his head.
“It’s hidden somewhere on this very ship. In one of the cabins, to be exact, and whoever finds it will have good luck.” Dylan looked directly at Becky. “Especially in love.”
A slight shiver danced up her spine as she stared into those magical jade-colored eyes of his, and for a moment she actually considered Lacey’s advice. But before she could genuinely second-guess herself, the oh-so-charming Dylan Langstaff was gone.
CHAPTER TWO
“I CAN’T BELIEVE you pulled this off, Patti, that this treasure hunt idea is actually happening.” Thanasi Kaldis walked up behind Dylan, who was handing out brochures in the lobby with Patti Kennedy, the cruise director.
“Look at them,” the ship’s hotel manager continued, “half the people aren’t even glancing at their brochures. I still say that no one will bother looking for that silly pendant. I thought the whole idea was rejected, Patti.”
Thanasi was in his late forties, wore his navy-blue blazer over meticulously pressed whites; he had a crop of black wavy hair and a charismatic smile…most of the time. However, at that precise moment he directed a teasing scowl at Patti.
“It was never rejected,” she told him in a confident voice. “You must have dreamed that, so stop your stressing. Just go with it. Besides, it’s going to be fun.”
Patti, also dressed in a navy blazer and whites, was a brown-haired dynamo who had celebrated her thirty-ninth birthday in Venice on a gondola, alone. If Dylan had known about it beforehand, he would have surprised her with a party or dinner. They’d become friends, and he hated to hear that his friend had been so alone on her birthday, especially when she loved people so much and wanted nothing more than to see everyone around her happy.
Her title usually went to a man, but Patti was possibly the best cruise director Dylan had ever worked with. She anticipated the needs of the passengers and was always looking to enhance their cruise experience. Plus she was just fun to be around.
She turned back to a young couple approaching her. “Find the hidden pendant and receive extra perks the entire cruise!”
Dylan watched as the woman took the brochure, glanced at it then stuffed it into her large straw handbag. Perhaps Thanasi was right. The pendant hunt could be a complete bust. He hoped not, though. He’d liked the idea, and he would be taking part in a few fun excursions set up for the passenger who found it.
Patti turned to Thanasi. “Somebody will find the pendant and the entire ship will be buzzing about it. It’s romantic. And you might want to lighten up—our passengers don’t need to see an officer frowning.” The smile she offered would have melted anybody’s heart.
People filed by happily, but Thanasi was still scowling Patti’s way. She was right, Dylan thought. Not a good image. He could tell that all the hotel manager could think of was possible damage to the cabins as the passengers searched for the pendant.
When the idea had been discussed at an activities planning meeting, Thanasi had voiced his concerns. But even then Dylan thought it was simply his way of teasing Patti. As if they were school kids on the playground and he was vying for her for attention by being uncooperative.
One thing Dylan simply didn’t understand was why Thanasi didn’t just tell Patti he was attracted to her. The entire crew could see it, and it was obvious Patti felt the same for him. Dylan decided what the man needed was a dose of good sex to help him lighten up, but Thanasi went by the book, and apparently that book didn’t include onboard romances.
“Find the pendant and find your true love,” Patti said to a group of twenty-something women. They each took a brochure. One of them mumbled something and they burst out laughing as they walked away.
“See, look, they think it’s a joke,” Thanasi announced.
“Hey,” Patti said softly, so only Thanasi could hear, “I’m working here. If you can’t help, then maybe you should just leave.”
Thanasi stared back at her for a moment as though trying to think of something clever to say, but before he could respond, a petite lady with white curly hair and a bright pink visor walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Could you please tell me where my room is located? It’s my first cruise and I’m not very good at this sort of thing. I’ve been waiting for a steward, but they all seem to be busy with other people.”
Thanasi smiled at the woman, then turned on his charm as he bowed, his entire demeanor transforming. “I’d be delighted.” He extended his elbow, she slid her arm through the crook, and off they went. “Let me tell you about Alexandra’s Dream,” he said, but Dylan could tell by his tone that he was still a little irritated about the pendant search.
Patti had told Dylan about the necklace she and librarian Ariana Bennett had found among the personal things of Mike O’Connor, the guy who’d been posing as a priest and smuggling stolen artifacts aboard. Apparently the pendant was left behind with a few other reproductions after the police investigation. The whole scandal had required a deft PR campaign to keep the cabins on Alexandra’s Dream at capacity although Dylan had a feeling the press coverage had also gained the cruise ship a few new bookings.
He loved his job and really didn’t want to lose it. Being in charge of the ship’s dive staff paid well, and in the world of cruise ships, it was a tough job to come by. It was his first real managerial position and allowed him to teach water sports and diving, and run a few of the water-themed activities off the ship.
Dylan was happy the ship wasn’t docked somewhere and he was out looking for another job. If that had happened, it would have given his brother the perfect excuse to press him even more to return home.
His absence was a sore subject between them, even though Dylan tried his best to make up for it by sending half his pay home to Newfoundland every month, something he’d been doing for the past eight years, never missing a month. And besides, jobs were still scarce in his hometown, further confirming he was doing the right thing. It gave him great comfort to know that at least his mom didn’t have to worry about money.
But, he admitted, a job shortage wasn’t the only reason he was reluctant to go back. The place had too many sad memories, and Dylan was doing his best to avoid them.
He loved the routine of welcoming passengers and a week or so later bidding them farewell and getting ready for a new group. But today’s boarding had been different. Today he’d felt a totally unexpected personal interest in one of the passengers—the woman he’d just escorted to a penthouse suite.
Becky Montgomery.
He remembered what the adorable, little blond-haired angel had told him about her mommy crying when her daddy left, just like the moon goddess who’d flooded the earth with her sad tears. How could any guy leave that perfect little family, let alone such a fine-looking woman as Becky? And from what her little girl implied, Dylan assumed it must have been one nasty divorce, and her mom hadn’t taken it well. The hurt was still there in her pretty eyes.
Plain as day.
The son seemed distant, maybe still harboring feelings he didn’t quite know what to do with. A boy needed a father, though Dylan would bet a year’s salary his mother bent over backward to keep those kids safe and happy.
Strange, how he’d picked up on all of that in just those few moments.
Then
