Page 46 of Hearts Aweigh

E MILY GRASPED THE ROUGH TREE trunk and raised her binoculars. Two warm bodies leaned against her back, but she focused on the couple farther down the beach. Abby and Spencer stood ever so close together.

“Candles and everything.” Althea squealed. “It’s a shame Daisy missed this. Her son organized a whole romantic surprise.”

“I’m flabbergasted.” Gerry held the hem of her long tie-dyed skirt away from the prickly beach grass at her feet. “He’s not the type for grandiose gestures.”

Emily passed her the binoculars. “I guess he’s improving. Take a look. Can you use this in your novel?”

Gerry accepted the binoculars. “Not bad. A little cliché. But it conveys the right message.”

Althea dug a piece of chocolate from her pocket. “I like the man’s get-up-and-go. Reminds me of my third husband. He proposed after one date.” She popped the candy in her mouth. “Why don’t we head to the ship? This may be the easiest match we ever made.”

Emily steadied her phone, zoomed in, and took a few pictures. She should send them to Daisy. Wouldn’t she be stunned?

“Someone else is joining them.” Gerry peered through the binoculars.

“What?” Emily snatched the binoculars.

In the distance, a new couple approached, walking hand in hand. A man in jeans and T-shirt followed at a discreet distance with a camera, pausing at intervals to take their picture.

“Who are they?” she asked. “What if they spoil the proposal?”

Gerry stood on tiptoe as if that could help her see better. “Should we head them off at the pass?”

“They’re too far away.” Emily slapped her arthritic legs. “Why can’t these old bones move as fast as they used to?”

She squinted through the binoculars. Her breath rattled in frustration at the new people approaching the couple. “We’d better return to the Buckingham , girls. I imagine Spencer and Abby will leave soon, and we don’t want them to catch us. We can take a bicycle taxi to the ship.”

Althea kept a hand under Emily’s elbow as they walked along the sand until they arrived at the taxi stand. The three Shippers climbed aboard, and Emily muttered a silent prayer that the ill-timed arrivals hadn’t messed up Spencer’s proposal.

Abby fussed with her hair and looked at Spencer. How difficult would it be to kiss him here on the beach? The last time, she’d had the step stool. A pile of sand might give her a boost.

Spencer cleared his throat. “I realize this may come as a surprise.”

Most proposals do.

“And it would be a great upheaval to your life.”

Love is worth a little inconvenience.

“Perhaps it’s selfish of me to hope the happiness you’ve brought Madeleine and me could continue.” He reached for the side of his sport coat. “Is it too much to ask—”

Abby closed her eyes. She dropped her sandals and began to lift her left hand. Better to have it ready when he revealed the ring. She waited for him to utter the sweet words.

“Would you consider becoming my daughter’s governess?”

A seagull squawked in the darkness.

Abby’s eyes shot open. He stood with his hand in his pocket in a casual pose. Her fingers clenched. She lowered them, hoping she didn’t appear as awkward as she felt. Her cheeks ignited like twin bonfires. Was the darkness enough to hide them?

“Your … your governess?”

A laugh floated along the breeze. Had someone witnessed her mortification? Abby’s head snapped to the left, where a young couple stood in the center of the candle setup. A man with a ring box knelt on one knee. His girlfriend squealed and threw her arms around his neck.

Abby swallowed her own tears. She turned away and wished she could teleport back to the ship. Better yet, to Galveston. Anything to get her away from the most humiliating moment of her life. How had she been so delusional to presume the rich, gorgeous Spencer Masterson wanted to marry her?

After two weeks!

The breath left her nose in short, humorless puffs of laughter. She’d acted a fool, as Althea might say. Had she imagined the signals? Let the romantic ambiance get to her?

No.

She hadn’t imagined the lip-lock at the waterfall either.

Abby rounded on Spencer. “Do you normally kiss your hired help?”

“What?”

“I’m sure I didn’t hallucinate the kiss you gave me yesterday.” She planted her feet in the sand. “Are you that affectionate with all your staff?”

“Of course not.” His aristocratic nose rose even more than usual.

“It was a temporary lapse in judgment.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Please accept my apology and rest assured I will always treat you with respect and maintain strict professional boundaries when you work for me. You needn’t fear any unwanted advances. ”

Unwanted?

Abby stifled a bitter chortle. That was the trouble. She wanted them too much. But to Spencer she’d been nothing more than a lapse in judgment. A cruise ship flirtation.

“Excuse me!” The woman down the beach hollered with her hands cupped around her mouth. “We’re taking engagement pictures.” She made shooing motions.

Spencer gestured the direction they’d come. “It seems we’re intruding on a private event. We should go.”

They left the amorous couple twirling in ecstasy while the photographer snapped pictures from the sidelines.

Abby retrieved her discarded shoes. Her bare toes sank in the sand as she made her retreat. But no matter how she hurried, her steps were matched by Spencer’s long strides. She huffed and puffed as she pressed forward.

Must get away.

Must remain calm.

Must not cry.

Accomplish those three things, and he might never suspect her ludicrous mistake. Abby dared a quick glance at the man beside her. He walked in silence, unaware of the storm raging inside her.

She glared straight ahead. Plenty of her coworkers indulged in onboard affairs with passengers, but she’d always been careful to reject flirtatious advances. She wasn’t the messing around kind. She was the marrying kind. Why had she lowered her guard?

The long, mute walk to the ship allowed Abby the opportunity to replay every word, every gesture, and every interaction between them. By the time they reached the gangplank, she was certain.

She wasn’t certifiable.

Spencer had sent her romantic signals loud and clear. Whether he meant them or not was another question. One she wasn’t going to ask. Time to play it off.

They crossed the gangplank, and Abby manufactured a dazzling smile at the entrance. “Thank you for the exercise. I won’t have to visit the gym before bed. Good night.”

“Wait.” He caught her hand. “About my job offer—”

“Oh, right,” Abby trilled as if she’d forgotten the most unwelcome proposition of her life.

“Thank you for your confidence in me, but in a few weeks, I’ll be returning to the teaching profession.

I already have a position lined up in Florida and have no interest in working as a governess.

I’m sure you want to check on Madeleine. Good night, Mr. Masterson.”

She didn’t bother to gauge his reaction as she stalked away. But that was one of the disadvantages of being five foot two. With such short legs, even her widest steps took forever to get anywhere. He could catch up with her in three seconds.

But he didn’t even try.

The humiliation escalated as she passed through the main lobby. Not only did Spencer not want her as his wife, he didn’t even consider her worth pursuing as his employee. She made it through the public area and was almost to the stairway door when she saw them.

Sitting on a circular couch were three of the Shippers. Emily’s lips lifted at her approach. She stood as Abby neared.

“How did it go, dear?” Emily asked.

“Did you make any progress?” Gerry sat with her pencil raised above a notebook.

Althea clasped her hands in front of her chin. “Did he kiss you?”

Abby looked behind her. Spencer was nowhere in sight.

She sank to the couch cushion and laughed.

Not a gentle, well-bred titter, but a gut-shaking, almost hysterical guffaw.

She laughed so hard it shook the tears from her eyes.

And once they started, they flowed in abandon.

A sob broke from her lips. Anyone walking by might assume she was a nutcase.

Laugh. Sob. Laugh. Sob.

She alternated between merriment and despair. The words refused to come. Her disappointed heart stuck in her throat and blocked them.

Althea sprang from her seat and nestled next to her. Pulling her close, the older woman crushed her in a pillow-soft embrace. Smoothing a hand down Abby’s back, she cooed like someone would to a baby.

“This isn’t good.” Gerry shut her notebook. “Those aren’t happy tears.”

Abby sobbed harder. She felt so very, very stupid. Why would a drop-dead gorgeous, successful, affluent man see her as anything more than a fling? It defied logic.

Emily offered a handkerchief. Abby swabbed her runny nose and made a valiant attempt to squelch the crying jag. Clamping her lips, she concentrated on taking deep, ragged breaths.

The Shippers waited with bent eyebrows and supportive expressions.

It took several minutes, but Abby pulled herself together. She pressed her palms to her overheated cheeks. “He … he asked me to be Maddie’s governess.”

“Governess!” three voices exclaimed.

Althea clicked her tongue. “That boy is aggravating as a rock.”

“The gall,” Gerry muttered. “Has he no shame?”

Emily face-palmed. “I’m afraid we got our bearings wrong on this one, girls.” She tugged her black handbag onto her lap. “Abigail, we’ve let you down. Will you forgive us?”

Abby’s lower lip quivered. “Don’t be silly. You four have done everything I asked and more. It’s not your fault I fell for the wrong man.”

Emily toyed with the purse straps. “In a way, it is. We believed you two shared a connection, and we were creating opportunities where you could explore it.”

Abby groaned. “We definitely explored it. But I guess Spencer is done adventuring and ready for real life.” She launched to her feet.

“The MS Buckingham docks in Galveston tomorrow, and he and Maddie will return home. All I have to do is avoid them for a few more hours.” She thumped a fist against her leg.

“I hate to let Maddie leave without saying goodbye, but”—her voice cracked—“I can’t face Spencer again. ”

Emily rose from the couch. “Don’t let this get you down, dear. The man is an idiot if he can’t see what’s right under his nose. We’ll find you someone better. Someone worthy of you.”

Someone better?

The idea didn’t appeal at all.

She didn’t want better . She wanted Spencer. But he’d made it abundantly clear he wanted her only as an employee.