Читать книгу Fearless - Fern Michaels - Страница 11

Chapter 4

The Splendor of the Sea was beyond magnificent. The brochure didn’t do it justice. Glass elevators, giant chandeliers, and large, cushy sofas and plush chairs invited one to lounge in sumptuous comfort.

Anna didn’t remember the stats of the ship, but surely, it could easily house a few thousand people. How in the world would she or anyone else find that one special person in such a large pool of singles?

Exiting the glass elevator, she was amazed at the quiet, especially knowing this wasn’t just some deep-sea fishing boat of the kind, with only a few passengers, that her father had captained. She’d expected to be bombarded by crowds.

There was still an hour before the contest, so she decided to have dinner before the festivities. The main dining room, the Compass Royale, accommodated all guests in the more luxurious cabins, without them having to bother to make a reservation. Delicious scents guided her to a stunning room overlooking the water. There were round tables scattered throughout the room, adorned with crisp, white-linen tablecloths, and surrounded by lush gold-and-maroon seats that appeared as cushy as those in the main atrium. Not sure of the procedure since she’d spent her first night at sea passed out, she spied a giant lectern with two men dressed like George. She approached the pair, smiling. “Uh, hello. Am I too early for dinner?” She looked around, seeing only a sprinkling of guests seated sporadically throughout the large dining space.

“Not at all, ma’am,” said one of the men in a heavy Spanish accent. “Please, follow me.”

Anna followed him to a table overlooking the aquamarine Caribbean Sea. “This is stunning,” she said, sitting down in the chair he pulled out for her. “I had no idea,” she added, more to herself than him. She knew the waters of the Caribbean were much different from those of the Gulf of Mexico, but until actually seeing them, she hadn’t realized how dazzling they were. Obviously, she’d slept through their arrival to the Caribbean.

“Excuse me,” a deep male voice said, interrupting her reverie.

Anna turned her gaze from the blue water to a pair of striking sapphire eyes. Momentarily taken aback, she couldn’t help herself. This man was gorgeous. With thick black hair a bit long, he reminded her of a Viking. He was tall—at least six-three—with a with broad and muscular chest, obvious given the tight white dress shirt he wore. He was so handsome, it disturbed her in ways she’d long forgotten.

“Yes?” she asked, feeling slightly embarrassed for staring but thinking he was probably used to it, given his good looks and body.

He smiled, and again, she felt physical sensations that’d been dormant for years.

“Forgive me for staring, but aren’t you the Anna Campbell?” he asked. “From Lubbock?”

Relief surged through her, though she was unsure why. “I am, indeed,” she said, in her best vlogging voice.

“I thought so,” he said. “I’m a big fan.”

Warning lights blared.

You’re safe on this ship.

She knew she had thousands of fans but hadn’t really thought about their physical characteristics. Many fans were men, and those she’d met did not look like the male specimen before her. “Thank you,” was all she could come up with.

He gestured to the empty seat. “May I?” he asked.

So, this is how it works!

Hesitating for a few seconds, she replied, “Of course.”

Seated across from her, she observed lines etched around his eyes and a smattering of gray hair at his temples. His skin was tanned, and a dark shadow of stubble outlined a chiseled jaw and square chin. Early- to mid-forties, she would guess.

He held a hand out to her. “Ryan Robertson from Lubbock, as you might’ve guessed. I’m just a groupie, and when I saw you, I had to introduce myself, make sure you’re the real deal. I watch The Simple Life every Tuesday night, eight o’clock sharp.”

Anna laughed. “I didn’t realize I had any ‘groupies,’ Ryan Robertson from Lubbock.” And if I do, she thought, it never would have occurred to me that they’d look like you, she wanted to add but kept to herself.

“Maybe that’s not the right word, but I recognized you when I saw you sit down. So,” he said, “I take it you’re here alone?”

More alarm bells. Anna thought this was obvious since this was a singles cruise, and said, “If you’re asking if I’m here with other singles, the answer is no.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have intruded on your privacy. When I saw you, I just . . . well, here I am. An overexcited fan,” he said.

She wasn’t sure if she should invite him to have dinner with her; she didn’t want to seem desperate, however, this was a singles cruise. She needed to move forward, forget what happened at home. This man was gorgeous. Mandy would kill her if she missed this opportunity. “Please, stay,” she said. “Have dinner with me?” Anna couldn’t believe she was so bold.

Ryan appeared surprised.

“Are you sure?” He smiled, sending her pulse racing.

“Absolutely,” she said. “I want to have dinner before the contest tonight,” she added.

He nodded. “Ah, the dancing contest.”

“Yes, but I’m only an observer. I’m not much of a dancer,” she said, wanting to make it clear that in no way would she participate.

“Me, too,” he agreed. “Though my daughter is an excellent dancer.”

“You have a daughter?” she asked, relief flooding through her.

He swallowed, clearing his throat. “She’s thirteen. Need I say more? But she is the love of my life.”

The tenderness in his words found their way straight to her heart. “I understand completely. I have a daughter, too.” She didn’t want to give out too many details about herself yet, as he was a stranger, no matter that she’d just invited him to sit at her table and have dinner with her. But she felt safe with dozens of people running around the dining room.

“Then we have two things in common.”

She raised her brows in question. “Lubbock and single parenting?”

He nodded in agreement. “It has its moments, I have to say. I have a son as well. He just graduated from high school. I don’t know what I’ll do when it’s just me and Renée in the house all by ourselves.”

Anna could’ve interpreted his words a dozen ways but chose not to. “I don’t even want to think about that yet. My daughter starts high school this year. I’ve been dreading it, though I shouldn’t. She’s a great girl.” She missed her daughter at that moment and made a mental note not to forget to call her later.

“Patrick, that’s my son, is a bit shy, which made high school a bit tough for him at times, but he did manage to graduate,” Ryan said, in an offhanded way.

Before she had a chance to reply, their waiter came to the table. “Good evening, I’m Donal, and it will be my pleasure to take care of your dining needs during the cruise.” A short man, maybe in his mid-fifties, with an unmistakable Irish accent, stood by their table. He had the reddish brown hair to match her image of an Irishman. Anna thought he had kind eyes.

“I’m Anna,” she introduced herself, and held out her hand, not sure if this was appropriate etiquette for the staff, but manners were important to her, no matter the setting. She was a true Southerner, and these minute details were a part of her. Donal took her hand, brought it to his mouth, and gave it a light, friendly kiss. She blushed, then grinned. Apparently, he was a true Irishman. “And a beautiful lass, too.” He winked.

“I’m not sure that’s called for,” Ryan said. Anna detected a trace of disapproval in his tone.

Anna spoke up, saying, “It’s perfectly fine.” She shot Ryan a warning look. She’d just met this guy five minutes ago, and he had no say over what she or anyone connected to her said.

He held both hands up. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me. Talk of my daughter, I guess. Donal, accept my apology.”

“Of course, sir,” Donal replied, then focused his attention on Anna. “What about drinks? We have every imaginable drink in the world.”

“Just ginger ale for me,” Anna said.

“I’ll have the same,” Ryan said, not looking at Donal.

Dismissive, Anna thought now, wishing she’d been more discerning when it came to inviting this stranger to dinner. It wasn’t like she had a lot of experience in this area.

Unsure of what to say, she said nothing. Good advice from her mother.

“I seem to have offended you, Anna. I am so very sorry. I confess that Renée was on my mind. She’s become boy-crazy, and I’m having a hard time dealing with it and took my insecurities out on poor Donal.”

“I’ve yet to go through the boy phase with my daughter, but I’m sure it’s right around the corner. I gave her a kitten for her thirteenth birthday. Most of her energy is focused on him, so I guess I’m lucky.” Briefly, Anna wondered how Mr. Waffles was adapting to vacation life.

“Renée is allergic to cats,” Ryan said.

“I’m sorry” was all she could think to say though she knew it was a fairly common allergy.

“She did have a bird once. A parakeet she called Mrs. Peck. Poor bird died after three weeks. She’s never wanted an animal since.”

Donal returned with their ginger ale and two small menus. “Whenever you’re ready,” he said, then left them alone.

“That’s too bad,” Anna continued. “Poor girl. We’ve always had animals, though this is the first animal that she has complete responsibility for. So far, it’s been good for her. I imagine that when school starts, we’ll have to make an adjustment.”

“How so?” Ryan asked.

Anna did her best to keep from stating the obvious without appearing rude. “I’ll have to take care of Mr. Waffles while she’s at school,” she explained. “It’s no problem since I work from home.”

“You work from home? I thought The Simple Life was recorded in a studio?”

She smiled. “Lucky for me, I have a studio at home.” She thought all her fans knew this. “The best of both worlds. It can get hectic at times, trying to balance work and home, but it’s working, and I’m sure it will continue for as long as I need it to.” Hearing her stomach growl, she took a sip of ginger ale, somehow managing to knock her flatware onto the floor. She bent down to retrieve it, knowing Donal would provide another set. “I think we should order now. I don’t know about you, but I’m famished.”

Ryan tossed his head back, laughing. “No one is famished on a cruise,” he said. He felt around for something in his shirt pocket, yet Anna saw nothing in his hand. Maybe a former smoker, feeling for a pack of cigarettes in his pocket.

She couldn’t help but laugh. Mandy told her she’d probably gain five pounds on this cruise. So far, she had only eaten the eggs and avocados and a couple of bites of fruit. He didn’t need to know that. “I’m afraid I spent my time on the balcony, relaxing and drinking coffee from that super fancy espresso machine in my cabin.”

“You’re staying in one of those rooms?”

Anna was sure she heard a note of criticism in his voice. “Lucky me,” she replied again.

“I guess so,” he replied. “I’m on a lower deck.” He stopped as if considering his next words. “I was told there wasn’t anything available on the upper deck, though I admit this was a last-minute trip. A birthday gift from my coworkers.”

“Nice gift, and happy birthday,” she said, then took a sip of her ginger ale. “My cabin is more like an apartment. Really more space than one person needs, but it’s there, and I’ll just rotate the bedrooms at night.” She chuckled. “Keep my cabin stewards on their toes with all the bed changes.”

“Maybe you’ll show it to me sometime,” he said.

Anna felt her cheeks flush, her heart quickening. Unsure what to say, again, she took her mother’s advice again and said nothing.

He stared at her, his royal blue eyes darkening as he held her gaze. “I’ve done it again,” he said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “It’s been a very long while since I’ve done . . . this.” He placed a hand on his chest, then held it out in her direction. “I’ll leave you alone, now.”

When he pushed out his chair, preparing to leave, Anna spoke, “No, don’t. I understand what you’re trying to say. I’m in the same boat.” She shook her head. “Not sure if that pun was intended, but don’t leave. Stay. Have dinner with me,” she added, hoping she didn’t sound desperate. She didn’t want to be alone then. She suddenly didn’t feel well but kept quiet.

“If I put my foot in my mouth again, please give me a good kick under the table. As I said, it’s been a while.”

Part of her liked the fact he hadn’t been on the dating scene, had been busy caring for his children instead. Without knowing the circumstances in which he became a single parent, from her own experience, it wasn’t easy being both mother and father. This was why they had singles cruises—it wasn’t easy to put oneself out there, especially when you’re a certain age. “It’s fine,” she said.

Once again, Donal returned to the table. The dining room had started to fill up, the din of voices serving as a reminder that there were others Donal had to serve.

“Are you all ready to order?” he asked.

“I’m going with the poached salmon and the spinach-mango salad,” Anna said slowly. That was light and healthy. She wasn’t sure how much more food her stomach would handle as she’d only had a few bites of the eggs, avocados, and fruit earlier.

Donal smiled. “Excellent choice.”

“I’ll have what she’s having,” Ryan told Donal.

“Very well,” Donal said.

“Wasn’t that a line in a movie?” Anna asked as soon as Donal stepped away from the table. She felt dizzy; there was a definite buzz in her head.

Ryan laughed. “I think so, but the title escapes me.”

“So, tell me about your children,” Anna said, forcing herself to pay attention.

He took a sip of his drink and said, “Where to start? Patrick is eighteen going on three, and Renée is a good kid, other than this new boy-crazy phase she’s going through.”

She didn’t want to pry, but wondered why he compared his son to a three-year-old? Unless he had mental disabilities. But surely a parent wouldn’t be so crass as to make such a comparison? “Kids certainly keep us on our toes, don’t they?” Generic enough, thinking kids were supposed to keep them on their toes. If they didn’t, then something was wrong.

“I wouldn’t have them any other way,” he agreed, then went on, “though Patrick has been a challenge. But he has a big heart. Sometimes too big.”

Not wanting to ask what he meant by that statement, she knew that if she didn’t, it would be too obvious, so she asked in a singsong tone, grinning, “Can anyone ever have too big a heart?” She took another sip of her ginger ale. She was so thirsty. And tired. But she had promised Mandy she’d mingle.

“No, you’re right. Patrick is testing the waters and, at times, does things without thinking of the consequences.”

Anna found herself nodding. “As do most teenagers, according to what I hear. I’m sure my days are coming, but I’ve always told my daughter she can come to me with anything, even if she believes it’s something I’ll disapprove of.”

He nodded. “Same here. Renée is very open with me. Patrick, as I said, he’s shy and keeps to himself, so it’s tough to get him to say or do much of anything. I’m hoping when he goes to college in the fall, he’ll open up and make new friends. Find himself, I guess.”

“That is an entirely different world. I’m sure once he gets used to being on his own, he’ll adapt. College life is completely different from high school,” she said, struggling to keep her composure.

“Don’t I know it. I’m a math professor at Texas Tech,” he said, shaking his head from side to side. “Though I have a different opinion. I spend most of my days with college kids. Some adjust quite well, some don’t. It’s a tough adjustment period for any kid. I’m just hoping Patrick can handle it.”

“Some young adults need time before starting college. I think it’s called a gap year. Going from high school to college is a big change, especially if they’re attending college in another state.” She took another sip of her ginger ale. “Will he be staying in Texas?”

Ryan followed her moves, taking a sip from his glass. “Yes, he’s going to Texas Tech, though I’m not sure it’s the right fit for him. It’ll be great for me, financially, but I have reservations.”

Would he think she was prying if she asked exactly what those reservations were?

He must’ve read her mind. “Patrick has never been very outgoing; he’s spent most of his teenage years holed up in his room. I’ve sent him to several therapists, yet none have been able to correctly diagnose him with a specific mental or physical disorder. He goes to school, comes home, then we usually don’t see him until breakfast the next day. It’s gotten so bad, I actually put a mini fridge in his room and stocked it with snacks. He’s so thin, it worries me.” Ryan’s blue eyes darkened. “I’m betting this is not what you wanted to hear.”

“No, it’s fine,” she said. “I don’t mean your situation, just that it’s okay to tell me.”

Donal returned with their salads, putting a stop to their conversation. “Thank you,” Anna said, then dug into her salad as soon as he stepped away.

Ryan seemed to mimic her movements. After several bites, he said, “It’s not an easy topic for a first date.”

Did he think of this as a first date?

She decided to let that comment slide. Maybe he simply needed someone to discuss his son’s problems with. Being in the public eye, Anna found that it was not uncommon that strangers felt like they knew her and would often reveal personal issues because they felt at ease. She had also had moments when she needed a shoulder to lean on, someone to take over the parenting when Christina’s behavior pushed her to the brink of a nervous breakdown. Fortunately, it didn’t happen all that often, as she was a pretty easygoing kid. Thankful for Mandy’s friendship during those times, she briefly wondered where she’d be without her, as Anna thought of her as family and couldn’t imagine a life that didn’t include her. Then there was Mona and Jeb, housekeeper, gardener, and as close to a mother and father as she had. She’d met them at the diner they owned when she was in college, before they sold it and came to work for her.

Once again, Donal arrived at their table in time to prevent further discussion. “They tell me this is fresh from Alaska,” he said, placing the plates on the table. “You’ll tell me if this is accurate?” He grinned, letting them know he was teasing.

“Absolutely,” Anna said, wanting to ask for another drink.

Ryan took a bite of his salmon, dropping his fork. “This is cold.” He forced himself to swallow the rest of the salmon.

“Yes, the menu said it was served chilled,” she reminded him.

“Well, I guess this is on me since I was distracted,” he indicated.

“It’s not for everyone. Why don’t you ask Donal for something else?” Anna pointed at his plate.

He shook his head. “I’m not really hungry. The salad was enough.”

Feeling silly sitting there with him watching her eat, she took a few more bites of the salmon, then pushed her plate aside. “A shame you don’t like this, as it’s excellent, just as Donal said.”

The bubbly waiter returned to the table, offering a variety of desserts, but neither indulged. “Thanks, Donal. You can tell the chef the salmon was fantastic. And the salad was, too,” Anna said. The waiter removed their plates and gave a slight bow.

“So, you want to watch the dancing contest? Together?” Ryan asked, as they left the main dining room.

“As long as we’re just watching. Like I said, I’m not much of a dancer.”

“I haven’t danced since”—he paused—“my wedding day.”

Anna didn’t know how he expected her to respond, so she said, “I think that’s the dance one always remembers most.”

“That was a very long time ago, and I’m here with you now,” he said, then took her hand in his, as though it were the most natural thing in the world to do. She didn’t mind either.

“What do you think about skipping the contest and going to my cabin for an espresso?” she asked, feeling so light-headed that she wondered if she’d manage to make it to her room.

“I think it’s the best idea I’ve heard all evening,” Ryan answered.