The Holiday Cruise: The feel-good heart-warming romance you need to read this year. Victoria Cooke

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      There were all kinds of rules and regulations to take in. We’d covered a lot of it at training academy, but regardless of that I sat up straight in my seat, trying to focus on what the cruise director had to say. There was so much information that my head was in a spin.

      ‘… Staff are not to form personal relationships with any of the guests. Any breach of this rule will result in instant dismissal.’ I stifled a snort. His suddenly sharp tone had got my attention, but that was definitely one rule I didn’t have to worry about. Romance was the furthest thing from my mind. I wanted to earn some money, see new places, and relax in the sun when I had some free time. I was still convinced Daniel would see the error of his ways. Absence makes the heart grow fonder after all.

      A plump woman wearing a black tunic approached me. She looked to be aged around forty. ‘Are you Hannah, my new beautician?’ She sighed, looking me over.

      ‘Er, yes?’ I said taken aback by her stand-offish tone.

      ‘I’m Marion, the spa manager. Follow me.’ She strode off, and I scurried behind, trying to keep up as she rattled off a stream of information about the spa and her experience without looking back at me once. She too had just arrived on the ship but had been managing on-board spas for years.

      ‘Here we are.’ She stopped and pushed open the glass door in front of us. I walked in and looked around in disbelief. The on-board spa was huge enough to rival anything I’d seen on the mainland. There were four treatment rooms, a Jacuzzi, and a relaxation area, as well as two nail stations and pedicure chairs. The reception was opulent, with a marble-effect floor and tall counter, and behind it stood a tall pale woman with cropped black hair. She was called Agne, and was our receptionist from Lithuania. Vases of lilies here and there gave the whole place a welcoming feel. I was amazed by the facilities.

      By the time I’d been fully inducted into the spa, my feet were aching and my mind was a blur. Marion invited me for a drink in the crew bar, but all I could think about was going to bed. I wandered through the corridors of my new home, heading for my cabin, and despite my exhaustion, felt a shiver of excitement. Life at sea, here I come!

      There were two bunks, a small desk area with a telephone and kettle on top, and a TV on the wall. There was a private bathroom and the luxury of affordable Wi-Fi. I dotted a few pictures above my headboard to make it feel more homely; most were of me and Jen, plus one of the Yorkshire Dales and an old one of my parents that was creased and faded. Jen had taken it on holiday in Spain a few years before the accident. They were both tanned with broad, white shining smiles that reached their eyes easily. Dad’s arm was wrapped tightly around Mum’s waist, pulling her in close. Their love for one another was almost tangible.

      I wiped a stray tear from the corner of my eye and scanned the room again, to clear my thoughts. My roommate hadn’t yet moved in, and it was nice to have the cabin to myself for the night whilst I grew accustomed to my new life. I’d taken the top bunk hoping my new roommate wouldn’t mind but fully prepared to switch if she did. I at least knew it would be a she since the cabins were single-sex, but that was all I knew.

      The next morning I got up and got dressed in my uniform of black tunic and trousers. As I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror I almost felt like my old self: ‘salon Hannah’. I took a deep breath and made my way to the spa. That particular day was a port clean, meaning we had to clean our areas thoroughly, ready for the arrival of guests the following day. It meant an easier introduction to the job and chance to meet the team.

      ‘Hiya, you must be Hannah?’ said a pretty dark-haired girl, who was also wearing the spa tunic, as I walked in. She appeared to be in her early twenties and it was comforting to hear she too spoke with a British accent.

      ‘Hi, yes I’m Hannah, the new girl.’ I tried to sound cheerful despite my nerves and the fact that I couldn’t stop wondering what the hell I was doing there.

      ‘Don’t worry, we’re all pretty new. I only arrived last week. I’m Kristy, by the way.’ She handed me a mop. ‘Here, grab this.’ She pulled out the sofa and started to wipe down the walls behind it, looking a little flustered. ‘It’s literally all hands on deck today,’ she said, spraying everything in sight with disinfectant. Once we got into the swing of cleaning, she relaxed a bit and started chatting.

      ‘So, what’s your story then?’ she asked bluntly.

      ‘Where to start,’ I replied, hoping a slight pause might make her reconsider asking. It didn’t; she just looked up with eyes that suggested we had all day. ‘Okay … I used to own a spa, but my husband left me for another woman and I was forced to rethink my future. This is a stepping stone to whatever lies ahead.’ I filled her in as briefly and as matter-of-factly as I could. I didn’t want to bore my new co-worker to death on the first day.

      ‘God, that’s awful. But good on you for moving on.’ Her mouth twisted sympathetically and fortunately she continued chatting about herself. ‘I’d just finished my beauty course at college when my nan suggested I apply for a job on a ship, you know, to see some of the world. It’s not an opportunity I’d have probably had otherwise. I’m loving it so far. I mean, have you seen the colour of the ocean?’

      Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. ‘There are so many amazing people on board. Having said that …’ she paused to check that nobody was about before lowering her voice ‘… Marion can be a bit of a … stickler for the rules and Agne keeps herself to herself. She has some other Lithuanian friends from other areas of the ship and she spends most of her time with them. But otherwise, you’ll find making friends is easy on the ship. Plus, you already have me now.’ She smiled. It was nice to chat to someone friendly.

      The day was broken by a quick trip to the mess for some lunch. The mess was larger than I’d expected and painted a pale lemon colour. It wasn’t too dissimilar to the canteen at college and was just as busy. We’d obviously hit ‘rush hour’ but it gave me a chance to suss out the people on the ship a little, and see who I’d be practically living with for the course of my contract.

      Kristy had been right about Agne: she was already sat down with three other young women who were all wearing different uniforms. In fact, most people seemed to have a little group formed on the basis of job or nationality and I felt glad to have found where I slotted in with Kristy. She caught me eyeing up the food. ‘It’s not quite what they serve upstairs but it isn’t bad.’ It looked fine to me and nine months of not having to cook was a bonus anyway. I didn’t care that the fancier fayre was upstairs only. There was beef stroganoff on the menu and that suited me fine.

      After eight hours of cleaning, sorting, and prepping, Kristy brushed her hair out of her eyes and looked around. ‘I think we’re done. Fancy a drink?’

      ‘Definitely,’ I replied, and we headed to the crew bar. I tried not to feel intimidated as we picked our way through the groups of people standing around drinking, chatting, or playing foosball. The bar was a lot less opulent than the ones the guests got to drink in, but it was well-thought-out. It had a tropical theme and was decorated with quirky place-name signs like ‘Bridgetown’ and ‘Honolulu’. Kristy pointed out a vacant table and told me to sit down whilst she got the drinks.

      ‘What do I owe you?’ I asked as she set two glasses of wine down on the table.

      ‘Oh nothing.’ She batted at the air with her hand. ‘It’s practically free.’ She took a sip of her drink. ‘Guess what?’

      ‘What?’ I eyed her suspiciously.

      ‘The crew purser was at the bar. I’ve had a room to myself for the last СКАЧАТЬ