Chapter Five
PAULstood in front of the dresser in his cabin and reached for his watch, but he paused when he noticed the piece of sea glass Devin had given him, and he picked up that instead. He’d enjoyed his time ashore more than he’d expected to, and he still couldn’t quite believe he’d let Devin lure him onto the beach. But Devin had been right. Now when Paul thought about the beach, he could focus on memories of Miss Jo’s conch fritters and collecting pretty shells for six-year-old twins instead of Jack.
He sighed quietly as he rubbed the glass between his fingers, thinking about what Devin had said yesterday. He knew fear was a stumbling block he needed to get out of the way; he’d had that conversation multiple times with his therapist. But he wasn’t ready to face another rejection. Losing Jack had been hard enough. They’d shared a love of all kinds of physical activities—surfing, boating, hiking, rock climbing, CrossFit. Jack had seemed convinced they would have to give all that up, and he’d refused to stick around long enough to let Paul prove otherwise. Since then, Paul had avoided those activities, telling himself it was a painful reminder, but maybe he was letting fear turn Jack’s words into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
On impulse, he slid the piece of sea glass into the pocket of his khakis. Then he put on his watch, checked his salmon-colored polo shirt for wrinkles, and headed out of the cabin. He spent several hours touring the ship on his own and talking to both employees and passengers about their experiences with the cruise line, and he took mental notes for his report.
Around midafternoon, he returned to his cabin and took a nap so he’d be alert for the evening’s festivities. Devin was going to show him what went on behind the scenes to prepare for the midnight buffet, and he wanted to stay up for the buffet itself, not only to experience the event firsthand but also because Devin had promised the coconut shrimp and bacon-wrapped scallops would be worth waiting up for.
By the time he took a quick shower and changed into a suit, it was time for him to meet Devin in the Seafarer’s Lounge. They’d agreed to meet there, and Paul could have a drink until Devin’s shift ended. When he arrived at the lounge, there were still two or three seats at the bar available, and he claimed one and waited for Devin to notice his arrival.
It was only a few moments before Devin turned in his direction, and the social smile that had been curving Devin’s lips changed, becoming warmer and somehow intimate. Devin placed a glass of wine in front of his waiting customer, then excused himself and walked to Paul’s end of the bar.
“Hello,” he said, leaning against the bar. “You look great.”
Devin’s warm regard brought an involuntary smile to Paul’s lips. He knew he shouldn’t read anything into it, but he found himself enjoying being the focus of an attractive man’s attention again.
“Thanks. I thought I’d step it up a notch in honor of the midnight buffet and the seafood delights that await.”
“If the shrimp and scallops don’t appreciate your appearance, at least I do,” Devin replied with a teasing wink. “What would you like to drink to start the evening off? I have about ten more minutes, then I’m off duty.”
Paul gave Devin a speculative look. “Make me whatever you think is your signature drink. The one you make better than anyone else.”
“Oh, a challenge!” Devin grew thoughtful, then nodded as if he’d made a decision. He picked up a blender jar and added ice, followed by dollops from several different bottles. Then he affixed the jar on the blender base and set it to grind the ingredients while he retrieved a tall glass. He poured the contents of the blender into the glass, then topped it with a generous splash of dark rum and something from a smaller bottle. After adding an orange slice for garnish, he finished with a straw, then placed the glass in front of Paul.
“Here you have a Rum Stumbler. It’s like a Rum Runner, but with a bit more of a kick.”
The drink resembled an orange slushy, but when he lifted the glass, Paul caught a whiff of alcohol that assured him this was definitely for adults. He took a sip, tasting oranges followed by the bite of rum.
“There’s something sweet underneath the fruit flavors,” he said, frowning as he tried to figure out what it was. “It tastes like an alcoholic Creamsicle.”
Devin put his finger to his lips and leaned closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You have a good palate. I add a dash of bourbon vanilla. It’s my own special creation.”
Paul drew an X over his heart. “I won’t tell a soul, but I think I’ll want at least one of these every day for the rest of the cruise,” he said.
Devin’s smile was wide and delighted. “I can make that happen. Your wish, et cetera, et cetera.” Someone at the other end of the bar gestured to get Devin’s attention, and he sighed softly even as he nodded to the customer. “Duty calls. Enjoy your drink, Paul, and I’ll get ready to walk the second my shift ends.”
Paul twisted the seat of the bar stool so he could people-watch while he sipped his drink and waited for Devin to finish his shift. But his gaze kept straying back to Devin, and he couldn’t help but admire the lean lines of Devin’s tall body and how graceful Devin’s slender fingers were as he mixed, poured, and served drinks. Finally he forced himself to look away and pay attention to the passengers instead. He was here on business, after all, and observing was part of his job.
At last Devin’s replacement—a younger man named Julio whom Paul had met briefly—came on duty, and Devin waved goodbye to the people at the bar before walking over to Paul. “All done,” he said. “I’m all yours now.”
Don’t I wish.Paul didn’t know where the stray thought had come from, but he squashed it quickly and offered a lopsided smile. “Great,” he said as he finished his drink and left the empty glass on the bar. “I’m ready to see the wonders of the buffet prep.”
Devin grabbed a backpack from behind the bar, then came around the side to join Paul. “Let’s head to the aft dining room. You can get a look at the housekeeping staff setting up the decorations and the tables, and then we’ll go to the kitchen. How does that sound?”
“That sounds fine to me,” Paul said, gesturing for Devin to lead the way. “I’m in your hands tonight.”
Devin’s expression grew serious. “You’re safe with me, Paul. I promise.” With that, he headed for the exit.
Devin took Paul to the staff elevator, used a key to summon it, and then they rode down to the lowest level of the ship. The walkways here were kept clear for carts and people in a hurry, and they didn’t have to maneuver their way around other passengers. As they walked, Devin pointed out the various facilities, including a medical bay for both crew and passengers, the laundry facilities, ship’s stores, and the large cargo holds where the crew were allowed to put things like bicycles and sports equipment that might not fit in their rooms.
“The purser has to keep track of everything, and I do meaneverything, that goes inside. Part of it is for safety, of course, but sometimes odd requests come from passengers, and the crew is often happy to loan things out for special occasions. We once had a wedding on board, and the groom was a major league baseball player. He wanted to play catch with his bride, but he didn’t remember to bring gloves or a baseball. But the crew scrounged up the equipment, and Triton Cruises had another satisfied passenger.”
“That’s great,” Paul said, pleased to hear the crew was willing to go above and beyond to make the passengers happy. “That’s the kind of service we want to provide for our guests. I think it sets us apart from the competition.”
“It definitely does,” Devin agreed. “I think it also accounts for why there are so many repeat cruisers and why the tips we make are much higher than on most other ships. Which is also why competition to join a Triton ship is high and turnover is low. At least half the crew on the ship has been with the line for over ten years, and there’s one steward, hired by the original Mercer before he retired, who worked on the first ship of the line.”
Paul was taken aback by that revelation. His father hadn’t mentioned anything about such a long-term employee being on the ship, but maybe he wasn’t aware of it. “I’d love to meet him.”
