighed. Some of the tension finally left my body and I started to relax.

  I went back into the room and spotted a square cream colored envelope propped up against the pillows on the bed. My name and Eli’s name were written in elegant calligraphy with gold ink. I snatched up the envelope and rushed to the door connecting my room to Eli’s. I knocked and the door swung wide.

  “Nice rooms. Toe did well,” Eli said.

  I peered into his room expecting it to look the same as mine. I wasn’t disappointed.

  “We have mail,” I said and waved the envelope in the air.

  “Open it.”

&
nbsp; He followed me back into my room and sat on the edge of the bed. I ripped into the envelope the desire to see what the letter inside said outweighing the desire to keep the envelope in good condition.

  I yanked out an invitation card and read it. A smile crossed my face and I almost jumped up and down. It was silly how giddy the invitation made me and I didn’t want Eli to see that side of me yet. But I couldn’t help doing a little victory shuffle as I handed him the note.

  He grinned at me, his eyes sparkling with affection. “Good news I take it?”

  “Read it.”

  He read the invitation and sprung off the bed to gather me in his arms. I snuggled into his chest and wrapped my arms around him.