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“That’s crazy,” Stan said, prattling on and on as Claudia impatiently waited for Emily to call her. “A crew member was stealing valuables from cabins? That doesn’t make me feel safe at all. Not in the slightest. What a shock!”
Stan’s skin looked clammy and he was talking a mile a minute. Maybe he was starting to pick up on Claudia’s disinterest and was desperately trying to keep her trapped in a conversation. He seemed nervous and awkward.
“So what happened?” Stan pressed when Claudia didn’t respond quickly enough for his liking. “To the crew member, I mean. Was she fired?”
“Yes. And how did you know it was a woman?” Claudia asked curiously.
“Oh, I think I know exactly who you’re talking about,” Stan told her, his eyes narrowing. “She’s a terrible, awful woman. It doesn’t surprise me one bit that she’s a thief. I wouldn’t believe a word that came out of her mouth, to tell you the truth. Sometimes you get a certain vibe about people, you know?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess. You know who I’m talking about, right?” Claudia asked, not wanting to spread misinformation. “Fatima is the crew member who has a bit of an...abrasive personality. Might you be getting her and Rosa confused?”
“No, I don’t think so. Rosa is Filipina, right? Young? Pretty?”
“Yes.”
“Then she’s the one I’m talking about,” Stan said with certainty.
“Oh.”
Claudia was surprised by Stan’s strong negative reaction to Rosa. She wondered if Stan had hit on the attractive young mother and been angered when she had rejected him. It was the most likely explanation for his strong dislike of her.
Stan wiped perspiration from his forehead. “It’s hot out,” he complained. “I need to get out of the sun and into the air conditioning. Will you come have a drink with me inside?”
“I, uh...”
Thankfully, Claudia’s phone rang at that precise moment.
She breathed a sigh of relief, answered the call and then gave Stan an excuse about why she needed to leave. Once she had extracted herself from that uncomfortable encounter, she decided to head back to her cabin to sit on the balcony. At least she knew she wouldn’t run into her unwanted suitor there.
Claudia took the long way back to the cabin. She chose paths that kept her outside on the deck as much as possible. It was partly out of an abundance of caution; she figured Stan would be inside where it was cooler. But she also liked the way the warm breeze felt in her hair.
“It isn’t even that hot out,” she murmured to herself as she walked.
“Are you interested in spa or salon services?” a woman in uniform asked, approaching Claudia. “We’re offering some half off coupons. Bring a friend and one of you gets free services! Would you like a coupon?” she offered.
“No, thank you,” Claudia replied automatically.
She had already splurged on one manicure. She wasn’t one to spend much time or money on pampering. If anything, she would occasionally paint her own nails at home in her bathroom. As for her hair...well, she had made her peace that her long red tresses were meant to be wild and free.
“Are you sure?” the woman pressed with a smile. “It’s a really good deal.”
“Hmm, well maybe,” Claudia reconsidered, her thoughts turning to Emily.
She was relieved she and her best friend were back on good terms again. She didn’t want to ever have another awful falling out with Emily. And she truly was sorry about the things she had said and the assumptions she had made.
Claudia had allowed her hurt feelings and insecurity over Emily’s surprise marriage to cloud her judgment. She had jumped to conclusions about Kyle’s character and perhaps judged him too harshly. She wasn’t exactly proud of her behavior.
Maybe treating Emily to a free manicure would be a nice gesture of goodwill.
“Take a coupon,” the woman urged, pressing the piece of shiny cardstock into Claudia’s hand. “That way you have it if you want it. Be sure to book appointments soon if you want them, though. With discounts like this, I expect our calendar will fill right up before long.”
“Okay,” Claudia agreed, tucking the coupon into the crook of her elbow. “Thanks.”
