Cabin Fever. Mary Leo

moon goddess cried for so long that the earth was about to be flooded with her tears.”

      “Like my mommy did when my daddy left to go to—” Sarah began, but Becky reached out and pulled her back to make her stop talking. Sarah liked to tell everyone that her daddy had left to go to heaven, but he was watching them every minute from his cloud. He didn’t want to leave, but God needed him to be an angel, just like in It’s a Wonderful Life. Becky was never really comfortable talking about Ryder with anyone, especially not a stranger.

      But it was too late. Sarah had already said too much.

      Dylan looked up at Becky and his face seemed so full of concern that it took Becky’s breath away. It was neither sympathy nor pity. It was something she couldn’t put her finger on.

      Here was this charmer, this obvious babe magnet, yet he seemed to have a soft underside, and for a split second Becky thought she could see into his soul.

      Something shifted inside her, something she couldn’t explain.

      He looked back at Sarah, and the compassion was replaced by the friendly smile of a man telling a child a story.

      He stood and opened their cabin door. “The goddess Artemis came to visit the moon goddess and convinced her to stop crying before she destroyed everything on earth, and she agreed, but not before she shed one final silver teardrop that hardened around the diamond. Then she sent the jewel off to be hidden, but she said she would always cry one day a year for Lexus.” His voice turned into a whisper. “And she still does, but on the very next night—” he waved an arm over his head and grinned “—the moon goddess sends a cascade of moonbeams and shooting stars across the sky to remind everyone of Lexus.”

      “So when we see a shooting star, that’s the moon goddess reminding us of Lexus?” Sarah asked him, wide-eyed.

      “You bet it is,” Dylan answered, still smiling that dazzling smile.

      “Right,” Connor mumbled, slumping down on the sofa.

      “Don’t pay any attention to my brother. He’s no fun anymore.” She motioned for Dylan to bend down so she could tell him something, then she blurted, “He doesn’t even want to read about Harry Potter. He doesn’t like movies, not really, and he won’t play Wonder Girl with me.”

      Connor pulled a pillow up over his head.

      “I knew there was something different about you.” Dylan winked at Sarah.

      As Sarah did her cute Wonder Girl pose, Becky could tell Dylan had won her heart. And could win Becky’s if she wasn’t careful. It was his eyes. He had those sensitive, innocent eyes, but Becky knew it had to be something he could turn on and off at will. He worked on a cruise ship. He was trained in the art of making people, especially women, feel special. Wasn’t he?

      Becky put her arms around her daughter’s shoulders, and pulled her in tight from behind. She suddenly felt as if this man had learned enough about her family. “Thanks for escorting us to our room, and finishing the story. I think I can figure everything out from here.”

      “Okay. But don’t hesitate to contact someone if you need assistance, Ms. Montgomery.” He turned to leave, but then stopped and slowly turned back around. “Oh, there’s one more thing about that diamond the moon goddess hid.” He directed his charm at Sarah. She stared up at him as if he were telling her a special secret.

      “What is it?” she asked, never blinking. He had her full attention. Even Connor slipped the pillow off his head.

      “It’s hidden somewhere on this very ship. In one of the cabins, to be exact, and whoever finds it will have good luck.” Dylan looked directly at Becky. “Especially in love.”

      A slight shiver danced up her spine as she stared into those magical jade-colored eyes of his, and for a moment she actually considered Lacey’s advice. But before she could genuinely second-guess herself, the oh-so-charming Dylan Langstaff was gone.

      CHAPTER TWO

      “I CAN’T BELIEVE you pulled this off, Patti, that this treasure hunt idea is actually happening.” Thanasi Kaldis walked up behind Dylan, who was handing out brochures in the lobby with Patti Kennedy, the cruise director.

      “Look at them,” the ship’s hotel manager continued, “half the people aren’t even glancing at their brochures. I still say that no one will bother looking for that silly pendant. I thought the whole idea was rejected, Patti.”

      Thanasi was in his late forties, wore his navy-blue blazer over meticulously pressed whites; he had a crop of black wavy hair and a charismatic smile…most of the time. However, at that precise moment he directed a teasing scowl at Patti.

      “It was never rejected,” she told him in a confident voice. “You must have dreamed that, so stop your stressing. Just go with it. Besides, it’s going to be fun.”

      Patti, also dressed in a navy blazer and whites, was a brown-haired dynamo who had celebrated her thirty-ninth birthday in Venice on a gondola, alone. If Dylan had known about it beforehand, he would have surprised her with a party or dinner. They’d become friends, and he hated to hear that his friend had been so alone on her birthday, especially when she loved people so much and wanted nothing more than to see everyone around her happy.

      Her title usually went to a man, but Patti was possibly the best cruise director Dylan had ever worked with. She anticipated the needs of the passengers and was always looking to enhance their cruise experience. Plus she was just fun to be around.

      She turned back to a young couple approaching her. “Find the hidden pendant and receive extra perks the entire cruise!”

      Dylan watched as the woman took the brochure, glanced at it then stuffed it into her large straw handbag. Perhaps Thanasi was right. The pendant hunt could be a complete bust. He hoped not, though. He’d liked the idea, and he would be taking part in a few fun excursions set up for the passenger who found it.

      Patti turned to Thanasi. “Somebody will find the pendant and the entire ship will be buzzing about it. It’s romantic. And you might want to lighten up—our passengers don’t need to see an officer frowning.” The smile she offered would have melted anybody’s heart.

      People filed by happily, but Thanasi was still scowling Patti’s way. She was right, Dylan thought. Not a good image. He could tell that all the hotel manager could think of was possible damage to the cabins as the passengers searched for the pendant.

      When the idea had been discussed at an activities planning meeting, Thanasi had voiced his concerns. But even then Dylan thought it was simply his way of teasing Patti. As if they were school kids on the playground and he was vying for her for attention by being uncooperative.

      One thing Dylan simply didn’t understand was why Thanasi didn’t just tell Patti he was attracted to her. The entire crew could see it, and it was obvious Patti felt the same for him. Dylan decided what the man needed was a dose of good sex to help him lighten up, but Thanasi went by the book, and apparently that book didn’t include onboard romances.

      “Find the pendant and find your true love,” Patti said to a group of twenty-something women. They each took a brochure. One of them mumbled something and they burst out laughing as they walked away.

      “See, look, they think it’s a joke,” Thanasi announced.

      “Hey,” Patti said softly, so only Thanasi could hear, “I’m working here. If you can’t help, then maybe you should just leave.”

      Thanasi stared back at her for a moment as though trying to think of something clever to say, but before he could respond, a petite lady with white curly hair and a bright pink visor walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Could you please tell me where my room is located? It’s my first cruise and I’m not very good at this sort of thing. I’ve been waiting for a steward, but they all seem to be busy with other people.”

      Thanasi smiled at the woman, then turned on his charm as