Perfect Timing (5 page)

Then I guess we're stuck with each other for the next seven days
. He felt a sense of panic surge through him as soon as that thought popped into his head. He didn't want to be stuck with Maxi or any woman for seven days. That fact had become crystal clear in his mind when Tori had made the suggestion to join him on the cruise. He didn't want any woman to invade his personal space and especially not the one lying on his bed watching him with those same gorgeous brown eyes he used to drool over in school. He needed to distance himself from Maxine Chandler and fast. Step away. Regroup. Get the hell out of there.

“I'm sure they'll find you adequate accommodations for the duration of the cruise,” he heard himself say as he slowly began walking backward to the door. “I wouldn't worry about it. They should have at least one cancellation.” He opened the cabin door. “I'm going to go personally talk to the ship's director. I'll take it to the captain if I have to. Don't worry about a thing. I'll be back later.”

He then quickly left the room.

M
axi released a deep breath, unaware she'd been holding it until the door had closed shut behind Christopher. A part of her wondered if she had just dreamed the whole thing. Was bad boy Christopher Chandler actually here for their high school class reunion?

Although he'd always been nice to her in school, she had seen him in action with other students several times to know that he could be hell on a stick when he wanted to be. He'd carried a chip on his shoulder, a rather big chip; one placed there because of circumstances beyond his control and he had fought back the only way he'd known how. He had trusted no one and believed in nothing. And he had fought with a society that had scorned him. When he'd left Savannah a number of the locals had said “good riddance,” but she had sadly thought, “what a loss,” because during those six weeks they had spent working on their science project, she had gotten to know another side of him. It had been a side that had wanted to belong although he'd tried hard not to show it. And because of the time they had spent together and becoming what she thought of as friends, it had hurt when he'd left without saying goodbye.

She couldn't help wondering what he was doing after ten years. Was he still fighting society or had he gone on to make something out of his life regardless of his less-than-desirable childhood?

Closing her eyes she began feeling drowsy again. She would let Christopher deal with getting them separate cabins since he didn't seem too pleased with their predicament. Right now all she wanted to do was sleep. She would deal with Christopher Chandler when she woke up.

 

Nancy Watson, the cruise ship director, thought that even her worst days hadn't prepared her for the likes of the man whose brooding dark eyes were boring into her. She held his gaze unswervingly, determined not to let him intimidate her any more than he already had. She had apologized for the computer mix-up at least a half dozen times but he still wasn't satisfied. And telling him that there were no vacant cabins had only fuelled his anger.

“Mr. Chandler,” she said with smooth politeness, hiding with a plastic smile the aggravation that was eating her up. She refused to lose her cool, which could possibly mean losing her job as well. “I understand what happened has placed both you and Ms. Chandler in a very awkward situation. However, at the moment there is nothing we can do. We did contact a few of those with single cabins and the ones who have responded indicate they prefer their arrangements to remain as they are. We haven't heard from a few others yet, but will let you know as soon as we do.”

Placing him in an awkward situation wasn't the half of it, Christopher thought. As a kid in grade school Maxine Chandler had fascinated him. As a teenager in high school she'd made him aware of his raging hormones. Now as a man there was no doubt in his mind that she could be the one woman who could get under his skin, and he wasn't about to let that happen.

“And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” he snapped.

Nancy Watson didn't think he was a person who would appreciate being told what to do, but since he'd asked, she would oblige him. “You and Ms. Chandler evidently know each other since you're both in the same class reunion group. I suggest the two of you work something out. Although we don't make a habit of assigning opposite sexes to the same cabins, coed sleeping arrangements are common practice and maybe it will work for the two of you.”

His gaze became hard as stone. “It won't work for the two of us. I'm a person who likes my privacy. Had I wanted a cabinmate, I would have requested one. Since I didn't I would appreciate it if you do whatever you can to see that I spend my time on board this ship the way I had intended. Alone.”

Satisfied that he had made what he wanted absolutely clear, he walked out of the woman's office then headed for the nearest bar, feeling the need of a stiff drink.

As he slipped onto a barstool he couldn't help wondering if someone up there didn't like him. The bartender came up to take his order. “Yes, sir, what would you like?”

“Brandy.”

The bartender nodded and walked off. Christopher rested his arms on the counter and wondered what he would do if the ship's director wasn't able to find Maxi another room. The possibility of sharing a cabin with her was too much to consider. He hadn't been prepared for the sight of her, and he hadn't been prepared for those protective instincts he'd always had where she was concerned kicking in. And more than anything, he didn't like the way his body had responded to her when he had carried her into the bathroom. The last thing he wanted was to feel any kind of attraction to her.

And that was the crux of his problem.

It seemed he had known Maxi forever, and with each passing year as he got older and older, he couldn't help noticing things about her that went beyond the obvious sexual ones. Like the way she would always have something nice to say to him when the other kids did not, or the way she would try including him in school activities when the other kids would not have dared. And she never appeared intimidated by him like some of the other girls, at least the ones who weren't trying to talk him into taking them to bed. It had been amusing how during the day they would ignore him around school but then at night, some of those same girls would come around to where he lived and try and talk their way into his pants. And usually he would oblige them just for the hell of doing so. But not once had he allowed anyone to get close to the real Christopher Chandler.

Except for Maxi.

He sat there, listening to the faint sound of music in the background while he remembered that one particular night. After six weeks of spending the majority of their evenings together doing research on their project, they had done a test run on their experiment to make sure it worked. It had. Deciding to celebrate their success, Maxi suggested that they go grab a hamburger or something. However, not wanting to ruin her reputation by being seen out with him, he had talked her into ordering pizza instead. While sitting on her parents' back porch under a moonlit sky eating pizza and sipping Cokes, he had shared a side of himself that no one else knew. He had told her how he wanted to leave town and make something of himself and would work like hell to achieve that goal. She had said something to him that night that had forever touched him. “
Anyone can say what they want, but it will take hard work and sacrifices to actually get what you want. You'll have everything you want, Christopher, because you are strong and determined. I truly believe that because I believe in you and what you are capable of doing
.”

She never knew how much her words had touched him. Throughout most of his life his dreams had been torn away from him. As a child he'd felt ashamed of who and what he was—the son of the woman who'd been known as the town's whore; a dirt-poor illegitimate kid that none of the other parents wanted their children to associate with. And then after the scandal involving his mother and the mayor broke out, things had gotten even worse. He would never forget reading the newspaper headlines about the sordid, sleazy affair. But with those words Maxi had spoken to him, she had given him pride. Not only pride but hope and deep determination to prove her right by becoming successful.

Although he'd left town the day after graduation without even telling her goodbye, he'd kept her words in the back of his mind all the while he'd worked part time while attending college full time. And later when he and Gabe had taken over Regency Builders and later after changing the name to The Regency Corporation, he had worked hard day and night to make it even more successful. So in a way he owed a part of his success to her.

But a part of him didn't want to feel beholden to anyone in Savannah, not even to Maxi. Sharing space with her was dangerous territory. That was the main reason he wanted her out of his cabin. Around Maxi he would need every ounce of his mental faculties. She had a way of making him not think straight. She had a way of making him remember things best left forgotten.

His thoughts were interrupted when the bartender returned with his drink. “Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?”

“No, this will be it.” Christopher rolled his shoulders, aware of his tense muscles and wondering if he would get the relaxation on this cruise that he'd been counting on. For some reason he didn't think so.

 

Maxi groaned upon waking, accepting ruefully that she had not dreamed the entire thing and that a mix-up in the ship's computer had her and Christopher sharing a cabin…at least for the time being. Hopefully, he was getting the matter resolved and the ship would be able to accommodate her elsewhere.

She stretched, wondering how long she'd slept. Whatever medication the ship's doctor had given her had certainly worked. She was feeling much better. Getting out of bed she went into the bathroom to wash out her mouth and brush her teeth, knowing doing both would make her feel even better.

Standing in front of the mirror she caught her reflection and thought of the situation she was presently in.
Christopher Chandler
. She shook her head incredulously. Of all people. But what she'd told him earlier had been true. She had been glad to see him and was glad he came. She hoped and prayed that during the last ten years their fellow classmates had matured, faced a few of life's challenges of their own, and were beyond holding anything against Christopher because of his less than humble beginnings.

She frowned. She knew for a fact that Ronald Swindel hadn't changed. He was still the egotistical jerk he'd been ten years ago, and even after three wives he still tried coming on to her whenever she ran into him in town. For some reason someone had fed him the lie that he was God's gift to women and he believed it. As a police officer he made it a point whenever he was in the vicinity of the university just to drop by and flirt with her when he could catch her in between classes. It had gotten to the point where she would dodge him whenever she saw him coming. He was intent on being the man to replace Jason in her life and had told her so on more than one occasion. What he refused to accept was that even if she was ready for anyone to replace Jason he would not be her top pick. The one thing she dreaded about this cruise was the fact that Ronald was somewhere on board. She knew it was highly unlikely their paths would not cross since they were scheduled to attend the same functions.

Maxi's current avenue of thoughts was interrupted with the ringing of the phone. Leaving the bathroom she moved across the cabin to answer it. “Yes?”

“Maxi, hi, this is Mya.”

Maxi's face broke into a wide smile. “Mya, hey girl. It's good hearing your voice. It's been too long. How have you been?”

“I've been doing fine.”

“And how are Garrett and the boys?”

“They're fine, too.”

“Are you and Garrett all settled into your cabin?”

“Yeah, just about. What about you?”

“There's been a mix-up with my roommate assignment but I'm hoping the matter is cleared up soon.” She decided not to tell Mya that she and Christopher Chandler had been assigned the same cabin by mistake. Being her best friend in high school, Mya had known about her infatuation with him during their senior year.

“If things aren't cleared up you can always stay here in the cabin with me and Garrett. We have a suite so it's plenty big enough.”

“Thanks but I refuse to impose on the two of you. Things will work themselves out. Are you and Garrett going to the welcome reception tonight?”

“Yes, you?”

“Yes, now that my bout with motion sickness has passed.”

“Garrett and I have decided to stay in and order dinner in our cabin. How about if the three of us meet on the upper deck to chat before the reception starts? Let's say thirty minutes before.”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll see you then.”

“All right. I'm looking forward to it.”

“Same here.”

As soon as Maxi hung up the phone there was a soft knock on the cabin door just seconds before it opened and Christopher walked in. Her breath caught in her throat. Now that she was feeling better and could see more clearly, the hard jolt of seeing him hit her. He was an imposing figure, but not an intimidating one and was even more handsome than she'd thought earlier. She actually felt herself feeling weak in the knees and her jaw went slack. His sable brown coloring brought everything about him into focus. His cheekbones were sharply defined and made his mouth all the more fascinating and provocative. His eyes were deep, dark, riveting. And his nose was decisively masculine and blended well with the strength of his jawbone. The combination of all his features reflected his African-American heritage and was totally male. She tried to downplay the quivering tension that began coiling in her stomach.

For years after he had left town she'd fantasized about him returning and how she would react if she were to accidentally bump into him one day on the streets of Savannah. But as time went by she knew he would never return and had accepted as much. She'd often wondered if he had remembered anything about the six weeks that they had spent working close together, sharing dreams and becoming what she had considered as friends. But when he'd left town without saying goodbye and never hearing from him again, she had accepted that the brief friendship they'd shared had meant everything to her but nothing to him.

Christopher paused as he stood in the doorway, studying Maxi as intently as she was studying him. Again he wasn't prepared for the sight of her. Earlier when he'd seen her, her features had been flushed from motion sickness. But now it was obvious that she was feeling better. Her face had a healthy glow. Her chocolate-brown features were clear, radiant, sculpted perfectly, and more beautiful than ever before. Maxine Chandler had grown up to be quite a looker.

Gone was the long, wavy hair that used to fan her shoulders. Her hair was cut short in a style that boasted sass and sophistication. And over the years her slender hips had filled out with nice womanly curves. He drew in a deep, steadying breath. His attraction to her was stronger than it had ever been before. He thought that was strange since ten years had passed since they had spent any time together. And during those ten years he had met and dated countless other women, but he'd never had to get a firm grip on himself or his emotions for any of them. As far as he was concerned, they were easy come, easy lay, easy go. Therefore, nothing could have prepared him for the emotions that were spiraling through him now. Emotions he'd thought a glass of brandy would straighten out. He hadn't been tormented with thoughts of Maxi for a good five years now. At least not since Mr. Thompson had written to tell him that Maxi had gotten engaged. Evidently something had happened since she was still using her maiden name and there wasn't a wedding band on her finger. Had she gotten a divorce?