Heart's Passage Part 8

"Jo-Jo, you still there?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, boss, m 'here, " she muttered.

"Look, I'm sorry, mate, " he said. "I'd like nothing more than to help you out of whatever situation you've gotten yourself into, believe me. But I also trust that you can handle this, whatever it is."

Jo fought the urge to burst into tears and tell her boss everything. "Okay, Ron. Thanks anyway," she had said quietly instead.

"Jo. " Ron wanted to take away the sadness he could hear in her voice. "Just try and take care of yourself, okay? I'm sorry, kiddo, I just can't think of anything else. "

"It's okay. I'll talk to you in a few days. See ya. " Jo hung up and tucked the cell phone back into its leather case clipped to her belt.

Just at that moment Jenny had emerged from the hatch over the small cabin in the forepeak, ready to start preparing breakfast for the pa.s.sengers. "Hey, Skipper, " she said quietly. "Jeez, you look like h.e.l.l. Rough night on-deck?" She sat down next to the taller woman.

"Yeah, pretty much, Jen, " Jo muttered, worrying away at her bottom lip. "You got that list of provisions you need? I'm going to take a run over to the resort and pick them up, maybe make some bookings for this mob for dinner tonight. "

"Sure. Uh, I was going to do that after breakfast but I don't mind staying here. It'll give me a chance to get a jump on lunch. " She paused, looking at her boss. "You okay, Jo-Jo?" she asked, puzzled by the faraway distracted look in her skipper's eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking. " Jo had smiled wanly and patted her crewmember on the thigh. "Just tired I think. Is Paul up yet?"

"He was in the head when I came up, " Jen said.

"M'here now, " the man in question said, sticking his head up through the hatchway. "What's up, Skip?"

"Hey, Paulie. Run me over to the beach? I'm going to head for the resort and pick up some supplies. "

"Sure. You want me to call ahead, get them to meet you?"

Jo shook her head. "Nah, I'm going to jog over. I could use the exercise, " she said, standing up. "You two going to be right with this lot for the morning?"

"No worries, Skip," Jenny said. "The day looks clear, so we '11 do the snorkeling thing. "

"Okay. Let's go, Paul."

So here she was, pounding along the sandy track, her calves burning and the sweat pouring off her, trying to figure out just how she was going to survive another two and a half weeks in close proximity to Cadie Jones without either imploding, or turning the whole expedition into a floating disaster.

I've just got to avoid looking at those eyes, she thought. And those legs. And... ohhh s.h.i.+t...

It was long past dawn when Cadie finally awakened. Surprisingly, for once Naomi had beaten her out of bed, which considering the almost certain state of the senator's hangover, was amazing. Cadie took the opportunity to just lie on her back, listening to the sounds around her, savoring the gentle rocking motion of the yacht. She could hear people moving around the main cabin. Her watch told her it was well after 9am, so she guessed Jenny was serving breakfast to those who had emerged. She could hear Paul up on deck talking with Toby and Jason about the prospects for the day's activities. Therese and Sarah were giggling in the cabin next door.

She couldn't hear Jo, she realized. I guess she's gone then. End of story. Cadie rolled onto her stomach, resting her cheek on the backs of her hands. Unexpectedly she felt tears welling in her eyes and she rubbed at them angrily. Like you don't have enough on your plate, for G.o.d's sake, Cadie, she thought. She went over the previous night's conversation in her head again.

It's not possible to fall in love in four days. There, I said it. Love. Four days. Not possible. All in one sentence. Now get over it, Jones. You sound like a bad romance novel.

She rolled out of bed, grabbed a towel, and headed for the small shower tucked in the corner of the berth. The cool water cascaded over her as she tried to clear the fuzziness out of her head. Instead she felt hollow, an absence, and then the sting of tears again.

"G.o.d dammit!" she said aloud. "She's gone. Deal with it. Deal with Naomi. You're on a luxury yacht in the middle of a gorgeous chain of islands. Enjoy yourself, dammit."

Jo slowed to a walk with her hands on her hips as she came to the outskirts of the Hayman resort. The dirt track gave way to a paved pathway wending between carefully landscaped gardens, surrounded by luxury low-set hotel buildings blending into the environment.

Hayman Island was the top resort in the Whitsundays, rated a five-star hotel with good reason. Gold-plated bathroom fittings, top-ranked restaurants and entertainment facilities, black swans gliding around the pools-it all added up to a quietly elegant ambience that catered to the rich and famous. It also meant the resort was rarely crowded and Jo didn't see another human until she veered away from the hotel proper and headed for the shops and stores down along the marina's waterfront.

Down here there was more activity. Shop owners were already up and about filling the needs of the various boats and restaurants. Jo walked down to the end of the row and stepped into the small, well-stocked s.h.i.+ps' store.

She loved this place. It served double duty as an outlet for luxury fittings for boats and yachts, as well as a retailer of the best in fine foods. Jo took a deep breath and savored the richly scented atmosphere. She could distinguish spices, rope, and fresh seafood.

"Bella! Bella Jossandra!" A large Italian woman sailed out of the back room of the store, wiping her hands on her ap.r.o.n and approaching the tall skipper enthusiastically. She cupped Jo's face in her hands and squeezed. "Where have you been, dolce bambina? It has been so long."

Jo laughed and accepted the woman's tight hug. "h.e.l.lo, Rosa, how are you?" she asked once she could breathe again.

"I am well; I am well. Come, come and sit down." Rosa pulled Jo over to the counter and sat her down on a stool. "Now you tell me everything that has happened since we last saw you. What are you doing here? You have a boatload of the tourists, yes?"

Jo nodded. "Yep, sure do. We're over in Blue Pearl. We needed some supplies, so I thought I'd come on over and see my favorite Hayman Island resident." She grinned.

"Ah, you should have called, cara, I would have had Antonio drive across and meet you. Never mind; never mind. You will need him to help you take things back, yes?"

"Yes, definitely. Thanks Rosa."

She beamed. "For you, it is no trouble. Give me the list." Jo handed over Jenny's list of requirements and watched as Rosa disappeared out the back, bellowing at the top of her lungs for her son. "Antonio! Antonio!" There was much hurried chatter in Italian and then Rosa was back.

"He will load up the truck and come and get you when he is done, Jossandra," she said. "Now." She planted herself on a stool on the other side of the counter from Jo. "Tell me please, little one, why am I seeing such a lost look in those precious blue eyes of yours, eh?"

Jo looked up, startled. Rosa had always mothered her, from the moment they had met on her first trip to Hayman over five years ago. She wasn't sure why, but the gregarious Italian mama had taken a s.h.i.+ne to Jo, and was constantly seeing to her well-being. She had always been pretty perceptive, but Jo hadn't been aware she was showing any outward signs of her preoccupation.

"I don't know, mama bear. Maybe you're just seeing the fact I slept on the deck last night. Only I didn't get much in the way of sleep."

Rosa squinted at Jo knowingly. "Mmmm, maybe. You do have the little black baggies under here," she said as she scuffed gently under Jo's left eye with her thumb. "But no. I am thinking there is something else going on. Maybe around this region, yes?" She tapped above Jo's left breast.

The tall skipper felt herself blus.h.i.+ng. "Sometimes you think too much, mama bear," she muttered, lowering her eyes.

"Ahhhah! You see, I can always tell," laughed Rosa, tapping the side of her nose with her index finger. "Now, please tell me everything. Do not step over the good parts, cara. "

Jo sighed. "There are no good parts, Rosa."

The Italian woman frowned and took Jo's hand between her own two. "Jo-Jo. What is it with you and the women, eh? I see you looking, and I know you are lonely, but always you are backing away from them. What is it this time? Is she ugly?"

Jo laughed. "No, Rosa, she's definitely not ugly. Quite the opposite," she said somewhat wistfully.

"Ahhh you see, I was right, there is someone making your heart go pitty-pat." Rosa wagged her finger at Jo. "You cannot hide things from your mama bear, Jo-Jo."

She grinned. "I know. I don't know why I try really."

Rosa took Jo's face in her hands again and pulled her closer. "This face is so sweet, Jo-Jo. Why is it not happy? What is this beautiful mystery woman doing to make you look so sad?"

Jo sighed again. "She's belonging to somebody else, Rosa," she said quietly. "And she's sitting back on that yacht, paying me a lot of money to be her professional sail guide."

"Ahhh, cara. I am sorry. That is difficult." Rosa sighed. "And how does she feel about you, this woman?"

"It doesn't matter, Rosa. Nothing's going to happen."

"Teh, Jo-Jo, you know better than to be so black and white, always about the world. I have lived a lot longer than you, and one thing I know, nothing is so black and white. If you and this woman are meant to be together, you will be together. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some time. That is how the universe works."

"No." Jo dropped her eyes as she felt Rosa's scrutiny intensify.

"Always with you, you are hiding something, mia cara. Keeping something close and deep." Rosa tilted Jo's head back to meet her gaze. "This woman is different I think. She will find out your secrets." She smiled softly.

"You're thinking too much again, Rosa." Jo smiled as she replied. Just then she was saved from further discomfort by the appearance of Antonio at the door.

"G'day, Jo!" She was swept off her feet by an all-encompa.s.sing hug from the brawny, good-looking young man. "How are you, digger?"

"I'm good, Tony," Jo laughed as he spun her around. "How are you? Still terrorizing all the female guests?" She grinned.

"Jo-Jo, I'm hurt," he said in mock pain, one hand over his heart. "You know you're the only woman for me."

"Boy, are you barking up the wrong tree," she retorted.

"A bloke can dream, can't he?" She laughed and sat back down on the stool. "The truck's all loaded, so just let me know when you want to head back, okay?"

She nodded.

"I've just got to make a phone call, mate. Then we can go."

"No worries." He headed out the back again, as Jo turned back to a beaming Rosa.

"He's a handful, Rosa," Jo said with a smile. Tony's mother nodded.

"Yes, but he is a good person. Like you, Jo-Jo. It will take quite a woman to keep you, I'm thinking."

Oh, let's get her off this subject, thought Jo. She's already freaked me out enough for one day. "Have you got La Scala's phone number, Rosa?" she asked, changing subjects quickly. "I need to make a booking for this boatload of tourists for tonight."

"Yes, yes. Here it is," Rosa replied, handing over a business card for the island's top restaurant. "Do you have Jenny and Paul with you this time, Jo?"

"Sure do," Jo replied, digging out her cell phone.

"You are in port tonight, si?" Jo nodded. "Then the three of you are coming to dinner, no arguments."

Jo grinned. Rosa's cooking was legendary. "No arguments here, Rosa. Thanks." She then paid attention to the phone as the restaurant answered.

Cadie was in the water, experiencing the full Technicolor explosion that was the undersea world of Blue Pearl Bay. Jenny had suggested she take a swim before breakfast, as swimming for a while afterwards wasn't a good plan. So she was drifting across the top of a beautiful seascape. The surface of the water was smooth and gla.s.sy and with the sun blazing out of a cloudless sky, the visibility underwater was crystal clear and out to infinity.

She let herself float over the forest of bomboras, watching as a school of tiny fish flashed around the top of a coral outcrop, the sunlight bouncing off their scales like a million tiny mirrors. There was so much movement and color, she hardly knew where to look first.

She could sense Toby and Jason off to her left, doing pretty much as she was. Therese and Sarah were closer to sh.o.r.e, while Naomi, Larissa, and Kelli were still on the boat eating breakfast. She knew the chances of getting Naomi in the water were remote, but she'd tried anyway. The senator had avoided eye contact with her, and grumpily said no.

Cadie tried to let the gentle rippling of the ocean soothe away her stress. It wasn't difficult to get carried away into another world when a myriad of strange and fabulous creatures cavorted almost within arm's reach. At least that's how it felt.

She found it hard to judge distance in this strange environment. She took a deep breath and dove down as far as she could, surprised by how far away the white, sandy bottom really was. She couldn't get anywhere near it before her ears protested and her lungs screamed for another shot of oxygen. Cadie took a second to gaze with wonder at the wildlife swirling around her, including a beautiful blue, green and yellow fish gawking right at her, before she pushed back towards the surface.

She came up laughing, delighted by the discoveries of the morning, just in time for a ringing bell to draw her attention back to the Seawolf. Jenny was standing on-deck, waving and shouting. "Last chance for breakfast, guys! Come and get it," she yelled.

Cadie waved back as she trod water, pulling off the mask and snorkel. "On my way," she shouted back, kicking out and heading back for the swimming ladder hanging from the port side of the yacht. She clambered up onto the deck and looked back over her shoulder, grinning as Toby and Jason raced each other, splas.h.i.+ng and wrestling as they did so. Therese and Sarah were making their way back as well, but were a little more leisurely, faces down, watching the wildlife below.

Cadie grabbed her towel and quickly dried off, pulling on a pair of shorts over her damp swimsuit. She noticed Naomi, Larissa, and Kelli were in the same positions as they'd been an hour ago, sprawled on the deck. The senator was watching her.

The blonde followed Jenny below decks, her rumbling stomach reminding her that dinner had been a long time ago.

"Smells good, Jenny," she commented, reaching for an empty plate and surveying the array of food. She selected some strips of bacon and a fried egg, mushrooms, and two tiny sausages.

Oooo, I love those, she thought, curling up in a corner of the sofa. I want Jo here, she wished, nibbling on a strip of bacon. She shook her head wonderingly. Where the h.e.l.l did that come from? She watched as the men and then Therese and Sarah loaded up their plates and headed back out on deck.

Jenny was moving around in the galley, beginning to clear away the breakfast dishes. The young hostess took the last of the bacon and tipped it onto Cadie's plate as she pa.s.sed.

"Finish that off for me, will you?" she said with a smile. "Otherwise it's just food for fishes."

Cadie grinned back. "Sure thing," she said, scooping a forkful of egg and mushrooms into her mouth and chewing enthusiastically. "Will we stay here all day, Jenny? Or are we just waiting for the new skipper to get here before we move on?"

Jenny turned from the sink and looked at Cadie curiously. "What new skipper?" she asked, puzzled by the out-of-the-blue question from the blonde American. She wiped her hands on a tea towel and leaned on the central counter.

Cadie stopped chewing for a hesitant second and then swallowed with a gulp. Oops, she thought. "Ummm... aren't we getting a new skipper? Isn't that where Jo's gone?"

Jenny laughed. "Nope. She just headed over to the resort to get a few supplies and to make a booking for you guys for dinner tonight." She paused, curious. "What made you think she was leaving?"

"Er, I don't know really," Cadie, trying to think around the surge of joy and confusion suddenly welling up inside her. "I think I just misinterpreted something she, um, said last night... maybe..."

Jenny shrugged and got on with the task of cleaning up breakfast and preparing for lunch. If she thought there was anything odd about Cadie's question, she gave no indication.

She's probably had weirder pa.s.sengers than me, Cadie thought ruefully. That must've been some trip. She went back to eating, her thoughts racing as she munched on her bacon.

Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow... she hasn't left. Cadie grinned to herself. I wonder what happened. I wonder... gosh, how is this going to work? Reality hit as she realized the next two and a half weeks were going to be fraught with danger. She walked over to the sink in the galley and washed up her dishes, putting them away where Jenny pointed.

Naomi's going to go nuts unless I can figure out a way to stay away from Jo, she mused. It's a big boat, but it's not that big. I just have to try. I have to give Nay and I a chance to work things out somehow. She remembered the events of the night before and a dark cloud came over her thoughts. Part of me wonders why I want to, if she's going to make a habit of swinging at me every time she gets jealous and drunk at the same time.

Cadie walked aft, into her cabin, and dug out the ma.n.u.script of the book she was supposed to be evaluating while she was on this vacation. It was an historical novel written by a new writer who was trying to find a literary agent. No doubt she was one of many agents the ma.n.u.script had been sent to, judging by the dog-eared quality of the pages. Never a good sign.

But Cadie prided herself on being able to see talent where others had missed it, and she had become one of the Midwest's best literary agents on the strength of that ability. Perhaps this would turn out to be another hidden gem she could proudly add to her stable of authors.

She tucked the ma.n.u.script under her arm, grabbed her sungla.s.ses and sunscreen, and headed back out on deck. She made her way forward, approaching Naomi and the other two women. The senator was looking distinctly pink after a couple of hours in the blazing sun. Cadie offered the sunscreen.

"Nay, you should put on some more cream, hon, or you're going to burn badly," she said quietly.

The senator looked at her for a second and then took the sunscreen. "Thanks," she replied grudgingly.

Cadie almost did a double-take. Don't tell me, she thought. Is it possible? Is the great Senator Silverberg looking just a tad sheepish? She smiled quietly as she waited for Naomi to finish with the cream. She took it back and continued forward, finding a spot in the shadow of the mast. She spread out her towel and sat down, ready for some serious reading.

It wasn't long before Naomi came and joined her, sliding down onto the deck beside Cadie and gazing off into the distance silently.

Cadie slowly put down her ma.n.u.script and turned to her partner. "Hi," she said quietly.

"Hi."