Page 54 of Hearts Aweigh
Like what? An employee? That’s what she was. If she’d expected anything more, she was the one in the wrong.
She took the envelope and fingered the flap. The evidence of his generosity bulged inside the paper. Would it be improper to slip the bills out and throw them in his courteous, unsmiling kisser?
Yes. Of course it would.
Abby extended her hand and gave him her best professional smile, the one she used at parent-teacher conferences. “Thank you, sir. I hope you enjoyed your voyage. Please choose Monarch Cruises again in the future.”
His large fingers covered her own in a warm grip, and the corner of his lips lifted in an amused grin she didn’t appreciate. “You can be sure I will.” He released her. “Until we meet again, Ms. O’Brien.”
Spencer strode off, his tall figure drawing interested peeks from more than one woman as he passed. Not once did he turn around. Clutching the envelope, Abby watched until he was out of sight. The urge to chuck it in the nearest trash can hit, but she resisted. What was wrong with accepting a tip for a job well done?
A job.
She mustn’t get attached to her charges. It hurt too much when they inevitably left. She’d use the money to buy a new dress and wear it on the next date the Shippers arranged.
Love. Marriage. Babies of her own.
That’s what she should concentrate on.
Emily sat between Gerry and Althea on a long couch near the entrance. They allowed the drama to play out without interfering. Abby wandered through the room. The hand not holding the envelope swiped at her eyes as she disappeared down the hallway.
In the opposite direction, Daisy rambled aimlessly near the reception desk. A man spun too quickly and bumped her. She stumbled to the side but accepted his apologies with a distracted dip of her head.
Gerry sighed. “Poor Daisy.”
Althea pursed her lips. “Our girl is going to be lower than a doorstop after this.”
“Can you blame her?” Emily said. “Who says goodbye to his mother like she’s one of his clients?”
“In Spencer’s defense”—Gerry withdrew her spectacles from a pocket—“Daisy wasn’t very motherly herself. Maybe the Masterson clan does it different. Some families aren’t huggers.”
“Forget hugging.” Althea snorted. “He didn’t so much as pat her on the shoulder. If my son acted that way, I’d spank the living daylights out of him.”
Gerry murmured her agreement.
Emily tapped her foot in an exasperated tattoo. Spencer irked her to no end. He’d bid an apathetic goodbye to his mother and shook hands with the woman who … who what? Emily had never found the right label for the closed-off man’s emotions. He was attracted to Abby. Of that, there was no doubt. Telltale signs of jealousy abounded on more than one occasion. But Emily was sure it went deeper. A soul connection. Like he recognized something in Abby that was missing in himself. Yet he’d walked away after a handshake.
“Baby, please.” Althea snagged Emily’s vibrating knee. “You’re about to beat a hole through the floor.”
“Sorry.” Emily laced her fingers together and eyed the decorative ceiling. Paintings of cherubs cavorting among the clouds stretched overhead. “The Lord moves in mysterious ways, but this time he’s got me flummoxed. I can’t spot him working at all.”
“What a relief he doesn’t need your approval.” Gerry polished her glasses against her sleeve.
Althea nodded. “Faith is for when we don’t understand God’s plan. Sometimes we have to walk in the dark awhile and hold tight to his hand.” She poked Emily. “I know that’s hard for a micromanager.”
Emily could admit she liked things her way, but there was one lesson she’d mastered in her seventy-eight years. If her plan didn’t coincide with God’s, she’d better get a new one.
Yes. She’d learned her lesson the hard way. But that didn’t make surrendering control any easier.
CHAPTER 28
ABBY TUGGED AT THE WAISTLINEof her ball gown. Her tiara pinched her head, and a dull ache pounded at her temples. Two more voyages, and she’d return to life on dry land. But that meant only two more voyages for the Shippers to find her a soulmate.
After seeing the wonderful guy they’d found for her friend Lacey, Abby had assumed the process would be easy. She’d expected her lovely matchmakers to scout the perfect man and introduce him, and then she’d start picking out the wedding colors. Shehadn’texpected the revolving door of candidates. To be fair, two men didn’t constitute a revolving door. But neither Reverend Boynton nor Cedric made her heart pound like …
She recognized the direction of her thoughts and jerked them back to attention. No use dwelling on sweet but damaged fathers and their adorable, golden-haired five-year-olds. Spencer and Maddie were gone. She’d waved goodbye to dozens of cherished students in her teaching career, and she could put these two behind her as well.
Abby dug among the crowns, plucked a tiara from the basket, and scanned the lobby for potential princesses. She spotted a young girl by the elevators, looking at a cell phone. The child was wearing a long black dress. Maybe second or third grade. Abbyhurried over, donned her best faux British accent, and presented the sparkly accessory.
