“Sorry. She’s on vacation. Is this an emergency?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll ring Dr. Marshall. Please hold.”
Moments later he heard Manon’s voice. “Chad Morgan here. I need to speak to Emma. She’s not answering her calls.”
“I know. She’s on vacation. Goodbye.”
“Don’t hang up. I know about the rumors flying around. I’ve been on location with no reception for the past several weeks.” He spoke so fast he wasn’t sure she understood.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Please let Emma know I need to speak to her.”
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean? Is she hurt? I’ll fly out at once.”
“Won’t do you any good.”
“Why not?”
“She’s leaving on a cruise tomorrow. A singles’ cruise. She boards ship in the morning from some hotel in Miami. I don’t know which one. I don’t even know if she took her phone.”
“What’s the name of the cruise line? Do you have any idea when tomorrow morning they leave?”
“I haven’t a clue. Just the departure date . I think it’s Caribbean Tours is the name of the line.”
“Thanks.”
“Just don’t hurt her,” Manon said.
“Not my objective.” He disconnected and hit the computer to look up the cruise site. Moments later, he dialed a number. “I understand there’s a cruise leaving from Miami tomorrow. A singles’ cruise.”
“We do.”
“Are there any cabins left?”
“There are several. One is a VIP suite.”
“I would like to book that one.”
The woman laughed. “Are you a VIP?”
“I could be. I want to book the cabin as a surprise for a woman who is taking the cruise.”
“Your name?”
Chad drew a deep breath. Time to take the plunge. “Chad Morgan but I travel under the name Ian Greve.”
“You’re joking.”
“Not at all. There are times when I want to go places under the radar. I’ve just finished a shoot and I want to spend some time with my girl.”
“What name is Valerie traveling under?”
“Not her. This is the real deal and not Chatter gossip.”
Moments later she spoke. “You’re booked. Will you make the departure time?”
“When?”
“Eleven AM,”
“I’ll be there. Another favor. Could you change Emma Grassi’s room to the luxury suite and put me in hers.”
“Done. Your information?”
Chad gave her the numbers. He hung up and scrambled to find a flight to Miami giving him time to take care of one little matter. He found one flight meeting his needs. The flight landed at nine forty-five AM giving him more than an hour to make the ship’s departure time.
After hanging up he made a call to Hollywood Chatters. “Could you have time to interview Chad Morgan?”
“About you and Valerie?”
“Not a word about that. This is a real deal. Has to be this afternoon. I have a flight to catch.”
She named a time. “Sounds good. I’ll meet you at our studio.”
He hung up, packed a suitcase, gathered all his documentation and hired a limo. After the interview he would have dinner and head to the airport.
* * *
When the phone on the night stand rang, Emma rolled on her side and reached for the receiver. “Hello.”
The canned voice of the wake-up call sounded in her ear. She hung up, stretched and dashed to the bathroom. She’d slept for eight hours straight, something she hadn’t done for months. After a shower, she dressed in the sundress she’d planned for the first day’s cruise. She folded her travel clothes and packed them in the overnight bag. After leaving a tip for the maid, she rode the elevator to the ground floor and joined several of the women she’d met yesterday for breakfast.
She had just finished her second cup of coffee when an announcement filled the air. “Passengers for the Caribbean Dream assemble in the lobby.”
Emma followed the three women. She held her overnight bag and slung her purse over her shoulder. She and the women joined the large group of people onto the buses. A thrill of excitement bubbled through her. She might find someone to chase all thoughts of Chad away. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to dream.
At the dock she left the bus and walked up the gangplank. In her hand she held all the documents she needed. A pair of ship’s officers stood at the head of the ramp. One took her papers and studied them and a list he held.
“You’ve been assigned to a different cabin. I believe you’ll like the change.”
“I hope my credit card will.”
He laughed. “There will be no extra charge. Your new room is on Deck A. Use those stairs.” He handed her the papers and a key card.
Emma followed the directions. At the cabin door, she used the card and entered. Her mouth gaped. Nor a room but a suite. A small sitting room opened into a bedroom and bath. A sliding door in the sitting room led to a balcony.
She noticed her suitcases had been set beside the bed. She lifted one and began unpacking. She glanced into the bathroom and saw a large shower, a sink and a commode. She placed the contents of her make-up case on the long counter where she saw a hair dryer, and a coffee set up. She returned to unpack her clothes.
Quickly, she opened the dresser and loaded in her shorts, tops, sleepwear and underwear. As she hung dresses, she heard a click. Someone deposited a large suitcase on the sitting room carpet. She sucked in a breath. She’d known the room change had been a mistake. She left the suitcase and stepped into the other room.
Her eyes widened when she saw the intruder. “What are you doing here?” Chad’s grin, the one that always turned her knees to rubber, flashed. She sank on the sofa.
“Do you really think I would let you sail away on a singles’ cruise? I love you. I spent two weeks doing scenes in an area without cell phone reception. I knew nothing of the promo Gregson arranged with the aid of the Storm director.” He pulled out his phone. “I want you to see this. Goes live tonight.”
“A Hollywood Chatters exclusive. Chad Morgan, tell us your news.”
“There’s a new star in the Storm universe. Keep your eyes on Lightning. I’m off to new ventures.”
“Are you saying you’re retiring?”
“You’ll have to watch the movie. But there’s a new direction in my future.’
“Explain.”
“A bad break in my left leg has made it necessary for me to wear this.” He pulled up his pants’ leg. “It won’t be forever but until I can go without it, I’m making a slight change in my career. A new company has formed and the first movie we’re making is Rob Grantlan’s Committee of Angels. I’ll be directing and starring in this medical suspense story.”
“How can you take such a step?”
“I’ve been studying film making for years and have taken courses.”
“Congratulations. When will the filming begin?”
“This fall but not until after I marry the woman I left behind. Her name is Emma Grassi and she’s a nurse practitioner in private practice.”
The clip ended. Chad slid his arm around her. “Will you marry me?”
She laughed. “After you announced your intentions of national TV what can I do but accept?”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” He captured her mouth in a deep kiss.
The End
Books We Love Books by Janet Lane Walters
Visit Janet Lane Walters’ BWl author page for purchase links
The Pisces Virgo Connection (Opposites in Love Book 6)
The Leo – Aquarius Connection (Opposites in Love Book 5)
The Cancer – Capricorn Connection (Opposites in Love Book 4)
The Gemini – Sagittarius Connection (Opposites in Love Book 3)
The Taurus – Scorpio Connection (Opposites in Love Book 2)
The Aries – Libra Conne
ction (Opposites in Love Book 1)
Seducing The Nurse
Discovering the Jewels’ Secret
Confronting the Wizards
Search for the White Jewel
Murder and Herbal Tea (A Katherine Miller Mystery)
Murder and Bitter Tea (A Katherine Miller Mystery)
Murder and Tainted Tea (A Katherine Miller Mystery)
Murder and Poisonous Tea (A Katherine Miller Mystery)
Murder and Mint Tea (A Katherine Miller Mystery)
Murder and Sweet Tea (A Katherine Miller Mystery)
Whispers From Yesteryear
Past Betrayals, Past loves
Seducing A Pair of Blakefield Friends
Seducing the Blakefield Sisters: Double Feature
Seducing the Blakefield Brothers
Seducing The Baker (At First Sight Book 6)
Seducing The Attorney (At First Sight Book 5)
Seducing The Doctor (At First Sight Book 4)
Seducing the Innkeeper (At First Sight Book 3)
Seducing the Photographer (At First Sight Book 2)
Seducing the Chef (At First Sight Book 1)
A Marriage Takes Two
Sanctuary’s Ending (The Goddess of Solunda Book 1)
The Children of Fyre (The Island of Fyre Book 4)
Dragons of Fyre (Island of Fyre Book 2)
Wizards of Fyre (Island of Fyre Book 3)
Temple of Fyre (Island of Fyre)
Pursuing Doctor West
Bast’s Warrior (An Alternate Egypt Book 1)
Horu’s Chosen (An Alternate Egypt Book 2)
Toth’s Priest (An Alternate Egypt Book 3)
Amber Chronicles
Shattered Dreams (Moonchild 1)
Rekindled Dreams (Moonchild 2)
Melodic Dreams (Moonchild 3)
Divided Dreams (Moonchild 4)
Forgotten Dreams (Moonchild 5)
A Double Opposition
Moon Summoned
Lines of Fire (The Guild House - Defenders Hall)
Code Blue
The Doctor’s Dilemma
Heart Throb
Books We Love Special Edition - Janet Lane-Walters
Gemstones
Choices
Healwoman
Young Adult books By J L Walters
Escape (Affinities Book 1 - Young Adult Fantasy)
Havens (Affinities Book 2 - Young Adult fantasy, Books We Love)
Searches (Affinities Book 3 - Young Adult Fantasy, Books We Love)
Confrontations (Affinities)
Janet Lane Walters was born in Wilkensburg, Pennsylvania on July 17, 1936, reported to be the hottest day of the summer. She has been a published author since 1968, beginning with short stories and moving into novels when an editor told her a short story sounded like a synopsis for a novel. In the 1970s and 1980s she published four sweet nurse romance novels. Then she returned to school to earn a BS in Nursing and a BA in English. Returning to work as a nurse to help put four children through college, she put her writing career on hold. In 1993 she retired from nursing and began writing again. A new nurse romance followed in print. Then she discovered electronic publishing and since 1998 has been electronically published.
Janet calls herself an eclectic writer since she moves from genre to genre. There are mysteries featuring Katherine Miller, a former nurse who seems to stumble over bodies wherever she goes. Using her interest in Astrology, she has several series that use Astrology as a premise for the stories. Once she earned enough money to travel to Ireland by casting charts for people. She has many books in the romance genre, some of them contemporary and nurse romance, while others fall into the fantasy or paranormal categories of romance. She is keenly interested in reincarnation and has used this as a jumping point for at least two novels. Two of her novels deal with alternate worlds using a love affair with Ancient Egypt.
Under her other name, J.L. Walters, she has written a YA fantasy series called Affinities. She has also written a non-fiction book with co-author Jane Toombs that won the EPIC Award in 2003 for best Non-fiction. During her career she has received other awards and has a number of great reviews.
Besides her four adult children, she has seven grandchildren. Five of them are the models for the YA series. The other two arrived too late to play a large role in the series. Four of her grandchildren are bi-racial and three are Chinese so the eclectic even invades her family. She has been married to the same man for more than 50 years. He’s a psychiatrist who refuses to cure her obsession for writing.
Forgotten Dreams Page 14
