Love Lost and Found Read Free Page A

focus on adventure and relaxation
     would keep her fed, watered, and hopefully a little lighter. And maybe it would release some of the fresh grief she felt over
     her parents’ deaths six years ago.
    Zero family and zero friends. Yep, it was time to move on. At least until she remembered
     what she really wanted.
    As the sun dipped on deck, she lowered her lashes and imagined herself out in the
     Pacific Ocean, swimming up to a deserted beach where a chilled cocktail waiter was
     ready to slake her thirst. Ahhh. Better. She could almost taste the caipirinha on her imaginary waiter’s lips. This sigh was louder than she’d meant it to be and
     Felicity had to bite her cheek to stop a snort escaping. Hoping no one noticed, she
     looked up—into the icy eyes of the captain.
    “Ms. Williams? You’ll be looking after Mr. McCashin today. He flew in to Port Vila
     this morning to join us.”
    “What? Who?” Felicity practically stomped on her foot in an attempt to make sure she
     didn’t push it further into her mouth.
    The captain paused and smirked at the assembled heads of department. “Why indeed,
     Ms. Williams. Report back to the bridge at ten hundred sharp. Dismissed.”
    So much for not taking any crap from the captain today. Felicity looked around for
     a friendly face and spied George, the cruise’s choreographer. Thank goodness for small
     mercies. Felicity bulged her eyes at him, nodding to a deserted corner of the ship’s
     bridge where they’d been assembled for the briefing. She dawdled after they were released,
     letting the room empty before she launched on George.
    “I know, I know,” she said to his raised eyebrow. “But he just goes on…”
    George put up his hand to stop her. “I know, darling. Your trouble is that you’re
     smarter than him by about a million miles and he knows it. Don’t make yourself into
     an easy target. Move on up or—”
    “Or shut up. I know. You’re right.”
    George raised the other eyebrow. “Michaela got off the ship while she had the chance.
     There’s nothing stopping you from doing the same. I’m destined to be here forever,
     old dancing hack that I am, and anyhoo, the captain’s a little afraid of me.” He threw
     up a hand in a mock swoon.
    Felicity laughed. The notion of anyone being afraid of George was too perfect. He
     might crack his whip over the dancers he worked with on board, but George was about
     as fierce as a gerbil otherwise. “He’s afraid that he’ll lose you and then his precious
     ship’s reputation will be in tatters, you mean,” she said.
    “Quite.”
    George didn’t press her about furthering her career and she was grateful. “So? What?
     Who? Why me?” she asked.
    George sucked air through his teeth. “Babysitting. Mr. Richard McCashypants, potential
     investor. Because you’re perky and charming, unlike our new cruise director, and for
     all his faults, Captain Atkinson knows it,” George answered succinctly.
    “Richard McCashypants. Hey, you’re worse than me.” Felicity giggled.
    “It’s McCashin, which is almost as bad.” George smirked. “You’re to make him feel”—George
     wafted an arm in the air in a pseudo ballet move—“involved. Inspired.”
    “And generous,” Felicity added.
    “Exactly. See, our captain isn’t as stupid as he sometimes pretends. Get McCashypants
     to cough up whatever it is he’s promised to invest and Atkinson will be so pleased
     with the pat on the back he gets from head office he’ll leave you alone for months.”
    Felicity chewed on a strand of blond hair that had escaped its tight ponytail.
    “And you can start by stopping that. He won’t be wooed by split ends, sweetness.”
    Her hair was not the feature she was most proud of, despite her mother once calling
     it charmingly carefree. Felicity groaned. “It’s a mess, isn’t it?”
    “Not a mess, darling. More of a…I don’t want to call it a nest, buuut…”
    The groan turned into something altogether