by Chelsea Hale
He reached for her hand, caressing it softly. “Would it be too much to ask to stand by you?”
She cleared her throat. “I’ll be with Alice for the entire day.”
“You won’t take your two-hour break?”
She shrugged. “It’s a full-day on the top deck—I wouldn’t do anything different if I did take my break.”
“Maybe we can walk around the deck together during your time off?”
She took a deep breath but her breathing still felt shallow. He wanted to spend time with her. An immediate thrill ran down her back. She still hadn’t processed him kissing her again tonight, and he wanted to spend time with her.
“I don’t want to neglect Alice,” she began.
“You won’t be by taking your scheduled break though,” he said.
She knew that, but did Derek finally believe that? “I can’t imagine why—”
He kissed her so lightly, she barely registered the touch. “Because I want to get to know you better, and this cruise is almost half over.”
She nodded, wondering if kissing would be involved during the two hours. She could enjoy the Panama Canal even if her eyes were closed through all of the locks while she kissed Derek. Her pulse sped up erratically. “I’d probably still want to see all of the locks. Maybe during my break I’ll use the walking path on deck four.”
“And you wouldn’t object to some company?”
“I’d love some company,” she said and she meant it.
Chapter Thirteen
Derek was sure he was more excited about Mandy’s two-hour break than she was. They’d been up since 5:00 a.m. and staked out a place at the front of the ship. He’d held their spot when Mandy went to get Alice, just before they arrived at the first lock.
He was fascinated how the new system used floating doors and how quickly each lock filled. He took a few time lapse videos with his phone.
Betty and her family stood close to them, and Derek didn’t mind that Mandy wasn’t talking to Grams the entire time. It gave him a few minutes to talk to Mandy.
“I’m glad you suggested we spend the day on the top deck,” he said, as they watched the second lock fill.
“I know I sound like a broken record, but for most people this is a once in a lifetime experience. It’s pretty incredible what people can build.” She sighed and looked forward.
He wanted to put his arm around her but glanced toward Grams and refrained. He didn’t want Grams getting the wrong idea. Or even the right idea. It was too soon to tell if it was worth alerting her senses about it. He liked Mandy, but they were still figuring things out.
The sun peeked out from the clouds, and the temperature immediately changed, bringing with it a warm sticky feel. Waiters from the restaurants walked around the top deck, giving iced wash cloths to guests. Derek took one and put it on his face, instantly cooling him.
Breakfast carts came by serving drinks and a continental-style breakfast spread. It made sense that many wouldn’t go to the restaurants for breakfast. They each grabbed a small plate of food.
A ship’s photographer came by as they finished their fruit and croissants. He took individual shots of everyone in their group, and then Grams and Betty took a picture together. Derek, Mandy and Grams grouped together for the next shot, and then the photographer mixed up the groups, taking a few of just Grams and Mandy together and then Derek with Grams. Finally, the photographer put Derek and Mandy together. Derek moved closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulder. It probably didn’t look as awkward as it felt with Grams and Betty watching.
They were through the third lock and into the lake. Derek took in the lush green jungles on either side of them. Mandy told some interesting facts about the new lock system and the Panama Canal, and he hung on every word.
After watching the scenery for a while Grams said, “Mandy, if you don’t mind taking your break now, I think I’m going to go play a game with Betty while we’re in the lake.”
Mandy nodded. “Of course. I’ll meet you in two hours. There’s still lots to see before today is over.”
Grams patted Derek’s arm. “Do you have something to do?”
“Don’t worry about me, Grams. Have fun with your friend.” He turned to Mandy once Grams left. “So, you’re still up for company on your break?” He drummed his fingers along the rail, not wanting her to feel obligated to it. Not anymore.
“It’s hard to play shuffleboard alone,” she said, her smile widening. “Can you handle some fun?”
With her? He could handle anything. “Sure,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t sound too eager.
Mandy coached him through how to play as he slid the disk across the deck. It took him a few tries to get the force just right on his cue. He pushed too lightly at first.
“Give it a little more muscle,” she encouraged.
He pushed harder, and the disk sailed down the deck to the next shuffleboard court.
Mandy walked with him to retrieve it from the other triangle. “Wow. If this was your score zone, you’d be winning.”
“This isn’t my game,” he said as they walked back to their court.
“You’re getting the hang of it.” She pushed her disk toward him, knocking him out and getting points. “What is your game?”
“I don’t usually play games.”
“I’m guessing you’re a chess player then.”
He stopped. “I used to play chess with my grandfather. I visited him at work once, and during lunch we played a game.” The memory resurfaced and he remembered how smooth the wooden pieces felt. The small travel set still sat on his bookcase at work. “Lunch ended but our game hadn’t. He called his secretary and told her to reschedule his afternoon meetings because he was not to be disturbed while he was having a meeting with me.”
Mandy laughed. “Sounds like your grandfather was amazing.”
“He was,” Derek said, wishing he was just like his grandfather. But work was faster paced. No way would his grandfather take that kind of time off work now, if he were alive. His grandfather pushed Derek hard, and he needed to push himself harder just to keep up with his own expectations.
She took her turn. “Your Grams is really great too. You’re lucky she lives so close to you.”
“She lives in Long Island. I’m in Manhattan. It’s amazing how far away those two places are. I see her when she comes into the City. She’s on the board still, and she comes to the office when there’s a big meeting or when she needs to make a social appearance.”
“You never visit her on the weekends?”
He knew Mandy wasn’t trying to poke at him, but each question felt like an accusation. She was just curious, but he felt the pang of not being there as often as he knew Grams wanted him around. “I used to. More before my grandfather died. But since then…” He sighed, then shrugged. “I’ve been in a busy season.”
She took her turn, then said, “Six years feels like a very long busy season.”
He didn’t respond, letting her words sink in as they finished the game. Maybe it was time to create a less busy schedule for himself. The way Mandy talked about her carefree life, he wondered if he’d missed something in his quest for becoming like his grandfather.
He checked his watch. There was still an hour left of Mandy’s break. “What next?” he asked.
“You’re still keeping a close eye on me and my schedule,” she said with a playful tone.
He moved closer to her, standing on the middle of the shuffleboard. “True. But my motivation is completely different now.”
“Is that so?” Her chin tilted up to him, her bright blue eyes sparkling.
He wanted to kiss the smug little smile off her face.
“Are you guys done with the shuffleboard?” a teenaged girl asked next to them. “We’d like to play.”
Mandy stepped back from Derek, and he immediately felt an emptiness, even though they hadn’t kissed. “The court is all yours.” She handed her cue to the girl. “Have fun.”
They walked around the deck to the other side. The view was about the same. More jungle and trees. The bird calls sounded different here. Not that Derek heard many exotic birds in New York.
Mandy stopped in front of two vacant deck chairs. “Ready for your next adventure?” She grinned at him.
“What do you have in mind?”
“This is my favorite spot on deck four. This exact spot.”
They weren’t quite at mid-ship. “Why this spot?” he asked, intrigued.
“I suppose anywhere along here is good. When it gets really hot on the top deck it’s nice to have some shade down here. It’s peaceful and quiet. I come here in the mornings after my workout and soak up the view of the sunrise.”
“Before your companions are awake?”
“Yes. We’ll come out here in the middle of the day sometimes, but in the mornings, it’s just me. And the ocean.” She patted the lounge chair next to her and put on her sunglasses. “Try it.”
He’d have to remember that if he ever wanted to see her in the mornings.
He laid back. Her aviator sunglasses covered her eyes, making it impossible to tell if she had her eyes open or not. She faced straight forward, toward the lake that was sandwiched between the locks.
“Now what?” he asked, after a few minutes of trying to be comfortable and watching the scenery.
She turned her head to him. “What do you mean?”
He looked around. “Do we talk? Do we go get a drink? What are we going to do?”
She raised her sunglasses, revealing an arched eyebrow. “We’re doing it.” She put her sunglasses on again and resumed her position of staring forward. “It’s called relaxing. You should try it sometime.”
“I relax.” His voice sounded like he had no clue what the word meant.
At that she laughed hard. “We’ve been on a cruise for a week now, and I’ve yet to see you really relax.”
“I played the trivia game, and won.”
“Yes, you did. But is that relaxing when your brain is still working and stimulated by the questions?” she teased.
Sitting next to Mandy and watching her didn’t make his brain stop working. It was on overtime.
“Why pay money to go on a cruise, if you’re just going to sit?”
“You’re paying for the atmosphere. And the service. And to see the world. You don’t have to be productive all the time.”
“Says the woman who works on every break,” he teased.
“That’s different, though, and we’ve gone through that. I’m working the entire time I’m here. I’m not on my vacation. I’m on Alice’s vacation. There is a huge difference. I have sketches that are due when I travel. It’s part of what I do. I’m showing you how to enjoy a vacation. Now, try it. Relax.”
His nerves fired all over the place. He was just sitting. Wasting his time. He watched the lake. At least the scenery changed a little from when they were on the ocean, but still after a minute he’d seen the same thing again. Trees. More trees. A few boulders.
If he was going to relax he should at least be learning something. He took out his phone.
“Try a few minutes without it,” Mandy said. “I’m not saying you have to sit and do nothing to relax, but let’s enjoy the view and talk. What’s on your mind?”
He rolled his eyes but put the phone back in his pocket. “So you sketch for a job, right?”
“I do freelance designs. Right now, I’m trying to get on the Tropical Line at The Edge. I travel enough, and see enough places and landscapes, I thought it would be right up my alley.”
He couldn’t imagine what work would be like if he only did freelance work. It didn’t compute with him. “Do you like it? Is it working out?”
She shrugged. “It pays the bills, and I do enjoy it, but sometimes it’s hard to balance everything. Art can’t always be rushed. But deadlines still happen, and I find myself getting stressed when I have such a limited amount of time to get them done in between trips and during my free time.”
“Why aren’t you sketching now then?”
She gave him a half smile, and he wanted to kiss her lips. “I’m trying to teach you how to relax.”
He laughed. “But you aren’t always going to be doing that. I mean, traveling, right?”
She pushed her sunglasses on to the top of her head. “I don’t have plans to stop. I’ve only been doing this for five years.”
“But, are you making a career out of it?” he asked. It wasn’t a grown-up job. “Once your art takes off, would you just focus on that?”
Her brows drew together. “It’s not one or the other for me. I like being a traveling companion, and I love my art. I’m not giving up on either of them. I’m just trying to figure out how to balance them. I make a difference when I travel with others. They want to travel without being a burden on their busy family members. So I help them see the world. I like helping others.”
He could feel her defenses rising, and he needed to smooth things out. “And you’re good at it. Grams is having a wonderful time.” And he knew that was in large part because of Mandy, and it had almost nothing to do with him. He breathed heavy at the realization.
Mandy enjoyed going through the rest of the Panama Canal locks with Derek and Alice. Especially Derek. At the Bridge of the Americas they took selfies together, and Derek even took a goofy picture with her. For all of his stuffiness, he had a side to him that was a little more carefree, and Mandy loved to pull that out of him. He needed it.
That evening after Alice went to bed, Mandy stayed up to sketch. She’d need to work for at least two hours to make up for this afternoon’s lost time, but she didn’t regret it. It was amusing watching Derek squirm as he tried to relax for longer than thirty seconds.
She’d pondered their conversation throughout the whole day. He had asked her about her career plans, whether she wanted to pursue her travel or her art. Was he wondering if she was willing to settle down, or was he trying to find out if she was committed as a traveling companion?
It could go either way with him, and she enjoyed being a companion. But being with Derek made her pause on her carefully laid plans.
Maybe he was interested in her future plans because he was interested in being part of her future. She loved the connection that being a traveling companion gave her, but as she had sat next to Derek this afternoon, she wondered if being next to him all the time would be enough. It certainly filled lots of places in her heart that she hadn’t realized were even empty.
She closed her sketch book. One thing was certain. This next week on the cruise would be much different from the last one.
Chapter Fourteen
“Fancy meeting you here,” Mandy said to Derek when she walked into the gym the next morning. Giddiness washed over her.
“Are you following me? I was here first,” he joked.
They talked for a few minutes and then worked out. Mandy wasn’t surprised when they each finished their routines at the same time. She grabbed a water bottle.
He held the glass door open for her and they exited the spa area. “I thought I’d try that thing you do on the walking deck.”
“You want me to beat you at shuffleboard?”
“I was thinking about doing the relaxing thing in the chairs. I’m starting to get the hang of it.” He winked at her.
“Want some company while you relax?” she asked hopefully.
“Only if it’s with you.”
They found a quiet spot on the deck and chatted and laughed together for an hour. He told her more about his job in New York, and she shared different travel experiences and information about her roommates. Their time together passed too quickly, and Mandy hurried to get ready for the day so she could see him at breakfast.
At breakfast Derek looked through the itinerary for the day. After discussing some of their options, Derek said, “Look, Grams, they have a dancing class after lunch. Mandy, have you been to them before? Are they good?” Derek was being pro
active in coming to classes with Grams and spending more time with her.
“I’ve attended a few times,” she said, not admitting that it was usually during her time off hours as her previous companions weren’t big dancers. “The instruction covers all levels of dancing and they make it fun.”
“How about it, Grams?” he asked.
“You know I always love dancing with you, Derek,” Grams said. “And afterwards there is another trivia game and Betty wants to join us for that.”
“Sounds great,” Derek said.
They spent the morning swimming and watching an old movie on the jumbo screen overlooking the pool. Mandy wrapped up in a towel in her lounge chair.
“This is one of my favorite movies,” Alice said, sitting between Derek and Mandy.
Somewhere in the middle Derek wandered off. Mandy didn’t wonder where he went for long. He reappeared carrying trays of fries and three soft serve ice creams. He handed them to her and Alice.
“How sweet of you, dear. Thank you,” Alice said, then laughed. “I see that your choice of dessert is refined, as ever.”
“What can I say? It’s good ice cream. You can’t get the good soft serve just anywhere.” He wiggled his eyebrows and settled into his lounge chair and began eating.
“I’m surprised you only brought one for yourself,” Alice said.
“Grams, I couldn’t carry more. It’s bad form to make me admit that I already ate one while I waited for the fries.” He laughed.
“Wait,” Mandy said, leaning forward so she could look at Derek. “Are you telling me you prefer the ice cream on the top deck to desserts in say, a fancy French restaurant?”
“What can I say? I like what I like.”
“And what’s your average per day that you’ve had on the cruise?” Grams asked.
“Four or five—but they’re small.”
Grams turned to Mandy. “One year for his birthday he wanted a soft serve ice cream machine so he could make his own ice cream. We thought if he ate too much all at once maybe he wouldn’t eat it after that.”
