Braving the Waves (Cruisin’ With Curves)

7. Isaac

CHAPTER SEVEN

ISAAC

I get called into Grant's office right after lunch. And I just know. The way you know you’re going to have a bad day when you wake up with a stiff neck. I know this conversation isn’t going to end well.

A suspicion that’s confirmed when Grant slides his phone across the desk to me, and I find myself looking down at a dark photo of me and Marley sneaking down the back hallway.

“Where did you get this?”

Grant takes the phone back. “That’s not important.”

“Yes, it is,” I say through my teeth, meeting his eye. “Come on, Grant. You have to know that everyone on the crew has messed around with a passenger at least once.”

He crosses his arms and leans back in his seat. “Yes, but you’re the only one who’s been caught in the act, at least by me.”

I narrow my eyes. “You didn’t catch me doing anything.”

Grant’s eyebrows shoot up. “I don’t need your lip, Isaac. Let’s not pretend you don’t know exactly what you did. I told you to stay away from that woman and you ignored me. When the ship docks tomorrow, you pack your things and you go home.”

His words are like a wave that rises over my head and then forces me under.

“What, are you kidding? You’re going to fire me over this?” I feel something close to despair but it comes out as anger. I’ve worked for this cruise line for six years, I’m their best employee and now he’s just going to sack me?

He leans across the desk, his face going red. “I’m firing you because you couldn’t keep it in your pants. We don’t ask much from you. Keep your schedule, do your job, don’t fuck passengers. I gave you a warning, and you ignored it.” He pauses. “And after this little incident, I can’t in good conscience give you a good reference.”

I fight to keep my mouth from falling open. “So, you’re firing me, and you’re going to make sure I can’t get a job with another line?”

He shrugs. “You clearly can’t be trusted.”

I shove my chair back. “Tell Luke if he was mad that she chose me over him, he could have just taken it up with me.”

Grant doesn't give anything away, but I know it was Luke. He’s new, and none of the people I’ve worked with for years would have done this to me. But it had to have been someone at the bar last night. And Luke was the only one trying to hit on the woman who was already there to see me.

I throw open the door to Grant’s office and stride into the hallway. I’m not even sure what to do now. It feels bizarre to go upstairs and lead salsa lessons on the deck when I was just fired.

I feel like nothing will ever be the same again. I got on this ship to run away from my life. It’s the first place that’s ever really felt like home. And now it’s just…gone.

When I round the corner toward the elevator, I run right into Apollo. He puts a hand on both of my shoulders to steady me and then, when he gets a look at my face, his automatic smile falls.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

I motion for him to follow me and once we’re both in the elevator, I say, “Grant sacked me.”

I see the shock cross his face, and then I see the moment it disappears. “Is this about Marley?”

I nod, staring at my reflection in the mirror as we go up, up, up. “Luke took pictures of us at the bar last night. He showed them to Grant.”

“Bastard.”

The elevator doors slide open, but neither of us get out. The hall outside on Deck 7 is empty.

“Well,” Apollo says, “I guess this means you can go home.”

The door closes again but the elevator doesn’t move. “What?”

Apollo shrugs. “You’ve been avoiding it for too long, Isaac. This is clearly a sign from the universe. It’s time to go home.”

I just stare straight ahead at my reflection in the mirror. Home. Monaco. My mother and father and little brother, Carlos. The family business that I have no intention of being part of. If I go back there, they’ll all hate me. If I go back there, I have to face everything I couldn’t before. If I go back there, everything changes.

I can’t do it on my own. But maybe I could do it if I wasn’t alone, if I had someone to be strong with me.

I glance over at Apollo. “I think you’re right. I think it’s time.”