Page 35 of Hearts Aweigh
Abby walked over. “You’re not exactly dressed for the occasion.” She motioned to his white shirt and dress slacks.
“I took my tie off.” He waved a hand down the empty front of his shirt.
“By the end of the cruise, you might work your way into a pair of sandals.”
His gaze returned to his computer. “Hopefully I won’t be here that long.”
“Are you going to have your private yacht meet you mid-ocean?”
“Hardly.”
“My point is, if you put on a pair of shorts, you could join Madeleine and have some fun.”
His left eyebrow rose, but his focus remained on the screen. “Cavorting among ice-cold jet cannons isn’t my idea of a good time.”
Abby gave up. One voyage wasn’t long enough to fix the things that were wrong with this man. She retied the strings at the neck of her slicker and rejoined Amari.
“One more hour.” His teeth chattered. “If we live.”
“We’ll make it. The time will fly—”
A wave hit them from overhead, and Abby staggered to the side.
Amari shivered. “You were saying?”
“Excuse me.” Maddie wandered beside them.
Abby crouched down. “Are you having fun?”
She nodded.
“Do you need something?”
“No. I wanted to say hi.”
“Hi!” Abby held up both hands and waved them.
Madeleine copied her motion. “Hi.”
“Waaaaaaaaa—”
Abby’s head snapped up. She zeroed in on the whiny cry. The wannabe mountain climber vibrated in a crumpled heap below the hydrant, tears streaming. Abby raced to help Jason to his feet. Her heart pounded as she took inventory. No blood. She checked his head but couldn’t find any bumps. The pathetic bawling was more in line with a toddler than a seven-year-old. She suspected the fall had scared him, nothing more.
“What have you done to my child?” A voice roared from the distance as a woman in a two-sizes-too-small swimsuit and fishnet cover-up barreled over. She examined the boy’s arms and legs.
“Ughh, ugh, ugh,” he whimpered.
“I don’t think he’s hurt.” Abby laid a hand on his shoulder. “But I can call the doctor if you’d like.”
“Youdon’t think he’s hurt. What do you know? Of course I want the doctor!” She smacked Abby’s hand away.
“Yes, ma’am.” Abby hurried to the wall phone and placed the call. Afterward, she spotted Jason’s superhero beach towel lying in a sodden wad on the ground and retrieved it. She returned to the pair and offered the towel to his mother. “He dropped this.”
The woman grabbed it and dabbed at her son’s tears. “It’s okay. Tell mama where it hurts.” She scowled at Abby. “Where is that doctor?”
“I’m so sorry. He is treating an emergency in the sick ward. They’re sending one of our registered nurses. She’ll be here soon.”
“I don’t want a nurse. I want the doctor. What if my baby is seriously injured?”
