Super G

by Pepper Pace

  She smiled to herself in relief. When he turned to her again, he had a perfect omelet on a plate garnished with fresh herbs and thick slices of slightly fried tomatoes.

  Her eyes widened at the size. “That’s one big omelet.”

  He just smiled.

  “Will you eat half?”

  “No,” he said simply. But he picked up the plate and carried it back to the stove and right before she was going to complain about him taking it away, he returned it with half of the food removed.”

  “One of us will eat the other half later. But I have already had my breakfast,” he said. “Now, would you like to be served on the balcony or at the dining room table?”

  “Here is fine.” Before he could give her a disapproving look, she explained. “I don’t want my eggs getting cold while you carry it all around creation.” She picked up her fork and knife and cut into her omelet and tomato without seeing Gio’s suppressed laughter. He placed the platter of bread before her and then poured more juice into her juice glass and freshened her coffee. He left the room and then returned with the platter of fruit, which he also placed before her.

  “Excuse me, Sidney while I finish preparation for your excursion.” He headed out the kitchen.

  “Thank you for cooking breakfast,” she called.

  “My pleasure,” he said but thought, thank you for appreciating it.

  After breakfast Sidney resisted the urge to stack the dishes in the sink and instead went out to the balcony. She gazed down at the lower level where kids rode the carousel, families walked around carrying ice cream cones and couples enjoyed the warm weather as they walked hand in hand.

  Gio is the only person I know on this cruise ship, she thought. I need to mingle and meet people. She turned to the virtual assistant.

  “Assistant, what are todays shipboard activities?”

  The voice of the virtual assistant responded. “Tonight there will be a Captain’s formal dinner in the VIP lounge. Formal attire is required and black and white is the suggested theme. Dinner begins at eight pm. An Ice sculpting demonstration is scheduled on the lido deck, deck four. You have an open reservation for today’s show, Hanson’s Folly’s in the Mandarin Theater. Show times are one pm and nine pm. There is a VIP champagne art auction in the Champagne Galley on deck six beginning at six pm. French DJ, DJ Aleksi will be spinning tunes in the Countess Club on deck eleven at midnight. Live jazz will be performed-”

  “Stop, Assistant,” Sidney said. The black and white formal dinner would be the perfect opportunity to meet some other people. Maybe she would find someone her age to hang out with.

  Gio came out on the deck and stood beside her. “Are you ready for the excursion?” He asked.

  “Already? I guess I’ll try to go swimming when we get back. I definitely want to go to the Captain’s formal dinner, though.”

  “Would you prefer to go to the beach instead of on the walking tour? It’s at a cozy resort with watersports, masseuse, gourmet lunch-”

  “Or I could walk around a city that I’ve never even heard of before this cruise? I think I’m sold on the beach.”

  “Your wish is my command,” he said with a nod of his head before heading out the door.

  The walking tour was handled by a professional tour group, and he would not have attended the tour with her. The beach resort was different, though. His services would be needed to attend to his guest. Normally he would have preferred the time to himself while a guest went on their excursions, but he couldn’t deny the fact that he looked forward to spending the day with Sidney while was dressed in a bathing suit. “You may wish to pack for a day at the beach, Sidney.”

  She looked at him, liking the way her name sounded on his lips.

  “Nicco, call me back. I need for you to make a change to today’s itinerary.” Gio spoke into the telephone in the office. He was repacking his travel pack when the phone clipped to his belt rang.

  “You need to make a change this close to departure?” Nicco asked, his voice high with annoyance.

  “It is the guest’s prerogative,” Gio replied mildly, never mentioning the fact that the change was at his suggestion.

  “I don’t have time for this!” Nicco snapped. “You handle the change.”

  “But isn’t that your job?” Gio asked mildly while leaning against the desk. He couldn’t help the smile on his face.

  “You know how to handle it! Stop being an asshole. I’ve got enough of those to deal with!” And then the phone disconnected before Gio could add anything more. He just chuckled. Thank God Nicco had been rude enough to force them to change guests, or it might be him that was annoyed right now.

  Gio contacted his driver and explained the change of destination, and then he contacted the resort of his choice and sweet-talked his way into adding one additional guest to today’s itinerary. There was another resort that he worked closely with but although their accommodations were nice, they were also casual, and he wanted to go for stunning. If he was going to spend the day with Sidney, then he preferred to spend it looking at the expressions of delight that she would surely wear…and again, her in a bathing suit was just the icing on the cake.

  Chapter Seven

  “My God. She’s stunning.” Gio looked at the server as the two stood in the covered kitchen patio. He wasn’t leering, just making a general observation so Gio nodded his agreement.

  Sidney was relaxing on the beach in a cushioned beach recliner beneath a large sun umbrella. She was immersed in reading from an e-reading device. One leg was casually bent with the device resting on her thigh and yet she was as perfect as if she was a model posing for a photo shoot. She wore an orange one-piece bathing suit with a large brimmed tan and orange hat. A long, sheer orange and white cover rested on a nearby lounger along with her beach bag. Large dark glasses concealed most of her face, but you did not need to see her face to see a beautiful woman. The contrast between the orange of the bathing suit and the nearly black of her skin was captivating, particularly the way she glistened from her recent massage.

  Gio wished that he were sitting beside her on the lounger. He had retreated to the outdoor patio so that he wouldn’t be tempted to take her up on the offer to sit with her, as she would most certainly do if he lingered beside her for too long.

  She was kind in that way, without understanding how difficult it was for him to maintain a professional distance.

  Instead of standing and watching her from a distance, he wanted to be rubbing suntan lotion on her dark skin so that it stayed soft and glistening. He wanted to place fresh berries in her mouth and…

  He took the icy drink from the server who gave him a surprised look. “I’m the only one who serves her,” Gio said.

  Sidney was absolutely in love with the beach! She’d been a teen the last time she’d gone to a beach and that one had been crowded due to Spring break. This was no Spring break vacation. She’d already waded in the ocean and was tempted to take a ride on the water skis, but her swimming skills were not on point and she didn’t want to end up being a statistic for what not to do on vacation.

  She’d had a massage right on the beach, and then lunch of grilled lamb chops and fresh fruit, and she’d actually met some people. There was a French couple that was honeymooning at the resort. They were happy to practice their English on her. But they soon wanted to go off and have fun. She found several Americans, but they were with their families and she didn’t want to infringe on their time.

  It didn’t matter. She was having a good time and didn’t spend a second of it feeling alone or wishing that her life had gone in a different direction.

  “Another drink, Sidney?”

  She looked up, happy to see Gio. “Yes.” she accepted the drink. “I’m so glad you’re here today because too many more of these and I won’t be able to walk straight.”

  “I won’t let that happen.” He took off his sunglasses and stared out at the water. He was now dressed in white beachcomber pants that were rolled ne
atly up to his knees. He still had on the same blue polo but was wearing aviator sunglasses that made him look like he was a movie star instead of her butler.

  “Thank you for suggesting the beach,” she said. “What did I miss of that tour to Palma?” Because if she had taken that tour, she certainly would have missed seeing his naked toes covered by sand and him wearing beach comber pants. Now if only he would take off that shirt and get in the water so that she could watch the way it glided down his-

  “Spain does have a lot of history. People like the crooked cobblestone streets and the old townhouses. But my favorite is the gothic architecture. Le Seu is a Gothic Roman Catholic Cathedral that overlooks the seafront. Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca is its true name. But there are no shortages of Catholic churches and cathedrals in Spain and Italy. For the most part they are beautiful pieces of art.” Her toes practically curled at the way his tongue rolled over the accented words.

  “Do you like art?” She asked while peering up at him.

  “I love art and history, which makes working in Europe quite satisfying.”

  She smiled at that. If only she could say the same about her job.

  Before Gio could wander away Sidney announced with a yawn that she was ready to head back to the ship.

  “I have a formal dinner to prepare for and I have a feeling that I am going to need a long nap.”

  She was true to her word because a few minutes in the car and she was fast asleep.

  She was too stuffed to eat. Rich people didn’t really attend a formal dinner to eat, did they? They just wanted to look pretty. So maybe it was a good thing that she had eaten some of Gio’s delicious crepes filled with preserves. He’d packed sparkling water and for once she got to watch him eat as he and the driver chit-chatted quietly in Spanish as they took the long drive back to the ship thinking that she was still asleep.

  When he looked back and saw her staring at the scenery, he greeted her with crepes and sparkling water. It was the best way to wake up from a nap and almost unreal for her to remember that she was being driven around Spain accompanied by two sexy foreign men, that two days before she had never set eyes on.

  She was sitting at her dressing table styling her hair. Gio had laid out her gown a few hours ago before he had left to prepare for tonight’s dinner. He reminded her to use the phone if she should need him and then seemed to linger before finally leaving, announcing that he would see her in the VIP lounge.

  She hoped he would find time to get some sleep. He was awake before her and had gone to sleep after her and he was constantly on the move. Not that she wanted to think about this right now, but when she returned to her real life she would re-think her work ethic—and most definitely her job choice. She had to do something that she loved doing, so that she could do it as well as Gio seemed to take pride in what he did.

  After her hair and make-up were done to her satisfaction Sidney slipped on a black and white asymmetrical gown, which had discreet cutouts in the bodice. The cutouts showcased skin slightly bronzed by Fenty body lava. She applied her earrings and then slipped on black-strapped heels.

  This was a completely new ensemble and she walked back and forth in front of the mirror, more than happy at what she saw. She wasn’t Sidney Wyatt that could only afford a one-room efficiency because she worked a job that barely covered her expenses. For now, she wasn’t the woman that had been dumped by a cheating boyfriend that had married his pregnant ex-girlfriend. She was a mysterious, confidant American that could afford the most expensive accommodations on this cruise ship. No one knew her story and no one needed to.

  She grabbed a sheer shawl and her clutch and then headed for the VIP lounge where she hoped to find someone to mingle with.

  When she approached the lounge, two hosts greeted her at the entrance. She was about to pull out her black card but one of them greeted her by name. Were there mugshots of the VIPs somewhere in a backroom?

  “Hello Miss Wyatt. Welcome. Tonight, there will be one dining table and you will find your seat at your nametag. Please enjoy.”

  “Thank you.” As she headed into the beautifully decorated room, she could barely recognize it from embarkation day. Sparkling lights were carefully strung around almost every surface and there was a pianist dressed in a tuxedo playing a white piano. A violinist was nearby and together they created an atmosphere that seemed almost as if it was from a fairytale.

  She saw Gio standing in formation with the other butlers. When he saw her he took a double take and smiled in greeting.

  “Jesus Christ…” Paolo whispered. “I usually go for the small ones but…”

  “Quiet.” Nicco hissed. But Gio noted that he too, followed her with his eyes even though it was obvious that since his guests had arrived the woman had done nothing but vie for his attention. She had already approached him three times inside of half an hour to ask him some ridiculous question about the hors d'oeuvres, to request better champagne, ‘You know what I like Nicco.’ Nicco had practically cringed at that comment, and just a few moments ago had asked him to make an appointment for her for the spa tomorrow. ‘Certainly, Madam,’ he had replied without otherwise moving. It was clear to Gio and the others that she wanted his complete attention and equally clear to them that Nicco already despised her.

  Gio was happy that he would be ending his final year on the cruise ship with such a lovely memory of Nicco—and of course he would never forget his stunning guest. Maybe she would need a personal butler. He’d jump on that job no matter the number of famous movie stars and wealthy people that were waiting for him to take them up on their job offers.

  Sidney accepted a glass of champagne but barely sipped it. She saw the rich man and trophy wife at the hors d'oeuvres table and decided to bypass that for now. She saw another couple that appeared to be in their sixties. They seemed nice and in awe of the beautifully decorated room. She’d speak to them-

  “Hello Sidney.”

  Sidney turned in surprise at the easily recognized voice. No…it was impossible…

  She spun and stared into the face of the last person on earth that she ever wanted to see.

  “Wes…” He was standing there like an apparition, as if thinking about him earlier had caused him to manifest. “W-what are you…?” The air felt as if it had been knocked out of her body.

  “I know this is a surprise,” Wes said. She hadn’t seen him in months but the feeling that she got whenever they were in a room together seemed to flood her senses. Suddenly he seemed to take up everything. She couldn’t hear the pianist or the violin. She didn’t taste the champagne or feel the ambiance in the room. All that existed was Wes; tall, pale, lean and muscled and looking like a runway model wearing an expensive tuxedo.

  “I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time now,” he continued. “But you won’t talk to me. You don’t open my emails. You’ve shut down your social media. The only thing your friend Sheena would do was to give you my offer to take this trip. She wouldn’t even give you the letter I wrote-”

  “Oh my God.” She took a step back. “You followed me on this cruise!” She looked around quickly. “Is she here, too?!”

  “No. God no. I wouldn’t bring her here. We aren’t even together. Sidney, I annulled my marriage.”

  “Oh my God,” Sidney placed her hand on her forehead in disbelief. “You’re a stalker!”

  “Shhh. Please Sidney.” He reached for her elbow. “Honey, I’m not a stalker.”

  Sidney backed away from his touch.

  Paolo turned to Gio who was frowning. “Why is my guest arguing with your lady?”

  Gio tore his eyes away from the sight of Sidney and the tall blond man. He looked at his friend. “That’s your guest?”

  “Yes, the creepy American who sits and waits. That’s all he’s done this entire day.”

  Gio moved forward but Nicco stopped him. “It’s obvious they know each other, Anello. Don’t get involved.” He commanded. Gio looked at him uncertainly. “
Get back in formation.”

  He did but turned his attention back to Sidney, trying to hear their low, angry conversation.

  “Tenesha and I haven’t been together for a long time. And the baby is not mine.” Wes said.

  “What?” Sidney asked, still trying to make sense of everything that was happening. “Was the baby too dark to be yours?” She asked sarcastically.

  He was shaking his head. “She was born almost two months premature but was a full-size baby. I’m a stupid man, Sid, but not that stupid. The doctor confirmed that the baby was not premature. Tenesha tricked me into sleeping with her while she was already pregnant.”

  Sidney’s expression turned angry. “She tricked your dick into her body? That’s some trick!” She turned away but Wes gripped her hand.

  “No. There’s something I’ve never told you, Sid, something I’ve been ashamed to tell you-”

  She snatched her hand away from him, backing away as she raised her hands. “I don’t care, Wes. I don’t care about your secrets or your fake baby and your annulled marriage. You cheated on me and that’s all I care about.” She hurried out of the room. When Wes moved to follow, Gio finally broke out of line.

  “Anello!” Nicco called.

  Paolo followed, also ignoring Nicco. Gio reached Wes and grabbed his arm, swinging the surprised man around. Gio raised his finger, his face filled with rage.

  “No! You leave her alone!”

  Wes blinked in surprise but seemed to come back to himself. Paolo was immediately there. “Come, sir. Let’s get you a drink.” He led his guest back to the lounge although Wes had no choice but to follow as Paolo’s hands were firmly on him.

  “Sidney!” Gio called but she had already run to the elevator. He ran to the other set of elevators but even though they were closer to her suite it was crowded with well-dressed people attempting to get to their own formal dinner, so it took longer to reach the penthouse.