Page 47 of Hearts Aweigh
A NOTHER VOYAGE . A NOTHER CROP OF passengers. Another chance to help someone find true love.
But Emily Windsor’s confidence lagged.
She leaned against the elevator wall, her chin as low as her morale.
What a flop! Never in the Shippers’ long record of coupling efforts had they gotten something so totally and completely wrong.
None of them had bothered to bid goodbye to Spencer when the ship docked in Galveston—not even Daisy.
That detail worried Emily. Had her misguided matchmaking attempt hurt her friend’s relationship with her son?
Would he let Daisy be part of Madeleine’s life after this?
Emily squinted at the ceiling. “God, I’m not seeing it this time. What was the point? I can accept if Spencer and Abby weren’t meant to be. But what about Daisy? The rift between her and her son is wider than ever.” Her head bent again. “Is it all my fault?”
The elevator stopped at the main lobby, the doors opened, and several children in shorts and tank tops sped into the car. Their harried mother shoved them to one side with an apologetic wince, and Emily squeezed by before the doors shut.
No use wallowing. The best way to make it up to Abby was to find her someone wonderful.
Might as well scope out the new batch of passengers for a few minutes before heading to her cabin.
She settled in an armchair smack-dab in the center of the gigantic room.
A musician from the evening shows played on the grand piano as people milled around.
Abby navigated the expansive space in her usual purple ball gown, a basket hanging from her arm. She approached a little girl standing with her mother and extended a tiara. Her warm smile showed not a trace of her misery from the previous night.
A tall man approached Abby. Emily’s eyes bulged. The gentleman faced away from her, but there was no mistaking the owner of those wide shoulders.
“Oh, dear Lord,” Emily muttered. “Help us all.”
Someone patted Abby’s elbow as she took another tiara from her basket. Her gaze met a broad chest and traveled up, up, up. Her neck bent at a well-known angle. She stopped at the square chin, unwilling to meet the eyes of the man she’d never expected to see again.
Spencer Randolph Masterson. In the living, breathing, wretched flesh.
His lips lifted. “If someone told me a month ago I’d be taking a third cruise, I’d have called him a liar. Yet here I am.”
“Where’s Maddie?” She looked around his tall body but didn’t find her.
He pointed to a nearby couch. Maddie sat on the cushions, holding a doll. She waved with both hands.
Abby waved back before turning her attention to Spencer. “Isn’t your office complaining? I doubt they expected you to take three vacations.”
He shrugged. “They’re not dancing for joy, but that’s when being the boss comes in handy.”
“Good for you,” Abby ground out.
Either he missed her biting tone or chose to ignore it.
“Convincing my mother to return to New Orleans has been next to impossible. When we docked this morning, I couldn’t even locate her.
The woman refuses to use the cell I bought, her roommate isn’t answering her phone, and the front desk refused to tell me their cabin number.
Apparently our familial problems are glaringly obvious to the crew.
I had no choice but to book another voyage.
” He nudged Abby’s arm. “Good thing Monarch has a first-class nanny valet service.”
“Yes, sir.” Cheap rhinestones dug into her palm as she clenched the crown she was holding. “I’m sure they’ll provide you with a fabulous person. Unfortunately, I won’t be available to accommodate you this time.”
“What?” He inclined his ear as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. “Why?”
“This is my last voyage on the MS Buckingham . My cruising career is drawing to a close, and I’m busy wrapping up last-minute details.”
“You won’t be working?”
“I’ll still be performing my regular duties.” Abby’s calm voice in no way matched the furious pounding of her pulse. “Feel free to bring Maddie by the Kids Kingdom. I’d love to hang out with her. Now if you’ll excuse me.”
“Hold on.”
He reached for her, and she held the basket of tiaras in front of her like a rhinestone shield. If she didn’t get out of here soon, she might throw up.
“Knock me down with a feather!” Emily Windsor skidded to a stop beside them. Her curls poofed from the top of her head like a pot scrubber. “Spencer, we thought you went home.”
“Not when I haven’t achieved my objective. Daisy made herself scarce.”
“I can help you find her, dear. We can call her on my walkie-talkie.” The older woman threaded an arm around his and tugged him toward the elevators.
“Wait.” He dug his heels in and glanced at Abby. “About the nanny position—”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Masterson.” Abby faked a sympathetic look. “I’m not interested. At all. Goodbye.”
She waved once more to Maddie before retreating. It hurt to leave the precious little girl without so much as a hug. But she had to get away from that clueless but demanding man before he suspected the pride-crushing reason she didn’t want to spend time with them.