Poison in Paradise - Melissa Baldwin Page 0,2

I were best friends in elementary school."

Josie's husband, Phillip, didn't seem amused about the interesting twist of fate. He quickly drained his glass and placed it down on my desk.

"Yes, it's great," he said as he stared at the pages of the Port Adventures brochure like it was the most interesting thing he'd ever read. Clearly he didn't want to engage in our small talk about our past friendship. "So, we want to book the ultimate full-day experience at Paradise Island tomorrow."

"We're meeting up with some people who are already staying at the resort. It's a belated wedding celebration with some good friends," Josie added.

I smiled as I entered their information into my computer. "Okay, the ultimate will include private transportation to and from the ship, luxury cabanas, private servers, poolside massages, and entertainment. Would you like a cost breakdown? You can remove any of the—"

"Those are all fine," he interrupted. "And go ahead and sign us up for the stingray experience the day after tomorrow," Phillip said, still not looking up from the brochure. Judging by his silence during Josie's and my conversation, I could tell Phillip was a no-nonsense kind of guy. From what I could tell, Josie had most of the personality in their relationship.

"Sounds good, right, Josie?" he added finally.

Josie took a sip of her bright pink cocktail. "Sure. I told you I'd be happy with anything. Us being together is all that matters to me."

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Typical newlywed couple—they both still thought the other one walked on water. Or at least they wanted it to look like they did. I had witnessed that behavior many times—blissful newlyweds who would do anything to please each other. They made a cute couple though. Josie was just as adorable and tiny as I remembered her, and Phillip reminded me of a big teddy bear. But only in stature—he seemed more aloof than warm.

"Your profile says you're traveling with another couple?" I asked, scrolling through my computer screen. "Will they be joining you tomorrow?"

"Oh yes, those are our best friends, Bobby and Michelle," Josie said. "Bobby and Phil have known each other since before they could walk. Right, babe?"

"Yep," Phillip agreed, still not looking up.

As I continued to enter their information into my computer, Josie and I chatted about Winter Park.

"It's been so long since I've been to Park Avenue," I told her. "Is the Briar Patch Restaurant still there? My family would go there almost every Sunday for breakfast."

"It sure is," she exclaimed. "It's one of my favorites, too. We have brunch there at least once a month."

It was nice to reminisce about my old stomping grounds, even though it made me a little homesick. I hadn't been to Central Florida since right before transferring to the ship. Even when we'd sailed out of the nearby ports, I hadn't had time to visit between debarkation and embarkation. My parents had moved to Tampa a few years before I got the job with Epic Cruise Line, so I'd visited them during my time off.

"How long have you been working here?" she asked.

Although it'd been years since I'd seen Josie, she seemed the same in a lot of ways—outgoing and bubbly. Everyone had wanted to be friends with her in elementary school.

"I've been on this ship for about seven months, but I've worked for the cruise line for two years. I absolutely love it here. It's a great company."

Josie drained her glass. "Wow, two years? That seems like a long time. You do get some time off, right?"

I laughed. "Of course I do."

A look of relief came over her face. I wondered if she actually believed I didn't get days off. Although, it wasn't that many.

"Good to know. It seems like everyone works really hard to keep these ships running smoothly."

I beamed. It was nice to know some people appreciated the time our staff put in to make memorable vacations for our guests.

"Okay, you're all set with your plans for the next two days. I'll be stopping by the resort sometime tomorrow to check in with my contact there." I handed her my card. "Feel free to reach out to me if you have any issues or questions. I'm happy to make any changes for you—that's why I'm here. And it was great seeing you again, Josie."

"Thank you," Phillip said, already on his feet. He was making his way toward the door when Josie grabbed his arm.

"Hang on!" she shouted. She