Page 25 of The Cruise Club

Chapter Twelve

Carmen sat on a velvet banquette in the Neptune Theatre, her fingers pulling nervously at the piping on the armrest. Three rows away from the front, she had a clear view of the stage, and glancing around, she heard a low murmur as passengers searched for seats.

‘Anyone sitting here?’ A man pointed to the empty space. Before Carmen could reply, he lowered his body and shuffled into place. ‘Theo,’ he said, ‘pleased to make your acquaintance.’

Carmen winced as a beefy hand shook her own. ‘Carmen,’ she muttered and edged away. Theo was like a mountain, solid and unmoveable.

‘On your own?’ Theo asked.

‘Er, well, yes, at the moment,’ Carmen stuttered, unwilling to explain that her travelling companion, Betty, was probably three sheets to the wind in the Mermaid Theatre bar and upsetting anyone within earshot.

‘Me too,’ he said.

Unsure of whether Theo was attempting to make a passat her, Carmen clamped her legs tightly and gripped the notebook on her knee.

‘Lost my partner a year ago, never felt so lonely.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ Carmen said and turned to Theo.

He looked familiar, but unable to place him she noted his ebony skin and short, tightly coiled hair, speckled with strands of grey that peppered his well-trimmed beard.

‘It’s a strange thing when you lose your partner. Grief is like trying to clear smoke with your hands.’

Carmen stared at Theo’s hands, which looked large, strong, and accustomed to hard work.

‘One minute, the smoke is thick with your loss, and you can’t breathe,’ he continued, ‘then, the next, the smoke clears and he’s there, like he never left.’

Carmen relaxed her grip. There seemed less danger of Theo hitting on her. ‘Is that an Irish accent I detect?’ she asked.

‘I live in Donegal.’ Theo’s eyes, a deep brown, turned to Carmen. ‘I still talk to Ruari, and often I feel as though he’s right beside me.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s madness.’

‘Is that why you came on the cruise, to help you get over Ruari?’

Theo let out a breath. ‘Yes, and I miss him something fierce.’

‘I’m so sorry.’ Carmen’s tone softened. ‘What happened?’

‘A heart condition, we had no idea. It was very sudden. He died in his sleep.’

Carmen reached out and patted Theo’s arm. ‘Perhaps this talk will help you forget for a while.’

‘Maybe…’ Theo smiled. ‘But I had a long flight and am very tired and that’s when memories hit me.’

A spotlight beamed onto a podium and Carmen turned to the stage.

Strutting confidently, Peter appeared, and Carmen felt her heart flutter as the purser began the introduction. She was here! Moments away from experiencing Ruskin talk about his work – words that could inspire her own writing journey. This was what she’d been waiting for!

Carmen adjusted her glasses and opened her notebook. She wondered if she would ever stand on a stage like this – would her own stories create the buzz required to secure a huge following, eager to hang off her every word?

‘So please, let’s have aDiamond Starwelcome, as it gives me great pleasure,’ Peter called out, ‘to bring to you the world-famous author, Ruskin Reeve!’

Carmen almost sprang to her feet, but fearing she’d shunt into Theo, she held her hands high and clapped. Gone was the memory of the unsociable man on the beach in Maxos. Here was the great author, Ruskin Reeve!

‘Cruise Club members on theDiamond Star, friends, fans…’

To loud applause, Ruskin stood before the podium, tall and poised, his trendy linen suit as cool as his confidence. Pausing, he stared at the audience.

For a moment, Carmen felt sure that she’d caught his glance, and her breath quickened. She felt the air charged, full of anticipation as everyone waited for the great man to speak.

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