Page 23 of The Cruise

‘May I join you?’ Dicky didn’t wait for an answer, and as he rose to his feet to move to the adjacent sunbed, Anne hurriedly smoothed gloss over her lips.

‘Er, I think someone is already sitting there.’ Anne nodded towards a towel held in place by two plastic parrot-shaped pegs. She pursed her lips in what she considered a sexy pout and held her pose despite the pain of a possible dislocated hip.

‘Oh, these little birdies have flown,’ Dicky replied, unclipping the pegs, and placing them some distance away. He reached for the towel draped over his shoulder and, laying it out, sat down. ‘Now, what about a drink?’ Dicky held up his hand and summoned a server. ‘Two Double D specials,’ he ordered.

‘What’s a Double D?’ Anne asked.

‘It’s a Dicky Delaney cocktail, made to my own recipe. The bar crew know what I like, and you’ll like it too.’ He picked up Anne’s tanning lotion and began to smooth it over his body.

Fascinated, Anne stared, drinking Dicky in.

The evening before, when Anne was in bed, she’d commented to Kath and Jane that she thought Dicky Delaney was lovely. He’d put on an excellent show. But now, she could hardly believe her eyes. Had Anne rubbed Aladdin’s lamp? Had the Christmas fairy granted her wish? For Dicky was handsome, of slim build and the perfect height. He wore fetching shorts in a tropical print, and she noted that he looked good in swimwear, unlike many passengers. With a show business career, the entertainer was sure to be financially secure, and with no wedding ring on his finger, he ticked all of Anne’s husband-hunting boxes.

As he turned to hand back the lotion, Dicky ran fingers through his thick curly hair and smiled. His teeth, a perfect white, gleamed. Cosmetic dentistry must have cost him a fortune, Anne thought and resisted a sudden urge to sit up and kiss him.

Their drinks arrived, and Dicky handed Anne a creamy cocktail decorated with mango and pineapple. ‘Here’s to you,’ he said, biting into a chunk of ripe fruit, ‘now tell me all about yourself.’

Anne took a sip of her drink, and the delicious ice-cold nectar slithered welcomingly down her throat.‘Eat your heart out, Sylvia Adams-Anstruther.’Anne thought of her school chum and smiled.‘You can keep your double-barrels, and your tottering old men!’

* * *

In the celebrity chef theatre, Jane was in her element. First to arrive, she plopped her bottom on a front-row centre seat and, folding her arms, waited patiently. The ‘theatre’ was a mobile kitchen, cleverly assembled to provide a long counter with cooking and prepping facilities. An overhead mirror enhanced the view for the audience, enabling them to watch the chef chop and stir. Jane had worked in countless similar set-ups, always behind the scenes as she carefully prepared every ingredient required for the demonstrating celebrity. She felt at home in this environment and couldn’t wait to see what the ship’s head chef would be cooking for them that afternoon.

Despite enjoying a buffet lunch with Kath in the Deck Café, Jane was still hungry. She reached into her bag until her fingers touched the silky ribbon tied to a box of chocolates. While digging into the handmade selection, Jane hardly noticed someone sitting beside her.

‘Thought I’d join you,’ Selwyn said. He crossed his legs and placed a book on his lap.

Jane was mortified. Surprised by Selwyn’s sudden appearance, she’d gripped a chocolate and squashed it. Now the sticky mess was melting all over her fingers.

Selwyn was unaware of Jane’s discomfort as he tapped his nails on his book and looked around at the gradually filling auditorium. ‘I was going to sit by the pool after lunch and read,’ he began, ‘but there were no seats. Your friend Anne was there, enjoying herself,’ he added.

Jane wondered what Anne was up to. She hadn’t turned up for lunch, and Jane and Kath had assumed she’d wanted to stay by the pool. ‘Was Anne all right?’ Jane asked.

‘Very much so – she was being entertained by the ship’s comedian. It seems that Dicky Delaney enjoys appearances on and off the stage.’ Selwyn smiled. He liked people to be happy, and it warmed his heart to see Anne and Dicky laughing and joking as a server kept them supplied with cocktails.

But Jane wasn’t listening. She felt a flush creep up her neck as she wondered what to do with her horribly sticky fingers. She couldn’t keep her hand in her bag throughout the session and knew that the oozing chocolate was making a terrible mess.

Sod it! Jane closed her eyes and slowly withdrew her hand. Opening her mouth, she placed her chocolate-covered fingers on her tongue and began to lick them clean. When she opened her eyes, Selwyn was staring at her.

‘Good?’ he asked.

‘Very.’

‘Care to share?’

‘Why not.’

Jane pulled out the box of chocolates and offered them to Selwyn. He pondered for a moment, then chose a square-shaped fondant.

‘Delicious,’ he murmured and reached for another as the lights dimmed in the auditorium and a spotlight highlighted the stage.

Peter appeared and welcomed the audience, then introduced the man they’d all come to see. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me pleasure to welcome someone who makes your cruise worthwhile,’ he said as a spotlight shone on the back of the stage. ‘This chef has travelled the world and trained in some of the finest culinary establishments to bring you the global cuisine served on the ship.’

Jane was wide-eyed as she popped another chocolate into her mouth.

‘Please give a very warmDiamond Starwelcome to our head chef.’ Peter raised his arm. ‘Jaden Bird!’

The chef stepped out to enthusiastic applause, led by Jane, who clapped the loudest. Jaden Bird epitomised professionalism by wearing neatly pressed chef’s whites, a colourful bandana and a starched apron tied at his waist. He smiled at the audience and thanked Peter for his kind introduction.

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