Hearts Across the Sea

By Amanda Vint

A delightful, romantic journey, to escape with.

After saving every penny, Kate is thrilled to be going on the cruise of a lifetime. When her friend drops out, she is determined to go on her own and make the best of it. She is seeking adventure and fun, which is a far cry from her rather mundane life back in London.
Boarding the ship, Kate is quick to find out that she isn't short on the admiration front. It is a case of once bitten, twice shy, and after an encounter with a certain "cruiser", she is determined to not make the same mistake twice.
After a chance meeting on the deck of the ship, Kate meets a handsome Texan, who is about to change everything in her world. Can she resist?
Take the journey with her and find out in this sweet, travel romance.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Vint
• Release date: Mar 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201918569

Amanda Vint

Amanda Vint started writing romance novels in July 2016, self publishing her debut novel "Live and Learn" in the October of the same year. Following on from the positive feedback that the first book prompted, it then went on to become a series; with the next books "Twists and Turns" and "Clarity" being published. Specialising in the romance genre, she also uses her educational background in the field of psychology to incorporate a darker side to some characters, thus adding dramatic plot twists to the storylines. Amanda loves to connect with her readers and has a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AmandaVintBooks) and blog (www.amandavint.com) dedicated to doing so.

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Contents

Chapter One – Valentine’s Day

Chapter Two – All Aboard

Chapter Three – Dock of the Bay

Chapter Four – Treasured Memories

Chapter Five - Blind Date

Chapter Six - A Meeting of Souls

Chapter Seven – The American Way

Chapter Eight – Invitation

Chapter Nine – Licking Your Wounds 

Chapter Ten – Two Worlds Collide

Chapter Eleven – A Tale of Two Halves

Chapter Twelve – The Party

Chapter Thirteen – Keeping Your Enemies Close

Chapter Fourteen – In All Her Glory

Chapter Fifteen – Looking Back

Chapter One – Valentine’s Day

Watching on, the man came stumbling into the shop; flustered and frantically eyeing up all the flowers on display.

Can I help you, sir? I called out from behind the counter.

Er, yes, I need twelve long-stemmed, red roses, please, and if you could wrap them nicely, that would be great, thanks.

The customer ventured over to the counter as I stepped up to work, picking out the last of our finest red roses and wrapping pink love heart paper and ribbon around them. Once finished, I handed them over to him.

There you go, sir. I smiled, handing him the bouquet. That’ll be fifty-five pound, please.

Seeing him gulp slightly at the price, he rifled around in his pocket for his wallet. This was London, and to be fair, that wasn’t a bad price in this area. He handed over the money to me, before swiftly gripping the bouquet, gingerly smiling, and bustling out of the door.

Chuckling at his haphazard exit, I continued to tidy up around the shop as we were closing soon. My boss, Jenny, was the next to emerge from the back.

Was that another one? She smiled.

Yeah, it was another. I sighed and made my way around to the shop floor, propping a broom in my hand. It must be nice to have a man rushing around to make sure you had your bouquet of roses, even if it is last minute.

Or you could think of it as an afterthought, the way they’ve rushed in here at closing time. She laughed.

Ooh, you’re such a cynic, Jen. I smirked as I carried on sweeping.

And you’re such a romantic, Kate. She laughed.

Yeah, although it’s not gotten me anywhere. I chuckled.

It will do one day. Anyway, at least you’ve got something to look forward to... you’re going away tomorrow. I’ve got a pile of dishes and an irate husband to go home to. Jen laughed again.

Aw, give over, Jen. Your Tom’s not that bad.

He has his moments... I suppose. Jen smiled, getting lost in thought about her husband on his good days.

My mobile bleeped in my coat pocket, which was hung up on the shop door.

That’ll be Jess. Probably telling me that she’s finished packing while I still have loads to do. I smirked, as I wandered over to my coat and pulled out my phone from the pocket.

My heart sank when I read the text:

Sorry Kate, I’m really ill. Been sick all day and I’m in no fit state to go anywhere. I’m not going to be able to make it tomorrow. Gutted. Jess xx

What’s wrong? Jen asked, judging my expression.

It’s Jess. She’s not well, so she’s not coming away with me tomorrow, I muttered, still processing the text.

Oh no! Can you get a refund?

No, it was non-refundable. I was so looking forward to going. I’ve been saving for ages for this opportunity. I was really looking forward to it, I sulked.

Jen wrapped her arm around my shoulders and stroked my arm. There’ll be other opportunities, won’t there?

Not on my budget. You wouldn’t believe how long it has taken me to save up for this. Money is tight as it is.

Is there nobody else you could take with you? she asked.

For a moment, I thought over her words. All my other friends were either married or had babies, or both. Jessica was about the only friend that wasn’t all loved up or had other commitments, so was available to come on this cruise with me.

I wanted to go so much. I wanted adventure and fun, and to get away for a while. I could feel the disappointment hit the pit of my belly, like a child that had been told last minute that they weren’t going to Disneyworld. But I wasn’t a child anymore – I was twenty-seven years old, for goodness sake! Surely I couldn’t get abducted or murdered on a cruise ship, over the course of two weeks?

You know what, I’m going, I stated, pulling myself free of Jen’s hug.

What, on the cruise tomorrow? She eyed me warily.

Yeah. I’m a grown woman and I’ve saved my butt off for this. I’m sorry Jess can’t come with me, but I’ve had my heart set on this trip for ages.

Wow, you’re really brave. I couldn’t go on my own. Jen chuckled.

Brave or stupid? I laughed.

Bit of both. She laughed back.

Probably. I chuckled, as I text Jess back, saying that I hoped she’d get better soon and would be missed.

Carrying on bustling around the flower shop, cleaning up remnants of petals that had fallen off and displays that had been thrown around by customers, I proceeded to help Jen lock up as we left the building.

Stay safe and have a great time, lovely lady! Jen smiled, leaning forward and hugging me.

Aw, thanks. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks! I beamed.

You sure will. I can’t wait to hear about it. Goodnight, Kate! Jen waved as we both walked in separate directions to head home.

It was a short walk to the nearest train station, and I was always happy to browse all the beautiful shops that were way out of my price range, on the way to get the train home. All the beautiful trinkets and temptations glistening away in the shop windows; it was lovely to look at.

For the cruise that I'd booked, I’d had to be really frugal and bargain shop as best as I could online. Even though money was tight for me, I wanted to make sure I looked really nice for every occasion on this cruise, and not stick out like a pauper’s sore thumb.

Getting onto the train, I took a seat near to the door so I could make a quick exit once I was at my stop. The trains in London were always crowded, but tonight, there was luckily more room from me to get in my usual spot, and not be too enclosed by strangers who half of the time were practically sat on my lap.

After a few minutes I was at my stop, and I dived off as fast as I could. The night air was brisk, but thoughts of what my holiday would entail were flashing through my mind, and it was enough to distract me from the fact that it was icy and freezing cold.

Wandering past a park near to where I lived, in my spare time, I loved painting this place. It was beautifully picturesque in all seasons, and I liked to think that I was creative in my own artsy way.

Nowadays, I never had that much of a social life occurring, except on the odd occasion of meeting friends at a local coffee shop, who brought along their little ones and chatted about their coupled-up lives. Due to that hardly being convenient to meet anyone of the opposite sex, when I had free time, I busied myself letting out the inner artist in me, by painting beautiful landscapes that were around the area. I’d chosen floristry as my career path, because I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the fabulous colours and taking in the scents of the flowers – it promoted happiness in an otherwise dull and lonely world.

Eventually, I made it back to my one-bedroom studio flat, which resided in an old Victorian building, just over the way from the park that I’d passed. It was strange to think that in twenty-four hours I would be sailing off to somewhere warmer. It had been years since my last holiday, and I would be glad to get away from the winter temperatures for a while.

Opening my front door, I hung my coat up on the hook, placing my bag on the side table and turning the thermostat up a little to generate enough heat just for me. My little flat wasn’t much, but it was enough for me and it was my safe haven. The landlord hadn’t done anything to the place in years, so when I painted a pretty picture, I made a habit of hanging it on the wall to disguise the old fashioned wallpaper and crumbling plaster. I had artsy cushions and throws on my little, lumpy sofa, and it made it more homely and cosy.

Wandering through to my tiny, basic kitchen, I flicked on the kettle to make myself a warm cup of tea, before making sure that I’d packed everything that I needed for the cruise tomorrow. Receiving a text back from Jess, telling me to have a good time, I could feel the butterflies emerging about having to go on this holiday on my own. Jen had called me brave, and even though I didn’t feel very brave, I knew I had to suck it up and be an adult about it.

Taking myself off to my bedroom, I found my suitcase lying open on the floor and double-checked its contents. Everything was neatly packed, and I hoped that I had everything in there that I needed. I’d packed a lot of casual outfits for my two-week trip, but also made sure that I included more formal garments for anything posher that was to be taking place – going off what I’d seen in the brochure.

Then making my way into the pink, eighties bathroom, I looked around. I had a new toothbrush and toothpaste packed, so I ventured back into my bedroom and closed my suitcase, before wandering off to get my well-earned cup of tea and a quick bite to eat.

Sitting in front of the living room window in my flat, I gazed around. I loved this view; it was about the only thing that had changed since I’d moved in here a few years back.

I’d moved to London in my late teens, getting a job as a florist, and wanting to see the big wide world for myself. Although I hadn’t gotten very far in seeing the ‘world’. I found out quickly enough that in order to travel anywhere, you needed money, and that was in short supply.

I’d saved and saved to go on this cruise, which was another reason why I was so reluctant to pass up on this opportunity. I craved adventure and some form of life. London was nice, but it was just my hometown, and after a while, not particularly interesting for me to look at anymore.

As I’ve said, I used to have quite a good social life, but the vast majority of my friends had settled down and were having babies. I would also meet up with them in their houses, but it didn’t bode well for me trying to meet someone to settle down with. Most of my friends had met their partners at or through work, but I only seemed to come into contact with men who were often buying flowers for their wives and girlfriends, so they were already off the market. Due to my limited options, a change of profession was not an option for me.

Anyhow, I couldn’t moan too much. My life wasn’t all bad, and even though my flat wasn’t the fanciest of places, it was home. My landlord hadn’t ever bothered to renovate the place since he’d bought it, and even though some may have thought of it as needing work done, I liked to term it as ‘shabby chic’ – partly to make myself feel better about it.

As my small table lamp dimly lit my living room, I wrapped myself in one of my throws and gazed outside to watch the people passing by. Even though it was a cold night, it was picturesque with the dusting of icy sparkle, and I often loved people watching. There were a few children running through the park laughing at each other, couples holding hands and snuggling themselves together under their warm coats and hats, and the odd person scuttling along carrying shopping bags, trying their best to escape the freezing temperatures.

Feeling quite content to sit here and watch the world go by, I sipped my cup of tea from my China cup that I had purchased at a local antique shop. I loved everything ornate, so had decided to treat myself to it, and the matching tea pot that came with it – complete with a chipped handle. It was so cute, though, that I couldn’t say no.

Leaving home at such an early age, I had to grow up quicker and take responsibility for my own life – including all the financial burdens that came with it. Sometimes I felt like an eighty-year-old, trapped in a twenty-seven-year-old body, but I suppose we were all different, and my own history added to my uniqueness.

After a while, I decided that I should really go to bed and rest, ready for tomorrow. At this point, I wasn’t sure whether the butterflies signified excitement or nerves, although it probably was a mixture of both. I’d booked a taxi to collect me from my stop at the train station after my short trip in the morning, so was all set.

I’d received another message from Jess, saying that she had sorted the premium on the room, as we were supposed to be sharing. I was relieved not to be forking out hundreds of pounds that I didn’t have on a non-existent guest. We weren’t going to be staying in a fancy cabin, but it still cost a lot – even to sleep next to the engine room.

Venturing back into the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and had a quick wash before bed. Grabbing the nearest hair-tie I could find, I tied my long blonde hair up into a loose bun, so I wouldn’t end up with it all in my face in the morning. My green eyes were looking fairly bloodshot, and after a long day at work, I knew it was time to rest up before the big day tomorrow.

Snuggling under my duvet, I thought about what the trip may have in store for me. I couldn’t wait to see new horizons, travel to different destinations, and hopefully have some adventures to treasure forever. Above all, I couldn’t wait to sit on the deck of the ship and draw and paint the landscapes, then I would be able to bring the paintings home and hang them in my living room for me to always look at, and remember this trip of a lifetime.

Feeling my eyelids grow heavier and my mind wander in and out of a sleep state, I let the lull of sleep take me away and replenish my body until the daylight hours. A fresh start was just what was needed, and I couldn’t wait to go away.

I awoke to the sound of my alarm clock ringing away on my bedside table. Usually I would reach over and hit the snooze button to have another five minutes, but I knew there was no time to spare. Leaping up out of bed, I raced into the bathroom to quickly grab a shower, get dressed, and gather all my belongings and suitcase before I caught the train. I made sure I had all my personal documents on me, like my passport and what not. I’d hate to have been left standing at the docks and miss my holiday, all because of one silly mistake.

Quickly grabbing a bowl of cereal for breakfast, I was low on food, because I’d cleared most things in preparation of not coming back to something mouldy in the fridge after two weeks. I couldn’t wait to eat some good food on this trip – I would be living like a queen, with any luck, and leaving my somewhat humdrum life of scrimping and saving behind for a little while.

Before long it was time to leave and catch my train, and I managed to waddle my case down the flight of stairs, towards the doorway of the building, and outside onto the pavement. Huddled in my coat and with scarf wrapped around me, I made full use of the two wheels that were fixed onto the back of my suitcase – I was so thankful to them, as with my small frame, I didn’t think I would have been able to carry the weight of my luggage the whole way.

Even in my haste, I managed to get myself onto the correct train and headed down to Southampton, to then get the taxi I’d booked to take me to the port. It wasn’t too bad taking the train, as it gave me some breathing space to relax before I had to lug my suitcase about again.

Sitting back in my seat, I watched as the landscape rushed past me. It felt strange to think that before long, I would be sat on a cruise ship and not seeing London for the next couple of weeks.

I hoped it would be the trip of a lifetime, or an experience, at least.

Chapter Two – All Aboard

Arriving in Southampton , I got the taxi from the train station to the port. It’d had taken me just over an hour and a half to get here, so it wasn’t too bad. I continued to haul my suitcase toward the sight of the masses of people, who seemed to be heading in the direction of the big boat. I didn’t really know where I was going – which was another reason why I was planning on having Jessica with me for this holiday, as she was always the better navigator.

When I finally reached the booth, after a substantial amount of time waiting around in a queue that everyone else seemed to be checking in at, I pulled out my photo ID and other various documents, and essentially got the all-clear to board the ship. The view of the crowds surrounded by massive containers which lined the docks, was an awesome sight in itself.

The cruise ship was absolutely huge – I’d never seen one in real life before, and when I had looked at the pictures in the brochure, I never thought it would be so big. Everywhere was extremely busy, with people chatting away to each other and laughing, and the buzz of the atmosphere was electrifying. I did feel like I stood out a bit with being on my own, but I was looking at this break away as an adventure to have some time out, so I tried not to let that notion bother me too much.

Giving my luggage in to the porter, I kept my carry-on bag with me. Gripping my bag firmly on my shoulder, I continued to be herded along with the group of passengers that seemed to know what they were doing more than I did, as the next stop was to find my cabin.

Some of the hallways of the ship were closed off, as the rooms were being set up for passengers. I never realised how much waiting around I would actually have to do. There were a few of the older passengers sat in wheelchairs, and I really didn’t blame them – I could've done with sitting down as well. Even though I thought it would be pretty bog-standard to find the cabin by myself, once in the reality of the situation, I knew that I would probably get lost.

Eventually, the Cruise Director made an announcement over the PA system, to tell us that our rooms were ready. I set of down the hallways and finally got to my cabin, without getting too lost - bonus! - which was near to the engine room. Using my key card to enter, I went in to have a look around and settle myself in.

The room was basic, with a little side table, two single beds and a television; but it was fit for purpose and I wasn’t planning on spending a lot of time in here, anyway. In a way, it was probably a good job that Jessica hadn’t come with me, as these cabins were a lot smaller than a hotel room, and I couldn’t swing a cat in here. Plus there was no window, which did make it feel slightly smaller.

Proceeding to unpack my essentials and a change of clothing, along with my bathing suit, I had a little gander about in the small ensuite that was linked to the cabin. I wasn’t expecting anything fancy, because this really was a budget holiday, and it was the experiences out of the walls of my cabin that I was after. Flicking on the television, I decided to freshen up and relax for a while, while I waited for the day to officially begin.

After a short amount of time, a cabin steward knocked on my door and introduced himself as I was handed my luggage, and given a guide containing what would be going on where. I knew that the first night at dinner was always a more casual affair, and I was glad after my journey not to be having to glam up for the evening.

Quickly sending a text to Jess, I told her that she would be missed. It was the truth – I wished I did have someone to relax about the cabin with and chat to, and share this new experience with. Even though it did make me feel a little blue that she couldn’t be here, I was still determined to make the best out of this situation and enjoy myself.

Before long, I found myself leaving my cabin to take part in the mandatory ‘muster drill’. This drill was to show us where the meeting point was in case of emergency, and I was secretly praying that there would be no reason for me ever to have to do this drill again.

Looking at the lifeboats and listening to instructions of how to put on life jackets, it reminded me of the film Titanic, and I gulped at the prospect of hitting an iceberg. I wondered whether I would meet my ‘Jack’ on this ship, and I would fall head over heels as he grabbed me by the waist, and we would stand at the bow of the ship, looking out together. Although it would