5. Emma
Emma
The music thumps through the speakers, the infectious beat of"The Wobble"filling the air. All around me, people are dancing, their bodies moving in sync with the music. Paul is out there 'backing it up' with the best of them. Forever the life of the party. Laughter and chatter mix with the splashing of water as passengers lounge on the deck chairs and play in the pool.
I lean back in my chair, letting the sun warm my skin and take another sip of my drink. My gaze wanders up to the second level above the pool deck and a group of officers in uniform catch my eye. Sadly, none of them are Leo.
I should be overjoyed that I got to talk with him last night but the way he spoke about reporters…the disdain in his voice. It's a stark reminder of why I'm really here to reveal the truth behind his carefully crafted image. I'm not here to make friends. Or lovers for that matter.
I take a long haul off my drink, trying to push the thought away. I'm not going to let my attraction to Captain Leo distract me from my mission. I need to focus on gathering information, on finding the story behind the facade.
Just then, Paul plops down breathless in the chair next to me, a grin on his face."Having fun?"he asks, nodding towards my drink.
I force a smile, trying to push away the conflicting emotions swirling inside me."Of course,"I reply, taking another sip."It's a beautiful day."
"So, what's our next move, Sherlock? Last night was a wash for me. The ballroom was so packed I couldn't get any decent pictures of the captain even with my tiny, covert camera."
"Well, I guess we need to start talking to people, Paul. See if anyone has any juicy gossip about Captain Dreamy."
Paul narrows his eyes scanning the crowd."Ooh, check out the cute waiter. I volunteer to talk to him!"he says, nudging me.
I follow his eyes to see a handsome young blond man with a surfer vibe grabbing a tray full of drinks at the bar. He has a charming smile and a twinkle in his eye as he chats with the passengers.
"His name tag says Jacob,"I note, watching as he flirts shamelessly with a group of giggling women.
Paul sighs."Ugh, too bad he's straight. Just my luck."
I laugh, patting his arm sympathetically. But then Jacob looks our way, his gaze locking with mine. He winks, a slow smile spreading across his face.
"Oh my."I murmur, flush creeping up my neck.
Paul groans."Great, now he's flirting with you too."
I raise my eyebrows and shrug,"I don't know what it is with the men on this ship. I haven't gotten this much attention from the opposite sex in…in…well, never!"
Jacob saunters over to us, his tray loaded with colorful cocktails."Well hello there,"he says, his eyes raking over me appreciatively."How are we doing today? Enjoying this brand new ship?"
"Yes, very much. And it's our first cruise actually,"I say, smiling up at him.
"Well then, let me be the first to welcome you to the fabulous life of cruising."Jacob says smoothly."Can I interest you in a drink? On the house, of course, for such a stunning lady."
I laugh, shaking my head."Thanks, but I'm good for now."
Paul starts to object, saying he's always down for a free drink, but before he can finish his sentence, a woman appears, shooing Jacob back to work.
"Jacob, those drinks aren't going to serve themselves,"she says with a playful but firm tone.
Jacob gives her a mock salute."Yes, ma'am,"he says, winking at me one last time before heading back to the bar.
The woman turns to us, a dazzling smile on her face."Sorry about that, folks. Jacob can be a bit of a flirt."She extends her hand."I'm Rachel, the Cruise Director. Welcome aboard the Celestial Odyssey!"
I shake her hand, impressed by her confident demeanor and the way she effortlessly takes control of the situation."I'm Emma, and this is my friend Paul. It's our first cruise, so we're still getting our bearings."
Rachel nods, her eyes sparkling with excitement."Well, you picked the perfect time to start cruising! This ship is unlike any other the world has ever seen. And we have an incredible lineup of activities planned for this voyage. In fact, we're going to kick off our first game show of the cruise tonight, hosted by none other than the fabulous Queen Bee herself."
As if on cue, a woman appears alongside Rachel, her presence commanding attention. She's dressed in a vibrant yellow sundress, with a matching fascinator adorned with a bedazzled bumblebee. Her long, dark hair cascades down her back in perfect curls, and her makeup is vintage-inspired and flawless.
"Did someone say Queen Bee?"she asks, her voice honey-sweet.
Rachel laughs, putting an arm around the woman's shoulders."Emma, Paul, meet Beatrice, aka Queen Bee. She is a full-time cruiser and one of the most popular online vacation influencers out there, and she's going to be livestreaming and hosting our game show tonight."
Beatrice gives us a dazzling smile, her hazel eyes sparkling with mischief."That's right, darlings. And trust me, you won't want to miss it. We've got some incredible prizes up for grabs, and I'll be giving my followers an inside look at all the behind-the-scenes action."
Rachel claps her hands together, her eyes lighting up with an idea."Hey, you know we are still looking for contestants. Why don't you two join in on the game show tonight? It'll be a great way to kick off your first cruise experience!"
I exchange a glance with Paul, hesitating."Oh, I don't know. We're not really the game show type."
Beatrice leans in, her voice conspiratorial."Trust me, darling, you don't want to miss out on this. Plus, it's a fantastic opportunity to meet some of the other passengers and crew members."
This could be the perfect chance to gather more information about Captain Leo without drawing too much attention to ourselves.
I look at Paul, raising an eyebrow. He shrugs, a sly smile on his face."Why not? It could be fun."
Rachel beams, clapping her hands together."Fantastic! I'll make sure to save you both a spot. Be at the main theater at 8 pm sharp. And don't forget to bring your A-game!"
With that, Rachel and Beatrice sashay away, leaving Paul and me to exchange a look of excitement and trepidation.
"Well, that was unexpected,"I say, taking a sip of my drink.
Paul's eyes gleam with mischief."The Celestial gods are smiling down upon us, Em! This could be the perfect opportunity to get some inside info on Captain Dreamy. We can chat up the other contestants, maybe even some of the crew members who know him personally."
I raise my glass in cheers."Here's to getting the scoop!"
This could be exactly the break I need.