seriously. I feel kind and happy people are a must for our profession. I don’t care how great an applicant looks on paper, the person must capture my attention.” His smile reappeared before he added, “ Brava , you passed the test, Miss Stanton.”
“Please call me Rebecca,” I said shyly. I wasn’t a shy person, so this was new.
“Ah, sì , Rrreh-beck-ah.” My name never sounded so beautiful before. “So, Rebecca, I simply would like to know why you chose my team. Why are you here?”
“Honestly?” He nodded, waiting patiently. “I needed excitement in my life. I was…stuck.”
“This job may sound exciting, but it is hard work. Working on a cruise ship isn’t the party everyone thinks it is.”
“Oh, I know, Mr. Puglia. I’ve waitressed and worked at summer camps. I’m always prepared to work hard. I love people and I needed a change in my life. I needed to surround myself with happiness. What better place?”
“Well, you could have applied at Disney World,” he teased.
“I was always afraid of Mickey Mouse when I was a kid.”
Marco laughed, and that awesome sound once again jolted my already pounding heart. Staring at him daily would be a distraction, but I was prepared to suffer through it.
“You have experience managing people, but are you prepared to keep my staff happy?”
Marco’s staff.
Marco’s stiff staff.
Marco’s stiff staff happy.
Marco’s stiff staff happy in me.
Holy shit…what’s happening to me?
“Yes.” The word sounded more like a croak, and I worked a swallow, trying to bring moisture to the desert that suddenly developed in my mouth.
Don't think about swallowing. That leads to thinking about his hard staff. Stop swallowing! You look like a freak! Hmm, I wonder if he's freaky?
“ Good, because I believe a happy staff makes for a happy cruise ship. You need to know how to motivate them so they’ll give you their best work, yet keep them smiling and loving their jobs. At the same time, you need to provide our guests with a vacation that will have them crying once it’s over. It can be a very demanding situation all around.”
“Um…I worked at a summer camp for years, starting as a counselor and moving up to the group counselor position. I feel no one is as demanding as a kid looking for a great summer camp experience.”
He said something in Italian and nodded, making me assume he agreed. “You can expect the same on the ship. These passengers spend a small fortune for a slice of heaven. It’s our job to make sure they have a ball.”
“I’m all about finding a slice of balls…I mean heaven…a slice of heaven.”
Oh. My. God! Is this interview over yet?
I shrugged apologetically, my face flaming with embarrassment.
He assessed me for a few seconds while I squirmed in my chair. I needed to repair the damage my mouth and behavior may have done toward getting this job.
Sitting up straighter, I met his gaze and spoke from my heart. “Mr. Puglia, I’m a dreamer, and some may see that as a negative. I feel that I have one shot on this planet, and I need to make the best of it. You’ll quickly learn that when I commit to something, it becomes my one and only focus. Working for Sunset would be my dream come true. Most importantly, it would be an honor to have the chance to make someone else’s dreams come to life while they’re here visiting with us.”
Miraculously, Marco smiled and said, “Well, Miss Stanton, I’d like to welcome you to Sunset Cruises.”
“Really? I got it?” I clapped and may have let out an embarrassing squeal. I immediately blushed when Marco bit his bottom lip to stop from laughing. “Um…sorry. I’m so excited. I don’t normally behave this way. Honestly. Um…thank you so much, Mr. Puglia.”
“Please call me Marco,” he countered. “You’re a great fit for Sunset.”
“Thank you, Marco.”
“ Benissimo .” His Italian sent shivers down my spine. He met my eyes and smiled wider. “I know you have
“Please call me Rebecca,” I said shyly. I wasn’t a shy person, so this was new.
“Ah, sì , Rrreh-beck-ah.” My name never sounded so beautiful before. “So, Rebecca, I simply would like to know why you chose my team. Why are you here?”
“Honestly?” He nodded, waiting patiently. “I needed excitement in my life. I was…stuck.”
“This job may sound exciting, but it is hard work. Working on a cruise ship isn’t the party everyone thinks it is.”
“Oh, I know, Mr. Puglia. I’ve waitressed and worked at summer camps. I’m always prepared to work hard. I love people and I needed a change in my life. I needed to surround myself with happiness. What better place?”
“Well, you could have applied at Disney World,” he teased.
“I was always afraid of Mickey Mouse when I was a kid.”
Marco laughed, and that awesome sound once again jolted my already pounding heart. Staring at him daily would be a distraction, but I was prepared to suffer through it.
“You have experience managing people, but are you prepared to keep my staff happy?”
Marco’s staff.
Marco’s stiff staff.
Marco’s stiff staff happy.
Marco’s stiff staff happy in me.
Holy shit…what’s happening to me?
“Yes.” The word sounded more like a croak, and I worked a swallow, trying to bring moisture to the desert that suddenly developed in my mouth.
Don't think about swallowing. That leads to thinking about his hard staff. Stop swallowing! You look like a freak! Hmm, I wonder if he's freaky?
“ Good, because I believe a happy staff makes for a happy cruise ship. You need to know how to motivate them so they’ll give you their best work, yet keep them smiling and loving their jobs. At the same time, you need to provide our guests with a vacation that will have them crying once it’s over. It can be a very demanding situation all around.”
“Um…I worked at a summer camp for years, starting as a counselor and moving up to the group counselor position. I feel no one is as demanding as a kid looking for a great summer camp experience.”
He said something in Italian and nodded, making me assume he agreed. “You can expect the same on the ship. These passengers spend a small fortune for a slice of heaven. It’s our job to make sure they have a ball.”
“I’m all about finding a slice of balls…I mean heaven…a slice of heaven.”
Oh. My. God! Is this interview over yet?
I shrugged apologetically, my face flaming with embarrassment.
He assessed me for a few seconds while I squirmed in my chair. I needed to repair the damage my mouth and behavior may have done toward getting this job.
Sitting up straighter, I met his gaze and spoke from my heart. “Mr. Puglia, I’m a dreamer, and some may see that as a negative. I feel that I have one shot on this planet, and I need to make the best of it. You’ll quickly learn that when I commit to something, it becomes my one and only focus. Working for Sunset would be my dream come true. Most importantly, it would be an honor to have the chance to make someone else’s dreams come to life while they’re here visiting with us.”
Miraculously, Marco smiled and said, “Well, Miss Stanton, I’d like to welcome you to Sunset Cruises.”
“Really? I got it?” I clapped and may have let out an embarrassing squeal. I immediately blushed when Marco bit his bottom lip to stop from laughing. “Um…sorry. I’m so excited. I don’t normally behave this way. Honestly. Um…thank you so much, Mr. Puglia.”
“Please call me Marco,” he countered. “You’re a great fit for Sunset.”
“Thank you, Marco.”
“ Benissimo .” His Italian sent shivers down my spine. He met my eyes and smiled wider. “I know you have
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