Page 11 of Terminal Voyage

Vanessa rushed to greet me. With a wide smile, she shrieked with joy and gave me a tight hug. "We are going to have so much fun!"

She stepped back and looked me up and down. "You look fantastic!"

That put a slight grin on my face. I'd been feeling like total ass for the last several weeks, so it was nice to know I was hiding it well.

"You're as gorgeous as ever."

Vanessa smiled. "I know."

We both laughed.

“Is that him?”

“Who?”

“Your boss.”

I nodded.

“He is hot.” Vanessa waved to Tyson, still on the dock.

Tyson waved back, then walked toward the parking lot.

Vanessa fluttered her hand in front of my face. The rock on her ring finger was larger than a small planet. It sparkled in the Florida sunshine.

My eyes rounded at the size of it.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

"It could be a little bigger, don't you think?" I teased.

She sneered at me, then examined the ring. "Maybe it is a little small, but it's the gesture that counts." Then she burst into laughter. "I want you to meet him." She took my hand and dragged me across the aft deck.

Declan was talking to a deckhand.

"Babe, this is my friend, Teagan."

With a smile that could sell toothpaste, Declan extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome aboard."

"Thanks for having me."

He was every bit as good-looking as Vanessa had made him out to be. Mid-30s, wavy dark hair, intense glacial blue eyes, and a square jaw that was perfect for TV. With an athletic figure, he could easily have been on the cover of a men's magazine.

"Vanessa told me so much about you," Declan said.

"Oh no. That's not good."

He laughed.

"I'm sure she left out the really juicy stuff," he whispered, leaning in, “Vanessa tells me you’re psychic."

"Vanessa likes to lie.”

"I do not," she said. "She used to get these visions in high school. She always knew who was going to win the big game."

"She's exaggerating. If I was psychic, we'd have graduated with straight A’s, and I'd have a yacht of my own."

Declan laughed.