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Christmas on the High Seas

By Diane E. Yates

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Chapter One

Halley sat on her suitcase and pulled hard on the zipper, guiding it around to the front, under her legs, and to the other side. She blew out the breath she’d been holding and set the luggage on its wheels. She picked up Nana’s photo off the dresser and kissed it. “Here goes nothing.” She donned her coat, hung her handbag over her shoulder, and exited her apartment building into the blowing snow; another brutal New York winter. Standing on the sidewalk, she placed her thumb and finger in her mouth and whistled, summoning the taxi a short distance away. As she rode in the cab, it passed shops on Fifth Street with their Christmas windows displaying frosted trees and scenes of fake snow with sleighs. Halley had always spent Christmas where it was cold with her sister, Kaleigh, and Nana, but ever since Nana died five years ago, Christmases hadn’t been the same. When the taxi arrived at the airport, Halley paid the driver and walked into the terminal pulling her suitcase. Mele Kalikimaka played as she passed the
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decorated Christmas tree and rode the escalator down. Above her, a picture of a Caribbean beach with palm trees caught her attention. She smiled and admitted she was excited. On the way to gate 39, her cell phone rang. While she tried to retrieve it from her bag, a male traveler in a long black overcoat bumped into her as he passed her up. He dislodged the strap of her handbag and it fell to the floor, spilling its contents. She sighed, stopped, and stared at his back through squinted eyes. He didn’t turn around or slow his pace at all. The phone kept chiming. She answered in a huff, “Hi, Kaleigh.” “Oh, Halley.” Her sister cried. “Won’t you please reconsider? Ross and I want you to go to Vermont with us for Christmas. His parents said they’d love for you to come.” Halley rolled her eyes and couldn’t believe she was having this conversation again. “Absolutely not! I refuse to tag along with my newlywed sister and her husband to his parents’ home, whom I barely know.” She stuffed the remaining brush and lipstick in her purse, straightened, and resumed walking. Kaleigh continued. “But this will be my first Christmas without you. Please.” Halley swallowed hard and blinked several times. Her sister was right. They’d always been together at Christmas. She found her voice. “You’re married now, honey. It’s right that things should change. Besides,” she teased. “you have to think about Candace. If I backout on this cruise, that would leave poor Candace by herself.” “I’m sorry, Halley.”
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“For what? When you and I booked these tickets a year ago, how could you have known you and Ross were going to get married? Now, you go and enjoy the holiday with your new family. I’ll be fine.” “But I’ll worry about you.” “Are you kidding? While you’re warming your hands by the fire, I’ll be dipping my toes in the sand and saltwater, collecting seashells on the shore. You can go snowmobiling; I’ll be jet-skiing and scuba diving. I’m going to have the time of my life!” Halley managed to convince her sister more than herself, but for now, Kaleigh hung up sounding more at ease. “Flight 409 to Miami now boarding first-class passengers at gate 39.” Halley arrived at the gate not a moment too soon. She wheeled her bag behind those standing in front of the main cabin sign. In the first-class line, which was moving, she noticed him; the tall dark stranger in the long, black overcoat. For once, she was glad she could only afford to travel in coach. Three hours later, she stood on the pavement under the warm Miami sun, staring up at an unbelievably gigantic cruise ship, her coat slung over her arm. Even though she felt alone, the blue sky and water thrilled her with new excitement. As she walked into the ship’s massive lobby, the elegant wooden staircase was trimmed in gold and decked with a garland of palm prongs, miniature pineapples, coconuts, and umbrellas of red and green. After the landing, the staircase split and ascended on both sides. With eyes wide, she turned completely around in slow motion, staring at the
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immense, crystal chandelier above the tallest, most ornate Christmas Tree that she had ever seen, laden with island motif ornaments. “May I help you, Miss?” a porter dressed in a white shirt, black pants, and vest asked in a Jamaican accent, offering a slight bow. “Yes, I’m looking for my room.” Halley glanced at her ticket and he looked on over her shoulder. He pointed toward the elevator. “Take it to the eighth floor.” “Thank you.” This was it. She was actually doing it—the vacation she and Kaleigh had planned for almost two years—to gaze at the water from their balcony, while sailing to exotic islands—Christmas in paradise, albeit alone. Well, with Candace, her sister’s friend from high school; two years younger, but Halley liked her well enough. When she exited, she followed the hallway to the left. She and Kaleigh had dreamed of meeting their soulmates like on the Love Boat or something. How silly they were. Since then, Kaleigh married and planned for Halley to share this experience with Candace instead. Halley stopped outside room 8178 and took a deep breath. Using her key, she swung the door open. Her eyes rested on the balcony and the water; the sliding glass door standing open and the curtains ruffling in the breeze. A suitcase rested on the bed to the right. Only then, she noticed not Candace, but a tall male figure standing by the dresser. She gasped. “Oh, I’m sorry.” Turning, she exited as quickly as she had entered. Once she closed the door, she stared at the number, “8178.” She double
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checked her ticket before knocking. When he answered the door, this time she set her jaw and looked at him. “Yes?” he quizzed. He had brown eyes and dark hair, and something was familiar, but what? “I’m sorry,” she said. “I believe you’re in the wrong room.” “Me? That’s impossible.” He went to find his ticket and picked up the long black overcoat. Halley’s eyes widened and she seethed as he searched its pockets. She had only seen this rude man who had caused her purse to spill earlier from the back; but that face—there was definitely something familiar about his face. She practically stuttered. “Yes. I mean, no, this is most definitely my room,” she insisted. He held his ticket in front of her. “See, it says right here 8178.” Halley read the numbers herself. A blonde bellman passed by in the hallway and she summoned him. “Excuse me. I’m afraid there’s been a mistake.” “How can I help?” he asked in an Aussie accent. “This gentleman and I both have tickets for this room, but I’m supposed to be with Candace Copeland. Can you check your register, please?” At this, the tall stranger chuckled and tugged on her arm. “It’s okay, Halley.” He glanced back at the bellman. “There’s been no mistake.” “Candace sold me her ticket,” he explained. How could he be so calm? Alarms blared in Halley’s head. She gasped and her hand flew to her mouth when she finally remembered him. When the bellman turned to leave, she was hot on his heels.
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“Wait! You can’t leave. This is not all right. I can’t share a room with a man! Especially not this one.” “I can check with the cruise director, but I believe every balcony room has been reserved. If one of you wants to change to an interior room, I’m sure we can find a suitable space.” Halley spoke in unison with her roommate. “He can.” “She can.” “Me?” Halley screeched. “I’m not going anywhere. And where’s Candace?” “Something came up at the last minute.” He shrugged and grinned. “Candace sold her ticket to me.” “She can’t do that.” The bellman, Johnny his nametag read, took his phone and stepped into the hall, probably calling the cruise director. “You didn’t recognize me, did you?” Halley dropped her suitcase on the bed with such force that the pillow bounced onto the floor. “Why should I?” She bent to pick it up. “It’s not like we were friends or anything. Besides, it’s been what, eight years?” “Seven, but who’s counting?” Halley knew exactly how long it had been. She could’ve waited a lifetime before seeing him again and that wouldn’t have been long enough. Once she had graduated, Halley believed she would never have to see her tormentors from high school again. She didn’t have anything against Candace, but her older brother, Devon, the one who had called her chubby when she was thirteen and had single-handedly made
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it his mission in life to crush her self-esteem was a different story. Not until college and receiving the attention of several young men, did Halley start to recover. Johnny walked back inside. “You’re in luck, I can move one of you to a balcony room on the seventh floor. Of course, each room is based on double occupancy, so you’d both be charged the full price of your room.” “What?” Halley shrieked. “I’m not paying anything. I was supposed to be here with another female and no problems.” She glared at Devon. “Well, I’m not paying extra.” He folded his arms. “Besides, we have two beds. I don’t see what’s the problem,” he stood close, his stare unwavering, “unless of course, you snore.” She cowered six inches beneath his six-foot stature, but under the surface, her temper flared. “Maybe I can’t stomach the thought of waking up in the same room with you.” Johnny started to leave. “No, no, no! You must fix this.” She called after him. “An interior room, Miss, would be somewhat less in price.” “I’m not moving to an interior room,” Devon said behind her. She closed her eyes and paused before reopening them. Halley’s heart sank. Johnny was leaving. She knew she couldn’t afford to pay to move. And she knew Devon wasn’t gentleman enough to do the right thing. How could this be happening to her? All hopes of celebrating a joyous Christmas evaporated and the ship hadn’t even left Miami.
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When she turned around, Devon was unpacking and placing his things in one side of the dresser. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay, we’ll have to make the most of it, but you’re not sleeping in one of the beds. You’ll have to sleep on the sofa. That way, I can pull the curtain.” There was no way she would share a bedroom with him, even if they slept in different beds. He opened his mouth to speak, but she didn’t stop. “And we’ll have to wake up in different shifts to use the shower. You first, since the sofa is closer to the bathroom. That way you can shower, shave, dress, and leave the room before I get up at eight o’clock. I think it would be best if we try to avoid each other altogether.” He had raised his eyebrows in the middle of her directions. “What?” She expected him to argue for a bed. Instead, he shook his head and his eyes narrowed. “I’m not waking up at seven. I’m on vacation, a vacation I paid for, I might add, one that was supposed to include a bed. Now, I’ll sacrifice and sleep on the sofa, but I WILL NOT wake up at no seven o’clock.” He had moved a step closer with each sentence and raised his volume. “If you wish to avoid me, you’ll have to wait until nine. Or here’s an idea—since I wake up later, why don’t I take the bedroom and you sleep on the sofa?” Halley rolled her eyes. He was impossible and rude. “Fine! I’ll sleep in until nine.” She normally woke up at six. To sleep in until eight was already difficult. Nine would be torture. Why God? Why is this happening? Not only would she spend Christmas away from her sister for
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the first time, but she had to be with Devon Copeland. Visions of the time she opened her locker and a bucket of ice water fell on her while Devon and his friends started laughing from twenty feet away played in her head. Right now, she wanted to scream. Halley and Devon continued unpacking, maneuvering around each other, almost colliding on several occasions. The last time, she blinked hard and sighed. “Would you please just leave for thirty minutes while I get settled and then you can return, and I’ll leave? Hm?” Devon put his hands up. “Fine.” He tossed his socks back in his suitcase. He slipped outside onto the balcony and sat staring at the ocean. Halley’s eyes widened and she grunted. “Oh, brother!” Why couldn’t he have left to walk around the ship? She stewed while putting her things away. Then, she slid the door open. “Your turn.” He brushed up against her as he passed through the narrow entrance where she stood. His eyes never left hers and she matched their stare. Her face flushed with anger and loathing. His muscular physique didn’t matter or the intensity of his brown eyes. So, what if he was handsome? She couldn’t have hated him more. The next thirty-three minutes she roamed the ship, exploring. Her itinerary showed safety and lifeboat training at three on deck five. She’d better make her way there. The ship was scheduled to leave the port of Miami at four. She exited the elevator on the fifth deck. A crowd gathered on the left side of the ship. She couldn’t remember if that was port or starboard or something else, but she joined the
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crowd. The crew member directed her to her assigned spot, which turned out to be right in front of Devon. “Really?” she questioned. “You couldn’t have attended a different training?” She gave him an intentional fake smile before turning her back to him. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “Afraid not.” She felt the warmth of his breath against her neck, sending electrifying tingles down her spine. “Apparently, since we share a room, they assigned us the same time.” She bent away from him and glanced over her shoulder, raising her eyebrow. How dare he invade her space. He shrugged. “What?”

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