Love on the Lido Deck

by Barbara Oliverio

My mother hooked Mr. D’Ag’s arm to join them, and the others started to follow, chattering about the show. She turned to me.

  “Keira? Are you joining us, or are you and Juliet going up early?”

  I didn’t want to tell her that Juliet and I were meeting Langston and Owen and start another round of questions.

  “Something like that. See you for breakfast?”

  “Sounds good, dear,” she kissed my cheek. “I’ll see you in The Commons Cafe.”

  Juliet and I watched them leave, then we left to find the Piano Bar for First Date Part Two.

  The Piano Bar was located on Deck 6, so we didn’t have a long trip. Juliet took advantage of the journey to assess our dates on the way.

  “They’re nice guys, aren’t they, Keir?”

  “Sure, from what we could learn in that brief time, I guess.”

  Juliet stopped in her tracks.

  “No, no, you’re not going to go into that hyper judge-y mode, are you?” she asked. “How did they fall short of the measure?”

  I laughed. “No, nothing like that. I mean that we really didn’t have time to get to know them, that’s all.”

  “Uh-huh,” she pursed her lips. “I’m not buying it. I know you too well. What could possibly be wrong with them that you already figured out?”

  “Seriously ... nothing! You saw me. I was just distracted, and I don’t feel that I got to know them, that’s all.”

  Juliet resumed walking, then whipped back toward me.

  “Well, you seemed like you were going to call it quits after the Sports Bar. What made you think you wanted to give them a second chance?”

  “I TOLD you. I was distracted and felt that I owed them another opportunity.”

  She searched my face, then started walking again.

  “Okay, I’ll buy it. Remember, we’re not marrying these guys just because we enjoy a tune in the Piano Bar with them. The music in this bar can’t be that magical.”

  When we reached the door to the bar, we could hear the strains of Train’s “Marry Me” filtering through.

  Doubled over in laughter, we entered the intimate venue and searched for Langston and Owen. They hadn’t arrived, so we took two stools at the bar encircling the piano. The piano player launched into the next request, with the crowd joining in.

  “This is fun, isn’t it?” Juliet said over the merrymakers.

  I nodded, looking toward the door to see if our dates were anywhere nearby.

  Juliet swatted my shoulder.

  “Stop! We said we’d be here after the show, we didn’t give a precise time. They can’t be late for a time that wasn’t set.”

  “I know, I know,” I said, but my mind had wandered back to Brennan McAllister and his accusations of MY tardiness. Well, I’d show him the next day.

  “Keira, what are you thinking? Your face is positively murderous!”

  “What?” I came back to the present and shook off those thoughts. “Nothing. Must just be the lighting. Come on, let’s think of a request.”

  I flipped my hair back over my shoulders and grabbed the sheet of songs that the piano player had on the bar. We were studying the list when I heard a voice over my shoulder.

  “Ah, the lovely Keira and Juliet.”

  We turned, smiling, to find Langston without his brother.

  “Langston! But where is Owen?”

  “I’m afraid when my brother and I made the plans with you two, he had forgotten he had promised to Skype with our favorite aunt,” Langston said smoothly. “Surely you two are not disappointed with only having the lesser of the two?”

  Hmm. Who would pay the exorbitant online costs at sea, and what favorite aunt would not have encouraged her single nephew to cancel a brief electronic visit and instead court a lovely young woman? Not any aunt of a young man of marriageable age that I had ever met. Of course, we couldn’t exhibit disappointment.

  “No, we totally understand!” Juliet said. “We’re glad to have you to ourselves to chat with this evening.”

  I concurred. “It will be our honor.”

  Langston’s black eyes flashed and his giant smile showed off blinding white teeth.

  “Great! So, have you lovely ladies chosen a song request?”

  He leaned forward and put his arm around Juliet.

  Ah. I got it. I knew exactly which lovely lady he had his eye on. And if I had any doubt, it was sealed when he scooted between us and faced Juliet directly.

  I smiled to myself and spun around on my stool to give him more room. I’d give it a moment or two, then excuse myself. Juliet didn’t need a chaperone; woe be unto Langston if he had any wild ideas. I suppose I should have been hurt in some way, but I wasn’t. I realized that if Owen had been there, I probably would have become bored at some point anyway. He was nice enough but kind of bland. Better that he kept his “date” with his aunt.

  After a suitable amount of time, I hopped off the stool and managed to catch the attention of the flirtatious couple.

  “Hey guys, I’m sorry to bug out on you, but I really want to get back to my stateroom and get things ready for tomorrow.”

  “Do you need me to help?” came Juliet’s cursory offer. I debated on teasing her a bit by telling her that I would love her to help, but I was straightforward.

  “No, Jules, I got this.”

  “Oh, but Keira, we want you to stay,” said Langston. I almost believed him, he was that good.

  “Oh, Langston, I think you have more than you can handle with Jules, there,” I patted his shoulder. “You kids have fun.”

  I left the Piano Bar, suddenly relieved that I wasn’t going to have to make small talk for the next hour or so.

  Chapter Thirteen

  My eyes sprang open when my travel alarm buzzed the next morning. After a quick shower—I still marveled at how tiny the shower stall was—I dressed in the Keira Graham Events uniform, applied my makeup, and pulled my hair back into one of my trademark ponytails. Glancing in the mirror, I saw myself as I wanted others to see me: confident, knowledgeable, and prepared.

  I gathered the materials I’d need for the events of the day as well as the day’s Lodestone and made for the door when I took a peek at my watch.

  Forty-five minutes early.

  Well, I could sit in the stateroom. No. It was lovely but a bit cramped with my personal traveling materials fighting for space with the event materials. The balcony was always an option, but I felt like going a bit farther afield.

  Early to the cafe? A possibility, but I was feeling even more adventuresome.

  I strolled down the passageway to the interactive map by the elevator and scanned it.

  Aha! I entered the elevator and made my way to a tiny part of the forward deck that looked quiet and secluded and might capture the morning sun. Alone on the small deck, I made myself comfortable in a lounge chair and pulled out the day’s itinerary. I would spend about a half hour preparing for my day in this charming spot, then I would descend to meet my mother for breakfast.

  Lost in my paperwork, I was nearly startled when a voice interrupted me.

  “So how did you manage to find my secret thinking space?”

  “What brings you here, Brennan?” I shaded my eyes to view my intruder.

  “Oh, I like to start my days up here,” he said as he pulled a lounge chair beside mine. “It’s one of the only spaces on the deck of the ship where I get fresh air and a minute to breathe.”

  “What? I would think that you’d want all your adoring fans swarming around you at all times.”

  “Oh, I do, I do.” He leaned back, with a cocky grin on his face. “But I have to build up an air of longing and desire, you know.”

  Whatever.

  Oh well, I didn’t have to talk to him just because he was there.

  I should, though.

  No, said my inner petulant voice. After his smart-aleck attitude toward me in front of Alex and Cam, I didn’t owe him anything. I focused on my papers.

  I couldn’t
help but sneak a sidewise glance, though. He was comfortably settled back with his hands clasped above his head and ankles crossed. Rather than his usual Cruise Director duds, he had on shorts and a random T-shirt. He could easily have been mistaken for any passenger. Tanned and healthy, his brown hair had natural blonde streaks that glinted. I presumed his blue eyes were closed behind his shades.

  “What, Keira?”

  Darn it. He caught me looking at him!

  “What do you mean ‘what?’” Great. I was suddenly twelve years old again.

  His dimples flashed.

  “You looked over here. Do you have a question?”

  I decided that the best defense was an offense.

  “If you must know, I was looking at the Lodestone and was going to ask you what the deal was with this ‘70s night.”

  Smooth. Like anyone couldn’t have figured that out based on the name of it.

  “That.” He sat up. “That is one of my favorite activities! The whole crew dresses in throwback, and we encourage the passengers to do so as well. We have a parade in the Promenade, then it breaks into fun music, lots of dancing. Hey, you know what?”

  Suddenly I did not want to know what.

  “You and Juliet are part of the crew. You should participate in the parade with the crew!”

  “What! We don’t have any ‘70s costumes with us!”

  He shook his head. “That won’t be a problem at all. Check with Neil—she’s the crew member who led the line dancing on deck the first night.”

  “From New Zealand?”

  “I see you DO know Neil. She’s my second in command and will be able to hook you up.”

  “Seriously?”

  He became more animated.

  “Absolutely,” he affirmed, then looked at his watch. “Look, I have to get to a meeting. I’ll have Neil find you and get you set up, and then I’ll see you at the beginning of the parade.”

  “What about our daily meeting? Won’t you see me there first?” I stopped short of saying “And I’ll be on time, AGAIN.”

  “You’re right.” He snapped his fingers, then pointed at me as he walked backward away from the area. “The report you handed in last night was top-notch. What do you say you just generate a report like that one and drop it at the purser’s desk, and we’ll see if that works for today.”

  He disappeared around the corner.

  Huh? After all the clatter yesterday about that report and today’s meeting?

  I looked at my watch and realized that I needed to hop if I was going to meet my mother for breakfast.

  My logical mind could not process what had just happened. Oh, well, I shrugged. I just needed to remember to stay in Brennan McAllister’s good graces if I wanted to get good feedback from the cruise line, no matter how oddly he acted.

  “Over here, dear!” Mrs. D’Ag waved me toward the small grouping of couches and short tables outside The Commons Cafe where she and my mother had settled, rather than sitting at the regular tables.

  “This is nice.” I kissed them both. “Where are the others?”

  “It’s just us. The rest have gone somewhere to eat mass quantities of giant pancakes or waffles or something,” my mother said. “Go in and get your breakfast and join us.”

  I grinned. I was sure that if the guys were engaging in a pancake-eating competition, Alex would be right in the thick of it. I couldn’t imagine her dad and Russ participating in it though.

  When I returned with tea, fruit, and a bagel, Celia had arrived.

  “Were you involved in the pancake-palooza, Celia?” I asked.

  “What? Oh, no. I went for a walk around the jogging track on Deck 5 before coming here. Is that what those guys are doing?”

  “I think your father-in-law and Russ are even involved, and Alex.”

  “Well, of course, Alex.” We laughed. Growing up with two brothers, Alex had always felt a keen sense of competitiveness.

  “Do you know how many competitive activities she dragged me into at college?” I asked.

  “Please don’t tell me you girls competed in anything unladylike!” my mother said.

  “The Graham name remained intact,” I assured her. I decided to tease her a bit. “Wet T-shirt contests don’t count, do they?”

  “Keira!”

  “What?” My face was pure innocence.

  “Relax, Mrs. G.” Celia patted her knee. “You know these two girls must have been the poster girls for proper behavior.”

  “Well ... mostly proper,” I continued to egg her on.

  My mother shook her fist jokingly and laughed.

  “So what are you folks doing to pass the day at sea?” I asked.

  Celia pulled out the Lodestone.

  “Well, speaking of competitiveness, I see that Anthony has highlighted every contest on the schedule today, so I assume he wants to participate in each of those. General trivia, ‘80s trivia, progressive trivia—”

  “I sense a theme,” I said.

  “You know this family and trivia contests. Other than that, I think we’re going to try out the zip line.”

  “The zip line?” asked Mrs. D’Ag.

  “You can see it on the tippy top deck. It’s the one above the boardwalk on the other side of the deck we’re on now,” I said.

  “Oh, the side with the carousel,” she nodded.

  “Right.”

  She turned to Celia and grabbed her hand. “You mean that rope that goes all the way across the ship? You’re going to slide across that?”

  “Mama D., it’s safe as anything. Little kids do it!”

  Mrs. D’Ag shook her head. “I guess so, but it just looks so high!”

  I reassured her. “They lock you in with a close-fitting, tight harness, and it really doesn’t go all the way across the ship, just across that part of the deck.” Although, come to think of it, that part of the deck was as long as the decks of most smaller cruise ships! “It’ll be fine. Come on, you have to come and take pictures.”

  Mrs. D’Ag shuddered. “I could come watch. I suppose it will be nice for the babies to have one last picture of their parents.”

  “Mama D.!” Celia and I cried in unison.

  She turned to my mother “Are you going to witness this craziness?”

  “Well, Angela, who am I to miss that? Russ and I are going to attend the art lecture a little later, then play some bingo, but we’ll catch up with the group there if they tell us when they are going to dangle for their lives.”

  At that moment, the pancake crew joined us, laughing and joking.

  “Kiss me, my love,” said Anthony to Celia, “I am the champion.”

  “The winner by a flapjack,” said Russ.

  “I think I might place a formal challenge to the commissioner. Oof! I gained a ton!” joked Alex as she sat on the arm of her mother’s chair and rubbed her nonexistent belly.

  “Are you still claiming that your last pancake was thicker than Tonio’s?” Cam sat companionably next to me with his arm draped around my shoulders.

  “Uh, yes,” Alex said.

  Celia broke in with her usual calm. “Okay. Enough of this flap.” Groans all around at her poor pun. “We were just comparing plans for the day,” she continued, unperturbed.

  Moments passed as plans were discussed and confirmed, and people left to begin the day’s activities. Soon Alex, Russ, my mother, and I were the only ones left in the cozy chairs.

  “When will we see you again, Keira?” asked Alex.

  “Well,” I looked at my schedule. “I think I’ll be tied up all day with the event, but I’ll be ready for dinner. What shall we do tonight?”

  “I see there’s a ‘70s parade on the Promenade Deck afterward,” said my mother. “I wonder what that is?”

  “Oh! I almost forgot! It’s supposed to be fun, I guess.”

  “You guess?”

  “Well, the crew dresses in throwback ‘70s costumes and parades through the Promenade Deck. Then afterward they play ‘70s music for ever
yone to dance to. Passengers are encouraged to look as ‘70s as possible, too!”

  “Awesome!” Alex said. “I bet we have enough stuff between us that we could look ‘70s. Juliet could definitely pull off a Foxy Brown look.”

  “Well ...”

  “Oh, come on, Keira, you have to come out with us.”

  “No, it’s not that.” I dreaded the response to what I would say next. “It’s that Juliet and I were asked to sort of ... be ... in the parade.”

  A chorus of disbelieving reaction followed.

  “And when were you going to tell us this?” asked my mother.

  “I’m telling you now.”

  “Uh-uh. You have to tell us exactly how this happened.” Drat. I knew Alex wouldn’t just let it go simply. I blew a stray wisp of hair out of my eyes and began.

  “I ran into Brennan McAllister this morning—”

  “What! Your nemesis? Where?”

  “You realize this is why I hate telling you people anything?”

  “Ah, but you are such a good storyteller.”

  “Okay. I was up on a tiny little piece of the forward deck earlier, where it’s basically secluded and private, and who should appear but everyone’s favorite cruise director. He told me about the parade and said that since Juliet and I were part of the crew—”

  “Oh, I bet you loved hearing that.” Alex’s sarcasm was not well hidden.

  “SINCE Juliet and I were part of the crew, we should participate. He said we could come down and get costumes and get ready with the rest of them.”

  “I think it sounds like fun,” said Russ.

  I pondered. “It does, actually. We’re supposed to find Neil—remember the crew member who led the line dancing?”

  “The Australian?”

  “New Zealander. Anyway, Neil is supposed to get us some costumes.”

  “What does Juliet think about this?”

  “What does Juliet think about what?” The object of the question walked up at that moment, fresh from her daily gym workout, ready for work, her normal curls tamed into a more sedate bun, but with wrists full of jangling bracelets that accented her uniform.

  “Keira signed you up to be in the ‘70s parade this evening,” said my mother.