Page 109 of Love Overboard
He nodded.
“We have to get her to Cozumel before Jon McMillan leaves.”
“You mean, the new CEO Jonathan McMillan?” Peter paled even more, if that was possible, and backed away from the panel.
“How do you know about that?” Emily asked.
He ducked his head and lowered his voice to a whisper. “The captain entrusted me with the information, but he made me swear I’d keep my mouth shut. Please don’t tell him I told you.”
“Don’t worry, dear.” Her tone sweetened. “Stop the boat, and your secret’s safe with me. Plus, you’ll get on the new CEO’s good side. He will forever be in your debt. You’ll have a job for life.”
“But … but, Mrs. Windsor, even if we stopped, there’s no way for Lacey to return to shore. She can’t use one of the tenders.”
Emily took hold of the man’s elbow and steered him back to the control panel. “You take care of the stopping. I’ll take care of the transportation.”
He stood with his mouth opening and closing like a freshly caught sea bass gasping on the beach. She ignored him, took out her cell phone, and scrolled through her saved numbers. After finding the right one, Emily dialed and waited. Glancing at Peter, she shooed him away. “Go.” She pushed his arm as a voice on the other end of the line answered.
“Hello, Fernando?” Emily waved at Peter to hurry. “Do you still own that lovely little motorboat?”
Lacey cringed as the lime-green craft she’d hoped never to ride in again chugged alongside the MSBuckingham. She waited on one of the lower openings in the ship used to load passengers onto tender boats. Emily, Gerry, Althea, and Daisy stood behind her.
“No call for nerves.” Althea laid a hand on Lacey’s shoulder. “He’ll throw himself at your feet the moment you come into view.”
“Don’t be melodramatic,” Gerry said. “But I agree with Althea. He’ll be overjoyed, Lacey.”
Daisy gave her a well-manicured thumbs-up.
“Hurry, now.” Emily nudged Lacey. “We have to get going.”
“We?” Lacey stared at the four women. “Are you all coming?”
“Of course we are, baby.” Althea wrapped a polka-dot scarf around her head. “You can’t go without backup.”
Lacey tried to reason with them—as if that ever worked. “I might be able to travel faster alone.”
Emily motioned to her group. “You have almost three hundred years of experience standing in front of you, which is nothing to sneeze at. Let’s go.” She tossed her cane in the boat, tottered across the small gap, and grabbed Fernando’s waiting hand.
“Hola, Mrs. Emily,” he said. “It is good to see you again.”
“Likewise, Fernando.”
Lacey grasped the railing as she climbed into the motorboat, and the other three ladies clambered in after her. The trip to shore was a Shipper seminar on how to win your man. Emily coached her on being brave, even if Jon was a little cold. Gerry suggested several different apologies Lacey could use. Daisy tried to fix Lacey’s hair as the wind tore it to shreds. And Althea clapped her hands at how fast the boat was traveling.
They rattled up to the dock in Cozumel, and Fernando leaped out to help them onto the pier.
Althea patted him on the cheek as she exited. “Baby, that was the best boat ride of my life.”
“Thank you, Fernando.” Emily passed him a twenty-dollar bill. “Here’s a little extra for driving at top speed.”
“Gracias.” He bowed and waved goodbye.
“Let’s go.” She raised her cane like a general directing the troops.
Lacey caught her by the hand. “I should go alone from here. It’s a long walk down the pier, and I’ve got to hurry.”
“The story’s getting good.” Gerry frowned. “You’re not going to make us miss the big climax, are you?”
“Don’t worry.” Emily took off her jacket and tied it around her waist. “We won’t fall behind. Right, girls?”
