Stranded by Dani Pettrey

coffee they’d picked up at the espresso café on Deck 7 while making the rounds.
    â€œWeird she just left like that.”
    â€œNah. Happens a lot.”
    She nearly choked on her macchiato. “It does?”
    â€œSure.” Ted shrugged, waving at a group of passing crew members easily identified by their crisp white bottoms—a mixture of pants and varying length skirts—and both long- and short-sleeved dark navy tops with the Destiny Cruise Line emblem, a gold merman holding a trident, emblazoned on the right-hand side.
    Ted finished off his coffee and tossed the paper cup in the trash. “People think working for a cruise ship will be exciting.They romanticize traveling the world, but when they get here they realize it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
    â€œIt’s not?”
    â€œIt’s work, just like anyplace else. Long hours. A lot of time away from your family.” He held the door to the spa open for her.
    â€œSounds like you aren’t a big fan.”
    â€œMe? Nah, I love it.”
    Fresh fruity scents of coconut, mango, and pineapple swirled in the air.
    â€œBut you just said . . .”
    â€œThat people expect it to be this grand adventure, and in a way it is, but not everyone is made for a life at sea.”
    â€œAnd you are?” she asked as they stepped to the counter.
    â€œSure. I love traveling, meeting new people every cruise.” He lifted his chin at the gal behind the desk. “Just giving the resident journalist the grand tour,” he said as the woman’s gaze raked over Darcy.
    â€œEnjoy,” she said with a clipped nod.
    â€œThanks.” Darcy nodded back.
    Ted led her down the back hall. Soothing music piped over the speakers. “I don’t mind the hours and the time away from home,” he continued, “but I’ve always been an independent guy.” He pointed out the yoga room as they passed. “And I don’t have a lot of family to begin with. None I’m really close to. I’ve got a sister, but she’s busy with her job and her kids. We see each other for the holidays and that’s enough.”
    Not so different from her. With her parents retired and traveling the world, and her brother, Peter, having died three years ago, she didn’t have much in the way of family to spendtime with. Most of the time she was okay with that, or at least she had thought she was until she’d spent a good portion of the winter with the McKennas.
    Being part of a close-knit family on a daily basis had been really nice. It’d become comfortable, and near the end expected, which made leaving all the more difficult. The thought of spending time with some of the McKenna siblings on tomorrow’s excursion lightened her devastated heart a little, and she silently thanked God for that. For them .
    â€œYou’ll find that’s pretty common around here,” Ted said, opening another door.
    â€œWhat is?”
    â€œLack of family.” He led her into the steam bath. A large, shallow pool commanded the center of the space, the glass windows covered with shadowy mist. Two people sat in the crystal blue water, perspiration and contentment on their brows.
    She and Ted quietly stepped back out, leaving the two to their solitude.
    â€œI don’t understand,” she said, once back in the hall.
    â€œYou’re a good reporter. Always inquisitive.”
    â€œJust curious by nature.” She shrugged.
    â€œSo . . . curious and strong willed?” He chuckled.
    She smiled. “Curiosity’s a great way to get to know people.”
    â€œI suppose it is.”
    â€œSo . . . you were saying something about lack of family . . . ?”
    â€œRight. Most folks can’t hack being away from loved ones for so long, so the cruise line ends up employing people who are desperately in need of the money and are only here untilthey find