Join this madcap holiday adventure on the Danube!
“Mrs. Romerly and Ms. Parker.” The woman at the desk read from her list and began talking to Aunt Ethel while Hadley took it all in. The tree rose two floors, flanked by split staircases. Red poinsettias lined the steps and giant glass ornaments were suspended above them. All these green, gold and red decorations would decorate her parents’ house four times over.
“Ready to go to our room?” Aunt Ethel asked.
“What floor are we on?” she asked, starting toward the staircase. These steps would be a great workout for her thighs.
But her aunt was headed in another direction. “Oh no, dear. We’ll take the elevator at the end of this hall. I believe we’re on the third floor.”
“Really, but I thought…” Trotting along behind her aunt, she nodded to people and smiled. After all, they’d be with this group for two weeks and thank goodness no one knew her. She was away from home. Away from pitying eyes. If she had stayed in Chicago, her family would have felt sorry for her. Hadley hated to be pitied.
Marching down the hall, they passed some open doorways giving glimpses of vacationers getting settled. The air crackled with excitement. Was that Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas” over the sound system? The Christmas spirit stole into her heart and Hadley was determined to keep it there.
Finally, they reached the elevator. Aunt Ethel pushed a button and the burnished wooden doors slid open. They stepped inside. A distinctive scent of Christmas spice filled the air. Closing her eyes, Hadley could dream of Christmas with all the holiday trappings. How she wished she’d given in to the urge to sample just one cookie at the desk. But no way. Widening her stance, she straightened her shoulders. She simply would not. If she were ten pounds thinner, would things have gone better with Brock? Maybe. Her engagement might not have been put on hold.
The elevator doors opened with a whoosh and they stepped out. Except for some stylish pillars and two elegant settees, the long hallway was totally empty with impressive double doors on either end. “But where are the rooms?” Hadley asked. “I think we’re on the wrong floor, Aunt Ethel.”
“Oh no, dear. We’re right where we should be.” Looking at the keycard in her hand, her aunt turned to the left. “I think our entrance is this way.”
“Really? This doesn't look anything like the pictures I found online.” She felt like Alice in Wonderland.
Her aunt walked up to a pair of double doors sporting boxwood wreaths with enormous red ribbons and waved the keycard. The doors swung open. “What in the world? But this is someone's living room.”
In front of her was a wall of windows giving a view of the water. She could only imagine how breathtaking this would be as they traveled. Dove gray drapes hung on either side of the windows. The room was carpeted in a slightly darker shade of gray. And the sofas were a delicious shade of turquoise, accented by silver holiday pillows. But the focal point was a Christmas tree decorated with dizzying array of aqua and lime green ornaments. “Wow, this is really something.” On a gleaming side table sat a silver bucket holding a chilled bottle of champagne.
“Lovely. They have outdone themselves.” Slipping off her cashmere coat, her aunt draped it over one of the gray leather chairs.
Hadley slowly unbuttoned her red cape. “Are you sure this is our suite? Maybe someone else’s name is spelled like yours. Why don’t you stay here and I'll go down and talk to that woman at the desk.”
Her aunt turned toward her and Hadley saw that mischievous smile. This was the smile Aunt Ethel had worn the weekend she took Hadley away for a “casual weekend in a warmer climate.” They’d ended up at the Ritz in Naples, Florida, in the middle of the worst winter the Midwest had ever experienced.
“I hope you don't mind, dear,” her aunt said. “I made just a few changes to our reservation. I decided you and I both needed a special trip this year. Your room is to the left.”
That’s when Hadley noticed the double doors flung wide at either end of the suite. What looked like a king-size bed beckoned.
And that's when the Christmas craziness began.
Read more of The Christmas Cruise at the following stores:
Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
“Ready to go to our room?” Aunt Ethel asked.
“What floor are we on?” she asked, starting toward the staircase. These steps would be a great workout for her thighs.
But her aunt was headed in another direction. “Oh no, dear. We’ll take the elevator at the end of this hall. I believe we’re on the third floor.”
“Really, but I thought…” Trotting along behind her aunt, she nodded to people and smiled. After all, they’d be with this group for two weeks and thank goodness no one knew her. She was away from home. Away from pitying eyes. If she had stayed in Chicago, her family would have felt sorry for her. Hadley hated to be pitied.
Marching down the hall, they passed some open doorways giving glimpses of vacationers getting settled. The air crackled with excitement. Was that Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas” over the sound system? The Christmas spirit stole into her heart and Hadley was determined to keep it there.
Finally, they reached the elevator. Aunt Ethel pushed a button and the burnished wooden doors slid open. They stepped inside. A distinctive scent of Christmas spice filled the air. Closing her eyes, Hadley could dream of Christmas with all the holiday trappings. How she wished she’d given in to the urge to sample just one cookie at the desk. But no way. Widening her stance, she straightened her shoulders. She simply would not. If she were ten pounds thinner, would things have gone better with Brock? Maybe. Her engagement might not have been put on hold.
The elevator doors opened with a whoosh and they stepped out. Except for some stylish pillars and two elegant settees, the long hallway was totally empty with impressive double doors on either end. “But where are the rooms?” Hadley asked. “I think we’re on the wrong floor, Aunt Ethel.”
“Oh no, dear. We’re right where we should be.” Looking at the keycard in her hand, her aunt turned to the left. “I think our entrance is this way.”
“Really? This doesn't look anything like the pictures I found online.” She felt like Alice in Wonderland.
Her aunt walked up to a pair of double doors sporting boxwood wreaths with enormous red ribbons and waved the keycard. The doors swung open. “What in the world? But this is someone's living room.”
In front of her was a wall of windows giving a view of the water. She could only imagine how breathtaking this would be as they traveled. Dove gray drapes hung on either side of the windows. The room was carpeted in a slightly darker shade of gray. And the sofas were a delicious shade of turquoise, accented by silver holiday pillows. But the focal point was a Christmas tree decorated with dizzying array of aqua and lime green ornaments. “Wow, this is really something.” On a gleaming side table sat a silver bucket holding a chilled bottle of champagne.
“Lovely. They have outdone themselves.” Slipping off her cashmere coat, her aunt draped it over one of the gray leather chairs.
Hadley slowly unbuttoned her red cape. “Are you sure this is our suite? Maybe someone else’s name is spelled like yours. Why don’t you stay here and I'll go down and talk to that woman at the desk.”
Her aunt turned toward her and Hadley saw that mischievous smile. This was the smile Aunt Ethel had worn the weekend she took Hadley away for a “casual weekend in a warmer climate.” They’d ended up at the Ritz in Naples, Florida, in the middle of the worst winter the Midwest had ever experienced.
“I hope you don't mind, dear,” her aunt said. “I made just a few changes to our reservation. I decided you and I both needed a special trip this year. Your room is to the left.”
That’s when Hadley noticed the double doors flung wide at either end of the suite. What looked like a king-size bed beckoned.
And that's when the Christmas craziness began.
Read more of The Christmas Cruise at the following stores:
Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Kobo