by Chelsea Hale
“Fancy meeting you here,” a deep voice to her right said. She looked over, though she’d be crazy not to know the voice addressing her. Derek’s sideways glance felt like yesterday’s scrutinizing ones.
She straightened and pulled her shoulders back as she sat down. She wouldn’t let him see that he ruffled her feathers.
“Small world,” she said.
“And an even smaller ship.”
“Too small,” she muttered. While she uploaded the photos to her online storage, she typed an e-mail to her designer at The Edge, trying to ignore the man next to her.
“Aren’t you supposed to be back with Grams by now?” His voice cut through the air between them.
She studied the digital clock in the corner of her computer screen. “I still have twenty minutes. What are you doing here? I thought you were spending time with her.”
He gave a sheepish shrug. “I was, but she decided she wanted to rest after the lecture, so I came to get some…work done.”
“More work on your vacation? That’s just sad.” She shook her head playfully, turning back to the screen and checking on the status of her pictures uploading for the millionth time.
“Work doesn’t get to take a vacation.” He kept his eyes on the screen, typing so furiously she expected to see smoke rising from the keyboard at any moment.
“Ah. And what about the people who work? Are they allowed to take a vacation?”
“Not all of us can make money without doing anything on vacation.” His words came out choppy and low.
Her hands hovering over the keyboard stilled in the air. “I’m working during someone else’s vacation.”
He grunted in response.
She wasn’t going to be able to reason with him in a public place, and she didn’t want to attract attention in the quiet room. After typing her e-mail, she pasted a link to her online storage containing the pictures of her sketches. With any luck, there would be enough to approve her for work on the Tropical Line. Work on such a big account would move her career in graphic design to the next level.
“For the record. I like being a companion to others on their vacations, but this is work for me. So don’t delude yourself into thinking I’m getting a vacation for free. These vacations with companions are much more strenuous than what a true vacation would be for me,” she said to him. She pulled out her card reader and logged out of the computer, not waiting for a reply from him and walked straight toward the exit, hoping he’d spend the rest of the day working and away from her.
Mandy sat down by the big porthole and waited for Alice. She tapped her pencil against the paper. Nothing was coming. Nothing at all. The only thing that came to her mind was how bugged she was with Derek and his attitude toward her. What was she going to do about him? Picking up the pencil, she drew harsh lines around the paper.
A stormy sky came to life first, followed by mountainous waves, and finally a tossed ship in the middle of the storm. Drawing a tear in one of the big masts, she shaded and outlined and really made a mess of the entire picture. Pouring her emotions of the whole situation, she drew furiously, and when almost the entire paper was covered in some sort of storm, she looked at it with an objective eye. It was compelling, but it didn’t make her feel any better.
She tapped her pencil again, wondering what else she could put in her drawing. She thought about her roommates and the advice they might give to her if she could text them all right now.
Coco would probably go for a hike. Hardly something Mandy could do on a cruise ship. Jenny would bury herself in work. In fact, Mandy suspected Jenny used work to solve most of her problems. But work was Mandy’s problem—at least it stemmed from that. Derek was her client’s grandson. Burying herself in work wasn’t going to fix the problem with Derek. What would Liz say? She’d probably write out her frustrations with words instead of drawing. Of the three possibilities that one seemed the easiest to implement, so Mandy did.
On the margin of the stormy sea with ship on it, she wrote to sort through her feelings.
Drawing is not getting out my emotions. I’m going to sink. This is the worst experience I’ve had. I can’t stand being with Derek. He drives me crazy.
She paused. She had dealt with difficult people before, but Derek had a huge chip on his shoulder. She rolled her neck trying to come up with a solution as she finished writing.
But if I don’t win him over, his negative outlook could affect Alice’s review of my business. There’s only one thing to do. Pretend that he isn’t who he is. Pretend he is charming and sweet. I hope I can do it. Thankfully I only have to be nice to him for two weeks.
Mandy blew out a breath, her chest loosening as she read through her words. Perspective came through. This was two weeks. She could do this—she was a likeable person and could totally win him over. Alice deserved a phenomenal cruise and that meant ensuring Derek had a phenomenal cruise too. Mandy would figure out how to help Derek have a better attitude on the cruise, and she wouldn’t let him affect her anymore. Be nice no matter what he says. She’d do it all for Alice.
Sunshine seemed to break forth on her stormy picture—just a small ray of hope. She erased a very tiny circle in the sky, and added a small sunshine streak that reached from the sun to the ship. She turned the page and began doodling until her mood lightened and the stormy ship seemed far behind her.
Chapter Five
Derek leaned against the top deck rail and glanced around where the ship had anchored for their first port. He could see the tender boats leaving the shore to ferry passengers onto the mainland. He’d had to pay a higher fee to join the ruins excursion Grams and Mandy were going on, but it was worth it to keep an eye on Mandy. Her silly quote about new oceans and leaving the shore ran through his mind.
He shook his head and pulled out his cell phone. Finally some reception. He dialed Adam. Yesterday’s e-mails from him were vague. Derek suspected Adam had something to say but didn’t want it in writing. He wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not.
“Yeah, boss?” Adam’s voice answered.
“Anything yet?” Derek asked, focusing on the signal of the call and ignoring everything else. It was time for business.
“Nothing conclusive.”
“There has to be something you can tell me about Amanda Jones.” What was the point of a background check if he couldn’t get information? Maybe it was different when he couldn’t have her followed. The cruise ship cramped his style of information gathering. Derek should have started the moment Grams mentioned her name. Waiting had cost him.
“There’s plenty to tell. Just no dirt. Clean record. Not even a speeding ticket. Closest living relative is in Europe. She grew up all over but lives in Colorado with roommates now. She’s been running this business for five years, but no inflow of major cash that would send off a warning sign.”
“Any chance she’s hiding money somewhere?” There was a long pause. He’d found his moment. “Adam?”
Adam cleared his throat. “She has several European accounts. I’m still looking into it. It’s harder to access the information without cause.”
“How much money?”
Another pause filled the conversation. “A lot. She rivals some of your holdings.”
Mandy could have more money than he did overseas? “Swiss banks?”
“There are a few different countries. I’m working on it…but I’ll need more time.”
“When was the last deposit?” Derek asked, wondering if he really wanted the answer now that he was on Mandy’s trail.
“This week,” Adam said. “The details on the tracing should come in soon.”
“Fair enough. Keep digging,” Derek said. There had to be something he had on her. Why would she choose the age demographic if she wasn’t swindling women like his Grams out of their money?
“She got in a fight once at school.” Adam coughed like he was trying to cover a laugh.
Derek rolled his eyes. “You’re grasping now. But if you find
out anything else about her, I want to know.”
“You mean besides she’s twenty-seven and single. Her driver’s license picture looks like a model shot.”
He’d noticed her. The way her hair caught the sunlight and glowed. The way her bright blue eyes sparkled when she talked to Grams. She was beautiful. But that didn’t mean she was any less dangerous. “Just see what you can find. I’m keeping an eye on her.”
“I’ll bet you are,” Adam said, his voice sounding lighter.
Derek ignored Adam’s comment. “We’re on land for the day, so if you find something—anything—else, I want to hear about it today.”
“Will do,” Adam said, “And, this might not be a great time, but Kira uploaded pictures of Caden this morning, so if you want—”
“I definitely want to see them. Send them over.”
Derek hung up the phone and scrubbed a hand across his face. He could arrange business negotiations and have Adam on the phone pulling up mountains of dirt on the people he did business deals with in a matter of minutes. Adam had had Mandy’s information for days and still he was grasping at straws. Except for the European accounts. There had to be something he could find.
“Has Mandy arrived yet?” Grams asked. “We were going to meet up here, but I ran into a woman by the port services desk and she is coming on our same excursion and I want her to join us today. She’s waiting down on deck eight for an answer with the rest of her party.”
The information about Mandy’s European accounts flashed through his mind. He wanted to confront her about it without Grams around. Maybe this was his opportunity. “I’ll wait for Mandy here,” he said. “Go and tell your new friend to join us. The more the merrier.”
“You’re in a good mood,” Grams said, tilting her head. “Are you feeling all right?”
He kissed the top of her head. “Never better. I’m going to enjoy myself today.”
“I’ll be right back,” Grams said and walked away.
Derek pulled up an e-mail and clicked on several attachments, hoping the reception was strong enough that he could view them before they disembarked. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Mandy coming toward him. If he was going to ask her about her accounts, he’d need to win her over at least a little. He relaxed his jaw, wondering if she’d wait for Grams next to him or not.
“Morning,” Mandy said as she stood next to Derek. She took in his profile and strong shoulders as he buried himself in his phone. Grabbing the top deck rail, she stared toward the Mexican beach as the waves lapped against the shore, beckoning her to disembark.
She looked around for Alice, who had insisted on meeting Mandy at ‘their spot’ on the top deck after she took care of something.
“Are you looking forward to the excursion?” he asked her, still tapping on his smartphone.
She bounced on the balls of her feet unable to contain her excitement. “I’ve heard there are some amazing ruins. I’ve never been before.” Though she had been to Coba a few other times, her previous companions had preferred the beach excursions.
Mandy had made it a priority to not overrule her client’s preferences, but she hoped with everything in her that Alice wouldn’t mind physical excursions and hiking. Especially in the ports they were going to.
“Have you ever been to Europe?” he asked her, then paused. “I mean, as a companion do you travel all over? Have clients from overseas?”
That was out of the blue question. She tried to keep her face neutral. She’d only been a handful of times since her grandma passed away, and she wasn’t in a hurry to travel back there. “I went on a few Mediterranean cruises. My companions choose the cruise that suits them. European cruises…don’t end up being in their price range, generally speaking.”
He held her gaze longer, and she squirmed.
“Work?” she asked, nodding to Derek’s cell. “Port connections are a fast way to double your monthly phone bill in a matter of minutes.”
“Company phone,” he said, then looked up at her, inching closer. His gray eyes had a lighter ring toward his iris. Close up they looked less harsh. “There are other reasons to be on a phone besides work.”
“True. What’s the reason then?” She already knew he didn’t have a girlfriend.
He wore a smug smile and turned the screen toward her. She shaded the phone and saw a professional portrait of a newborn.
She squinted at Derek, though he probably couldn’t tell through her mirrored aviator sunglasses. “Ah. A different kind of work altogether.”
“Yes. For the parents.” He walked her over to the port side of the ship where there was more shade, allowing for a better view on the phone. He pulled up an online album and thumbed through the pictures.
“What a perfect baby. What’s his name?” Mandy wasn’t sure if she should pry.
“Yes. He is a handsome one. His name is Caden. He’s my assistant, Adam’s little boy. I’ve been waiting for the pictures to be uploaded, and they just came through.”
“Is this what you were checking for on the cruise computers every hour?” Mandy raised an eyebrow at him. Maybe she’d misjudged him.
He squinted his eyes. “Among other work-related things.”
“Ah. Using the baby as an excuse to check on more work when there is a full cruise ship to enjoy,” she said, goading him.
“Says the person who has her sketch pad out and uses her personal off-hours time to catch up on work.”
Her heart rate sped up. He’d noticed her during her off hours. That thought thrilled her just a little. “Touché. But in that case I am working on a cruise. This isn’t my vacation.” The words came out before she could process and reel them back in. They could be misconstrued in so many ways, especially if he told Alice about their conversation. “But I love my jobs. They’re great and flexible. It’s just not a vacation, you know?”
He nodded and pulled up the last picture. “I’m his godfather. They’ve struggled with infertility for years, and this was their miracle baby. I helped fund their different procedures, and they wanted to make me an honorary member of their family.”
“What an honor. What are you going to give him as a gift?”
He tapped the screen and the photo album disappeared. He pulled up another e-mail and typed a quick reply. It seemed a strange way to avoid her harmless question. He blew out a frustrated breath. “Normally I would have my assistant pick out a gift or just take care of it, but…” His voice trailed off.
“But it’s your assistant’s baby, so yeah, that’d be weird to have him pick out his own gift.” She looked out toward the land again. The palm trees rustled lightly in the breeze and the beach begged her to come spend an afternoon on the hot sand. The salty air mixed with a light smell of flowers wafted from the shore.
“It’s not just that. He knows my style on gift-giving.” He sighed. “It’s not like I avoid being personal. He does a great job of making things personal for others, but in building this company I haven’t been the one to make those decisions.
“Had I picked his brain on it before his wife, Kira, was expecting it would have been easy, but half the time I don’t know what he has sent as a gift unless I ask or get a thank you card telling me.” He put the phone in his pocket.
“So. Now you have twice as much to do, because you really want this one to be personal and you can’t rely on the person who always helps you make those decisions?”
He nodded.
Mandy bit her lip, thinking about the beautiful baby, and the parents who she didn’t know but who waited for so long to experience the joy of having him in their lives. Emotions pulled at her heart strings. She knew she could help. “I could help you brainstorm some ideas.” Or just do it for you.
He raised both eyebrows. “You want to help me? With my silly problem?”
“It’s not a silly problem. And it’s an easy one to solve.” She raised her chin in the air, and pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. If he couldn’t see he needed help on this
, then she wouldn’t bother offering to help him.
“Hmph,” he said.
“I just met a new friend,” Alice said, as she arrived next to them.
“That’s wonderful,” Mandy said.
“Her name is Betty, and she’ll be doing the same excursion we are. The rest of her group is doing a beach day, and she’s excited to know a friend on the tour.”
“We should get ready to disembark. Let’s go.”
“I’ll just meet you there, then?” Derek asked.
“Sounds fine.” Mandy waved her hand over her shoulder as she walked with Alice to retrieve their bags from their room.
Mandy hadn’t accounted for a reverse load. They were one of the first on the small boat taking them from the cruise ship to the mainland, and they were the last ones off. Alice didn’t walk slow, but they were stuck behind slower walkers.
It wasn’t a big deal, until Mandy realized it limited their seating options on the bus. She peered around Alice’s colorful sun hat and realized they would not get seats together. The bus ride was less than an hour to the ruins, but she wanted to talk to Alice during the ride.
What would Alice think if Mandy wasn’t by her, as her companion all the time? Especially with a hawk-eye grandson watching her every move, no doubt expecting her to leave Alice and enjoy a cruise to herself. Mandy looked around the bus again. There must be two seats together.
“Alice, you can sit by me, if you’d like,” a woman about the same age as Alice said.
“That’s Betty,” Alice whispered to Mandy. “Do you mind if I sit with her for the ride and we’ll meet up at the ruins?”
She nodded. “I’ll see you when we get off the bus then. Enjoy your time with your friend.”
Alice squeezed her hand. “Thank you, dear.”
Mandy’s chest filled with an immediate pang that felt suspiciously like loneliness as she moved down the aisle. It was silly. She wasn’t being replaced, and Alice wasn’t even her grandma, but over the last two days Mandy had established a connection with Alice, despite the attempts of Derek to prove her an unfit companion.