The New Year’s Cruise⁷

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Katie's POV

The warm Caribbean sun beams down on me as I step onto the deck of The Sapphire Eclipse, the largest and most luxurious cruise ship I’ve ever seen. The sea stretches endlessly in every direction, glittering like a field of diamonds. People laugh, clink glasses, and snap pictures with the ocean as their backdrop. It’s the perfect postcard scene.

But I’m not here for postcards. I’m here to forget.

“Welcome aboard, Miss Reynolds,” a chipper cruise attendant says, handing me a complimentary cocktail. "Enjoy your stay on The Sapphire Eclipse."

"Thanks," I reply, gripping the drink tighter than necessary. I should be happy. This is my dream vacation, after all—a New Year’s cruise filled with endless food, exotic ports, and nights of dancing under the stars. But happiness feels... distant.

I glance at my phone, half-expecting a message from Winfred. Be there in five, or I’m on the way. Something. But it’s just silence. No messages. No calls.

“Of course,” I mutter to myself. Classic Winfred. He’s late, as usual.

I take a sip of the cocktail—a little too sweet but still good—and let my eyes wander. Everyone else looks so carefree. Couples leaning against the rail, friends giggling with fruity drinks, families in matching vacation shirts. I don’t belong here. Not like them.

“First cruise?” a voice says from behind me.

I spin, nearly spilling my drink, and come face-to-face with a man. Not just any man—a man. The kind you see on magazine covers, all sharp jawlines and untouchable confidence. He’s tall, at least 6’4”, with dark, neatly styled hair and storm-gray eyes that lock onto me like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve. He’s wearing a perfectly tailored black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal strong, veined forearms.

“Y-yeah,” I say, pulling myself together. "First cruise. You?"

He tilts his head, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Something like that."

“Right,” I say, taking another sip to fill the awkward silence. His gaze feels heavier than it should, like he’s seeing me instead of just looking. "Are you here alone?" I don't know why I ask. Maybe it’s his presence—it feels a little too big for one person.

He chuckles, a low, rich sound. "Alone, but never lonely."

My eyebrows lift. Oh, he’s one of those. The overly confident, "I-own-the-room" types. I’ve dated his kind before. Never again.

“Well, good for you,” I say, brushing past him toward the rail. I don’t need a man like him filling my head with distractions. I have Winfred for that. If he ever shows up.

But I feel him watching me.

“Hope you enjoy the cruise, sweetheart,” he calls after me.

“Don’t call me sweetheart,” I say over my shoulder, not bothering to look back.

“Noted,” he replies, and I hear the grin in his voice.

---

Later that Evening

The ship is alive with music, lights, and the buzz of celebration. Couples in evening wear swirl around the main ballroom, the chandeliers casting golden light that makes everything feel just a little too perfect. I’m standing near the edge of the dance floor, glancing at the clock. 9:15 PM.

No Winfred.

I check my phone again. Nothing.

He wouldn’t.

But deep down, I know he would. He’s done it before. Missed dinners. Skipped dates. Always with an excuse. Work emergency, he’d say. You know how it is, Katie. And like a fool, I’d believe him. Every. Single. Time.

“Waiting for someone?” a voice asks. A familiar voice.

I glance up, and there he is—Mr. Confidence from earlier. He’s ditched the button-down and is now in a sleek black suit with no tie, the first two buttons undone. He’s holding a glass of bourbon like he owns the ship.

“None of your business,” I say, looking away.

“Boyfriend late?” he guesses, his voice smooth but sharp.

My jaw tightens. Don’t take the bait, Katie.

“Or maybe you’re just realizing he’s not coming,” he adds, stepping closer.

I whip around to face him. “Do you always assume you know everything about people you just met?”

He shrugs, unbothered. “No. But I’m good at reading faces. Yours says you’re tired of waiting.”

I blink, stunned by how quickly he’s nailed it. “You think you’re clever, huh?”

“I know I am,” he says, taking a slow sip of his drink. His eyes stay on me, steady and unreadable.

“Go find someone else to bother,” I snap, crossing my arms.

"How about this," he says, his tone shifting from teasing to serious. "You want to make him jealous?"

My eyes narrow. “Excuse me?”

“Your boyfriend,” he says, nodding toward the room. “If he shows up and sees you with me, looking happy, having fun—he’ll lose his mind. Guys like him always do.”

I hate how much I consider it. He must see the flicker of doubt on my face because he leans in, close enough that I catch a hint of cedar and fresh rain.

“Look, sweetheart,” he says, voice low and smooth. “You’ve already spent too much time waiting on him. Why not make him wait on you for once?”

He holds out his hand.

“Dance with me,” he says, eyes locked on mine. “No strings. Just a little revenge fun.”

My heart pounds in my chest. It’s stupid. It’s reckless. It’s—

I put my hand in his.

The moment our fingers touch, something shifts. It’s like stepping into a different world, where I’m no longer just Katie Reynolds, the girl who waits. I’m someone else. Someone who doesn’t care what Winfred thinks.

He pulls me onto the dance floor with an ease that makes me feel like I’ve done this a thousand times before. The music slows to a sultry rhythm, and his hand slides to my waist. I’m hyper-aware