Plan Overboard (Toronto Series #14)

By Heather Wardell

All Corinne has ever wanted was the role of clarinetist for the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra. The clarinet, and working to master it, is all she has left of her father, who abandoned the family when she was a little girl. But after failing to clinch an open spot in a heated audition, her life-plan soon goes overboard. Not only does she break up with her longtime boyfriend, Clay, she also makes a decision that will alter her destiny in ways she never imagined...

After a medical procedure and a couple of months of changing everything in her life, a pregnant Corinne meets Melissa and her gorgeous flirt of a brother-in-law, Austin, on a cruise. The heat of the Caribbean sun soon combines with a mutual attraction to create a sizzling connection neither Corinne nor Austin can deny. But when the truth comes out about Corinne's condition, will lifelong playboy Austin man up? Or will Corinne's hope for a future beyond a shipboard romance prove yet another PLAN OVERBOARD?

The sequel to “All at Sea”!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Wardell
• Release date: May 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310894169

Heather Wardell

Want a free monthly story and updates about Heather's books? Copy bit.ly/HW-NL into your browser's address bar to sign up.Heather is a natural 1200 wpm speed reader and the author of twenty-two novels. She came to writing after careers as a software developer and elementary school computer teacher and can’t imagine ever leaving it. In her spare time, she reads, swims, walks, lifts weights, crochets, changes her hair colour, and plays drums and clarinet.Generally not all at once.

Book preview

Book Description

After a failed orchestra audition, clarinetist Corinne makes a life-altering decision. Months later, pregnant on her own, she meets playboy Austin on a cruise and a sizzling attraction sparks between them. But when the truth about her condition comes out, will Austin man up? Or will Corinne's hope for a future beyond a shipboard romance prove yet another PLAN OVERBOARD?

Author's Note

Plan Overboard is a direct sequel to my earlier book All At Sea. You'll still understand the story here if you haven't read the previous book but you will definitely get spoilers, so if you plan to read All At Sea you might want to do that first.

If you'd like to read all of my Toronto Series books in order, starting with my free novel Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo, the Also By Heather Wardell link in the Table of Contents will give you the information you need.

Whether you've read all of my books or are just finding me now, thank you so much!

Heather

PLAN OVERBOARD

Prologue

I am standing on the stage, glad my long skirt hides my shaking knees, awaiting the announcement. I can barely breathe. For the last two decades I have put everything I have into reaching this moment, and if I don't succeed I'll...

As I realize that I have no idea what I'll do, or what I'll have in my life, if I don't win, the committee leader gets to her feet. As you know, ladies and gentlemen, she says, looking around at her fellow orchestra members and the friends and family of the other finalists, it's extremely rare for us to need a new clarinetist. In fact, this is the first time in the thirty-four years I've been principal clarinetist with the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra that we have undergone this search. Before we announce the name of our newest member, I'd like to ask you to pause in memory of Doug Crosby, whose record of sixty years of orchestra service might never be equaled.

I bow my head and try to look suitably serious, but all I feel is annoyance that she's dragging this out even further and gratitude to the man for passing away peacefully in his sleep and finally opening a clarinet vacancy in the orchestra. I know this is inappropriate but I can't help it. He had sixty years in the position I've been desperate to reach for twenty years, and now it's my turn.

It has to be. The woman to my right, Tammy, told me tearfully backstage that she'd messed up on her sight reading exercises so was sure she wouldn't win, and the guy on my left, Barry, tore through the slow movement of the Weber concerto like his parking meter was about to expire. I didn't do any of that. I did it right. I worked so hard, I studied so many other people's performances, I made plans and followed them and missed out on so many other things in my life so I'd be perfect. And I was. I was note-perfect. I've been dreaming of playing clarinet in this particular orchestra since the day my dad took me to see them twenty years ago. I have to win. I just have to.

Nora Drucker raises her head and continues to speak. Doug was a great friend and I miss him tremendously. I know he'd be pleased, though, at who the committee has chosen. This person plays with amazing heart and elegance and will be a wonderful addition to the Toronto Philharmonic family. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present our new associate clarinetist...

My heart is going faster than Barry in the Weber and my lungs feel like I've played the entire Nutcracker Suite without taking a single breath. If I pass out, will they forget about me and go on to—

Barry Cavanaugh!

If she'd smacked me in the face with a tuba it would have hurt less. Fighting to hide my agony, I make myself smile and turn to Barry and shake his hand without digging my nails into it. Congratulations, I say, trying to sound pleased for him but knowing I haven't come close to managing it. He's stolen my dream. I was perfect and he wasn't and somehow he won anyhow. And he's younger than me so waiting for him to die isn't much of a plan.

Thanks, he says, already looking past me. And good luck in whatever you do next.

I can't think of anything to say to this, and he's not waiting for a reply anyhow. He accepts his congratulations from Tammy, who looks as miserable as I feel, then goes to shake hands with Nora and her committee members and bow to the orchestra's conductor.

Nobody's paying attention to me any more, so I stumble off-stage and gather my stuff and head for the door while biting the raw place on the inside of my lower lip where the clarinet presses my teeth against my flesh so I can't scream.

That should have been me shaking hands and bowing. Back in grade four I saw the Philharmonic play Peter and the Wolf and fell hopelessly in love with the clarinet, and since then I've done nothing but work toward the moment when I would finally take my place in the orchestra.

And now that moment has arrived, but for Barry. Not for me.

Out on the street in the cool September air, I stand holding my clarinet case in one hand and the bag containing my audition-planning book in the other. I hate both of them right now. I've given them everything, scheduled my life full of practices and lessons and studying other people's performances, and for what? I am thirty years old. I have nothing in my life that doesn't revolve around clarinet. I have given the last two decades of my life to this one dream, and now I have nothing but calluses on my fingers and a bleeding lip.

I have nothing.

What the hell am I going to do now?

Chapter One

Six months after leaving behind the dream I'd been chasing for twenty years, I'm on a cruise ship hoping the seasickness band on my wrist will keep me from proving morning sickness can happen any time of day. My nausea has settled down in the last week but I'm not positive it's gone, and throwing up on my brother's sandals is not how I want to tell him I'm pregnant.

Galen nudges me. Doing okay, sis? I know, the ship's movement feels kind of funny when you're not used to it.

I nod, and his friend Arabella smiles at me. You'll be fine once we start doing excursions and stuff.

Her friend Shari starts chattering with her about excursion ideas and all the gorgeous men they hope to meet, while Galen and his buddy Glenn roll their eyes, and I smile and hope it hides my doubts about the wisdom of this group vacation. I did want a break from everything, and the Caribbean cruise sounded perfect when Galen invited me to take the cabin of a couple who had to back out, but now I don't know if I have the energy to race around with everyone.

Well, I don't need to. The only task in my planning book for the week is to relax before I start my new job with Galen's accounting firm's client Travis, and I can do that on my own. I brought several books I've been meaning to read, baby-related and otherwise, plus the six-DVD set of Sex and the City, so if I'm tired I'll let the others go off on their own and entertain myself. I never had time to watch Carrie Bradshaw and her friends when the clarinet filled my life, and when I saw the set on sale yesterday I couldn't resist. It'll be fun living vicariously through them.

Let Corinne plan at least a few things, okay? Galen says, nudging Arabella. Trust me, it'll work out. My sister's a planning queen.

He doesn't know the half of it.

After failing at my orchestra audition six months ago, I locked myself away in a hotel room for a week to figure out who I wanted to be, eventually emerging with my next three years planned to a level of detail the Canadian Space Agency would envy. I knew exactly which fertility clinic to go to for the child I'd realized I wanted, how I'd manage to raise him or her on my own, and how much money I'd need to save and how to get it. I knew at which online college I'd take an administrative assistant course to give me some valuable work skills, and where I'd apply to work a simple job for money while I studied, and which apartment building I'd move to after breaking up with my boyfriend. I planned out every step I needed to take, and I've been taking those steps every day. I'll make it all work out according to my plan.

In three years I'll need more plans for how to keep living my life, but I already know one thing: they won't involve music. That life is over. It was obviously never meant to be mine.

I sold two of my three clarinets because I wouldn't need them any more, and used that money along with some of my savings to get pregnant, but the coffee shop job I got turned out to be a mistake. On the first day, I realized that I hate serving coffee even more than I hate the taste of the stuff. Which is a lot.

I stayed with the job because it fit the plan and gave me time for my studies but I've detested every second of it. Travis's former assistant stealing from his law office was bad for him but his job offer is amazing for me. No more serving coffee to strangers. I suppose I might have to make it for him but that won't be nearly as bad.

Arabella starts to ask me what excursions I want to do, but before I can tell her what I learned in my research I'm cut off by the beginning of the muster drill for which we've gathered. Good afternoon, everyone, a white-uniformed ship officer says in a booming voice. Welcome to the cruise and to our safety demonstration!

Everyone on the crowded deck claps, and he smiles and says, Look around and say hello to your new friends.

Looking around as instructed, I see a tall blond guy, exactly my type, with strong cheekbones and a perfect sexy stubble. When my eyes meet his green ones something I've never felt before, far deeper and more electric than just recognizing a hot guy, snaps through me. I feel like everything inside me's been shaken up and has landed all wrong, but somehow it feels great.

His eyebrows go up and he mouths, Hello.

Feeling my cheeks warming at what I think is admiration in his eyes, I return the silent greeting then make myself return my attention to the officer. The blond guy makes my stomach lurch in a far more pleasant way than I've been feeling lately, but a man is not in my plan no matter how he makes me feel. I had to change everything in my life to give up the clarinet, and breaking up with Clay was the most difficult part of that. I'm not ready for someone new. Plus, how could I start up with a new guy when I'm pregnant?

For probably the thousandth time it hits me how weird it is that only the doctors and nurses at the fertility clinic know about my baby. Nobody else knew I had decided during that week in the hotel that I wanted and needed to have a child, so nobody else knew when it worked and nobody was with me when I sat at home alone overflowing with a mix of delight and sheer terror at what I'd done. A few days after the cruise I'll be three months along and ready to tell, but for now it's my secret.

Assuming I don't barf at an inappropriate time and give it away.

The officer finishes up his safety procedures explanation, to which I should probably have been listening although I did read it all on the website, and says, You're free to go, folks. Enjoy your cruise.

I can't resist looking over at the blond guy, but he's gone. Feeling disappointed though I know I shouldn't, I turn to leave too and barely manage to bite back a squeak of surprise.

Hello again, the guy says, holding out his hand. I'm Austin, and you just arrived today.

I take his hand. His skin is warm and it feels so good against mine. Corinne. And you're right, but how did you know?

He smiles and gives me a half-handshake-half-squeeze before releasing me. This is my second week on the cruise, and I don't remember seeing you last week. His tone is casual but I can hear I know I'd remember you in it and that makes me feel giddy and giggly.

Galen steps forward. Aren't there thousands of people on board?

Austin shoots him a glance. Are you suggesting Corinne wouldn't be memorable?

I'm not sure I am memorable, particularly, but I love the idea that a guy like this thinks so. Galen fumbles for a response, and Austin turns back to me. Where are you off to now?

We were going to tour the ship, Galen says. Then he extends his hand to Austin. I'm Galen. Corinne's big brother.

They shake hands and Austin says, "Corinne's big muscular brother. I get it. I'll behave."

A couple of about our age behind him laughs in unison, and he rolls his eyes. I always get that reaction when I promise to behave. No idea why. This is my brother Nicky and his lovely wife, who definitely married beneath her, Mel.

Mel, who looks familiar though I'm sure I've never met her, flips a wind-swept strand of her long brown hair out of her face and smiles at us. It's Melissa, actually. And my husband prefers Nicholas. But Austin can't seem to remember any of that.

He smiles at her, looking unconcerned, then turns back to me and says, Why don't we all have a drink? We've been on this ship before and we'd be happy to give you a tour after if you'd like.

Oh, I would like, no question. Sure, why not? I say before anyone else can answer, and Austin smiles and we all head off together.

Out of the crowd and settled at the bar to which Austin brought us, seated beside him as I hoped would happen, I realize I'm going to have to find an excuse not to drink alcohol.

Luckily, Melissa gives me one. She pats her stomach and says, Just an orange juice for me, Austin.

He winks. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten.

You're pregnant? Arabella smiles at her. Congrats.

Thanks. Fourteen weeks along.

Feeling okay?

She nods. I was pretty sick at the beginning but I've been fine on the cruise.

Probably due to my soothing presence, Austin says. Ignoring Melissa pretending to throw up, he says, So what can I get everyone? and lets his eyes linger on me.

I'll have an orange juice too, I say. I'm not much of a drinker so I'll stay sober with Melissa.

He grins. Nice of you. I am not so nice. What about the rest of you?

He collects everyone's drink orders, getting introductions done at the same time, then heads off to the bartender, and Melissa looks after him and shakes her head, smiling. He's an idiot.

Nicholas chuckles and slips his arm around her shoulders. He sure is. Gotta say, you dodged a bullet there.

She laughs and agrees with him, and Arabella looks back and forth between them. I'm confused, but that's okay.

Galen grins at her. That's typical.

Arabella smacks him on the shoulder, but not very hard.

As I watch them, as always I wonder about them. They were friends for years, then somehow fell into a romantic relationship about a year ago. That only lasted a few months, though, before they broke up not long after my audition. I figured they'd never be able to recapture their original friendship, but to my surprise they've managed it. I can't imagine being that flexible; I've never even spoken to an ex after a breakup never mind tried to be buddies.

Galen rubs his shoulder, and Melissa gives a mock sigh. I'll tell you but you'll assume I'm making it up. People always do. So, Austin and Nicholas are half-brothers, and there's another one, Owen. They all have the same mom. Owen's the oldest, then Nicholas, and Austin is the baby of the family.

And loving every second of it, Austin says as he settles back into the seat next to me.

Melissa rolls her eyes. I was hoping to get this done before you got back.

He laughs. Of course you were. Let me, though. I'm a better storyteller than you are.

Melissa and Nicholas both laugh at his joking rudeness and Nicholas says, Who's got a top ten ranking on Amazon's horror list, you or her?

Austin flaps his hand at this and I say, You do, Melissa?

She blushes and nods. For my book 'The Smoke Monster'.

I stare at her, feeling like I'm in the presence of royalty. "You're Melissa Berger? I love that book. I've got it in my cabin to read again. I'll have to get you to sign it later."

She grins. Really? You're my best friend ever.

Thought I was, Austin mutters.

Not even close. To me, she adds, I'm Melissa Pressfield now, but I put the book out under my maiden name the day before we got married in October. I've got another one on the go and I'll do the same when that story's done.

"Is anyone going to tell us this story? Shari makes a pouty face. I'm still confused."

Well, we can't have that. Austin winks at her, making her giggle, then says, So Melissa here has had six boyfriends in her life, but three of them are irrelevant now.

Four, Melissa says with an innocent smile.

Austin chuckles. Be nice to Owen. Anyhow, it turns out that the last three were my charming self, Nicky, and Owen.

Arabella and Shari make ooh noises, and I say, Really? You dated all three brothers? And didn't know it?

Melissa laughs, nodding. They've all got different last names so I had no clue. I actually came on this cruise last year as Owen's fiancée, ready to get married on the last day of the cruise, and when I went to meet his brothers, well, I found out I already knew them.

Knew us well, Austin puts in. But on the cruise she fell hopelessly back in love with Nicholas, which is weird because she could have fallen for me, and she called off the wedding to Owen and married Nicholas instead in October.

And Owen got married himself in June, Melissa says. He and Celia met two days after we got home from the cruise in March and they both want the same thing in life—

Marriage without even a hint of anything romantic, as far as I can tell, Austin supplies.

So now they're married, Melissa finishes.

We sit silent for a moment, taking this in, then Austin laughs. It's like a soap opera, eh? But enough about us. What's your story, Corinne?

I blink. Well, I'd been working for twenty years to get into an orchestra in Toronto. I finally got an audition last year, but I failed, and there are only two clarinet spots in that orchestra and once people get in they stay for decades so I don't have a prayer of trying again. So I've been working at a coffee shop while I do some admin assistant training so I can get a better job, and because of that once we get home I'll be working in a law office. Which is good because I don't actually like coffee.

Austin tips his head to one side, and I realize I've said too much. Sorry. Didn't mean to ramble on. Or be a downer.

Melissa makes a sympathetic sound. I'm so sorry. It hurts to give up on a goal.

It actually hasn't hurt anywhere near as much as I'd expected. In the hotel room I was surprised by how calm and cool I felt as I simply put the plan aside and built a new plan. It's simple logic: what I planned is no longer possible so I need to go in a different direction until I find my perfect life.

But I appreciate her sympathy so I don't want to tell her that and make her feel stupid, and besides Austin is saying, You know how I handle that sort of thing?

I shake my head.

I don't have dreams in the first place. No way to fail then.

He said that like he was joking, but as the others laugh our eyes lock and I see something dark and real in his. He seems as light and frothy as the fancy drink he ordered for Arabella but I think he might have more going on than meets the eye.

I do like what meets my eye, though. That's not a surprise, since he looks a little like my ex-boyfriend Clay, who I couldn't be with any more because we'd spent so much time talking about my music and his and so as part of my plan I had to accept that I needed to move on. Austin's arms aren't covered with tattoos like Clay's, though, and his t-shirt and shorts show off a more-muscular but still sleek physique I wouldn't mind seeing in a bathing suit. Good thing we're on a Caribbean cruise so I might get the chance.

You said Toronto. Austin's eyes sharpen. You're from there?

We all nod, and Melissa says, Cool. Us too. What time are you flying back next weekend?

We share our flight details and learn that we're leaving three hours before they are. Too bad. I wouldn't mind hanging out in an airport departure lounge nearly as much if it were with Austin.

He goes around the table getting bits of everyone's life story, making Arabella and Shari and even a passing waitress giggle and blush as he flirts with them, but his eyes keep returning to me and every time they do that strange but wonderful shock I felt when I first saw him ripples through me. Though I can't imagine he could be anything more than a cruise-ship fling, if he could even stay focused on me long enough for that to happen, I'm liking the idea of spending some quality alone time with him. I'm not showing yet, so he doesn't have to know about the baby, and maybe we could have a little fun. I haven't been kissed, or even hugged, since I broke up with Clay, and I have a suspicion Austin would be amazing.

When everyone's told their tale, Galen's friend Glenn says, So is this a family cruise? Your other brother and his wife are here too?

For the first time, Austin looks awkward. No, Owen and Celia didn't come.

Melissa lowers her gaze, studying the table as if it fascinates her, and Nicholas clears his throat and says, It was too difficult for him, since last year...

He doesn't finish the sentence, but since we know the history between Owen and Melissa he doesn't have to.

Ah, Glenn says, sounding apologetic.

After a short pause, Austin says, But to make up for their absence, we have our mother. Our mother the man-eater.

Poor Raul, Melissa and Nicholas say in unison.

Arabella shakes her head. I'm going to need a handbook to keep up with you people. Who's Raul?

He's a sweetheart, Melissa says. He met Linda, the guys' mom, last year on the cruise, and they got married at the end of it.

In the time slot Melissa and Owen were supposed to use, Austin said wryly. Great start to a marriage, eh?

Apparently not, Nicholas says, because she dumped him right before Christmas. On the twenty-fourth, in fact.

December twenty-fourth, the day I found out my second artificial insemination had worked. Three months to the day from that awful moment standing on the stage hearing Barry's name announced instead of mine. I'd planned to be pregnant within three months, and getting that news exactly on the 'right' day had been even better because it had felt so significant. Clearly my new plan of having a baby and completely rebuilding my life was right for me.

Which makes... Austin makes a show of counting on his fingers. Four not-so-dearly departed husbands for Mom, and about a million boyfriends. Our childhoods were marked by a revolving door of men.

Nicholas rolls his eyes and nods, and I glance at Galen and say, Ours weren't.

Austin laughs. Most people's weren't.

Galen grunts, and I say, Well, in our case Dad just took off and had his revolving door, of women in his case, at his new bachelor pad instead.

Melissa shakes her head with what looks like disgust, and Austin points at her and says, No leaving Nicky, okay? No revolving doors for my little nephew.

Niece, she says. But fine. I'll stay with him. If I have to.

The love in her eyes when she looks at Nicholas makes it clear she's not seeing this as a hardship, and I have to take a sip of my orange juice to push back unexpected tears. I bet she and Nicholas read the pregnancy test together, and laughed and cried together when it was positive. I got my results from a nurse who wanted to take off to finish her Christmas shopping, and went home to laugh alone. No crying, though. I can't remember the last time I felt enough emotion that I wanted to cry. That didn't even happen in that hotel room where I was planning my new life.

Austin puts his hand on my shoulder and I look up in surprise.

No worries, Corinne, he says. The revolving doors are not our concern. All in the past. The past, man. It's all smoke.

His tone on the last sentences makes it clear he's quoting something, and from the drugged-out way he speaks I recognize that it's the sidekick's lines from my favorite western-comedy movie Can You Smoke a Cactus?, so I say

Reviews for Plan Overboard (Toronto Series #14)

[Niyati Mavinkurve · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I am so confused with this book. There was so much NOT to like about it, and yet Austin reminded me so much of my own husband, who is so sweet and kind. I DID NOT like Corrine at all! AT ALL. There was SO LITTLE backstory to what she did, it seemed convenient. Why did she break up with Clay when there was barely any mention of him in the book at all? It could have been completely cut off. Corrine just seems like such a methodical person who plans things to the T. I know many people like doing that, but then her emotions became something that seemed unbelievable. There was so little space given to her emotions and why she felt what she did, her childhood and what motivated her. That came in such little spurts. There was NO reason as to why she was such a perfectionist in the first place. It all came as realizations too late in the book.

And the blurb or the whole idea for the previous book is so awkward. A person who dates one person till the point they decide to get married, then they come on a cruise and she falls in love with her fiance's brother and also finds out she has dated her fiance's other brother. HOW awkward is it. HOW can a person stand the fact that she dated all 3 brothers? That part left me cringing so hard, I was going to quit reading.

Things happened far too conveniently in the book. WHY did Austin stick around? WHY did Corrine fall in love with him? WHY was she so detail oriented?

Spoiler alert

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For nearly 20-30% of the book, Austin isnt a part of her life, and the methodical and often emotionless way Corrine talks, her life truly moves on. It's like the story moves on as well and then that left me pretty pissed. What is the point of reading a romance if the characters DONT even meet or be in each other's lives for such a long time. And within the time that they don't, the main character has a baby.

***************************

I think one of my biggest issues with the book is the main character. I did not like how Corrine displays no emotion. The book reads like it is a diary without giving us her thoughts or motivations. There isnt any emotion in it at all. I don't understand you as a person, and I don't understand where you come from as a person.

The whole romance was led by Austin. There were no small moments that made us feel for the character. It was all show not tell and that I believe took away from a LOT of experiences from the book. I mean, men like Austin are real. Men can change. Men can be lovable. BUT the book doesn't let us get close to such men at all. It reads through them like a boring diary entry. And that was the worst part.

I felt like giving up too many times in the book, but I continued. But, honestly, save yourself some time. This isn't the best romance I've read and I feel bad giving this such a scathing review. But honestly, I've read so much better and this COULD have been better had it not been written as if Corrine was a robot. Honestly.