After a short taxi ride, they pulled up in front of the hotel. Her bags were quickly unloaded as she paid the taxi driver and stepped into the hotel lobby. It was absolutely stunning – so stunning, it almost took her breath away. The fabulous grand lobby consisted of Italian marble slabs and precious African wood. The lobby’s centerpiece was an 18 foot tall, 70-ton round sculpture. The sculpture was made of solid marble. A sparkling waterfall cascaded over the centerpiece and flowed into a surrounding crystal-clear pool.
The hotel was the epitome of elegance; beautiful, simply beautiful, Sam thought. From the 36-story marble exterior to the soaring atrium. Sam soaked it all in as she reminded herself she made the right decision, even if she was by herself.
Check-in was a breeze and before she knew it, she was standing inside her spacious guestroom. The bathroom was spa-luxurious, complete with granite counters, marble floors and a deep, jetted tub. The spacious glass shower was huge. There must’ve been room for a dozen people in there! Sam peeked inside. Even that was marble!
The room was perfect and Sam was not going to let the fact that she was alone in a strange city, about to embark on a vacation with thousands of people she’d never met keep her from having fun!
She hurriedly changed into one of her new sundresses and walked over to the mirror to inspect. Sam gazed critically at her reflection in the mirror. She liked to think of herself as petite – not short –coming in at a mere 5’3”. Because of her height, she forever had to watch her weight. But since the divorce, Sam lost 20 lbs. and most of her old clothes no longer fit.
She and Bri recently spent the day shopping, picking out some new clothes for her to bring along. The wardrobe they picked out were mostly things that her daughter liked. Sam herself would never have chosen some of the outfits, but now that the dress was on, she had to admit it made her look younger than her 40 years.
She spent the last year letting her dark brown hair grow out. Her favorite style was pulled back into a long, elegant ponytail. Quick and easy.
Personally, she didn’t think she possessed any striking features. Hazel eyes, a pert nose and an oval face would be an accurate description. Everyone told her she had a nice smile. She hadn’t done much of that lately but hopefully that was about to change.
She finished freshening up and took another quick look in the full length mirror. As ready as I’ll ever be.
Sam grabbed her room key and purse and headed down to find the hotel’s restaurant, Nuevo Latina. The restaurant got excellent on-line reviews for their Pan Latin cuisine and she was excited to try the food.
The restaurant was easy to find and soon she was standing at the entrance. It was still early and only a few of the tables were occupied. As she stepped inside, her eyes were immediately drawn to the breathtaking views of the bay. Décor inside was comfortable-looking overstuffed leather furniture complemented by deep cherry wood and dark spindle wrought-iron.
When the hostess discovered she was dining alone, she nodded sympathetically and led Sam to a small table by the window. The bay view was incredible. From far away, the small sailboats and luxury yachts looked like children’s toys.
Grateful she wasn’t conspicuously seated in the center of the restaurant, she smiled warmly at the hostess. “Thank you. This table is perfect.”
Sam sipped a glass of Chardonnay as she perused the menu. So many intriguing menu items made it difficult to decide!
She looked up to see a tall, smiling waiter standing in front of her, his hands folded. “Good evening, madam. My name is Armand. Do you have any questions about our menu?”
Sam nodded hesitantly. “I-I have no idea what to order. Everything sounds so tempting.”
Armand smiled warmly. “May I make a suggestion then?”
“Yes, of course!” She went on. “Maybe you could surprise me with one of your favorites?”
A beaming smile lit up his face. “Certainly! You won’t be sorry!”
Sam was still gazing out at the magnificent bay view when he returned a little while later with one of their trademark dishes - Chipotle Chilean Sea Bass accompanied by baby carrots and asparagus with a side of their crispy Truffle Fries.
Sam carefully inspected the dish he set in front of her. “This is perfect, Armand!”
His selection was spot on and she was glad she left it up to him to decide. She ate with relish and finished every single morsel.
As she was finishing her meal, Armand returned to the table with a second glass of wine.
Sam shook her head, clearly confused. “I didn’t order this.”
He carefully set the glass in front of her. “The gentleman over at the bar ordered this for you,” he explained.
Sam quickly glanced in that direction. The bar was empty. “There’s no one there.”
Armand turned to look for himself. “He was sitting there just a minute ago…” Obviously there was some sort of misunderstanding. “I’ll be right back.” Armand crossed the restaurant and headed straight to the small bar area on the other side. He spent several minutes talking to the bartender before returning. “The man told the bartender to send a glass of wine over to the pretty woman by the window that was eating alone.”
Sam was puzzled. “And then he just left?”
Armand nodded slowly. “He pay in cash and quickly leave,” he explained in his thick Spanish accent.
Sam took a couple sips just to be nice before leaving the partially full glass on the table. Why on earth would someone buy her a drink and then take off before she had a chance to even thank them?
She waved goodbye to Armand on her way out. It was time to check out the rest of the hotel. Sam was amazed at the size of the sparkling blue pool. It was flanked on either side by an outdoor café and separate Tiki bar. She was disappointed to discover neither was open this late in the day.
Too bad I couldn’t stay longer, Sam thought. I would definitely spend some time out here!
Dozens of lounge chairs lined the edge of the pool and a collection of more intimate sitting areas were spread throughout the patio. There were padded iron chairs complemented by vibrant-colored umbrellas in tropical shades of lime green and bright, sunny yellow. It looked like the perfect place to relax and indulge in a fruity cocktail. The shimmering bay was a stunning backdrop and could be seen from almost every angle of the pool deck.
Sam spent a few more minutes looking around. It was starting to get dark and there were now only a couple people wandering around. Except for a man who was sitting at a nearby table. He was strangely dressed and looked out of place, wearing a long-sleeved jacket and long pants. It was definitely too warm for winter clothes. The other thing that caught her eye was his ball cap. It was pulled way down and he had on a pair of dark sunglasses that hid his eyes. The sun had gone down long ago.
By now, the others on the deck were gone. Sam and this oddly-dressed man were suddenly the only ones around. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. He was beginning to make her feel a more than a little uneasy.
She glanced around, her eyes lighting on a nearby door leading back inside. She quickly made her way to the entrance. When she got there, she glanced into the reflection of the glass. He was out of the chair and following right behind her.
Sam hesitated for a split second. Now was not the time to go to her room. Instead, she walked in the direction of the main lobby.
When she got there, she slowed her pace and casually strolled around the marble sculpture, as if admiring it.
The stranger followed her into the lobby and was now standing directly across from her, studying the sculpture as well!
A low whisper, the voice of reason bounced around in her head. You’re just being paranoid. No need to overreact! Still, a small nagging thought in the back of her mind told her you can never be too careful.
Sam turned around and looked behind her. The small lobby gift shop was still open. She slipped inside and headed for the bottled water in the back. The store was filled with lots of goodies. Sa
m eyed the shelves as she walked by. She certainly didn’t need it but the gooey, chocolaty candy bars and home decorating magazines were calling her name. Twenty minutes later, and $20 poorer, she walked back out.
Her eyes immediately scanned the enormous lobby. The man was still standing by the center fountain and he was staring right at her!
Now what do I do? She glanced around nervously, her gaze lighting on the front desk. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? She quickly walked over to the first person she saw. It was the hotel manager. From his tag, she could see his name was Jason.
He smiled as he looked up. “Good evening. How can I help you?”
Without going into too much detail, she briefly explained the situation. “I-I’m sorry to bother you - but I think I’m being followed.” Sam now had his full attention. The manager leaned forward, listening intently.
Sam motioned with a twist of her head. “Do you see the man over by the fountain – the one wearing the sunglasses?”
He glanced over, then nodded.
“I think he’s following me,” she whispered in a low voice.
“He does seem to be staring in our direction.” Jason paused. “Hold on a second. I’ll be right back.”
With that, he disappeared around the corner of the reception area. Moments later he returned to where Sam was waiting. “Follow me.”
No need to ask her twice. She stepped behind the counter as they headed towards the back of the desk area and out of sight. Around the corner was a large door with a coded lock. Without hesitating, Jason punched in a code, opened the door and they made their way inside. He quickly shut the door and pulled on it, making sure it locked behind them.
He looked around and then leaned forward, talking to Sam in a quiet voice. “This is strictly against company policy but I think that person in the lobby is up to no good so I’m taking you back to your room using the hotel’s secret elevator.”
Sam looked up. Sure enough, directly in front of them was an elevator. She shook her head. That’s pretty cool!
The doors opened and Sam quickly got in with Jason close behind. After pressing her floor number, the doors shut and Sam turned to him. “I’m sorry for bothering you. I-I just wasn’t sure what that man was up to and didn’t want him following me back to my room.”
“No problem. You did the right thing. You can never be too careful,” Jason reassured her.
Within minutes, they were standing outside her room.
Jason turned to go and suddenly stopped. “There’s no way that guy could have followed us but if you’re at all worried, I’ll send someone by to check on you later.”
“I’ll be fine now,” She was certain she was now safe. “No need to do that. Thank you for everything.” With 36 stories and more than 700 rooms, there was no way this stranger would ever be able to figure out what room was hers! Sam thanked Jason again.
Once inside, she locked and bolted the door. Leaning against the door, she let out a sigh of relief.
The room was almost pitch black. She realized she’d been in such a hurry to head out for dinner, she hadn’t bothered to open the curtains. The big, heavy drapes covered an entire wall. Curious to see what was behind them, she reached up and pulled them all the way back and was instantly rewarded with a spectacular view. The lights from the Miami skyline shimmered and danced across the water.
I would never tire of this view, Sam thought to herself. She gazed out the window for several long moments.
Sheer exhaustion finally took over. Sam was suddenly too tired to even put on her pajamas. She pulled the drapes shut and then crawled into bed, clothes and all.
As she drifted off to sleep, she almost – but not quite - forgot that she was in a very big city, would soon be travelling to unfamiliar places – and that she was all alone ….
Chapter 4
Sam’s mind vaguely registered there was a telephone ringing but it certainly didn’t sound like her cell phone. I must be dreaming.
She put the pillow over her head and tried to ignore the ringing but it wouldn’t stop, demanding to be answered.
Suddenly, she remembered she wasn’t home and it must be the phone in her hotel room. She quickly sat up and reached over to pick it up.
On the other end of the line was her daughter. Brianna was almost panicky, “Mom, are you OK? I tried calling your cell phone three times and finally called the hotel’s front desk. They said you hadn’t checked out yet and rang me through.”
“I’m fine.” Sam yawned loudly, totally unaware of how freaked out her daughter was. “I guess I just didn’t hear my cell.”
The roles had reversed. It was her daughter’s turn to worry. “OK, but next time, turn your ringer up. I was worried sick!” Sam grinned. She felt like a scolded child.
After a few minutes of chit-chat and insisting to Brianna that she really was OK, Sam told her she needed to get going.
“I better go. I need to get ready yet. I promise I’ll text you when I’m on the ship.” It was already almost 9 a.m. She hadn’t bothered to set her alarm the night before because she never EVER slept that late!
With a quick “I love you” and “Please be careful,” Sam hung up and headed for the shower. A small smile reached Samantha’s lips. The phone call from Brianna made her feel much better. It reminded her there was someone who loved her and was concerned about her.
She hadn’t mentioned the incident from the night before or the stranger she was sure had been following her. That would only scare Bri. Besides, that weirdo was long gone by now.
In the shower, Sam once again marveled at what a fabulous hotel this was and how her sister was really missing out.
With a sudden surge of excitement, she quickly finished showering and dressed. She dabbed on a little make-up, added a few quick brushes of mascara and pulled her long, dark hair into a ponytail. A little spritz of perfume and she was ready to start the next leg of her adventure!
Finding a taxi outside the hotel was fairly simple and soon they were traveling down Biscayne Boulevard. The port and several cruise ships suddenly came into view. They were massive in size and several stories tall, all lined up in a row.
Sam peered keenly out the window. Her eyes widened in amazement as the ships came into full view. She craned her neck to get a better look. She’d never been on a cruise before - nor had she ever even seen an actual cruise ship up close.
“These things are huge.” “How on earth do they get these monstrosities out of such a tight spot?” The taxi driver smiled in the rearview mirror. Ahhh, another first-time cruiser!
She was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. How on earth will I keep from getting lost once I’m onboard?
Thankfully, she didn’t have time to dwell on it. Soon, her ship, the Caribbean Blue, was in sight. The taxi driver stopped in front of the unloading zone and quickly yanked her luggage from the trunk.
After paying him and tipping the porter who grabbed her bags and tossed them into a huge metal bin, she slowly made her way towards the entrance. What have I gotten myself into?? Too late now. She took a deep breath and bravely marched forward.
The next hour and a half was spent in a blur. From the porters taking her bags to going through security to checking in and getting her room card, it was a whirlwind of activity. There were people everywhere going in all different directions.
As she stood in the long check-in line she felt a twinge of sadness. She missed her sister. Deb would’ve easily figured out how to navigate the masses of people and piles of paperwork that needed to be filled out.
Get a grip, Sam sternly told herself. She’s not here and you are so you’re going to have to deal with it.
Just when she thought it was more work than it was worth, she found herself on a long ramp with glass walls leading onto the massive ship’s balcony. A few more steps forward and she crossed the threshold for her first glimpse of the impressive interior.
Everywhere she looked, it was glass and brass, elegant and understated.
The atrium seemed to go up forever. It was all breathtaking and beautiful. For the first time all day, Sam was convinced she was going to have an amazing vacation. Like a kid on Christmas morning, she couldn’t wait to see what was next!
Smiling crew were everywhere. Almost all of them stopped to welcome her aboard. They sounded so sincere. More than one urged her to head up to the Lido deck for lunch. It suddenly dawned on her that she had been in such a hurry this morning, she forgot to eat breakfast. She hadn’t even realized she was hungry until just now.
The Lido deck was overflowing with people and they all seemed to know where they were going. She looked around, unsure of what direction she should take.
Just then, a crew member walked over to where she was standing. “Lunch is being served inside the sliding doors over there to your left.” When he saw her hesitate, he continued, “But if you want something quick and easy with fewer crowds, you can grab a burger or hotdog right around the corner here on the pool deck.”
Sam shook her head in wonder. Wow, so many choices! I could get used to this.
After her big dinner the night before, she decided on a garden salad and glass of iced tea from the Grand View Café. She finished eating just in time to hear the ship announcement that cabins were now ready.
Tired of hauling her carry-on bag and laptop around, Sam headed down to check out her room. That was no easy feat. She made several wrong turns and ended up on the wrong floor.
She let out a long sigh and furrowed her brows. She was hopelessly lost. Suddenly, she spotted a phone. She had no idea who she was going to call but maybe someone – anyone – on the other end of the line would be able to help her find her cabin.
Just before she reached the phone, she glanced up. There was a large 3-D deck plan on the wall just as plain as day! Sam walked over to briefly study the layout and moments later realized where she’d gone wrong. Finally, she was on the right track and quickly found her cabin.
She inserted her key card and pushed the heavy door open. At first glance, it seemed very small. Tall closets lined one wall and a door on the opposite side opened to a tiny bathroom that held a very small shower. Although the entire bathroom was small, it had an adequate-sized sink and enough shelves to fit all her stuff.
Waves of Deception (Samantha Rite Series Book 1) Page 2