“Remind me to send her some flowers.”
He hustled her out the door before she changed her mind and her clothes, and they made their way to the main hall reception desk.
“Good evening, Jesus. We were hoping you could offer some suggestions for a big night on the town.”
“Oh, hello Mr. and Mrs. Clemson. I was going to come to you today, but things got very busy here at the desk. You had some more phone calls.” He ruffled through some papers on his desk and held out a pile of messages.
She eyed them like they’d been dipped in acid. “All of them from my mother?”
He shrugged then nodded. “Yes. She, ah, really wants you to call her, I think.”
Lacey straightened her shoulders and smiled at him. “You can just chuck those in the trash. In fact, unless something important comes through, you don’t have to bring them up to me anymore. No need for a special trip. I think I got the gist yesterday.”#p#分页标题#e#
Galen took her hand and gave it an approving squeeze.
“If you insist, ma’am.” Jesus looked almost comically relieved and he tossed the pile in the garbage can behind the desk. “Now, for this evening, would you like to salsa, maybe?”
“God, no!” Lacey said with a violent shake of her head. “Too hard. Maybe just a little place where we can sway together and have a cocktail.”
“Let me give you a list of places.” He pulled out a sheet of paper and slid it over the counter. “Another thought is the dinner cruise. They have two each evening, and the second one is scheduled to leave in thirty minutes. People say good things about it, and it offers a little of everything. Gambling, entertainment, dinner, and a great view.”
Galen sent Lacey a questioning glance.
She nodded. “Sounds like fun, and it’s a beautiful night.”
Armed with directions, they made the fifteen-minute walk to the ship. It was small, large enough for maybe fifty people, but it was luxuriously appointed with teak railings that gleamed in the fading evening sunlight.
The host welcomed them onboard, then sat them for dinner with a wide smile. “Your waiter will be here with our cocktail specials and wine list in just a moment. Enjoy!”
They thanked him and settled into their cozy booth, taking in the view of the island from the water. The room was open on all sides, and a balmy breeze kicked up as the ship pulled away from the pier.
An hour, two beers, and a plate of guanimes later, Lacey paused with a spoonful of flan halfway to her lips, her brows raised in outrage.
“So that’s why Jimmy MacTurk called me Lacey Drawers.”
Her retelling of the childhood memory had him grinning. “That’s a pretty good reason for the nickname. I mean, if you’re going to go around flashing your bloomers at him.” He shrugged.
“I wasn’t flashing him! I was just riding on the seesaw. He was a little perv, is all.”
He laughed, and she joined him, dropping the mock annoyance. “I have so much fun with you,” she said softly.
He nodded and took her hand. “Right back at you.”
They stared stupidly at each other, grinning like fools, until their waiter came to take their plates.
“Good choice,” she said on a sigh. “This ship is really lovely.”
He stood and took her hand. “Shall we see what else it has to offer?”
“Definitely.”
Full from their meal, they took their time strolling the perimeter of the boat, stopping to greet other couples and take in the view. They passed a wide set of doors and a slow, sensual beat caught his ear. He tugged her toward it. “Maybe they have a band playing and we can do some dancing. Come on.”
She resisted, digging in her heels. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m a terrible dancer.”
“Well, I’m not, and I can teach you.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. My first trainer thought partnered dancing was a great tool to prep fighters. Learning how to lead, anticipating the move of your partner and all that, but it’s also great for stamina and balance. So I took some classes, and it stuck with me. At first I thought it was bullshit, but I think it’s actually helped me over the years.”
“Great, so you’ll look cool as usual. I’m going to look like an idiot, though. Your sister and I bop around and stuff at the clubs once in a while, but if you’re talking like the stuff they do in Dirty Dancing? I’m pretty sure my hips don’t move like that.” Her brow wrinkled the way it did when she got anxious, and he pressed a kiss to that spot.#p#分页标题#e#
“After the last ten hours, I can vouch for the fact that they definitely do.”