3 Hour Tour (Dee Sanders Book 1), page 3
Getting out of the pool, I went back to my cabin, and began to clean up for dinner.
6
The Formal Dinner
I wore a white jacket, black slacks, and black canvas slip-ons. Yeah, I know, the shoes weren't formal, but I figured nobody would see them, and they were really black and blended in with the slacks. Entering the main dining room, I identified myself, and was led to the captain's table. It was one of the benefits of the high dollar cabin I had reserved, dinner with the captain.
There was already an assortment of people around the table. They were mostly older, wealthy-looking, and well-dressed, which made me feel bad about my shoes. I was seated between an older gentleman and his wife on one side and a middle-aged woman and her husband on the other. We made small talk for a few moments.
I noticed the captain's chair, and seven others around it, were still empty. In a few minutes, I saw why. The captain, in full uniform, which honestly was quite elegant, but unlike any service uniform I had ever seen, entered. He looked more like a doorman or a theater usher, although he was otherwise quite dignified. Beside him were the older silvered-haired man and his entourage of six. The old guy was in formal wear. The men with him were in suits. The women, like the older man, had dressed for dinner. They were in long silver-white dresses that draped in the back and plunged in the front. They were in full makeup, hair perfect, wearing copious quantities of expensive-looking jewelry. They were on display. It was quite an entrance. They all sat down at the head of the table as one. The captain introduced himself and nodded to everyone else at the table.
Dinner was served. Throughout the meal, the silver-haired man spoke only to the captain. His security didn't talk to anyone. The women chatted among themselves. Several of the other women attempted to engage the good captain in conversation but were cut off by the silver-haired man to whom the captain seemed unusually attentive. All in all, it was a good meal, as to the food, but not very enjoyable as to the company. I was grateful when it was over and made a note to myself to studiously avoid Mr. Aloof and his sidekicks if I came into contact with them again.
I left the dinner at the first opportunity and took to the deck for a stroll. Rounding a corner, I saw a woman standing on the rail. It was her again, the woman from the pool. Her waist-length hair was in a long braid. She wore a formal gown that was largely backless and cinched into a small waist, revealing wide and curvaceous hips.
She glanced over her shoulder as if she felt a presence. Our gazes met and she smiled but took a step across the deck and headed back into the bar.
I walked on, and passing the bar, I saw her engaged with a group of people. It just wasn’t my night, and I strolled back to my room.
7
The 3rd Day
I woke the next morning to the familiar sway of the ship moving beneath me. Out on my private deck I was greeted by a gentle breeze and another brilliant, blue, cloudless sky. We had two days until we arrived in Honolulu. Going back inside I retrieved my shoulder bag and pulled out a small hand-held telescope to search the horizon. What was I looking for? I didn't know, other sea traffic, a few fish, maybe some dolphins. There was a good view, all blue, through the scope. Just for fun, I spun it around toward the pool. Up close and personal. Some of those folks really shouldn't be in those swimsuits. They were going to get burned. As we sailed closer and closer to the tropics, it would get hotter and hotter and brighter and brighter and people were going to get burned a whole lot quicker. We'll see at dinner. There will be some bright red out tonight!
I could already imagine the claims of, “Oh, it doesn’t hurt,” as I pulled my industrial sunscreen out of the bag and slathered up. I get dark pretty easily, but everybody burns, it's just how quick!
I shot Jamal a text and told him I was headed for breakfast. He pinged me back a few minutes later and said they’d meet me there. I smiled. It was nice to have company.
They both looked sleepy-eyed as they strolled up and sat down. I couldn’t help but grin at them.
“I trust you had a pleasant evening?”
Jamal grinned a really big grin.
Angelic just rolled her eyes and said, "I'm hungry."
We each knocked back a quick omelet and decided how to spend the day.
“We could sun by the pool,” said Angelic.
“Dee and I could hit the gym, and you could shop,” replied Jamal.
They both looked at me. “We could always play shuffleboard.”
They both groaned.
“It doesn’t matter, a little pool time, a little shopping, check the scuba gear, check the sights, have a beer, we’re on vacation, and do we really need a plan?” I offered.
They both smiled and nodded.
Angelic threw her hair back and put her sunglasses on. “Let’s get to it.”
Jamal and I followed.
Angelic stopped at the first boutique she spotted. Jamal and I looked across the way and saw a dive shop. We pointed at that, and Angelic pointed at the boutique. We went our separate ways.
We entered the shop and Jamal’s eyes got big. They had a tremendous selection.
“You’re really into it now,” I said.
“Now that I know my mask isn’t going to flood and drown me, yeah, I’m into it.”
He grabbed a handful of things and asked, “Is this good, what about this, what’s the best?”
“The gear we used in the pool wasn’t bad, it was in good shape. You might want to make a few dives and see what you like and don’t like and then narrow your choices a bit.”
He looked at me and said, “My wife is going to be buying stuff, so I need to come back with something.”
I waved to him and said, "Follow me." I led him over to the dive knives. "I left mine in my dive bag, but I've wanted another one for a while anyway." There were a dozen or more, and we worked our way through them. We tried the feel, the fit, and the weight, and examined the blade configuration. I settled on a fairly traditional model with a 6-inch blade and a sheath.
“What do you use the knife for?” Jamal asked.
"I mostly probe with mine. I wear gloves, and I like to turn things over and explore areas, I use the blade for that. If you get caught in any kind of line or undergrowth, you can cut it away. You can also use a smaller knife topside on the boat. It just depends on what use you think you might have, and what you're comfortable with."
He tried a few more and settled on a folding knife in a case.
Walking across the store, we looked at wet suits, spear guns, and lamps. We turned to look at a rack of tanks, and there was Angelic, with several bags in each hand. I looked at my watch. It had been nearly two hours.
“Let’s get a drink,” she said. “I need to drop these bags in the room and go to the pool for a little R&R.”
We sat in the little bar from the day before and started talking about the trip.
“You know we got Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu that I can think of,” said Jamal.
"We got Hawaii first, babe," replied Angelic. "I want to see Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach."
“Pearl Harbor,” replied Jamal.
‘The North Shore,” I threw in, “Maui, the big island, Kauai, there’s a lot to see. I think we’re only there for one full day. The meaty part of the trip is Honolulu to Brisbane through the South Pacific.”
“Man, there ain’t enough time for all this,” replied Jamal.
“That’s why they call it a slice tour. You get a big slice in a short time, got to be quick. They hope you’ll come back later and take more time, more tours, spend more money,” I said, grinning at him.
Angelic sighed, “We’d better figure out what we want to see. I bet the excursions overlap one another totally. She went to her phone and pulled up the data. “Yeah, we need to make some decisions.”
Jamal pulled out his phone and asked, “How much time are we going to have in the islands?”
"We start in Tahiti or French Polynesia and move west toward Brisbane. There are stops in Tonga, Fiji, and I don't recall where else. There are bunches of islands. It's one long chain from Tahiti to Brisbane,” I replied.
“Are you just going to dive?” Angelic asked.
“I haven’t decided,” I replied. “I’d like to get out in the sun, see the beaches and some local sites, maybe surf a little or parasail. “
“You like that crazy stuff.” She grinned. “I don’t know if Jamal should be around you. But I’m game.” She winked at me.
Jamal replied, “you ain’t seen nothing yet." He slapped me on the shoulder and turned to Angelic. “Me and my boy get rolling, nothing gonna stop us.”
She raised her eyebrows at us. “I’m going to the pool.”
8
Afternoon of the 3rd Day
We went with Angelic to the pool. All that speculating and salivating caused Jamal and me to think that we needed to rest up, why not poolside. Angelic was in a white thong, and she wasn't really all that shy, bouncing back and forth in the seat between Jamal and me. I had a spectacular view. The ocean was lovely, too!
We lay in the sun for a while, and I warned them about sunburn. They both said they could feel it. We moved into the shade and sat on an elevated deck with a view over the pool and out to sea.
I saw the old man with the hat and cane stroll by taking in the sights. There was also the heavyset woman with her browbeat husband. And then, there was the dark-haired woman, all the way across the pool. She had on a blue bikini that wasn't quite the same shade as the sky or the ocean, and it stood out. Couldn't miss her. Angelic saw me watching and smiled. The woman got up and headed for the pool. I watched her walk across the pool deck. She moved smoothly.
Angelic turned to Jamal and me. “You guys want something to drink?”
“Surprise us,” said Jamal. Off she went, flouncing away!
It was several minutes later before Angelic returned. She had a couple of tall, cold beers for Jamal and me, and a fruity drink for herself.
“We thought you had gotten lost,” said Jamal.
“There was a long line,” she whispered almost wickedly.
Jamal raised his eyebrows, and Angelic punched him and grinned at me.
We sat in the shade and enjoyed the breeze and the drinks.
I asked them, “Are you looking forward to the formal dinner tonight?”
Jamal shrugged his shoulders.
Angelic, on the other hand, lit up when she said, "I have a killer dress."
I thought to myself, if she thinks its killer, it must be fantastic. It's a shame I went last night. I guess I could dress up again and slide in long enough to check them out. It might be fun.
We sat for the rest of the afternoon, taking in the sights, resting, enjoying the breeze, people watching. The pool had thinned out considerably by the time we broke for the day to get ready for dinner.
9
The 2nd Formal Dinner
“I’d like to see you guys cleaned up. I think I’ll slide back into the formal dinner and see if I can catch a seat.”
Jamal grinned. “You’re a glutton for punishment.”
I looked at Jamal. “Maybe so, but I got nothing else to do but watch you squirm,” I said, and turning to Angelic, continued with, “and watch you shine.” She beamed back at me.
I got to the room and pulled my formal clothes out of the closet. Fortunately, I brought a second shirt, because I couldn't make up my mind what to wear, so I'd wear that. I dressed and headed to meet them.
They were coming out the door of their cabin as I walked up. Jamal had on a fitted three-piece that must have cost a fortune. It draped him like a glove. Angelic was breathtaking in an off the shoulder shiny red gown. She had on killer high heels and jewelry. They were a stunning couple.
I looked down at my own clothes and turned to them. “Good thing I’m not sitting with y’all. If anyone asks, just tell them you don’t know me.”
Angelic laughed. "You look good, and you look comfortable. Jamal just likes to put it on."
"He's not the only one," I replied. He grinned, and she gave me a playful look, like who, me?
We strolled to the dining room, and they turned for the captain's table. I made my way to the back and found a seat.
I sat next to an attractive middle-aged blonde in a silver dress. She smiled as I sat down. There were two other couples and a nervous-looking little man in an ill-fitting suit.
I wondered sometimes why I provided so many detailed clothing and related descriptions. I was an accountant. Details were my business. I couldn’t turn them off!
The couples were the James’s and the Skagen’s. The little man was Willard, he didn’t say if it was his first name or his last. The blonde was Holly Smithson.
Everyone jumped in and started discussing how much fun they were having and how they were enjoying the ship and their cabins. The James’s were interested in the on-shore excursions and had a long list planned for across the South Pacific. The Skagen’s were interested in water sports, excursions and shopping.
One of Willard’s few comments was that he wanted to see the Pearl Harbor Memorial. He looked like he might have been ex-military in some fashion. He didn’t appear to be a warrior, not that I knew anything about it, but you never can tell.
Ms. Smithson was interested in sightseeing, shopping, and her tan. It was quite dark for her blonde hair and light blue eyes, which were the color of the sea we had been on for the past day. The silver dress had a plunging neckline and a high side slit that she didn't seem modest about. I guess what happens at sea, stays at sea. As far as I could see, without staring, she had a smooth, even tan all over. I couldn’t help but wonder if she had tan lines. If not, it wouldn’t be from the ship, maybe a private pool or a tanning bed of her own. The tan looked natural.
The dinner was as good as it had been the night before. We sat around afterward. We talked about the upcoming events and what everyone had planned.
The couples finally began to leave, and I noticed that Willard had slipped off without as much as a nod. I guess I had been paying more attention to Ms. Smithson than I realized.
Holly waved over one of the waiters and ordered us an after-dinner drink. It was some kind of dark sweet thing that she seemed to enjoy. I thought it was a little on the sticky side.
“So, this is your first solo cruise. How do you like it so far?” she asked.
“I’ve had a good time, met some interesting people.” This brought another bright smile to her face. “And I think I will enjoy it enough to do it again someday.”
She moved closer to me and leaned forward, revealing cleavage with no indication of a tan line.
"On the excursions the ship staff recommends you partner up with someone to help keep an eye on where you are, the time, and getting back to the ship. If you go ashore in Tahiti or Fiji, perhaps we might go together.” She had turned while speaking and pressed her legs up against mine. She put her hand on my knee.
I took her hand in mine and stroked her fingers. I smiled at her. Her eyes were an even softer blue than they had been earlier.
"I'm flattered that you would ask. You are a beautiful woman," I said. Then I kissed her fingers. I heard her sigh and felt her press a little more firmly against my legs. She was still leaning forward. It was quite the view.
“I’m not very far removed from a bad situation, I don’t really think I’d be very good company right now. I was mostly planning to scuba and spend time in the water.”
She took both my hands in hers and smiled. "I'm sorry to hear that. I actually believe you. I don't do this a lot, but I don't get turned down very often when I do."
“I’ll probably regret it later, but not right now.”
"We have another week, maybe you'll feel better," she said.
She had my attention, and I was glad the suit was black, so things weren't so obvious. "Could I get a number where I could reach you?"
“Absolutely, or we could talk some more if you like?”
"I think I'd better go now." I stood, and she quickly jumped to her feet, hugged me, and kissed me on the cheek. She smelled even better up close, and she felt great, soft but firm, with lots of curvature.
I left the dining room thinking how much of an idiot I was. I didn’t know how I would respond to her and I wasn’t ready for that right now.
10
The Walk After
I decided to walk the decks and take in the night. It was pleasantly dark, and there was deck lighting and noise from the pools and bars. During the stroll, I let the evening replay through my mind, forgetting all about Jamal and Angelic. Holly might have made an excellent fourth to the party. Remembering them, I suspected Jamal and Angelic were already back in their cabin, while I was out walking the deck alone. Stopping at the rail I looked out at sea. There were some distant lights, and I wished I had my scope. I thought about going to the room to see if I could catch the lights before they disappeared. I turned.
Jamal and Angelic were looking just as sharp as they had hours before. I wondered how they did that. Jamal threw up a hand.
"How you doing, wait, don't tell us, we saw you, we know, where did that fine young lady go?"
I looked at Angelique. "I didn't take her up on it." Angelic looked at me, thoughtfully.
“I don’t know you that well, but it seems something is wrong, what gives?” she asked.
I stood there for a moment, exhaled, and smiled softly.
