“I think I could put up with more of this.” Leo’s voice was close but she didn’t turn. “Especially being alone with you. I thought my sister would never leave us. Strange that Bernard didn’t turn up.”
“He must have been with his daughter longer than he’d thought.”
“Let’s not waste precious time pondering others.”
Ketty turned and his face was only a short distance from hers. It startled her. His arms stretched to the rail either side of her and he leaned in. She drew in a quick breath then his lips brushed her ear, she breathed out, slightly disappointed.
“I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the first night we had drinks on your balcony.” His breath in her ear sent a warm shudder through her. She felt like a girl again. “May I kiss you, Kathy?”
Did she want to kiss him? She reached up and put her fingers to his cheek, gently turning his face to hers and before she could speak his lips were on hers, soft at first then hungry, devouring her as he pressed her back against the rail. She felt heat sweep through her, his arms circled her, holding her close. She gasped as a jolt of pain jabbed at her elbow.
“Sorry.” He pulled away, leaving her face tingling from the prickle of his beard.
“Blasted arm, it’s such a nuisance. I’m fine.” She looked into his eyes and fell silent. There was passion in his look, like she’d seen all those years ago. Inside she was a jumble of nerves. She’d gone along with getting to know Leo again, planning to take things as they came, but that kiss had been neither brief nor chaste. He’d demanded her attention with it and her body had responded. Now Leo was leaning in again; this time he kept his hands on the rail, and brushed her lips gently with his.
“Kathy, we could make this work. You and me. You’ve got your business, I could move to Sydney.”
Ketty shook her head. “We’ve only just found each other again. Let’s not rush things. There’s still so much we don’t know about each other.”
“Does that matter? The past is the past. I don’t want to lose you again.”
“I’m not going to jump overboard.”
He took a deep breath, let it out slowly. “I’ve never forgotten you, Kathy.”
“I was a young woman when we knew each other.” She imagined them being together now, intimate, lovers. Her scar would be revealed, he’d want to know more then. “You don’t know the woman I’ve become, Leo. You might not like what you get.”
He gripped her hand in his. Lifted it to his lips. “Don’t run away again.”
“I won’t.” The words came out in a croak, lacking conviction. The past was still between them. A shadow that discoloured every moment with him no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.
He leaned in again. She had to tell him or she’d never be able to fully relax with him, but not tonight. It had been such a lovely evening.
A rowdy group erupted from the door and made their way to the rail a little further along. Ketty straightened. “We’ll be in Noumea tomorrow,” she said a little too brightly. “Have you ever been?”
“No.” He shook his head but his gaze didn’t falter from hers.
“We can spend the day together. I can be your guide. Show you the sights.”
“Just the two of us this time? Bernard and my sister are beginning to annoy me.”
“It can be just the two of us.” Ketty was happy with that. They could explore Noumea as well as talk. The time had come for her to tell him the whole reason she’d left Adelaide. It would mean unpacking a lot of hurt she’d buried deep but it needed to be said if they were to have any future together. The air was still warm but a little shiver wriggled down her spine. “Time for me to call it a night, I think.”
There was sadness in his expression but he didn’t argue, simply offered his arm and they went back inside together.
Christine smiled at Frank as he slipped into the warm bubbles of the spa, beside her. It had taken her some time to track him down once she’d left the restaurant. Eventually she’d found him playing the pokies in the casino. Just as she walked up he’d won a nice bucket of cash. He was happy and she suggested a spa so that they could relax while she told him her good news. It was late and once more they had one of the spas to themselves.
She leaned back and closed her eyes. It was as heavenly as the cocktail he’d bought her, a Dirty Banana.
“I’m glad you suggested this,” he said. “I want us to talk, Chrissie. To have a calm and peaceful discussion.”
She opened her eyes. “About?”
Frank took a sip of his drink, sat it carefully back on the edge of the spa. She held on to hers, licking the chocolate sprinkles from her lips.
“It’s about our future,” he said.
She smiled. “That’s what I want to talk to you about too.” This spa idea was working well. It was the perfect place to talk. She was feeling much better after the rather abrupt end to dinner with her father. She’d kept an eye out for him too when she’d been looking for Frank but had seen no sign. No doubt he’d gone to cuddle up to Josie somewhere. “You start, Frank.”
He swept his hair back from his face. “We’re not exactly winning the happy couple stakes at the moment.”
She sat forward.
“Stop.” He put his hand up. “I’m not blaming you, and it’s not what I want to talk about anyway.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Although who knows, my idea might help.”
She flopped back and took another sip of her cocktail, savouring the mix of chocolate and coffee. “Just talk, Frank.”
“It’s about this job I want to apply for.”
She opened her mouth. He put up his hand again.
“Hear me out.”
She nodded. She owed him that much. She waved her glass at him. “You have the floor.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the job earlier, before we left home. The position is for a director of engineering and horticulture and if I get it, at bare minimum it will have little impact on you and the kids. I would have longer hours so we will need to look at how we manage getting Lucca and Anna to various sports, etcetera.”
“So it will impact me. One of us has to drive them, feed them, wash their clothes.”
He frowned. “I take Lucca to soccer and I cook meals.”
“Pizza,” she scoffed.
“What does that matter once in a while? Anyway I can cook a barbecue, toss a salad.”
“The kids don’t like salad.”
“Then they can just eat the meat. It won’t hurt. You fuss over their food too much.”
“I do not fuss.”
Frank dragged his fingers through his hair. She could see he was struggling to remain calm.
“If we stay in our current house I will have to commute,” he said.
“And if we move I will,” she snapped.
“Perhaps you could talk to your boss about working in the suburban office. That’s the area we could look at buying in.”
“I like where I am.”
“The pay rise is significant. A leap from what I’m getting now.”
Christine sat forward. That was more interesting. “So if you brought home more money we could stay where we are, maybe get someone to help ferry the kids, and we could look at renovating. That ties in with my news.”
“What news?” He took a slug of his drink and glared at her over the glass.
“Dad’s going to give us the money for the renovations.”
“What?”
“Keep calm, Frank.” It was easy to say but she was excited herself. “Just think about it. You could still apply for this new job if that’s what you want but we wouldn’t have to move.”
“Or we could move further out to a bigger place with a decent yard, maybe a pool or a spa, keep the mortgage around the same.”
“Our mortgage will stay the same with Dad paying for the renovations.”
He shook his head. “I don’t like your father paying for this cruise let alone the cost of the renovations you want.”
“He’s not paying for the whole cruise, only our upgrade, and he’s got plenty of money. I’m his only child.”
“I don’t like being in debt to your father.”
“But you’re happy to owe the bank.” She snorted. “Anyway, Dad’s money is a gift. We don’t have to pay it back.”
“Renovations of the scale you’re talking will mean living in a mess for months. Wouldn’t you rather look for something that’s already what we want?”
“Moving is a bigger upheaval. You want to uproot us, leave behind everything we’ve put into that house, both sentimental and financial. It’s where my heart is and I thought yours too, but you want to change everything for another council job that pays a bit more money.”
Frank put his head back on the edge of the spa staring into the distance.
“Please, Frank.” She blinked back a tear. “It would break my heart to move.”
Frank’s head tilted slightly in her direction. His dark eyes were filled with such sadness it made her pause. He stood up. “I’m going back to the room.”
“I haven’t finished my drink.” She lifted the glass of creamy liquid in the air.
He climbed out of the spa and dragged his damp hair back from his face. The water ran in rivulets down his buff torso, dripped from his swimmers to his tanned legs. He wrapped himself in a towel.
“Frank?”
“Goodnight.” He walked away.
Christine felt as if he’d slapped her, his departure had been so brusque. She glanced around. No one else appeared to be taking much notice. The group in the other spa were chatting, their voices peppered with the tinkle of laughter.
She swallowed the last of her drink and climbed out. The tropical night was warm around her as she towelled herself dry then made her way down to the back of the ship where the only sound was the constant churning of water and the drone from the giant propellers below. She let herself inside, suddenly chilled by the air conditioning across her damp skin, and walked along the short corridor. It was the first time she’d been this way to her room. She reached the T junction, realised she’d come the wrong way, then paused at the sound of voices. Two people were entering one of the rooms at the far end and she was gobsmacked to see that it was Jim and Celia. The door closed on them and Christine turned away. Tonight she’d planned the big bedroom scene for her and Frank and now he was in a mood. Bloody hell, all the oldies were getting lucky and once again she was missing out.
Celia stood in the middle of Jim’s lounge and looked around. There was the couch Jim had mentioned, two other chairs, a desk, a polished-wood wall cabinet with drawers below and glass doors above. Double doors opened into the bedroom beyond. The room was spacious. She turned back to Jim.
“I had no idea cabins could be like this.”
“Neither did I. My son made the booking. I think we had a smaller balcony cabin but he was offered an upgrade to this suite.”
“What a shame he couldn’t enjoy it.”
“He has a demanding job.” Jim waved to the couch. “Please sit down. Can I get you something to drink; water, wine, cup of tea?”
Celia sank onto the couch. “I’d love a cup of tea. I take it black, not too strong.”
Jim busied himself making it and she nestled further into the couch. The last place she had imagined herself being was Jim’s room. After Maude’s innuendo, it seemed comical to find herself here. Perhaps she would see the funny side if she wasn’t so nervous. Maude was the one having an affair, if that’s what you could call it. Celia’s feelings were running rampant, torn between the embarrassment of being in Jim’s room to overwhelming tiredness. She yawned and decided the tiredness was winning.
“Kick off your shoes if you like, make yourself at home.”
Celia did as he suggested. It was a relief to slip them off. Jim placed the tea on the coffee table in front of her, took his own and sat in a chair.
“This is kind of you, Jim.” She tucked her feet up behind her on the couch.
“I couldn’t leave you wandering the ship looking for somewhere to sleep.”
The hint of a smile played on his lips. He was such a handsome man when he smiled. What was she thinking? Jim was still getting over the loss of his wife. She hadn’t planned to like him this much but when he smiled…She pulled herself up straighter and set her cup on the table.
“You must be tired yourself. You don’t have to sit up with me.” She gave a brief nod towards the bedroom. “You can go to bed, shut the door. I won’t disturb you. I can let myself out.”
He looked startled. “Do you mind if I finish my tea?”
“Of course not, it’s your suite after all.”
They both sipped. The act of drinking tea had a calming effect.
Jim stretched out his legs, crossing his ankles. “It’s good to have company. Jane and I would always have a cuppa together in the evening, talk about the day. I miss it.” He stared off into space.
The silence dragged out so long she was startled when he spoke again.
“She would have loved this cruise.”
Celia nodded.
“It was something she’d always wanted to do. Before she got sick she’d started leaving brochures about the place…” He tapered off into silence again.
Celia felt the need to say something. “Cruising had never been on Ed’s agenda so we never went. Then I found out he was taking his new wife on a cruise and I got angry. Stupid really. And now here I am without a cabin.” Once more she chewed on her lip. The thought of returning to her room was not a pleasant one. “I think I will stay on your couch, Jim, if you don’t mind.”
“I wish you’d take the bed.”
“It’s very kind of you but I’m half asleep now. I’m sure I will be fine on the couch.”
“It’s one of those sofa bed things.” He stood up. “I’ll get the sheets from the other bed. They won’t fit but at least you’ll have something.”
Celia staggered to her feet and inspected the couch, which did indeed appear to be a fold-out bed.
Jim came back, his arms loaded with sheets and pillows. Together they opened out the bed and made it up as best they could. Jim placed a t-shirt on the end.
“I thought you might like to change into this. You’d be more comfortable.”
Celia looked at the shirt. She couldn’t imagine anything would make her comfortable the way her emotions were whirling around inside her but it was a kind thought.
“Thank you.”
“Would you like to use the bathroom? There’s spare towels but I don’t have an extra toothbrush or anything else.”
“Oh, that’s all right.” Celia couldn’t look at him. This was all so intimate. She wished she’d stayed in the bar. “I will use the bathroom though, thank you.”
She crossed through the bedroom which was about the size of her entire cabin and stepped into the brightly lit bathroom. She washed her face and stared at herself in the mirror. How on earth did she find herself in this situation? It was so far removed from any Celebrity Celia scenario. She shuddered at the recollection of the other persona she’d tried to be.
Back in the living room they said a polite but awkward goodnight, then Jim had entered his bedroom and closed the doors. Celia turned out the light, undressed in the dark and slipped between the sheets. She’d been so tired before but now she was wide awake, aware of Jim moving around in the other room beyond the closed door, then the light that filtered around the edges of the door faded and all went quiet. Celia lay stiffly on the slightly lumpy sofa bed with its ill-fitting sheets rumpled around her. A jumble of thoughts went round and round in her head and all of them ended up back at Jim. Kind, generous Jim and his engaging smile. Celia tossed and turned a long time before she eventually fell asleep.
Twenty-eight
Day Seven – Alongside, Noumea, New Caledonia
Celia jolted awake. The room had been dark when she’d last closed her eyes. Now it was bright from the light filtering around the e
dge of the curtains. It took her an instant to get her bearings. She was in Jim’s suite. It was so different to the pitch black of her interior cabin. She’d tossed and turned through the early hours and felt as if she’d hardly slept. Now she was groggy. She must have gone into a deep sleep.
She lay still, trying to detect the movement of the ship. She’d been more conscious of it in Jim’s rear-situated suite than in her mid-section cabin but now she could feel nothing. Perhaps the ship had docked already. She reached for her watch. It was nearly seven o’clock. She sat up carefully and dressed in the clothes she’d worn the night before. Dear Lord, she prayed she would not see anyone when she left Jim’s cabin.
She paused in the middle of the room listening for stirrings beyond the bedroom door but there was nothing. It would only add to her embarrassment to see Jim before she’d had a chance to shower and change. She folded the sheets and his t-shirt. There was no way she could put the couch back together without making a noise so she left it and started for the door.
There was a knock. Celia froze. Then she realised the knock came from behind not in front. She glanced back.
The knock came again.
“Celia, is it all right for me to come in?”
She let out the breath she’d been holding. It was Jim.
“Yes.”
He opened the door. His hair was damp from the shower and he wore a fresh set of clothes. She hadn’t heard him moving about.
“You’re ready to go?” he asked.
“I was just leaving.” She felt foolish standing there in the clothes she’d been wearing the night before.
“I thought perhaps I could check the corridor first. I wouldn’t like to put you in a compromising situation.”
She was speechless. How chivalrous of Jim to even think of her reputation.
“I feel silly, but that is kind of you.”
Jim hesitated at the door. “Would you like to have breakfast with me…later…once you’re refreshed?”
Her heart thudded an extra beat. She was pleased he wanted her company even though he was still so caught up in memories of his wife.
“All right, yes.”
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