by Ellen Wilder
“Manda, relax. I’m not going to marry him. Just have fun and enjoy myself for an evening. But—” she took a deep breath, “if we’re talking about my ideal man—definitely tall. I’m five-eleven, so he has to be taller than me when I wear heels. I would love it if he had a dark complexion and was a bit on the mysterious side. Think Phantom of the Opera minus the kidnapping. Although, Gerard Butler can kidnap me anytime he wants. And last, but not least, I’ve recently discovered I like a bit of facial scruff. Nothing exaggerated, but a nice trim shadow.”
Manda fanned her face. “Whew. Sounds delicious. But what if I screw up?” Her hands shook, and her head turned from side to side.
“Girl, this isn’t about Mr. Right, it’s about Mr. Right Now. And don’t forget, most likely we’ll never see any of these men again once the ship comes back into port. Just have fun with it.” Diana patted Manda’s shoulder then snapped her fingers. “I just remembered—I need to run and schedule our mani/pedi appointment for first thing in the morning. I’ll be back shortly. Park yourself here, and keep your eyes open for my prospective boyfriend. Who knows, you might just find the man of my dreams. And don’t forget. Tomorrow night is the costume ball.” Diana put her drink on the bar, scrawled her number on a napkin, and slipped away before Manda could get a word in.
Manda stood and headed back toward her cabin. If Diana wanted to talk to her again that night, she could come and find her. She’d had enough socializing for the evening. She looked down at her feet as she walked and ran head first into what appeared to be a very muscular chest.
“Umfphf.”
“Are you okay?” Strong hands grasped her arms to steady her.
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.” Her cheeks heated. Why did she have to be so damn fair skinned? The slightest embarrassment and she was red as a beet. Manda pushed her hair behind her ear and looked up at her fellow cruise attendee. “You’re really tall.” She blinked and forced her eyes closed. “I—I’m sorry.” She turned around and hurried away from the shockingly familiar face.
“Hey,” he called to her.
She willed her feet to keep moving, but his voice stopped her.
“What’s your name?”
She glanced back at him. Was that Hunter Cross—or Devin Strasburg as she knew him? “M-manda.” Her voice shook, and she stuttered. She tried to get a better look. It certainly looked like him. She shook her head. Would he remember her? If he did remember, how much would he? It had been such a long time. Her feet finally listened to her brain, and she nearly sprinted back to her cabin.
Chapter Two
Manda sat curled up with a book on the couch in her cabin. A knock interrupted a good scene, and she scrambled to the door.
“I thought you left me, so I came back to my room. Come on in.”
“Not hardly.” Diana smiled. “Ready to meet your date?”
“Wait, what? I figured I’d have until tomorrow, at least.” Manda looked down at her black yoga pants and long t-shirt. “I can’t go out like this.”
“Well then go get dressed, because you’re about to meet the man of your dreams.” Diana winked.
Manda hurried to her suitcase, yanked out the first semi-wrinkled dress she could find, and leapt into the bathroom. How in the world had she gotten herself into this situation? Talk about out of character. She never took risks like this.
She was about to meet a man she’d never laid eyes on before. For a date. What was she thinking? She slid the turquoise dress over her head.
“Hurry up, girl. We don’t want to keep him waiting now, do we?” Diana called from the front room.
Manda ran her fingers through her ruffled hair and took a deep breath. “I’m not so sure about this.”
Diana clapped her hands. “I am – and he has my vote of confidence. You have nothing to worry about.”
Who was this woman? Seriously? Manda didn’t even know her. Why was she letting her decide who she’d go on a date with? “What’s he like? Who is he?” Manda hollered through the door.
“Nope. I’m not telling. Just hurry up!”
Manda opened the bathroom door and spun around in front of Diana. “Do I look okay?” She bit her bottom lip and hurried to her suitcase to pull another dress out.
“You look positively gorgeous. Man, oh man, he is so in trouble. Put some lipstick on, and let’s go. This is going to be so much fun. That dress and your hair – you’re going to knock his socks off.” Diana danced around the room.
Manda grabbed a rhinestone clip and added it to her hair and slipped on the black heels she’d worn earlier. “Are you sure we have to do this?” She was going to have another panic attack before the night was through. She could feel it coming. One false move and she’d be a goner.
Diana smiled and nodded. “Believe me. You’re going to be glad you did.” She opened the door and hurried into the hallway.
Manda took a deep, calming breath and followed her new friend, barely paying attention as they headed toward the elevator. It wasn’t until they neared the Princess Theatre—reserved for the cruise entertainment—that she stopped.
“Diana? Where are we going?”
“I’m going to introduce you to your date.” Diana grinned. “Ready or not, welcome to your fairy tale.”
Manda stopped when they reached a door marked “Private.”
“Wait a minute – cruise workers and passengers aren’t allowed to date. I went through the rules online when I was trying to figure out who I could set you up with.” Manda’s brothers always referred to her as a ‘goody-two-shoes.’ She constantly read instructions and rules to make sure she knew as much as possible before walking into a situation. This was awkward.
“Ahh. But he doesn’t work for the cruise line.” Diana stopped.
“I’m going to embarrass myself,” Manda mumbled. How did people continue to talk her into stuff like this? First the cruise, now this crazy date thing.
The music stopped, and Diana knocked on the door.
Manda heard a “just a moment” come through the door and immediately started her breathing exercises. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Her heart was starting to beat faster again. This was not going to end well. “I—I can’t breathe.”
“Calm down. This is supposed to be fun, not stressful. Relax, and let it happen. I guarantee you’ll have a great time.”
“You can’t do that, even I know that.” Manda bent over and put her head down. How much more could she take before she would collapse?
Diana grabbed her and pulled her upright. “He’s a good friend of mine. You two will get along just famously.”
“It’s not that. I’m just neurotic and have a hard time meeting people.” Manda let out the breath she’d been holding.
The door opened, and she was face to face with the man from the awkward encounter earlier in the day. Manda smiled. Devin Strasburg—or Hunter Cross as most people knew him. His curly hair was dripping with sweat.
He hugged Diana, then they both turned to look at Manda.
Her heart rate increased. Did he remember her? What did he remember? She blew out a heavy breath, trying to get herself under control. Inhale, exhale.
Hunter walked over to her.
Should she let Diana know that she knew him? Nah. She just smiled again and kept that bit to herself.
“Hi.”
Diana stepped over to them. “Manda, this is Hunter Cross. Hunter, this is Manda Reilly, your number one fan.”
Number one fan? Manda practically choked on the introduction.
He cocked his head to the side. “Manda Reilly.” He repeated slowly. “Diana, thank you for the intro, but get lost.”
“What?” Diana’s mouth fell open.
Manda chuckled. He remembered something. He wouldn’t be kicking Diana out so quickly if he didn’t.
Hunter kissed Diana on the cheek and gently shoved her toward the door. “Go find someone else to bug for a while.” He winked at her and whispered, “thank you.”
“We have
manicures and pedicures set for nine in the morning,” she called to Manda as she made her way out. “And don’t forget about my date.”
Hunter shut the door, effectively removing Diana from the conversation.
“I’ll get even with you for that, you just wait and see,” she bellowed through the door.
“Dev,” Manda sighed.
“It’s been a long time since someone called me that.”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.” Manda shyly took a step back. Why couldn’t she get herself under control? She knew him.
“In fact, there’s only been one person who called me that, and I’ll be honest, you don’t look anything like her.”
Manda laughed. “Wild, curly red hair, braces, and more freckles than could ever be counted?”
Hunter nodded. “Sounds a lot like her.”
“My freckles faded over the years. My years of braces are finally over. And I’ve managed to control my wild curls a bit.”
Hunter ran a hand through his hair and smiled. “Wow, it really has been a long time.” He grinned. “I’d give you a hug, but I probably stink to high heaven. Stage lights kinda do that.”
Manda laughed. He remembered her. “I think I need higher heels. You were much shorter when I last saw you.”
“I like the ones you have on.” Hunter flashed a toothy grin. “We could find a staircase. I’ll let you stand a couple steps up, so we’re at the same level.”
“I’d probably fall down the stairs.”
“Then I’d have to catch you.” He motioned to a room off the stage. “Would sitting make you more comfortable?”
Manda nodded. As she walked into the room, her heel caught the doorstep, and she tripped.
Hunter caught her arm and steadied her. “See? I told you’d I catch you.”
Manda’s cheeks heated. If she could see herself in the mirror, she was sure they’d be as red as the apple sitting in a bowl on the table. “Thank you,” she whispered. Why couldn’t she be one of those girls where interacting came easily?
She sat down on the couch, and Hunter took the neighboring chair. “If you give me ten minutes to clean up, I can meet you at your cabin. I’d like to catch up. Maybe have a little dinner?”
Manda nodded. “I’ll go back and freshen up.” She stood. How awkward? Sitting down just to stand up a minute later?
Hunter stood as well and chuckled. “Hey, didn’t I marry you in some kind of backyard ceremony when we were little?”
Manda’s face reddened and heat radiated down her neck. He had to remember that, didn’t he? Eight years old with her brothers standing guard and officiating. “Y-you did.”
Hunter snorted. “My grandmother teased me about that for years.” He kissed her cheek and winked. “That’s okay, right? Since we’re married.”
Manda didn’t know her face could heat up more than it already was. She turned on her heels and rushed back toward her cabin. Please don’t let him show up later. She hadn’t told him her cabin number. Hopefully, Diana hadn’t either. Manda’s breathing increased. Tears filled her eyes, and panic set in before she could make an attempt to counteract it. The faster she was in her room, the sooner she would be free of this awfully embarrassing night.
Manda plucked her cell phone out of her purse as she closed the door to her cabin. Her hands shook as she selected a name and hit the green call button. She put her hand on her chest. God, why did this have to feel this way?
“Well, hello there,” her Uncle Leon answered.
“Is A-aunt J-jen—” she paused as she gasped for breath.
“Are you all right?”
“P-p-panic—”
“I’ll get her.” Leon covered the phone and called for his wife.
Manda sunk onto the couch wishing she could be normal.
“Manda, honey, can you hear me? You need to take deep breaths.” Jen was on the phone in seconds.
“T-trying to.” Her voice was little more than a whisper.
“Take a few slow, deep breaths, and tell me what’s going on.”
Manda put the phone on speaker as she forced herself to sit up straight and take as many deep breaths as her racing heart and heaving lungs would allow. “I got myself into a situation.” She inhaled slowly and let another deep breath release. “I let myself be set up with someone. And, well, it turned into one embarrassing moment after another.”
“Where are you?”
“The cruise, remember? I was supposed to go with Alexis, but she canceled on me.” Her hands shook more as her chest tightened. It felt like someone had a board on either side of her body and was squeezing them together.
“Okay.”
“Turned out to be a singles cruise. I made a new friend, and she set me up on a date.”
Jen chuckled. “Darling, you have social anxiety, remember?”
“I went through my whole routine. I thought I was okay, but things quickly started going downhill.” Reliving the encounter, her breathing became shallow again, and she had to take another deep breath.
Manda heard a sharp knock on the door.
“Someone’s here.” Her heart rate increased and sweat beaded on her forehead.
“Go to the door, find out who it is, and politely ask them to leave.”
Manda nodded and drug herself to the door. She tried to keep her breathing as steady as possible, but the tightening in her chest increased with every step. She gasped when she saw Hunter standing in front of her. Manda’s pulse skyrocketed, her eyes blurred, and her head swam.
Hunter lurched forward as Manda fell, dropping to his knees to catch her before she hit the floor. “Are you all right?”
Manda blinked rapidly.
“Amanda, what’s going on?”
Hunter picked Manda’s phone up off the floor. “I caught her just before she passed out. She’s pretty pale and seems to be having trouble concentrating.”
“I’m her aunt. If you hang up on me at any point in this conversation, I won’t hesitate to call the coast guard to make sure my niece is safe.”
“Which aunt?” Hunter put the phone on speaker and set it back on the floor as he cradled Manda’s head. “This is Hunter Cross, I’m Evelyn Cross’s grandson.”
“Hunter Cross? You mean little Devin Strasburg? I’m Jen Edgerly. You might remember me.”
“I do. And your niece is quite safe, I promise.” He brushed Manda’s hair out of her face. “Can you hear me?”
Manda gave a slight nod. “Panic—” Her breathing came in gasps.
“Can you breathe with me?” He took slow deep breaths and urged Manda to follow his lead.
She closed her eyes, and soon her breath matched his rhythm.
“How’s she doing?” Jen asked.
“Better, I think. Her breathing is returning to normal.” Hunter touched Manda’s shoulder. “Can you make it to the couch?”
Manda stilled as she considered the question. “I think so.” He helped her to a sitting position and offered her his hand. She took it, and he gently dragged her to her feet.
Hunter walked her over to the couch and waited until she sat down. “Feeling better?”
“A little.”
He went back toward the door to grab Manda’s phone.
“I think I’ll be all right now, Aunt Jen.”
“Good. If anything happens, call me back.” Jen breathed a sigh of relief. “And thank you for helping her out, Hunter.”
“You’re welcome, and you have nothing to worry about.” Hunter smiled.
Manda clicked off the phone and looked across the couch at Hunter. “Thank you.”
“I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
She stared down at her hands. “I have major anxiety and suffer from frequent panic attacks.” She blushed. He’d just experienced one first hand. “Turns me into the ugly stepsister real fast.”
“I thought Cinderella was the one who ran away from the prince at midnight?”
Manda raised her ey
ebrow. “She was.”
“Then I guess your panic attack made you Cinderella.”
She laughed.
“The only thing that would have made it better was if you’d lost your shoe in your escape.”
“I’m sorry.” Manda tugged a blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around her.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. You can’t control when you have a panic attack.”
“I actually can, most of the time. This one hit faster than normal. I didn’t have time to do my calming exercises. I don’t think I could have done them in front of you either.”
“When I was in High School, I’d pretend I was sick so I wouldn’t have to give speeches in class.” Hunter leaned back on the couch.
“I take it you got over that.”
Hunter smiled. “Oh, I still have stage fright, but it’s not that bad anymore. My mother always told me that I’m not going to know a majority of the audience. It’s not like I’m going to see them again.”
“I get that. Mine always said that if you didn’t have confidence, at least you could fake it.” Manda laughed. “I’ve done speeches in front of people I don’t know countless times and not had a problem. But put me in a small group and force me to keep a conversation going? I lose it.”
“I have awkward moments in smaller groups too.”
Manda sighed. “None of my siblings have this problem. It’s just me.”
“Yeah – I remember your brothers. Three very overprotective older brothers. It’s really no doubt you’d end up with anxiety.” Hunter smiled.
“If my brothers weren’t around to protect me, then it was one of the hundreds of cousins.” Manda rolled her eyes. “You know how many family members we had around the house.”
“It’s been awhile, but I do remember.” Hunter chuckled. “How’s your grandmother? Aunt Jackie and Aunt Carol? It’s been awhile since I’ve seen any of them.”
“They’re fine. Still meddling like they always have. Remember we used to call them and your grandma ‘The Fierce Foursome?’”
Hunter nodded. “It was an accurate name for them. Those four are a riot. I keep telling Carol she should be a comedian. She just shakes her head and tells me she’s not interested in younger men.”