Smooth Sailing by Susan X Meagher Page B

better head back.”
    “I’m sorry. I got involved and…” She was paying for the sail, and didn’t owe Kaatje an explanation, but she felt bad for blowing an entire hour. It might be years before she’d be anyplace this pretty again, but she hadn’t looked up once. Damned seductive e-mail.
    “Were you talking to Fernando the whole time?”
    “No. I sent some e-mails to my team in Osaka. Because they’re twelve hours ahead they were just getting in.”
    “At five? In the morning?”
    “We have a park opening in a few months. Time’s running out.” Civilians had no idea how many hours it took to get a new park open. They seemed to think it was as easy as when the circus came to town. “Then I remembered something I needed our ride design guys to take a look at. That reminded me that…”
    Kaatje held up a hand. “Got it. One thing leads to another.”
    “Always. Let me help you with the sail.” She closed the computer, put it away and was back in moments, her eyes bright, her mood noticeably improved.
    “Fernando was okay with what happened?”
    “Oh, yeah. He’s a good guy. I think he’ll like having something to hold over me and tease me with.”
    “Will he tell other people?”
    “No. And neither will Wendy. As long as those idiots in the cruise line don’t know anyone in my division, I should be fine.” She wiped her brow dramatically. “I might survive.”
    “I think you’ll be fine. You don’t look like the type who’s easily defeated.”
    *
     
    They were within view of the harbor when Kaatje asked, “Would you like to watch the sunset from out here?”
    Laurie scanned the horizon, seeing the big, fluffy clouds that hovered just above the waterline. “Will it be good?”
    “Should be really good. These clouds usually make it red and orange and purple.”
    “Yeah, I’d like to see it. We don’t get these kinds of clouds very often in LA.”
    “Huh?”
    “We don’t,” Laurie said, laughing at Kaatje’s amazed expression. “Most of the year we have clear skies or a kind of foggy gloom. Not much in between.”
    “That’s weird.” She made a face. “How can you enjoy a sunset without clouds?”
    “I don’t enjoy many. I rarely get outside while the sun’s out. And my office faces East. I get nice sunrises, though.”
    Kaatje shook her head in a scolding fashion. “You should see those from home.”
    “One day. When Osaka opens, I’ll have more normal hours.” She looked out at the fluffy clouds. “This is a heck of a lot better than the view from a hotel.”
    “Great. I think I’ll get my camera. Can you hold the wheel for a few?”
    “Me?” Laurie pointed at herself with alarm.
    “Yeah. It’s easy. Just hold it still.” She took Laurie’s tentative hand and placed it firmly on the wheel. “It tends to fly around if you don’t hold it steady. Just keep it going where we’re headed. Be right back.” She was gone before Laurie could complain further, but she returned before any decisions had to be made. “No damage,” she said, taking the wheel back. She handed a big, complicated-looking camera to Laurie. “Want to take some pictures?”
    “I don’t think I’d have the first idea of how to. I just use my phone.”
    “I love photography.” Kaatje held out her hand for the camera. “I’ll put it on automatic. Then you don’t have to think”
    “I need more things in my life that do that,” Laurie mumbled, putting the viewfinder up to her eye. “Wow, I can see everything.”
    “I have a wide-angle lens on. That way we can get a nice panorama of the sunset.”
    “Can I take one of you?”
    “You can take dozens.”
    Laurie aimed at a smiling Kaatje and snapped a dozen frames in a row.
    “Can you download these? Then I can send some to myself.”
    “Sure. Take all you want.”
    Laurie got into the task, scrambling all around the boat, snapping picture after picture. Kaatje called out to her when she was lying on the deck, pointing up at the mast,