Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
A two hour flight wasn't enough time with Hayes. Grateful that we were headed to the same place, I asked hopefully, "Would you like to share a taxi to the cruise port?"
I held my breath until he replied, "I'd love to."
Once the pilot gave the go ahead, I got out of my seat and retrieved both my and Hayes' carry-on from the overhead bin. I motioned for Hayes to go in front of me and told him words that sounded much cooler in my head than when they came out of my mouth, "Adventure awaits."
Chapter Two
“Oh, wow,” Hayes said when we stepped out of the taxi. He was looking beyond the cruise terminal, to the ship behind it. It was undoubtedly the one we’d be embarking on; not only was it the only one docked in the water, but it had the name Blue Majesty proudly printed on its side. “It’s beautiful.”
It truly was. The cruise ship was stark white in color, except for the blue waves painted on the side. And it was huge, sitting at one thousand feet long and containing fifteen decks. The top deck held brightly colored, twisted water slides which I didn't plan on using, but looked fun for children.
We made our way into the cruise terminal, which reminded me of the airport; everyone inside was separated into security lines, where the employees scanned our luggage and guided us through metal detectors. Our boarding passes and our passports were checked before we were finally cleared to board.
Hayes and I got split up in the craziness, but luckily, we met back up on the other side of security. From there, we were ushered into a room which only held a tall escalator. We stepped onto it, and were transported to a door which led to a ramp, which was connected to the ship. I thought it was an awful lot of steps to take, but Hayes didn’t seem to mind; his excited grin didn’t budge from his face.
When we finally stepped onto the ship, he gasped and his jaw dropped. His eyes were wide as he looked around the lobby and said, “Pictures don’t do this place justice. It’s breathtaking in person.”
Apparently, Hayes had done his research on the boat, probably looking up photos online while counting down the days to his vacation. I, on the other hand, was the total opposite; I had no idea what the ship was going to look like, or what it held inside. I didn’t know much beyond the name, as my assistant Sarah did all of the planning.
Sarah was a great assistant; she had helped me on countless cases throughout the years. But she was more than that; she was also a good friend. She gave me a kick in the butt when I needed it, and tended to worry about me more than I ever did for myself, which explained this vacation.
Sarah noticed that I was working even more than usual, given that I had acquired many new companies on my client list. I was staying in the office until late evening every day, consistently working over eighty hours per week. She saw that I needed a break.
Sarah had access to my credit card, as I sometimes asked her to use it to buy lunch for my team, or gifts to thank them for their hard work. She decided to use it to give me the gift of relaxation.
I didn’t mind the cost; I lived alone in a home I paid off years ago. I had no pets or responsibilities to attend to, as I didn’t have time for them. So, I had plenty of cash sitting in the bank. The only thing I couldn’t afford was the time away from work, but I knew Sarah had put a lot of thought and effort into planning this trip, and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I knew her heart was in the right place, and I appreciated her. I would try to relax if it killed me.
Hayes was right about one thing, though; the ship was stunning. We were standing in an atrium-style lobby, which was adorned in reds and golds. The ceiling was several stories tall, and covered in skylight windows, which bathed the area in sparkling sunshine.
There was an open-seating bar in the center of the room, which was already packed with thirsty guests wanting to get a boozy start to their vacation. Behind the bar was a tall set of glass elevators which led to other floors of cabins and activities.
“I guess I’ll go find my room and put my things down before I soak up some sun,” Hayes said, nodding to the luggage he pulled behind him.
“I have some paperwork I need to look over for the office,” I added, and Hayes shook his head with a smirk.