Chapter 18
Will Jennings was scarfing down a bowl of Cheerios when his mom rushed through the kitchen on her way out the door.
She’d pulled her dark blonde hair away from her oval face, and her brows furrowed over harried blue eyes. A pair of teal scrubs
hung more loosely from her five-foot frame than they had a few years ago. “Sure you don’t want some eggs? Growing boys need
protein.”
“Haven’t grown an inch since junior year, Ma.”
She stopped her frenetic rush to work long enough to pat his cheek as she looked at him in that way of mothers everywhere.
“My boy... so young and already being recruited for a job.”
“It’s just an entry-level position.”
“With a considerable pay raise.” Her gaze swept his attire—a collared shirt and navy shorts. “You look so handsome. Maybe
you should take some Dramamine.”
“It’s just a one-hour tour.” Will hadn’t been on a boat in years, but his mom was prone to seasickness. She’d once gone on
a two-day fishing trip and spent the entire time puking over the railing. “But maybe you’re right.”
Mom pecked him on the cheek, making him slosh a spoonful of cereal, then grabbed her purse. “I think there’s some in the medicine
cabinet. You’re gonna do great, honey. Let me know how it goes.”
“Will do.”
“Have a good day. Love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
“Don’t forget to call your dad.”
“I won’t.” The door closed and Will slurped the milk from the bowl.
His mom’s last words gave him that sinking feeling in his stomach. But he opted not to dwell on that right now. He had a job
opportunity that would get him closer to paying for that degree he’d been aiming for since freshman year in high school, when
Mr. Keating introduced the subject of neurobiology.
The brain was such a mystery even to scientists who spent a lifetime studying it. He couldn’t think of anything more interesting,
more fascinating. He’d gotten more serious about his grades, about those scholarships the guidance counselor had mentioned.
When his parents had separated the next year, then divorced, he added a job to the equation, part-time during the school year
and full-time through the summer. Because theirs had become a single-mom household and college wasn’t in the budget.
That was okay. He had his first year under his belt now. He’d managed a couple decent scholarships and there were loans for
the rest. But he was practical and wouldn’t borrow any more than he had to.
Sure, he’d made some sacrifices. He had to live at home with Mom instead of in a dorm with friends. And there was no time
for partying when you had to squeeze in studying between job shifts. Also, he couldn’t afford dating, much less an actual
girlfriend. But he was motivated by his love of science.
Speaking of jobs... he checked the time. Then he slurped the last of his milk and got up from the stool. He had a promising
position to acquire.
The Carolina Dream was a sixty-five-foot steel riverboat. Heat shimmered from the sidewalk as Will set eyes on the white vessel with blue and
red trim. It boasted an enclosed main level, an open upper level, and a 600-horsepower engine. He’d learned all this from
his online research.
What he hadn’t learned from the website was that the young woman working the check-in booth was drop-dead gorgeous. He joined
the line, keeping his cell phone with the QR code handy while he tried not to stare.
Her pale blonde hair was pulled into two thick braids that framed her pretty face and hung past her shoulders. She was tanned
and natural looking, and when she smiled her eyes sparkled.
He stepped next in line, getting within feet of her.
Green. Her eyes were green. And there were faint freckles on her nose. His heart whipped against his rib cage. His mouth was
suddenly dry, his tongue thick and heavy.
The couple in front of him moved away and he stepped forward.
“Hi there,” she said.
Her smile disrupted his neurotransmission, rendering him momentarily mute. She was even prettier up close. The sun glinted
off the golden tips of her lashes. “Uh, hi.”
“You have a ticket?”
Idiot. You’re staring. “Sorry.” He held out his phone only to find his hand shaking.
“Um, you’ll have to put in your passcode.”
“Oh, right. Yeah. Sorry.” It took three tries to get his thumbs to cooperate while the girl waited. His cheeks were hot and
he was probably getting perspiration rings under his arms. Real sexy. He opened the email and enlarged the QR code. “Here
you go.”
“Perfect.” She scanned the code, then handed him a laminated boarding pass, treating him to a dazzling smile. “Boarding is in ten minutes right over there.”
“Great. Thanks.” He walked away, fighting a strong urge to slap himself. Wow, what a charmer. A 4.2 and he couldn’t manage
a single complete sentence. Just as well. He was here for a job, not a girl.
He gave his head a shake, wondering if he had marbles in there instead of neurons, and joined the line already forming in
front of the boat. He had to get his head on straight and focus on securing this position. Thank God the girl was only working
the booth and wasn’t part of the crew.
The girl was part of the crew. She’d not only given out the boarding passes, but now she was collecting them, boat side, and
telling guests she’d see them on board. When it was his turn, he managed to hand his over without making a complete idiot
of himself, then he filed on board with the paying customers.
Josh Reynolds stood at the ready, greeting passengers. “Welcome aboard. Make yourselves comfortable.” His eyes lit with recognition
as they fell on Will. “Good to have you along today, Will. Stick around after the tour. I’ll introduce you to the crew.”
“Sounds good. Thank you.”
“Snack bar is on the main level. Feel free to check it out and roam around all you like.”
“Will do.” Once on board Will followed the majority of the passengers up the steps to the upper level. As promised it was covered, providing a shady reprieve from the July sun. Bench seats, facing a door that read “Pilothouse,” took up most of the space. But Will settled at the railing, enjoying the water view while the rest of the passengers boarded.
He’d never seen himself working on a boat, but he enjoyed new experiences and challenges. Plus there was the money. And the
owner seemed like he’d be pretty cool to work for.
About ten minutes later Josh’s voice came over the speaker, introducing himself as Captain Josh and welcoming them aboard.
He stood in front of the pilothouse, delivering safety information and life jacket locations through a headset. “While you’re
aboard, feel free to move about the vessel. However, we would ask that you maintain a point of contact at all times, especially
when going up and down the stairs.
“For those of you on the upper deck, please be aware we will have variable winds today, so be sure to hang on to your hats.
If the wind does catch a hat and pull it into the water, we do have a hats-overboard procedure. We ask that everyone stand
up and offer that hat a final salute because we will not be going back to retrieve it.”
The crowd chuckled.
“Before we get underway, I’d like to introduce you to my first mate, Darius”—the stout guy offered a wave from a seat nearby—“and
Addison, who handed out and collected your boarding passes, is filling in at the snack bar today.”
Will fought the urge to run down for another peek even as he reminded himself why he was here.
After encouraging the group to sit back and enjoy the ride, Josh stepped into the pilothouse and began maneuvering the boat
into the waterway.
A few minutes later the scent of popcorn mingled with the diesel fumes, and some of the passengers made their way below.
Once the boat was headed downriver, Josh settled on a bench and listened to Captain Josh’s monologue. He told the history of the area, including Snow’s Cut, the scenic waterway that bridged Wilmington and Seabrook. He explained that the Cape Fear River had gotten its name from the twenty-eight miles of shifting silt known as the Frying Pan Shoals, where more than 150 ships had met their demise.
Having been born and raised in Wilmington, Will knew the history, but Josh made it interesting and his sense of humor kept
the passengers entertained. Along the route he used his headset to point out areas of interest and otherwise let the guests
enjoy the scenery.
At the halfway point Will made his way belowdecks. The space was open down here with tables lining both sides. The snack bar
was on the far end. Addison waited on a family of four. He took a seat nearby to observe as she made small talk with the couple
visiting from Ohio. After they received their sacks of popcorn and drinks, the family moved to a table across the deck and
she waited on the next person in line.
The job seemed simple enough. Certainly no more difficult than the carnival game. He made a list of questions for Josh while
he quietly observed and idly wondered if Addison was actually part of the crew or if she was merely filling in. He found himself
hoping for the former, despite his uninspired first impression on her. And despite the fact that the last thing he needed
was a distraction—no matter how beautiful—from his goals.