Ship of Dreams (Dreams Come True Series Book 2) by Rebecca Heflin Read Free Book Online Page A

She’d succeeded in everything she set her mind to. Except gaining her father’s love and affection.
    She glanced at a photo of herself with Darcy’s family. Laura found solace in them. Their support was a balm to her soul, but could never be a substitute for that of her parents.
    She and Darcy met in kindergarten and stayed together until they each went to college, Laura in Chicago at Northwestern—to get away from her family—and Darcy in New York at Columbia—to stay near her family.
    “Enough of the pity party.” She glanced down at her empty glass. “I’ve got some packing to do. Look out Mediterranean! Here comes Laura ‘Bad-Ass’ Armstrong.”

 
    Chapter 5

    The Nave dei Sogni lived up to its name, from its hip Art Deco décor to its luxurious appointments. With a style reminiscent of the great ocean liners of the 1930s, the public areas of the ship boasted unapologetic glamour. Deco-Page, the elegant lounge, where she sipped her vodka martini from etched glass, could have come straight out of a classic Hollywood movie.
    From its high-gloss black walls and cream trim, which lent a tuxedo effect, to its Murano glass chandelier and mirrored accents, the room begged for Fred and Ginger to come waltzing in.
    While she appreciated the grandeur and sophistication of the décor, she thought something more casual yet refined would appeal to the target demographic better. Like her penthouse stateroom, which offered a soothing respite from the rich colors, bold geometric shapes, and distinctive drama and elegance of the rest of the ship.
    Decorated with a muted palette of creams and browns, dark woods, and an eclectic collection of furniture and accessories, complete with a sunburst motif, the stateroom offered polished luxury without ostentation. And Katie had been right. The bathroom was bigger than many New York City apartments, with a huge white marble soaker tub alongside a picture window.
    With job perks like this, who needed vacations?
    After her arrival in Barcelona the evening before, she’d had a little time in the morning to explore the two-thousand-year-old city before boarding the ship. She’d walked along La Rambla, a favorite destination of tourists. The tree-lined street had been crowded with people where languages and accents from all over the world blended with local Catalan.
    The Mercat de Sant Josep, or simply La Bouqeria, with its almost endless stalls of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, and herbs, tantalized her senses with the astonishing array of colors and aromas, and whetted her appetite for the five-star cuisine of Imperial’s world-renowned chefs.
    A short nap, hot shower, and quick email check in her luxurious stateroom had refreshed and revived. Before heading to Deco-Page she’d taken a selfie standing on her balcony and sent it off to Darcy with a text with the trite expression, ‘wish you were here.’
    From her perch at the bar, Laura eyed the other passengers, most of whom were much older than she. Except for the bleach-blond with the impressive girls squeezed into a black and gold lamé dress. She’d seen her earlier as she’d boarded the ship, on the arm of a man who looked old enough to be her great-grandfather. If he made it through the cruise alive, it’d be a miracle.
    She also spied a tall, attractive, middle-aged man with wire-rimmed glasses and a wedding ring, chatting up a couple from California whom she’d met in her hotel in Barcelona. He, an author and motivational speaker; she, a jewelry designer.
    Other than that, the cruise didn’t promise much hope for excitement, but since she’d be working, it was just as well. She offered a pleasant smile to a gentleman with a bad comb-over and received a glare from his diamond-studded wife. Sheesh. Don’t get your support hose in a twist, madame. Just trying to be friendly . As if she would go after her portly, pasty-faced husband.
    Laura turned back to the bar and signaled the bartender for another martini.