Page 34 of Too Far To Sea
The Polo shuddered as the niece turned into the pier yard just as the security team was wrapping up the boarding process. McKay hoped his absence and near late arrive didn’t cause too much of a stir.
“Cutting it a bit close there, Mac,” Martina remarked as he approached the checkpoint.
“Would you believe I lost track of time?”
“This port of call is the smallest one on this cruise, so no. I thought you’d at least be out with someone…” Ian, one of the greener team members, raised a suggestive eyebrow. The newest member of the security team had broken more than one crew member’s heart. During the last cruise, McKay had tried to get the newbie to focus less on romancing and more on work. Ian seemed intent on flirting with every female crew member onboard.
McKay set his things down on the conveyor belt feeding the scanner. He kept up the conversation to distract his coworkers. “Why, did you guys have a bet on where I’d gone?”
“One of the guys from the kitchen said he saw you take off in a car with two women. I told him it must be a rideshare. You aren’t the type to take off with two local girls for the day.” Martina didn’t even look at the screen as his belongings passed through. He’d need to make a note for Alvaro to remind security staff not to automatically trust crew members even if they knew them well.
“Rideshare.” Not exactly a lie. “I’d better go throw myself on Alvaro’s mercy before he cuts me loose.” McKay grabbed his bags off the belt, eager to escape.
Ian laughed. “You are his favorite, the golden boy. And with only a few days left, who wants to do the paperwork?”
McKay forced a chuckle as he beat a hasty retreat.
As he wove his way through the ship toward his cabin, McKay’s thoughts drifted back to Dana. Much as it pained him, using her as bait might be their best shot at drawing out their mole. He just hoped she could forgive him for putting her in such an uncomfortable position.
Balcony.
One single word could entirely change a cruise. Magic had happened in the mists. The window, the view; it was truly amazing. Some sprite had worked overtime.
Dana could get used to this life all too easily. No wandering around the ship searching for a comfortable place to sit while reading. No overhearing conversations she wanted no part of. No worries that Sheila would sneak up on her.
And sunlight! Or the enchanting gray fog of a misty morning.
And towel animals.
She’d returned after dinner to find a towel dog in the middle of her bed surrounded by her missing sheep. A cabin steward must have found them when they cleaned her old room. Odd, she’d checked everywhere, even under the bed before leaving. She took photos of the creation to send to Brit, Simone, and Dad.
If she’d had this room from the start, she might not have left it for most of the cruise. She almost wished she hadn’t agreed to meet her sister and the other bridesmaids at the evening show. Reading her latest historical romance and listening to the sea was much more appealing.
Dana closed her eBook app and stretched. She’d never thought of herself as much of an introvert, but the last few days on the ship she’d discovered how much she enjoyed solitary time. Now that she had a room with a view, she wished for another at-sea-day, or two. But the pink paper called. Tonight, the magic show.
Dana brushed her teeth and reapplied her makeup. She couldn’t put this off any longer. Time to go.
It wasn’t hard to find the bridal party once she neared the theater. Just follow the giggling.
“Dana?” Cheyanne jumped up and down and waved an arm. “I stopped by your room earlier, but I didn’t catch you.”
“Which one?”
“What do you mean, which one? The one I always stop at.”
“Oh,” her sister must not have gotten her text message. “There
was an electrical issue, so they moved me to a new room.”
“That is inconvenient.”
“Not bad actually, the room came with a balcony. Cruising got a hundred times better with that.”
“I know what you mean. The suite we are in has spoiled me for anything less.”
The line into the theater surged forward as the doors opened. Dana sat between her sister and Amy-Kate. The magic show was much better than Dana expected, and all the bridesmaids were in good humor. Erin and Renee spent the time giggling over someone they’d met. Lindie sat on the far side of the group, clapping the loudest.
The final curtain fell. As they were leaving, her mother approached. Dana broke off from the group so as not to ruin the mood.
