Never Say Never (3 page)

“I know.” Chelle pulled her T-shirt over her head. “But I saw him singing the praise songs, and he wasn't reading the words on the screens. It looked to me like he was worshiping.”

Charlotte moved through the hangers in the closet, trying to decide what to wear for the rest of the day. Maybe the navy capris and white T-shirt with the stylized American flag design on the front. She turned around and frowned.

“What are you doing?”

Chelle's defiant eyes glared at her. “I'm going out to get some sun. Maybe by the pool on deck nine.”

“Not in that, you're not.” Charlotte tried not to sound too strident. “Where did you get that bikini?”

“Merry loaned it to me.” Chelle started rubbing suntan lotion on her exposed stomach. “She said I'd need it on a cruise.”

Charlotte counted to ten under her breath. What she wanted to do was get her hands on Merry. The girl was nice enough, but her parents' standards and discipline were looser than Charlotte's and Philip's had always been.

“You are not going out of this room dressed like that.”

“M–o–m.” Chelle took a deep breath. “I'm not doing anything bad.”

Charlotte hated this—this frequent battle between the generations. If only she had someone to back her up. At times like these, Philip's absence grew enormous.

“I know you aren't going to do anything bad, but we've talked often enough about how what you do affects others.”

Chelle started saying the words with her, and Charlotte's voice trailed off. “Other people judge you by what you do and wear. You don't want them to get the wrong idea. And you don't want to tempt a young man to sin.”

They stood staring at each other, locked in stalemate.

“Are you telling me I have to wear something else?”

Charlotte nodded, almost too upset to say anything. “Remember, we did buy you a new swimsuit to bring on the cruise.” She picked up the two-piece with a tank-style top and boy-leg shorts.

Chelle gave a loud huff. Did she think she would wear her mother down and Charlotte would agree to those tiny patches of fabric that left nothing to the imagination? Didn't she see what a beautiful young woman she was becoming?
Lord, I need Your help and wisdom, now more than ever.

While Chelle changed, Charlotte looked over the list of excursions. Maybe it would help diffuse the tension in the room. “This brochure says we need to choose which of these we want to go on and order the tickets today. Some of them might fill up quickly.” She sat on the couch and slipped on her flat sandals. “Have you decided what you want to do at our first stop, Cozumel?”

“Yes, I want to go to the Tulum ruins and Xel-Ha. That really is a funny way to spell shell.”

Charlotte leafed through the book. “That's a long excursion—
eight hours away from the ship. I don't think I want to be gone that long. Maybe we could do something else.”

Chelle heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Do we have to do everything together?” She stopped and tried another tack. “If I promise not to ask to wear this again”—she held up the bikini—“can I go?”

Compromise. That's the way to do it.
Charlotte was glad for an end to the argument about the inappropriate swimsuit.

“I'm sure they won't let anything happen to the people who go, and since I'm old enough to work, I should be able to take care of myself on the excursion.” Chelle gave Charlotte a hopeful smile.

Charlotte paused, then decided she could give on this one. “Okay, I'll sign you up. We can talk about the excursions on Grand Cayman and Jamaica later.” She didn't want to have another hassle right now.

After Chelle left the cabin, Charlotte decided to explore some of the ship. Coming on the trip with her daughter had sounded like a good idea, but it looked as if she would be spending a lot of solitary time, too. Their interests were different, and Chelle didn't want her mother hanging around all the time. If they went to the shows together and ate most meals with each other, maybe they would both enjoy the trip.

On the elevator, a woman asked where Charlotte was from. The woman spoke with a thick accent. Charlotte tried to place it. “We're from Bedford, Texas. Where do you live?”

“Germany.” The woman's friendly smile warmed Charlotte's heart.

“Did you come over just for the cruise?”

“Jah,
we came for cruise, but we spent two nights in French Quarter of New Orleans before we got on boat.”

Charlotte exited the elevator and looked all around the Centrum, the four-deck-high atrium with balcony railings on each of the decks. Her eyes roved the wall of windows on each side of deck four. All she could see was water and the sky with a few cottony clouds. She almost felt as if she were on the ark. Nothing but water everywhere. At least the accommodations were luxurious, and there weren't any smelly animals.

After exploring the other decks surrounding the Centrum, she went back to deck seven to check out the library. Since she liked to read, it beckoned her. A large room, which could be divided into two, held welcoming furniture groupings, and many of the walls were lined with bookshelves. Warm, rich wood and lots of brass complemented the pulled-back drapes and forest green carpet. Even with all this, Charlotte felt the openness of the room, because the outside wall consisted of floor-to-ceiling windows, and the wall that faced the Centrum was all glass, letting in the outside world.

Charlotte walked along the bookshelves to see what was available. An interesting and eclectic collection of reading material spread across the polished wooden shelves. A couple of sections held books that passengers had left for others. She glanced through them and found one by her favorite author of Christian suspense. A title she hadn't read yet. She picked the volume up and thumbed through it. Maybe she'd take it for those leisure times when she didn't want to do anything but relax and read.

She chose a chair that faced the ocean and read the back cover. Goose bumps raised on her arms. Maybe she wouldn't relax that much when she read this one, but it was the last one in a series. She had read the first two.

Charlotte sensed the door open and glanced over her shoulder. Her gaze collided with that of the captain. . .Gareth.

❧

Gareth often took a break from the bridge, especially while they were at sea. Homer was perfectly capable of taking care of things, and while they were moving across open water, frequent breaks were called for to keep from getting bored, losing their edge, and missing something important they should have caught.

His restlessness sent him to the library. Perhaps one of the passengers had left a book he hadn't read. Next time they were in New Orleans, he planned to visit a bookstore and restock his supply of reading material.

As he approached the glass walls of the library, he noticed a seated woman. She faced away from the door. From the back, it looked like Charlotte. What good luck. Even though he didn't seek her out at the service this morning, she had been in his thoughts a lot since then. A short visit right now would be a good thing.

She turned toward him, and her startled gaze reached deep inside him. “Charlotte, how nice to see you again.” How lame was that?

“Capt–Gareth. . .do you like to read?”

He quickly dropped into the chair beside hers. “Yes. Although we have satellite TV, many of the shows don't interest me. I enjoy reading.”

“Something else we have in common.”

Did she know how that sounded? As if she were looking for a connection between them. Well, so was he now. But only a light, shipboard romance. He couldn't face another relationship that could cut him to the core the way the last months with Britte had done. No more loving so much and giving his heart, only to have it broken and bruised.

“What are you reading?” His gaze dropped to the cover of the book.

“It's a Christian suspense novel. I love reading suspense and mystery, but so many of the books had things I didn't like to read.” Her smile lit the whole room. “I'm glad to find more and more Christian suspense books.”

“Did you bring it with you?”

She laid the book in her lap. “No, I got it off your exchange shelf over there. I've read the other two in this series.”

“I've found several good books on those shelves.” He leaned forward with his forearms on his thighs. “Maybe I can read it if you finish it before we dock in New Orleans.”

“You mean I can take it home with me if I don't?” Mirth put a crinkle around her eyes, making her face soften. She looked much younger.

He nodded. “So, what have you been doing today? I mean besides going to the service.”

“So you did notice us there.” She sure sounded glad. “Chelle and I were trying to decide what excursions to take. She wants to go to Tulum and Xel-Ha. I don't think I want to spend that much time on an excursion. I may want to do a little shopping.”

By her tone, something was bothering her. “Is there a problem?”

“I told her she could go alone, but I can't help worrying.” She started twisting a lock of her shoulder-length curls with her right hand. “I can't have anything happen to her.”

He heard the
too
she left unsaid at the end of that statement, and his heart softened at her vulnerability. “She'll be okay. The crewmembers who accompany the group watch out for the passengers. They're well trained.” Maybe a joke would lighten the atmosphere in here. “We haven't lost a passenger yet.”

Charlotte gave a nervous laugh. “Isn't this only the second cruise for this ship?”

She had him there. “But most of the crew members have been there several times. They've served on other ships owned by the line. Only the most experienced and responsible members of the crew go on an excursion like that.” He took her hand and gazed deep into her eyes. “Nothing will happen to your daughter on my watch.”

❧

After his leisurely hour break, Gareth returned to his quarters. He called Doug immediately. “Who do you have going to Tulum and Xel-Ha tomorrow?”

The purser rattled off a list of crewmembers with the most experience with this kind of tour. “What's this all about? These are the ones who usually go.”

“Chelle Halloran wants to go, but her mother doesn't. Charlotte's almost afraid to let her go, but she did buy her a ticket. Could you assign someone to keep a special eye on her without her knowing it?”

After a long pause, Doug answered, “I'll take care of it for you. . .Gareth, do you know what you're doing? I know I told you I thought a pretty lady might do you some good, but don't move too fast.”

“It's nothing to worry about. I'm just giving a passenger a little personal attention. I've done it before, and you've never said anything.”

“Sure you have. But not like this time.”

Gareth ended the call before his friend could say something else. He was just doing a favor for a friend. That's all, wasn't it?

Three

At 5 a.m., the phone rang with the wake-up call for Chelle. Of course she didn't hear it, so Charlotte hurried across the carpet to answer. Then she shook her daughter until Chelle finally groaned and opened her eyes.

“You were the one who wanted to go on this excursion that leaves at six.” Charlotte dropped a quick kiss on Chelle's forehead. Opportunities to kiss her teenager were few and far between. Better get one now, while she was so groggy.

Chelle made her way to the shower, carrying shampoo and conditioner. Charlotte went back to bed and turned over, trying to go to sleep. Even though she dozed, she heard every sound her daughter made as she showered, dried her hair, put on her makeup, and tried on at least three outfits before she was ready. When the door clicked shut behind the teenager, Charlotte hoped sleep would come.

After tossing and turning for almost half an hour, she got up and dressed. Today she would try breakfast in the dining room. Since seating wasn't assigned except at dinner, she decided to try another section of the beautiful space. As she walked toward an empty table, the tall German woman she met in the elevator the day before waved to her.

“Come sit here.”

At least she didn't have to eat alone. After the waiter pushed in her chair and put the napkin in her lap, Charlotte held out her hand to her breakfast companion. “I am Charlotte Halloran.”

The woman gave Charlotte's hand a vigorous shake. “Gertrud Bergmann.” She wore her short blond hair swept back on the sides but with curls on top.

“Have you already ordered, Gertrud?” Charlotte glanced over the menu, trying to make up her mind.

“I'm about ready. So many things to choose from.”

The waiter hovered a short distance from the table, probably waiting for them to let him know they needed him. Charlotte glanced his way, and he came over.

“Has Madame decided what to eat?”

❧

When Charlotte bought the ticket for Chelle, she bought herself one for the Cozumel Highlights tour. Several crew-members herded the group out the doorway onto the dock almost half an hour before the bus was scheduled to leave. After leaving the ship, each passenger or group of passengers had to stop behind a
Cozumel
sign so one of the ship's photographers could take a picture. Charlotte stood there alone, wondering if she would even be interested in this one. She and Chelle had looked at the pictures taken on the first day of the cruise, but she wanted to wait and choose only the best ones to buy. The problem was, every one of the pictures flattered both of them.

By the time the group finally boarded the bus, they were about ten minutes behind schedule. Charlotte hoped that wasn't how the day would progress. She settled back against the seat, which felt much narrower than any bus she had been on back home. Maybe all that good food had already started changing the shape of her body. She glanced back toward the ship. It looked beautiful tied up beside a long wooden dock with the turquoise Caribbean Sea behind it framing the stark white of the exterior. She wondered how they kept it so clean. And the color of the water here was so different from the gulf water they crossed yesterday. Her gaze was drawn toward the bridge one last time. A man stood outside the doorway. From this distance, she couldn't tell who it was. Gareth, perhaps.

❧

Gareth stood on the tiny balcony beside the bridge, watching the passengers leave. Doug told him at breakfast that Charlotte had bought a ticket on the island tour. How long had it been since he went ashore in Cozumel? His last ship visited there only every other week, so it had to be a year or more, but he remembered everything about the island. The tall palm trees, the areas of jungle, snow-white beaches against the vivid blue waters, older homes, resorts, the sleepy fishing villages that had evolved into shopping meccas. Why did he feel a yearning to see it all again?

The next group of passengers disembarked with Charlotte in the midst. Today her hair was pulled up into a short ponytail, and a red sun visor hid her eyes from his view. Gareth could have put himself on the schedule to be away from the ship today. Why hadn't he?

Because he wasn't going to get really involved with any woman. Especially one who tugged at his heart the way Charlotte did. He watched her stop for the picture. . .alone. Most of the people on the tour at least had a partner or friend with them. Gareth imagined himself standing beside her and having their picture taken. He would have gone in civilian clothes, not the uniform of a ship captain. For one day, he could be just a friend.

As Charlotte walked down the dock then up the paved path toward the buses, he studied her. At least she had the good sense to wear enough clothing that she wouldn't get burned. The sun beat stronger this close to the equator. It would be a shame for her soft skin to be damaged.

She was the picture of every Christian man's ideal woman. Okay, maybe not every man's, but she looked ideal to him.

Gareth knew he must have lost his mind. What was he doing watching her? All it did was cause him to want things. Things that would never be part of his life again. Things that brought an ache to his heart. But, he didn't draw his gaze away until the bus pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the street that ran along beside the island's seawall.

The ship wasn't going anywhere. Maybe Gareth should go to his apartment and. . .do what? What was he going to do all day while she toured the island? He picked up the schedule to see where it would end.

❧

Around one o'clock, the bus stopped in a parking lot about a block from the street that ran between the shops and the beaches. Charlotte waited until everyone else had crowded into the aisle and most of them had left the bus. She picked up her tote bag and headed toward the front of the vehicle. When she started down the steps, a masculine hand stretched toward her. As she grasped it, she was poised on the last long step to the stones that covered the parking lot. A tingle shot up her arm, and she turned her eyes toward the man's face. A familiar smile touched her heart, but she wouldn't have recognized him if he hadn't taken her hand. She had thought the uniform was dashing, but without it, he was even more devastatingly handsome. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Hello, Charlotte, did you enjoy the tour?”

“Gareth, what are you doing here? And where is your uniform?” She knew that was a dumb question, but she had to scramble to collect her scattered wits. Thankfully, the other passengers hurried away from the area.

“Let's just say I'm taking some time off from being captain of the ship.” He pulled her hand through his arm, and they strolled down the shaded street. “What did you plan to do the rest of the day?”

She tore her gaze from his and looked around. They were headed away from where the stores lined the street. “I thought I might do some shopping.”

Gareth wheeled them around and started to walk in the other direction. “Have you had lunch?”

“No, and I'm hungry.” A breeze off the water blew down the canyon created by the buildings, bringing welcome coolness. However, she felt hotter than she had in the unair-conditioned bus.

He turned down the sidewalk in front of the shops and moved to the side nearer the street. “I know just the place. They serve excellent seafood and Mexican specialties.”

Charlotte felt protected by his chivalry. She smiled up at him. “Is it safe to eat there?”

“I wouldn't take you anywhere that wasn't completely safe.” His eyes twinkled. “We can even drink the water. The proprietor is proud of the fact that he uses Culligan water in his establishment.”

Over lunch, Charlotte began to relax. With his tropical shirt and khaki walking shorts, Gareth lost his authoritative air. He was just a man. . .a friend. . .sharing a meal with her.

“Did you like the show last night?” Gareth had finished eating a rather large steak and now leaned back in his chair.

The show last night?
For a moment, Charlotte had to think about that. “Yes, it was refreshing to have a comedian who was so funny and yet I didn't have to worry about what my daughter heard. Were you there?”

Gareth leaned closer. “No. I heard him last week.” The room was noisy. Maybe he had a hard time hearing her. “Our line will only book acts that keep it clean. We cater to families as well as adults.”

❧

Now why did I say that? I sounded like a travel brochure.
Gareth could easily lose himself in her eyes. Today, for a while, the pain was absent. Charlotte had relaxed enough to have fun.

“Didn't you say you want to do some shopping?” He pushed back his chair and stood up, reaching to pull out hers. “What did you have in mind?”

She searched in the large bag she carried and extracted several pieces of paper. They were some of the ones the shopper's guide on the ship handed out. “I'd like to go to Del Sol and see about some of the things that change color in the sun. I also like Mexican clothing. Maybe look at a leather purse.”

They headed toward the door. “Don't you want to look at the jewelry?”

“Isn't the jewelry shopping better on Grand Cayman?” The expression on her face as she looked up hit him in the solar plexus.

He casually slipped his arm around her shoulders. At least he hoped the move felt casual to her. “The jewelry on Grand Cayman is fine jewelry. Here you get a selection of fun kinds, too. Let me show you.”

Gareth guided her toward his favorite store. Almost like a department store in the United States, this one contained many kinds of merchandise. They wandered through the aisles. Near the front door, jewelry cases lined one side of the
tienda.
Charlotte walked along, looking at the sparkling merchandise, and Gareth looked at her.

She stopped where the jeweler had fashioned gold into seashells and mounted pearls in the shells. Necklaces and earring sets, as well as individual items, spread from side to side in this glass case. Charlotte had the merchant bring out several pieces, one at a time. She kept going back to one pair of earrings but finally shook her head and walked on. The older Mexican man started to say something, but Gareth signaled him to stop. The man moved on to the next customer.

Following Charlotte as she found the clothing, Gareth stayed close enough to help her if she needed it, but far enough away not to bother her. She picked out several things she wanted to try on.

“Take your time.” Gareth chuckled. “I'll just wander around until you're through. I might find something I want.”

“Thank you.” With a saucy smile, she entered the dressing area curtained off in the back corner of the room.

Gareth hastened back to the jewelry counter. The other customer had moved on. He called the proprietor over and bought the earrings Charlotte kept going back to earlier. After slipping the box into his pocket, he did what he told her he would do and wandered around the store, keeping one eye on the doorway to the dressing room.

When Charlotte came out, she kept most of the things she took in. He would have quite a few packages to carry back to the ship for her. She continued around the store, picking out a couple of Cozumel T-shirts and two leather purses.

After she paid for her purchases, Gareth gathered the packages and held out his other arm. “Did you want to do any more shopping?”

She clutched his elbow. “Actually, I'm pretty tired. With the humidity, it seems hotter than it really is. When does the bus go back to the ship?”

“Your chariot awaits.”

They walked to the street corner closest to them. Gareth signaled to the man who was in charge of the taxis lined up on the other side of the street from the shops. At the first break in the traffic, he escorted Charlotte across the cobblestones. A taxi waited with its motor running. He helped Charlotte into the backseat. After giving her all her packages, he started toward the other side.

When he went around the front of the car, Gareth leaned toward the driver's open window and whispered. “There's an extra ten for you if you'll turn the air-conditioning on high and roll up the windows.” By the time Gareth got in and closed his door, colder air blew into the compact car.

❧

When they reached the dock, the taxi let them out at a different place from where she had boarded the bus. This area had lots of shops.

“Where's the ship?” Charlotte asked after they gathered everything out of the taxi.

“On the other side of these shops.” This time, Gareth reached for her hand and didn't let go.

How could she have forgotten how good it felt? Warm, gentle pressure engulfed her hand, making her feel safe and protected. That's how she'd felt with Gareth the entire time they were in town. On the tour, she had felt lonely, but not now.

“I think taxis stop here so passengers will be enticed to buy something else before they board the ship.” Gareth's expression questioned her. “Do you want to go into any of the shops?”

She glanced around. Even though the establishment held many interesting items, she wasn't tempted. “No, let's just go onboard. I feel hot and tired.” She followed him as he led the way through the vendors vying for their attention. “But at least the taxi ride started cooling me off.”

They quickly navigated toward the dock. The interior of the vessel seemed dim when they came in out of the bright sunlight. The crewman who manned the security point glanced from her to Gareth before he asked for her room key. Charlotte wished she had been looking at Gareth to see his reaction, but he didn't let her hand go until she had to dig in her bag to retrieve the card. She had to step up to the machine, and it scanned her face.