places she could be, of all the ships, what was Daisy doing here, on his ?
He groaned from both the uncomfortable chaise and the unwelcome sighting; he reached into his shirt pocket to calm the small alarm clock vibrating against his chest. Freeing himself from the top portion of his sleeping bag, he plucked the foam plugs from his ears. Sounds of the morning came at him from all directions. The ship bellowed again and Max knew they would soon be leaving Prince Rupert. If he hurried, he might get into the bathroom before the throngs made their morning pilgrimage.
Three more long nights he’d have to sleep—or rather toss and turn—in this lounge. Three more long days he’d have to go without a shower. And now he’d have to contend with that demented mop-top stalking him.
Why me? He raised his eyes toward heaven while his knee throbbed like hell.
It took two quivering hands for Daisy to unlock her cabin door. Breathing hard, she scrambled inside and immediately latched the door behind her as if she expected Max to be nipping at her heels. While her heart drummed, she tried to figure out what to do.
Four hours later, she was hungry and still no closer to a plan, but at least she’d forsaken her vigil by the door. Sensitive to every shimmy and surge of the ship, she lay on the bed, watching the passing sky through her window.
Her stomach yowled. She looked over to the bedside table at the jar of baby food she’d recently opened for Elizabeth. Beside it was a small can of minced dog food. Sitting up, she retrieved the spoon she’d used to mix the two and brought it to her mouth. Bits of Elizabeth’s breakfast remained on the stainless. She scrunched her eyes closed and swiped the spoon with her tongue.
“Uck-uck-uck-uck!” Gagging, she thrust her tongue from her mouth as she scrambled for the bathroom faucet.
“I can’t believe I did that,” Daisy said to the mirror. “Why don’t you people have room service?” Obviously, sharing Elizabeth’s food was not an option, nor was staying in her cabin. She’d have to go out. Soon. She’d simply have to keep an eye open for Max. There were over nine hundred passengers on the Columbia . Surely, the odds of bumping into Max again had to be slim, especially if she ate only in the dining room. Max Kendall was too chintzy to eat there. He was probably in the cafeteria robbing the condiment tray and making tomato soup by mixing ketchup and hot water.
She cracked a smile at her reflection. Yep, that was Max’s style, all right. If only she knew why he was here.
She pulled her brush through her hair, fluffing the curls. He wasn’t here because of her . . . was he? She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Just how spiteful was Max Kendall? Had he discovered her plans for Alaska? Had her lawyer said something to his lawyer? Too distracted by her life to deal with something so outlandish as Max Kendall’s lawsuit, she’d left everything to her attorney.
“Probably just a frivolous nuisance,” her attorney had assured her, accepting her $3,000 retainer. “I’ll be in touch.”
Now she wished she’d taken a little more time. But she never ever, ever, ever thought she’d see that man again. Her face scrunched as her brain scrambled. What did she really know about Max? Maybe he was more of a loon than anyone suspected. Maybe his mother was a loon, too. Maybe the Kendalls were a whole family of loons!
“Stop it!” She would never leave her cabin while those thoughts swam in her brain. There was undoubtedly a logical explanation for Max Kendall’s presence aboard this ship, and it had absolutely nothing to do with her!
Besides, she had an ace in the hole. Her very handsome doctor would surely come to her rescue if needed. As a matter of fact, they had a dinner date for tonight. Adam and all his officer buddies would keep Max from threatening her. It was like having her very own navy.
But just in case, she would keep her pepper spray handy.
“I’m going to
He groaned from both the uncomfortable chaise and the unwelcome sighting; he reached into his shirt pocket to calm the small alarm clock vibrating against his chest. Freeing himself from the top portion of his sleeping bag, he plucked the foam plugs from his ears. Sounds of the morning came at him from all directions. The ship bellowed again and Max knew they would soon be leaving Prince Rupert. If he hurried, he might get into the bathroom before the throngs made their morning pilgrimage.
Three more long nights he’d have to sleep—or rather toss and turn—in this lounge. Three more long days he’d have to go without a shower. And now he’d have to contend with that demented mop-top stalking him.
Why me? He raised his eyes toward heaven while his knee throbbed like hell.
It took two quivering hands for Daisy to unlock her cabin door. Breathing hard, she scrambled inside and immediately latched the door behind her as if she expected Max to be nipping at her heels. While her heart drummed, she tried to figure out what to do.
Four hours later, she was hungry and still no closer to a plan, but at least she’d forsaken her vigil by the door. Sensitive to every shimmy and surge of the ship, she lay on the bed, watching the passing sky through her window.
Her stomach yowled. She looked over to the bedside table at the jar of baby food she’d recently opened for Elizabeth. Beside it was a small can of minced dog food. Sitting up, she retrieved the spoon she’d used to mix the two and brought it to her mouth. Bits of Elizabeth’s breakfast remained on the stainless. She scrunched her eyes closed and swiped the spoon with her tongue.
“Uck-uck-uck-uck!” Gagging, she thrust her tongue from her mouth as she scrambled for the bathroom faucet.
“I can’t believe I did that,” Daisy said to the mirror. “Why don’t you people have room service?” Obviously, sharing Elizabeth’s food was not an option, nor was staying in her cabin. She’d have to go out. Soon. She’d simply have to keep an eye open for Max. There were over nine hundred passengers on the Columbia . Surely, the odds of bumping into Max again had to be slim, especially if she ate only in the dining room. Max Kendall was too chintzy to eat there. He was probably in the cafeteria robbing the condiment tray and making tomato soup by mixing ketchup and hot water.
She cracked a smile at her reflection. Yep, that was Max’s style, all right. If only she knew why he was here.
She pulled her brush through her hair, fluffing the curls. He wasn’t here because of her . . . was he? She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Just how spiteful was Max Kendall? Had he discovered her plans for Alaska? Had her lawyer said something to his lawyer? Too distracted by her life to deal with something so outlandish as Max Kendall’s lawsuit, she’d left everything to her attorney.
“Probably just a frivolous nuisance,” her attorney had assured her, accepting her $3,000 retainer. “I’ll be in touch.”
Now she wished she’d taken a little more time. But she never ever, ever, ever thought she’d see that man again. Her face scrunched as her brain scrambled. What did she really know about Max? Maybe he was more of a loon than anyone suspected. Maybe his mother was a loon, too. Maybe the Kendalls were a whole family of loons!
“Stop it!” She would never leave her cabin while those thoughts swam in her brain. There was undoubtedly a logical explanation for Max Kendall’s presence aboard this ship, and it had absolutely nothing to do with her!
Besides, she had an ace in the hole. Her very handsome doctor would surely come to her rescue if needed. As a matter of fact, they had a dinner date for tonight. Adam and all his officer buddies would keep Max from threatening her. It was like having her very own navy.
But just in case, she would keep her pepper spray handy.
“I’m going to
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