Smooth Sailing (7 page)

But if you didn’t stop and think about how things were going on a routine basis, how would you know when you were failing to meet expectations? There was nothing wrong with using a business model in your personal life. Results were what mattered—in every area of life… weren’t they?

AS THEY SKIMMED along, Kaatje pointed out a long, fairly hilly island in the distance. “That’s St. Bart’s. The beautiful people vacation there.”

Laurie blinked a few times. “What? I didn’t hear you.”

“That’s because you’re thinking about work.”

Busted again. How obvious was it? Maybe Kaatje was some sort of mind-reader. “I can’t help it. I know this seems silly, but the worst thing is for me to look spacey. As a woman I can’t afford that. Ever. And missing a boat is very, very spacey.”

“How long have you worked for Luxor?”

“Six years.”

“Wouldn’t you think they’d know you by now? I mean…you’re not generally spacey, are you?”

“No,” she allowed begrudgingly. “But still…”

“How well do you get along with your boss?”

“Really well. We’re kind of in tandem.”

“Tandem?”

“Yeah. Fernando’s a few years older than me and he was my first manager. As he moves up, he takes me with him. He was promoted to executive VP this year, and I should get bumped to senior VP soon. If this escapade hasn’t killed my career.”

“I don’t know much about your situation, but they’d be stupid to hold one scheduling mistake against you. Why don’t you call your boss and let him hear what happened from you?”

“I thought I’d call when I got to a hotel.”

“I’d let you use my phone, but it’s spotty out here too. My satellite internet works though. E-mail him.”

“It works? Really?” Try not to drool or to look as excited as you are. She’ll just think you’re crazier than she already does.

“I’ve never seen a woman look happier to hear about internet access.” She gave her a warm smile and pointed to the cabin. “My computer’s under the cushion of the bench by the table. It’s not very fast, which means you’ll have to be patient…if you can be.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” Laurie said, nearly skipping into the cabin.

*

About ten minutes later Laurie poked her head out. “I don’t think I’ve ever yawned that much in my life. My jaw’s getting sore.”

“Did you get everything to work?”

“Yeah. I sent a message to him and his secretary and mine. He’ll write back soon.”

“Is the computer charged?”

“I didn’t check. Why?”

“You should bring it out here.”

“Really? Won’t it get wet?”

“No, we’re just using the jib to keep us heading in the right direction. You’ll feel better out here.”

“I feel fine.”

“You think you do, but yawning a lot is the first sign of seasickness. Next comes sleepiness.”

“Uh-oh. I can hardly keep my eyes open.”

“Bring it out here. Trust me.”

Laurie went back inside and disconnected the computer from its power source. Kaatje started putting away the mainsail, the huge bundle of cloth billowing all across the trampoline and the roof of the cabin. “Can I help?” Laurie asked when she stepped back on deck.

“Sure, but only if you put the computer back inside. This can be a wet mess.”

Laurie dashed back in and put the computer back in its secure spot. Then she stood on the deck, waiting for instructions. “Hold onto those stays,” Kaatje ordered. Laurie reached out and grabbed a stout-looking rope, but Kaatje twitched her fingers, directing her to a bunch of metal strands. “The sheets move. The stays are always there…remember? Now get your balance and help me fold this monster.” Laurie pitched in with her full attention, carefully following directions. They quickly had it in order, then Kaatje wrapped some bits of fabric around it to hold it secure.

“All set. Now you can take the computer out onto the trampoline, or anywhere you feel secure.”

“Can I sit by you?”

“Of course. I love having company.”

“Be right back.” Laurie was back in a flash, sharing the bench with Kaatje. She opened the computer and smiled. “My secretary Wendy is always there when I need her. She’s going to find Fernando and tell him I need to talk to him.”

Kaatje smiled benignly. “It must be reassuring to have someone you can trust.”

“Oh, it is. Wendy used to work for the president of our division but she was getting burned out. She thought she’d have less stress working for a senior director, but I think she might regret it sometimes.”

“You look unrepentant.”

“I guess I am. Wendy could move anywhere, but she’s stayed with me for two years. I think she feels a little maternal towards me. She rode in the ambulance with me to the hospital, holding my hand while she kept telling me that having a stroke wasn’t that big of a deal.” She rolled her eyes. “She can tend towards catastrophe.”

“It sounds like she has reason to,” Kaatje said, her gaze level and somber. “Fainting from stress doesn’t sound like something to ignore.”

“It’s a low blood pressure issue. Nothing to worry about.” People made such a big deal about a little fainting episode. She’d hit the “refresh” button at least a dozen times in the few minutes they’d been chatting and her eyes lit up when she received an e-mail from Fernando. “Here he is,” she said. She looked up at Kaatje. “He says, ‘You did what?’ with about ten exclamation points. That means he thinks it’s funny.”

“That’s good.” Kaatje waved her hand. “Go ahead and do your work.”

“Okay.” Laurie was deep into her back and forth with Fernando, drumming her fingers on the edge of the keyboard while she waited for each reply. She lost track of where she was and looked up in surprise when Kaatje loudly cleared her throat. “Oh, shit! How long have I been e-mailing?”

“About an hour. It’ll start to get dark in another hour. We’d better head back.”

“I’m sorry. I got involved and…” She was paying for the sail, and didn’t owe Kaatje an explanation, but she felt bad for blowing an entire hour. It might be years before she’d be anyplace this pretty again, but she hadn’t looked up once. Damned seductive e-mail.

“Were you talking to Fernando the whole time?”

“No. I sent some e-mails to my team in Osaka. Because they’re twelve hours ahead they were just getting in.”

“At five? In the morning?”

“We have a park opening in a few months. Time’s running out.” Civilians had no idea how many hours it took to get a new park open. They seemed to think it was as easy as when the circus came to town. “Then I remembered something I needed our ride design guys to take a look at. That reminded me that…”

Kaatje held up a hand. “Got it. One thing leads to another.”

“Always. Let me help you with the sail.” She closed the computer, put it away and was back in moments, her eyes bright, her mood noticeably improved.

“Fernando was okay with what happened?”

“Oh, yeah. He’s a good guy. I think he’ll like having something to hold over me and tease me with.”

“Will he tell other people?”

“No. And neither will Wendy. As long as those idiots in the cruise line don’t know anyone in my division, I should be fine.” She wiped her brow dramatically. “I might survive.”

“I think you’ll be fine. You don’t look like the type who’s easily defeated.”

*

They were within view of the harbor when Kaatje asked, “Would you like to watch the sunset from out here?”

Laurie scanned the horizon, seeing the big, fluffy clouds that hovered just above the waterline. “Will it be good?”

“Should be really good. These clouds usually make it red and orange and purple.”

“Yeah, I’d like to see it. We don’t get these kinds of clouds very often in LA.”

“Huh?”

“We don’t,” Laurie said, laughing at Kaatje’s amazed expression. “Most of the year we have clear skies or a kind of foggy gloom. Not much in between.”

“That’s weird.” She made a face. “How can you enjoy a sunset without clouds?”

“I don’t enjoy many. I rarely get outside while the sun’s out. And my office faces East. I get nice sunrises, though.”

Kaatje shook her head in a scolding fashion. “You should see those from home.”

“One day. When Osaka opens, I’ll have more normal hours.” She looked out at the fluffy clouds. “This is a heck of a lot better than the view from a hotel.”

“Great. I think I’ll get my camera. Can you hold the wheel for a few?”

“Me?” Laurie pointed at herself with alarm.

“Yeah. It’s easy. Just hold it still.” She took Laurie’s tentative hand and placed it firmly on the wheel. “It tends to fly around if you don’t hold it steady. Just keep it going where we’re headed. Be right back.” She was gone before Laurie could complain further, but she returned before any decisions had to be made. “No damage,” she said, taking the wheel back. She handed a big, complicated-looking camera to Laurie. “Want to take some pictures?”

“I don’t think I’d have the first idea of how to. I just use my phone.”

“I love photography.” Kaatje held out her hand for the camera. “I’ll put it on automatic. Then you don’t have to think”

“I need more things in my life that do that,” Laurie mumbled, putting the viewfinder up to her eye. “Wow, I can see everything.”

“I have a wide-angle lens on. That way we can get a nice panorama of the sunset.”

“Can I take one of you?”

“You can take dozens.”

Laurie aimed at a smiling Kaatje and snapped a dozen frames in a row.

“Can you download these? Then I can send some to myself.”

“Sure. Take all you want.”

Laurie got into the task, scrambling all around the boat, snapping picture after picture. Kaatje called out to her when she was lying on the deck, pointing up at the mast, “Want a different lens?”

“I don’t know. Do I?”

“Yeah. I think you do. Go below and get one that’s in a pouch marked 24-225.”

“You’re the boss.”

“Captain,” Kaatje called after her. “I’m the captain.”

THE SUN WAS starting to set by the time Laurie had exploited all of the available photographic opportunities. Kaatje then took a few dozen of Laurie: sitting on a cushion, standing on the deck, acting like she was going to jump off the boat and, of course, holding the wheel.

A sense of real melancholy descended on Laurie as she thought about the end of the day. Being with Kaatje had seemed like meeting a new kid in the park when she was young. Someone you clicked with, who thought you were funny. Someone who knew what kinds of games you liked and fit right in without asking a bunch of questions. But in the back of your head you knew you’d never see the kid again. It was fun because you could be anyone you wanted to be, but it was all too brief. And when you got home you had to get back into the “you” that everyone knew.

“Now we can relax and wait for the sun to set,” Kaatje said. “I think I’ll set the anchor. Want a drink?”

“Sure. What do you have?”

“Name it.” Kaatje went to the bow, opened a small door in the deck, took out some sort of device and pressed a button. The anchor shot off the bow and splashed noisily into the water. Yards and yards of chain followed, then Kaatje returned to the captain’s chair, turned on the engine and backed up until the anchor caught. She reappeared by leaping onto the deck just inches in front of Laurie, startling her. “What’ll it be?”

“How about…vodka and tonic.”

“Excellent. I’ll have the same. Be right back.”

Just minutes later, Kaatje returned and handed Laurie a glass with a flourish. “I pour a lot of rum out here, but I’ve never developed much of a taste for it. I stick to vodka, beer, and wine.”

“I’ve had a lot of sake the last few years and I don’t think I’ll ever love it. Vodka’s my favorite, but I like beer on a hot summer day.” She raised her glass and toasted. “To a great, and surprising day.”

“Those are the best kind.”

“I probably shouldn’t drink, since I have a blazing headache, but what the heck.”

“From the sun?”

“No. Stress. I’ve gotten used to them.”

“Want a hand?”

“At what?”

“I know a little acupressure. It helps sometimes.”

“Uhm, sure. Couldn’t hurt.”
Yeah. Sure. Watching the sunset with a pretty, flirtatious lesbian, having a drink or two, letting her work on your muscles. What could be dangerous about that?

Positioning herself so she could put the tips of her fingers just over Laurie’s temples, Kaatje pressed with gentle but constant pressure.

“Mmm, that’s…interesting.” It felt like having her head in a vise, but the pressure was strangely soothing.

Kaatje let go, then put her thumbs on the back of Laurie’s neck and pressed again.

“You know, it feels a little better.”

“Give it time. It usually takes a few minutes for the blood vessels to open up and relieve the pain. Let me do a few more.”