First Class Voyage (First Class Novels – A Contemporary Romance Series)

by Harmon, AJ

  It was a perfect day too. A bright sun and blue sky held the temperature around seventy-five degrees. Matt had changed his plans, with Janie’s blessing, to spend the day with Paul. While Paul had always been a quiet, somewhat introspective person, Matt had noticed, on more than one occasion since he had been home, that he seemed quieter than usual, troubled perhaps.

  Paul was only too happy to spend the day with his big brother. He admired Matt and loved him dearly. He couldn’t have wished for a better big brother to love and guide him.

  The two men arrived at the zip-line course to spend the morning whizzing through the trees, high above the jungle floor. They were suited up in all the appropriate gear and their adventure got underway.

  Once in the trees, Paul forgot all his cares. His decision was a world away. To play was the best therapy he could have asked for. The views were amazing. It was a fantastic experience.

  As the men were unbuckling and unharnessing at the end of the course, Matt asked Paul if there was something on his mind.

  Paul looked at his older brother and knew if there was one person in the world he could talk to, it was Matt.

  “I think I might be done with the Navy.”

  Matt’s eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped open. It was not anything he was expecting to hear. Paul loved the Navy. He lived for his job.

  “I think I want a life,” continued Paul. “A life that includes a wife, kids, a house, you know, what you’ve got.”

  Matt smiled and nodded. “And you aren’t willing to put that at risk while you’re still a Seal.”

  Paul shook his head. “I can’t.”

  “That’s very respectful of you. But there are thousands of military personnel who balance family and their careers.”

  “I know,” shrugged Paul. “I’ve watched most of my buddies do it. But I’ve also watched their wives as they are kissed goodbye, not knowing where their husbands are off to or what terrible things they’ll see or maybe have to do. Its heart wrenching and they aren’t even my wives.” He shook his head again. “I won’t put someone through that. It would be too hard on them and it would be too hard on me leaving them behind.”

  “It sounds like you’ve already decided,” said Matt.

  The two brothers headed back down the hill, bottles of water in hand, to the waiting car that would return them to the pier and the ship.

  “That’s the thing,” replied Paul. “I LOVE my job. I’m good at it. I have worked hard to get where I am. Very few men get to do what I do. Can I just walk away? Do I want to just walk away?”

  “I guess that depends on what you’re walking to.”

  *****

  That evening, right around seven o’clock, the family started arriving at the dining room for dinner. Maureen and Peter had arrived first and were patiently waiting at the table. They were holding hands and deep in conversation when Mark and Katy arrived.

  “Hello,” smiled Maureen as they sat down across the table. “Did you have a good day?”

  “We had a great day,” smiled Mark. “We spent it together and it doesn’t get any better than that.”

  Mark took Katy’s hand and kissed it. She grinned at him, her eyes shining brightly.

  “Oh you too are just beautiful together,” Maureen sighed. “Such a handsome couple. Why don’t you just get married already?”

  Katy closed her eyes and bit her tongue. Here we go again.

  Mark took a deep breath and answered his mother calmly.

  “When we are both ready we will get married.”

  “How long does it take to get ready?” Maureen asked.

  Neither Mark nor Katy had to answer because several of the boys arrived, including Derek, and sat down. Peter steered the conversation to the days’ events and Katy’s shoulders eventually began to relax. Mark squeezed her hand and Katy attempted a smile.

  Paul was the next to arrive. He sat by his dad and listened to the adventures of his brothers. His mind couldn’t let go of Matt’s words from earlier in the day. ‘What you’re walking to’ was being replayed over and over in his head. Nothing was the answer he kept coming up with.

  *****

  Ella wouldn’t let go of her father. Matt sat with her curled on his lap as she whimpered. She was over-tired, extremely over-tired, and subsequently all but hysterical. She had refused to take a nap while she spent the day with Patty. Janie and Maureen had gone on a sight-seeing tour of the island and Matt had gone off with Paul. So Patty had been left to try everything she could to get Ella to sleep but nothing had worked. Janie was sure she was just missing her parents. They had never left her as often as they had the past few days and she wasn’t dealing with it well. They would need to correct that.

  “I’ll just stay here with her,” Matt said, cradling his precious little girl in his arms. “We’ll spend the evening together, won’t we?” he kissed her cheek.

  “Daddy,” Ella sighed and grabbed his arm tightly.

  “Mom, why don’t you just give our apologies? Please? We’ll have a family night tonight.” Janie sat down next to her husband and daughter, the baby snuggled into her neck.

  “What about dinner?” Patty asked.

  “We’ll order room service. Really, just go without us.”

  Patty headed off to meet the others for dinner.

  “Do you want to play with your dolls?” Matt asked Ella.

  She shook her head.

  “Do you want to watch TV?” he asked her.

  She shook her head again.

  “Do you want Daddy to hold you some more?”

  Ella nodded and snuggled in a little closer.

  Matt smiled and pulled her tight against his chest and kissed the top of her head.

  “She’ll hopefully go to sleep,” Janie smiled.

  Christopher began fussing and Janie lifted her shirt.

  “He’s gone almost four hours. He must be starving,” she said as the baby latched on and immediately settled down.

  Matt looked at his wife. He loved watching her nurse his babies. It was so natural yet there was something else too. It brought out his carnal side. He would walk through fire to protect his family. There wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for them. He thought that if it was remotely possible, he loved her a little bit more.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you.”

  Ella had fallen asleep just as Janie had predicted. Christopher was content filling his tummy. Matt put his arm around his wife and pulled her closer.

  “Perfect.”

  9.

  DAY 7 – AT SEA

  To Janie’s surprise, the ship had a half-court basketball court on its top deck, the Sky deck. That is where her sons, along with some of the other Lathem men, had been participating in the three-on-three tournament held on the ‘at sea’ days. Janie had been asked by her sons if she would like to watch them play in the afternoon and of course she agreed. Matt too. But the morning was to be spent by the pool. Ella wanted to go swimming.

  Janie closed her eyes as she lay on the chaise by the pool. She could hear Ella laughing as Matt played with her in the cool water. She heard the splashes and the giggles, both by her daughter and her husband. The warm sun felt wonderful on her skin and she almost removed her swimsuit cover up but decided not to. As Katy and Mark arrived at the pool, she was glad of her decision. She wouldn’t be caught dead in a swim suit next to Katy, not with those fifteen extra pounds sagging from her body. No way!

  Katy took the chaise next to Janie and slipped off her sandals and her dress to reveal her perfectly bronzed body in a tiny gold bikini. She looked amazing. Her legs were long and not an inch of cellulite to be seen. Her stomach was flat and her perfect little belly button held a gold hoop accentuating her perfection. Her arms were toned and strong and her round breasts sat in their original position looking positively perky. Janie unconsciously pulled her cover up lower down her legs.

  Mark sat behind Katy and rubbed the suntan lotion over her back and the
n he went and sat on the edge of the pool and talked to Matt. Ella splashed him with water and Mark splashed back.

  “It is a perfect day, isn’t it?” Katy smiled over at Janie.

  “It’s beautiful. I could get used to this.”

  “You’ll never get a tan dressed like that,” Katy frowned.

  “You know I don’t tan. I fry. I turn into a lobster and red is not my best color.”

  “The sun is good for you. Vitamin D,” Katy said.

  “Well I can’t lie next to you in a swimsuit. You are simply gorgeous.”

  Katy sighed and turned to Janie. “This…again?”

  “We are the same age and our bodies are completely opposite.”

  “Janie,” Katy pleaded. “You are gorgeous. You always have been and you have always been blind to it. Your body is nothing for you to be ashamed of. Any woman, me included, would kill for your boobs,” she laughed.

  “It’s not these that drive me crazy,” Janie said as she pointed to her breasts. “It’s this!” she said as she put her hands on her tummy.

  “YOU JUST HAD A BABY!”

  “That’s what I keep telling her. Maybe she’ll listen to you,” Matt said as he picked up his towel and sat on the chair on the other side of Janie.

  “Take off you cover up Janie,” Katy demanded.

  Janie turned to look at Matt.

  “Please don’t gang up on me…I’ve looked at myself in the mirror. I can see what I look like and I just need to work harder I guess.”

  “You’re nuts!” Matt said.

  Janie could hear the slight irritation in his voice.

  “Yes,” he continued. “There is a tiny bit of jiggle still there but it was there after Ella too and after just a few weeks it was gone! And in just a few more weeks this will be gone too. But let me make sure you understand one very important thing. YOU. ARE. FABULOUSLY. BEAUTIFUL. AND. SEXY. AND. MINE!” he growled, grinning.

  “Bravo!” cheered Katy. “Well said!”

  “Now, take it off,” he nodded.

  Janie looked at her husband, her eyes pleading with him. He ignored them.

  “Please?” he whispered. “You’re so beautiful.”

  “Oh, fine!” Janie grumbled. She sat up and undid the tie at her waist and removed the garment from her body.

  “There! Happy?” Janie wore a black one-piece halter suit that dipped down her cleavage and really was quite sexy.

  “Very.” Matt grinned and leaned over to kiss her.

  Janie couldn’t help but smile at him.

  “You look positively perfect,” agreed Katy.

  The two women laid together on their chairs absorbing the Vitamin D.

  *****

  Paul and Tim sat at the pool after a boring game of miniature golf.

  “It’s not like I get to play very often,” Paul said.

  Tim snorted, “You just don’t like getting beaten. Well, slaughtered actually,” he laughed.

  Paul shook his head and ordered a coke from the waiter.

  “How long do we have to sit out here?” he asked.

  “I said I’d be here this morning, so hopefully she’ll come,” Tim shrugged.

  “And I have to sit here with you?”

  “Well, yeah. I don’t want it to look like I’m waiting for her.”

  Paul laughed. “But you are waiting for her.”

  Tim didn’t respond, just sat and waited for a girl he had met on the ship to appear at the pool.

  After several minutes two women were headed their way, one talking animatedly and the other just walking, not much of an expression on her face.

  “April!” Tim beamed, and stood.

  The ‘loud’ one, Paul’s immediate impression of her, smiled brightly and walked directly over to Tim. Paul closed his eyes and wondered what his brother was thinking. He wasn’t overly impressed.

  The other woman just stood there, looking quite lost and uncomfortable. Paul knew how she felt. He stood and took the few steps toward her and held out his hand.

  “Hi,” he smiled. “I’m Paul, Tim’s brother.”

  She took his hand and shook it quickly and replaced her hand at her side.

  “Nicole,” she said. “But everyone calls me Nic.”

  Paul escorted her to the chair next to April who was in deep conversation with Tim and not paying any attention to her friend. They sat down and Paul asked Nic if she wanted something to drink. She shook her head and looked all around the deck. Paul assumed she was looking everywhere but at him. He understood how she felt. This was awkward.

  “Sorry,” he said.

  Nic swung her head to look at Paul.

  “For what?” she asked.

  “It looks like we are to be the wingmen,” he smirked. “Or, in your case, the wing-woman.”

  Nic managed a weak smile. “Guess so.”

  They sat in silence for a few minutes. Paul watched her face. She wasn’t giving anything away in her expression.

  “So, where are you from?”

  “Virginia,” she replied.

  A few more minutes passed.

  “And what do you do in Virginia?” he asked.

  “I am a kindergarten teacher. Well, I was.”

  “Was?”

  “Budget cuts,” she frowned.

  “Ah, sorry.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “So what are your plans now?” he asked, genuinely curious.

  Nic shrugged. “I will apply for any positions at the end of the school year and see if I get lucky. Right now I work part-time as a waitress.”

  Ouch, thought Paul. An educated teacher working part-time as a waitress had to be distressing.

  “Where are you from?” she asked.

  “New York originally.”

  “And now?”

  “Well, I guess still New York,” he smiled. “Although I really don’t have a home base anymore.”

  Nic raised her eyebrows, obviously confused at his statement.

  “I’m in the Navy,” Paul explained.

  “Oh,” she said, disdain dripping from her tongue.

  Her response surprised Paul.

  “You don’t like the military?” he asked, ready to argue his decision to join the Navy.

  “Oh, I do. But I live in Virginia, close to a very large Navy station. I’m not impressed with Navy men. And believe me I have had enough experience with enough of you to say that with confidence.”

  Wow! he thought.

  “With all of us?”

  “Let’s just say that my personal experience with the Navy has been less than positive. The Navy men I have known over the years have not given the rest of you a real good reputation, and have taught me some valuable lessons.”

  Well okay then, he thought.

  “Please don’t judge all of us harshly,” he smiled. “We aren’t all bad.”

  Nic didn’t respond to his comment, just looked around the deck as more and more passengers were out enjoying the beautiful day and the pool.

  “So have you been enjoying the cruise?” Paul finally asked.

  Nic turned back to him and sighed. “Look, I understand this is an awkward situation for you. It is for me too. You don’t have to try to make small talk. I think I’ll make it easier on both of us and just go back to our cabin.”

  Nic stood and Paul immediately stood and took a step toward her.

  “Hey, I know this is weird, a bit awkward, but you don’t have to go. Let’s get some lunch. We don’t have to talk, just eat. It is lunchtime and you’re hungry right?”

  Paul smiled, hopeful she would accept his offer. He studied her as she considered his offer. Nic was an attractive woman. She was very attractive. But she didn’t smile much, giving her an appearance that might have been construed as stern, but he didn’t believe that. She did appear to be a serious person. And in her defense, the recent events of her life may cause one’s optimism to dim. Her hair was dark brown; an auburn color. Her eyes were brown and big and when she had smile
d, they had a brilliant sparkle to them. Her long eyelashes framed them perfectly. Her nose was an average size and shape and her lips were pink and plump. Her two front teeth were just slightly crooked and she had a sweet smile, when she smiled. He liked her face. And he didn’t want her to think that all Navy men were jerks.

  “Please?” he asked again.

  Nic’s expression softened. “Okay,” she smiled. “Lunch sounds fine.”

  *****

  At two o’clock, the three-on-three basketball tournament continued. The Lathem boys had fielded two teams; Tyler, Adam and Tim, and Derek, Mark and Ben. There were a total of eight teams competing and so their odds were good for one of them winning. And with Mark playing, a UConn champ, those odds were improved a little more.

  Most of the family arrived in support of their men. Maureen and Peter were playing bingo and Patty stayed with the children during nap time and Paul arrived after his lunch with Nic.

  “Who was that?” asked Matt.

  “Um, she is the friend of the woman Tim was attempting a hook up with. We both kind of got dragged along so we had lunch together.”

  “Oh, nice,” said Janie.

  “Eh,” Paul shrugged. “She doesn’t talk much. And she doesn’t like Navy men.”

  Paul sat down next to Matt and Andrew and Rory arrived and grabbed their chairs as the first game began. Neither of the Lathem teams was playing but they wanted to check out their competition.

  “Seems a bit rough,” Katy frowned.

  Derek was sitting next to his mom and scoffed. “It’s just the game mom. We’re men,” he grinned.

  Katy wasn’t convinced. She’d watched lots of sports over the years and this seemed rough to her.

  “It’s a pissing match,” she said to Janie. “Men having to be tougher than the others.”

  “Cavemen,” Janie chuckled.

  The game was soon over and there was only a little blood spilt. Next up was Derek’s team. He had enlisted Mark and Ben who were both more than happy to play. Derek was thrilled to have convinced Mark to play on his team with his college experience.