Maybe it was a good thing Rafe wasn’t there to greet them. Then again maybe it only gave her a reprieve till later on. Either way, Vivi knew she needed to gather her wits about her and fast.
Chapter Three
The limo slowed to a stop at the Charlotte Amalie Harbor. Two cruise ships were docked at the concrete pier as traffic yielded the right of way to the pedestrians in the crosswalk.
It was all Vivi could do not to gawk in amazement at the size of the giant ships anchored in the harbor. Sure, she’d been on cruises before, but never paid much attention to the outside of the ship. She could see the passengers walking around the decks, eagerly awaiting their turn to go ashore. But to do so she had to crane her neck upward to get the full effect.
The driver continued on and turned onto a side street. Vivi leaned closer to the window to see the sign. Yacht Haven Grande, it read. And from the look of the boats docked there, it was definitely a haven for yachts.
And not just a few, there were over two dozen tied up.
“Would you look at the size of that one? It’s like an office building.”
“That looks more like a floating hotel than a yacht,” Jeff said softly. “Which one do you think is Santori’s?”
“That one,” Vivi lifted her hand and pointed to a huge ship docked in one of the slips. “
No
Regrets
. Interesting name, but it certainly does fit the owner.”
“We will be arriving momentarily at Mr. Santori’s yacht. If you would like to go into town, please let me know and I’ll take you wherever you’d like. Also the Yacht Haven Grande does have its own dining and shopping complex, should you prefer to stay within the marina. You have only but to ask.” The driver filled them in on all the surrounding options.
Minutes later, Vivi once again accepted the drivers hand as she alighted from the limo. The bright sunshine nearly blinded her as her gaze quickly swung back and forth, trying to take it all in.
“Thank you. This is magnificent.”
“It does tend to take one’s breath away,” the driver replied before heading to the trunk to retrieve the luggage.
“Take your breath away is an understatement,” Jeff said, shaking his head. “This could render a guy speechless.”
Vivi followed the driver up the gangplank and onto the yacht.
“Welcome aboard the
No
Regrets
, Miss Bloom, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Baker. It’s a pleasure to have you traveling with us this week. My name is Roland, Mr. Santori’s personal valet, and I’ll be taking care of you while you enjoy your time aboard. If there is anything you require, at any time of the day or night, you have only but to press the number one button on your stateroom phones. That will connect you to me directly. Thank you, Benjamin.” The valet turned to the driver and clapped him on the back.
“And as Benjamin already mentioned, he is at your disposal if you wish to journey into town, go out to dine, or anything else you desire while we are in port.”
This was like being given the keys to Disney World, Vivi thought.
Ask and you shall receive.
“Miss Bloom if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your stateroom first so that you may freshen up, if you’d like. Gentleman, if you’d be so kind as to have a seat on the terrace, I’ll be back promptly to show you to your staterooms as well.”
Vivi followed Roland across the terrace, into what she thought might be the living room, then across the room into an elevator and up two floors. At least she thought they were called floors on a boat. By the time they alighted from the elevator, Vivi’s head was spinning trying to take it all in.
The elevator doors opened to a view of the ocean directly in front of her.
“Here we are at your suite. I hope this is to your satisfaction, Miss Bloom.” Roland stepped back, allowing Vivi to precede him through the opened door and into the suite.
“Holy crap,” the words slipped out before Vivi had a chance to stifle them. “Sorry, Roland.”
The man merely smiled and deposited her luggage inside the door. “No worries, Miss. I’ve been tempted to say worse on more than one occasion myself. The first look at the yacht and its amenities does tend to take one’s breath away.”
Vivi laughed at his comment. “I don’t know how anyone ever gets used to something like this. It’s like being on a permanent vacation where all you have to do is show up.”
“I trust the stateroom suite is to your liking then?” Roland inquired, another smile crossing his face.
Vivi looked around the room once more. The king sized bed faced a wall of windows that at present were open to the sunshine, the breeze and its own private deck, complete with lounge chairs and a Jacuzzi.
You wouldn’t even have to get out of bed in the morning to see the ocean. Just lift your head a few inches and there it was in all its brilliant blue glory.
Roland picked up a remote off the end table. “And with this remote you can open and close the curtains. This button will control the music. And this one is for the television.”
As Vivi watched in surprise, the top of a wooden cabinet at the foot of the bed opened and a television set rose up to viewing height.
“Is there a button that allows someone to go to the bathroom for me so I never have to get out of bed?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’m afraid we haven’t been able to get that to work just yet. But hopefully soon,” Roland retorted.
“This is perfect. I’m going to love spending my days and nights here, Roland. Thank you for showing me everything.”
“You’re most welcome, Miss Bloom. When you’re ready, please come topside. I’ll be serving appetizers and cocktails. Take your time though, there’s no rush. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go see our other guests settled.”
Vivi watched him walk out the door and close it behind him. If Jeff and John’s rooms were anything like this, they’d be hard pressed to want to leave them.
She kicked off her shoes and flopped down on the bed. This was something she could seriously get used to. Grabbing the remote, Vivi pressed the top button and watched the curtains open and close a few times. She giggled, and then hit the next button and the soft strains of country music flooded the room. The next button was for the television and Vivi watched it rise from the cabinet, then disappear back down once more.
Who’d have thought a girl from the wrong side of the tracks would end up here? From wearing hand me downs and cast-off clothing to touting the latest fashions from the industries top designers – it was a lifestyle change of massive proportions. And Vivi was bound and determined never to end up back in the throes of her old life.
Even in her wildest dreams and most incredible fantasies Vivi never thought her life would turn out this way. She was doing something she loved and getting paid to travel all over the world in return.
Rolling to her side, Vivi stared out at the ocean. Maybe she’d just lie here and rest for a few minutes. Then she’d go join the others on deck. She closed her eyes and thought about the text message she’d send her friends later on, enlightening them to all the fun things she’d encountered, and it was only her first day on the job.
Roland stood beside the dining table, set up on the terrace for dinner.
“I apologize, but Mr. Santori will not be joining us this evening. He’s been delayed even longer, I’m afraid. He sends his apologies and asks that everyone enjoy themselves in his absence.”
Vivi put down her fork and then lifted the glass of white wine to her lips and took a sip. Another delay. She wondered if this was standard operating procedure for the man. Well, it certainly wasn’t a problem for her. She was enjoying every minute of her time on the yacht.
“We will be pulling away from the dock momentarily, so please be advised you might feel a bit unsteady if you’re not accustomed to sailing. But it will pass. And for those it doesn’t, I have medication if needed. We’ll rendezvous with Mr. Santori tomorrow,” Roland finished.
Vivi wasn’t sure if she was prone to seasickness or not, and hated the thought that it might all be ruined by a bout of nausea. The only real boat rides she’d ever been on were rowboats at Houghton Lake and the swan ride at Cedar Point. Well, she’d find out soon enough how her stomach fared.
The next afternoon, Vivi wandered around the yacht, peeking into rooms with opened doors and trying to get her bearings.
Making her way to the third floor terrace, she joined Jeff and John, who were enjoying the afternoon sun.
“Remind me again why we have to leave here on Sunday,” Jeff asked.
“Because I think Rafe Santori is going to kick your ass off the boat if you don’t leave willingly once the shoot is over,” John told him.
“Okay, I have changed my life’s goal. I want to earn enough money to be able to afford something like this. I’ll sail around the world, enjoying everything life has to offer,” Jeff declared.
“That’s a nice game plan, but do you have any idea how much something like this costs to buy, let alone maintain on a daily basis? Let’s just say you better be Donald Trump in order to get started with your new goal for life.”
Vivi nodded at John’s assessment of the yacht. From what little she knew about the yacht and most of it from Googling the boat and its owner the previous night, John was correct in what he had told Jeff.
“I hate to disturb your gathering, but Mr. Santori’s helicopter is about to land and the wind it generates and the loud noise is quite discomforting. Would you mind stepping into the lounge for a few minutes until he is on the deck?” Roland asked.
“Sure thing, it’s not a problem.” Jeff and John grabbed their drinks and headed inside.
Vivi followed along behind, but what she really wanted to do was see the helicopter land atop the yacht. She lingered for a few minutes in the lounge, and then ducked back outside. Shading her eyes with her hand, she watched for the chopper. The breeze began to pick up and Vivi heard the roar of an approaching engine.
She watched the chopper circle and then land on the red landing pad atop the highest deck. She saw Rafe climb down from the front seat, grab his briefcase, and head for the staircase.
The pilot lifted off as quickly as he landed and was gone in seconds.
Rafe Santori is here.
Vivi clenched her hands into fists at her side and willed her nerves to steady. She was a grown woman for heaven’s sake, not some lust starved teenager.
Correction, she wasn’t lust starved, either. It had been a long time since she’d last seen the man and a lot had changed.
Before he could see her, Vivi slipped back inside the living room and headed for the bar. The last thing she wanted was for Rafe Santori to see her openly gawking at him. That would never do.
After greeting each person in turn, Rafe headed in her direction. Vivi took a sip of her wine for courage.
“Vivian Bloom, I must say you are a sight for sore eyes. It’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it has Mr. Santori.”
“Please call me Rafe. We’re beyond the formalities at this point, aren’t we Vivi?”
Vivi merely nodded, at a loss for words.
Rafe accepted a glass of scotch from the bartender and turned back to Vivi.
“You probably don’t even remember our last meeting.”
Better than he could imagine, Vivi thought.
“Not really I’m afraid. It was what six, seven years ago?” She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing she knew every single second that had occurred. Every single word, every single action, every single moment reliving the night repeatedly over the past years.
“Well, I most certainly do. You were wearing a fire engine red dress, with four-inch high heels. And your toe nail polish was called
Seduce
Me
Silly
.”
“It was?” Vivi frowned. Okay, that part she didn’t remember that at all.
“Though at the time I was in a relationship, or I might have taken you up on your offer.” Rafe took a sip of the scotch.
“My offer?” God, now she was sounding like a parrot repeating everything he said.
He nodded. “That I could have had you, though looking back I’m sure you meant for the magazine and not for me personally.”
“Oh, right.” At a loss for words, Vivi could hardly put two words together, let alone form a coherent sentence.
If only Rafe knew
.
“As I recall, your parting shot was
Your loss, I’m afraid
, and that was right before you kissed me and then left like Cinderella in the night,” Rafe finished with a smile.
And of course that part he had to remember with total clarity. Not sure what to say, Vivi wisely chose to keep quiet, lest she say something stupid.
“I am quite pleased you accepted the offer to do the shoot this week. I’ve enjoyed following your work over the past years. You’re going to be a fabulous addition to
Out
of
Bounds
magazine. I see great things in store for both of us when this issue goes to press.”
“Thank you. It was quite an honor to be chosen. Along with Jeff and John, of course.” So he really did remember that night. Especially the part about her age. Now that she was twenty-six.
Damn the man.
No matter how hard she tried, Rafe Santori was going to haunt her dreams tonight as well.
Chapter Four
Standing on the terrace, Vivi shaded her eyes with her hand and stared out at the miles of bright, blue Caribbean Sea in every direction. Overnight they had traveled from the harbor to here and she’d slept through the majority of the journey.
Vivi tugged the cotton robe’s sash tighter about her waist and headed over to join the crew.
“My staff will be on call all week, but they will remain out of the photo shoot,” Rafe told the gathered group of people.
“No problem, boss.” Paulie Porchette,
Out
of
Bounds
premier crème-de-la-crème photographer moved like a hummingbird across the deck. Flitting back and forth, he arranged and then rearranged the backdrops, making sure everything was in readiness for the shoot.
“Ah, there you are, Vivi. Good morning, my darling. Did you sleep well? I would have said hello last night when I got in, but I didn’t want to wake you from your beauty sleep.” He kissed her cheek, then stood back to survey her with a critical eye.