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They exchanged room numbers and he said he’d pick her up at seven for dinner. Why did that seem so far away? After all, it was already after eleven. After eleven? That meant he didn’t have long to work before meeting up with his family for lunch shortly.
* * *
This is great. Some downtime to relax and regroup. Maybe Xander had the right idea all along.
Stasia decided not to go ashore at Katakolon. Instead she grabbed her laptop and headed to the deck to enjoy some sun while she did research on her computer. It was time for her to make a plan for the future.
She moved to one of the lounge chairs and sat down. She glanced at her phone and thought about checking out the ship’s app. On second thought, she placed her phone in her bag. She didn’t have time for fun. She wanted to have a life plan or at least a five-year plan by the time they returned to Athens.
She wondered what Roberto was doing at that moment. Was he having fun with his family? Or was he checking his phone every minute for a new business email? Probably the latter. She smiled. They’d make a good pair on this voyage—each busy with their own endeavors.
The warmth of the sun was so relaxing. Each stiffened muscle loosened. For just a moment, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
She hadn’t realized until then how much time she’d spent indoors in the past few years. Other than her time on Infinity Island, she’d been inside, at first taking care of Lukos, and then for a number of months after that, she wasn’t sure what she did. It was all a blur of tears, regret over all the missed opportunities and then the finality of the paperwork. She never knew there could be so much paperwork involved with a death.
A gentle breeze rushed over her body, cooling it from the sun’s rays. If she didn’t have so much to do, she could be just like a cat and curl up for a nap in the sun. She really should get to work.
She opened her laptop. Realizing that it was too sunny where she was, she moved to a shaded spot. It was so much easier on her eyes.
She would start with a search engine. She did searches on her interests that included reading and teaching, but she lacked the appropriate degree... Maybe she could go back to school. But the more she thought of it, the more she decided against it.
The afternoon wasn’t without its interruptions. It appeared she must have a sign on her forehead that said Single and Alone. Because she was hit on numerous times. Thankfully, the men were charming and respectful when she said she wasn’t interested. Still, it was awkward and time-consuming. And the last thing she wanted to do was stay in her cabin for the whole cruise. She could have stayed home if she were going to do that.
It was almost time for her to get ready for dinner and she still didn’t have an idea of how she wanted to focus her life. At the age of twenty-nine, weren’t people supposed to have these things figured out? Well, she’d thought she had it all figured out, but then Lukos had been diagnosed with cancer, and it hadn’t just affected his life—hers had changed dramatically too.
She shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind. She had a dinner date. Not a date date, but dinner with a man who wasn’t her brother. The thought spurred her into action. She was actually looking forward to this dinner. Roberto seemed so different outside of the office—much more relaxed and, dare she say it, fun.
* * *
At last it was dinnertime.
Roberto couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so anxious for a meal. He made his way down the passageway toward Stasia’s cabin. His footsteps grew faster.
After a day of touring Katakolon with his family and being introduced to one available woman after the next, he couldn’t wait to have the company of an ally. His grandmother had been so upset when he’d almost gleefully told her that he had dinner plans. When his grandmother pushed, he’d admitted that it was Stasia. His grandmother had given him a suspicious look. He hadn’t revealed any details, letting her think whatever she wanted so long as she didn’t set him up with any other granddaughters of friends.
He had firmly decided that was his last trip ashore with his family. He’d rather stay on the ship the remainder of the cruise than be subjected to his grandparents’ tag-team approach to dissecting his life.
