A Change of Plans (4 page)

“That stuff doesn’t happen out here, does it?” the other man asked him.

“Not that I ever heard of. I wouldn’t go on any of the excursions if I had. Who’d ever think pirates ...”

Their voices faded as they entered the auditorium.

Aislinn and D’Arcy were seated at the front. She waved for Braedon to come over, and he looked at me. “It didn’t sound like you were meeting anyone here. You’re welcome to sit with us.”

The invitation was hardly unexpected, but my heart still sped up. I had never been able to come up with excuses quickly enough in order to get out of things gracefully. I could be rude, and had to admit I had overreacted at first after Jace—just ask all those guys who had asked me out over the last year—but this was different. Braedon was just being nice. “Sure.”

“No Kate?” I asked when we sat down next to the Armstrongs.

Aislinn bent forward. “They have a lot of activities for the kids. I could hardly get her to eat her breakfast first.”

The sound of drums blasted through the speakers, and the lights slowly dimmed. A large Polynesian man in a flowered
shirt came on stage and opened the day’s lecture on the history of the Hawaiian Islands.

“How do you practice self-defense on your own?” Braedon whispered.

“I don’t. I’ll have to wait until after the trip.”

After a few minutes, Braedon leaned toward me. “Is it hard?”

I turned to him. “Is what hard?”

“Being a self-defense dummy.” He tilted his head closer, his hair tickling my ear and making goose bumps break out along my arms. “I could be your guinea pig.”

Jace had hated my love for karate. He had said he worried someone would hurt me. Yeah, right. He hadn’t liked me being punched but hadn’t minded breaking my heart.

When I didn’t answer right away, Braedon said, “But only if you want.” He sounded unsure.

I didn’t want to be distracted from my goals, and Braedon was definitely distracting, but I told myself it was just a kind offer. “That’d be great. I do need to practice.” The last part at least was true.

The brightness from the low lights made his eyes glimmer. “Just don’t hurt me.”

I choked back a laugh, and the woman behind me shushed us. We faced the speaker, our shoulders shaking.

I
LEFT BRAEDON
with his family at the end of the lecture and went back to the cabin in search of Elle. She hadn’t returned from breakfast, and I had no idea where to look for her before lunch. Time to take advantage of the sunshine. I changed into
my barely-there bikini that I only wore to tan when no guys were around, put on a robe, and went out onto the balcony.

Leaning against the balcony rail, I tasted the salty air. Seagulls glided the drafts of wind that swirled my hair. I had come on the cruise for this—quiet solitude and the majesty of the ocean.

From what I could see, none of the nearby balconies were occupied, so I slipped off my robe and lay down on the lounge chair. I read until my eyes grew tired from the glare. I set the book aside, the toasty warmth of the sun trying to lull me into a doze. It was time to go inside.

The sound of Braedon’s balcony door opening sent a shock through my body. I choked back a cry, scrambling for my robe.

“Nice bikini,” he commented, his tone appreciative.

My stomach churned as, cheeks burning, I flipped the robe the rest of the way around me and rose to face him. First I fall all over him and now this. Was I forever destined to be embarrassed in front of this man?

He stood with his back to me, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

I didn’t know if I should be glad he had turned around or mad he was laughing at me. I chose to go with the first option. “And they say chivalry is dead.”

Braedon turned, trying to look penitent and only succeeding a little, the humor still in his voice. “Sorry, but you should have seen your face.”

I laughed softly. I was surprised at the number of times he had made me do that. “So where do gentlemen like you come from?”

“New York. I grew up on my mother’s estate in Long Island. The estate itself has around a hundred acres of formal
gardens.” Braedon chuckled. “There’s a walled garden where Aislinn used to like to pretend she was Mary Lennox. She’d bribe me to be Colin.”

After biting back a smile at the picture, I considered the implications of growing up in a home like that. It was something far beyond anything I had ever experienced. “Does your mother still live there?” I shifted. My robe was getting hot.

“No ....” He grimaced. “She died about six months ago.”

I straightened. “I’m sorry.”

Braedon gave me a tight smile, his expression making it clear he didn’t want to talk about it.

When I tried to think of another subject, an image of my parents’ tiny house in a middle-class neighborhood flashed through my mind. “It sounds like you had a privileged childhood.”

I didn’t mean to sound accusatory, but Braedon became defensive. “We did have a privileged childhood, but it wasn’t from living at Winterwood or going to yacht races; it was from spending our summers and holidays on a Montana ranch working our butts off. I spent only about a quarter of my time with my dad, but it’s his house that feels like home to me.”

We stared at each other for a moment, and I had the strong impression he had not spoken of this with many others. I felt honored he would share something so personal with me.

My balcony door opened, and I jumped. Elle slipped outside but stopped when she saw Braedon.

“Sorry I talked your ear off, Lyn.” He turned toward his door. “I’ll see you around.”

“I liked getting my ear talked off.” I kept my voice low. He must have still been able to hear, because he glanced over his
shoulder, and the corner of his mouth turned up before he went back inside his cabin.

I turned toward Elle. “Been having fun?”

She considered Braedon’s closing balcony door but didn’t say anything for a moment before finally asking, “You ready for lunch? I’m starving.”

CHAPTER 4

I
SPENT PART
of the afternoon reading in the ship’s library.

When I returned to our cabin, I found Elle had almost finished dressing for dinner.

“Did you get lost in your book?” She dangled her wristwatch. “You’re cutting it pretty close.”

“I won’t be long.” I slipped out of my shoes.

When I had undressed, I chose one of the four formal dresses I had purchased for the cruise. Since Elle wanted to go up to the Crow’s Nest, I chose the simplest one. It was a black, knee-length chiffon piece.

I twisted my hair into a loose, curly updo, leaving a few strands hanging around my face and down my neck.

After slipping on my heels, I stood beside Elle in front of the mirror to check the overall effect. She was more striking than beautiful. While her eyes were a little too wide for her small nose, their bright blue color offset her dark blonde hair. It had amused us when we were growing up that people often mistook my fair-haired brother as hers. I was dark where Elle
was light, tall where she was not. Elle’s soft, feminine shape contrasted with my more angular, athletic form.

“You’ll do,” we said together and giggled.

The Crow’s Nest sat on the top floor of the ship with a panoramic vista of the ocean. Elle’s little social group had grown, and Jimmy helped me push a few of the small tables together.

“That should give us a good view of the dance floor.” Jimmy patted the table before turning to me. “Guess what.”

“You found someone who plays an instrument.”

He snorted. “I’ve already found three—a drummer and two guitarists. One’s good at bass too. Now I just need a keyboardist.” His eyes glowed. “The news is I’m wearing the cruise director down and ... Hang on.” He scooted around a couple and dashed to the door where Maria stood searching the crowd.

Jimmy brought her over to the table. “I’ll be right back,” he said and headed toward some guys who were waving him over.

Maria didn’t seem to know what to do with herself, so I patted the chair beside me. “He’s not excited about his little band at all, is he?”

Her face shone with pride. “He’s so talented.”

“Did you two just meet?”

Maria shook her head, glancing over her shoulder like she was afraid someone might overhear. “We’re kind of engaged,” she whispered. “But it’s a secret. He’s not sure his mother will approve of me.”

Grimacing, I wondered if it was because she was Hispanic. Not that I could ask. “With him in the family ranch business, it’ll be hard to keep secret.”

“I know, right? His mom’s determined to set him up with a
family friend. Jimmy’s going to break it to her when—excuse me.” Maria jumped from her chair and hurried over to where Jimmy was signaling her.

I watched them talking with the group of guys. Jimmy and Maria made a cute couple. I hoped things worked out for them.

Elle slid into the chair beside me as a feedback squeal came from the sound equipment. The DJ made a quick adjustment to the microphone. “Welcome, cruisers!”

The crowd roared their approval.

The DJ introduced himself and then officially opened the floor. D’Arcy led Aislinn out to dance. She winked at Braedon as her husband took her into his arms. As Santana’s “Smooth” began to play, they flowed into the cha-cha like their bodies were being guided by one brain.

The crowd got into the rhythm, and I found myself grinning. I loved to dance, and I hadn’t had a good partner since college. I wondered if Braedon could dance that well too.

My curiosity was soon satisfied. The song had barely played halfway through when Braedon suddenly jumped up and cut in on D’Arcy, Aislinn laughing as he swept her away.

No, Braedon couldn’t dance like Aislinn. Or wouldn’t. His sister tried to do the cha-cha with him,
tried
being the key word. His steps reminded me of the out-of-sync movements from guys at my high school graduation—then I realized he was pretending to be a robot. Braedon was trying to suppress a smirk, and Aislinn finally laughed, hitting his arm and letting him lead her in a bizarre two-step that didn’t match the music at all.

When the song ended, Braedon approached my table, extending a hand. “May I have this dance?”

I hesitated a moment, thinking it might be better if I didn’t,
but Elle gave me her you-had-better-say-yes-or-you’re-so-dead look. I took his hand, prepared for the tingle this time. He smelled good. Great.

The second song, “In the Mood,” had begun by the time we reached the floor. Braedon placed his right hand high on my back and, taking my other hand, went into the two-step again. At least this time he moved with the music.

“So, where are you from?”

I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath. After talking about his medical training earlier, I had been expecting questions about college. Maybe someday I could look back on my own memories of that time without thinking of liars and cheaters. “Colorado Springs. I’ve lived there all my life.”

“Excuse me.” Jimmy tapped my shoulder. “I’m cutting in.”

He stole me away, pulling me into an awkward embrace and swinging me into what could only be a Texas two-step. Almost immediately, I missed Braedon. Stupid me.

Jimmy was followed by a host of guys in what became a session of speed-date-dancing. Exhausted, I returned to our tables, where I found Elle had just finished dancing with D’Arcy and invited the Armstrongs to join us.

I slid into the seat next to Aislinn. “You
had
to have been on a ballroom dance team.”

“I was.” She winked at her brother. “I used to try to make Braedon practice with me.”

He grimaced.

“Which was worse, dancing with Aislinn or playing Colin to her Mary?” I teased.

Aislinn darted her eyes from me to Braedon. “You told her that?”

“I may have mentioned it.” He rose from the table, took my hand, and pulled me to my feet. “Let’s finish our dance.”

A slow, modern song played, and Braedon pulled me near, swaying back and forth to the music. Except for karate, I hadn’t been held so close in almost a year. My senses awakened to him; his subtle but pleasant cologne, the weight of his hand on my waist.

I needed to think of something else. “I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have back there.”

He lowered his eyes to mine. “About me playing
Secret Garden
with my sister?”

I laughed. “I have a younger brother I used to torment, and I love the thought of Aislinn doing the same to you.”

Braedon smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes—like the smile he had given me on his balcony when he hadn’t wanted to talk about his mother.

“I think you would probably do anything for Aislinn,” I said, hoping my instincts were right.

His smile then did more than light up his face. I almost forgot we were surrounded by a crush of people. He was a
very
good dancer.

“You said you were a teacher.”

I was on edge, kind of like when I was blowing up a bunch of balloons for a school event and just waiting for one to pop. Braedon continued to make easy conversation, and I wondered what I had been worried about.