A week before the cruise.
"Are you sure we have everything ready, lad?" Andrew asked his assistant as they were picking up their belongings from inside the Starbucks Coffee shop of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
From the cafe, the two had reviewed the contract offer to the biggest production that may very well give him the CEO seat of his family's company, the KNW Lifestyle Media. They were planning on getting the rights to the series that had become popular in the US, hoping to bring it to England.
The comedy show was called "The Rich Asians." It featured several wealthy Asian families living in the US and their daily lives. The program was sassy, funny, and, surprisingly, included a lot of smart lessons in life. Which was exactly why it was a big hit.
The said series was so sensational in the US that Andrew was sure he would make serious money out of it if aired in Europe.
"Yes, Sir Andrew. We have it all here." Andrew's assistant, Wendell Reyes, clung to the documents and hugged them against his chest. "I'll keep them safe, Sir."
"Alright, Wendell." As Andrew put back his coat, he reminded, "We have one shot at this. We better get this right. Then you and I will both get promoted."
The two flew out to New York just so they could meet the sole producer of the show, Mr. Felix Song, and make a tempting offer.
They heard many stories of the said producer. They were told he was a traditional man, a man with honor and principles. They were told he and his family were not the kind to easily trust their money and hard work with just anyone. Thus, it required Andrew to be present himself, wanting to gain Mr. Song's trust.
He was the best man for the job.
Flying on a private jet, Andrew and Wendell purposely arrived two hours before their meeting so they could have ample time to compose themselves.
Nodding confidently, Andrew picked up his take-away coffee and said, "Let's go. Our limo should already be outside."
"Right," confirmed Wendell, as he placed the documents in his bag.
The two walked confidently, catching the eyes of many women as they made their way out, but just when Andrew thought everything was going according to plan, he bumped into a girl with blonde hair!
It was... a head-on collision.
"Bloody hell! Watch where you are going!" Andrew could not help but get annoyed, feeling the coffee spilled all over his extravagant suit. If that was not enough, he turned sideways and saw how some of his coffee had made their way to Wendell's clothes and bag.
Horror filled Andrew's eyes before turning to the girl who was responsible for all of this.
However, just as he was about ready to berate on her, he immediately caught sight of her wistful blue eyes.
It captured his attention in an instant.
It made him swallow his own spew.
His heart instantly clenched at the sorrow of her electric blue orbs.
Tears welled up in the girl's orbs as she attempted to apologize, "I'm - gosh, I'm terribly sorry. I - I wasn't thinking."
Her pointed nose was red, and her eyes were puffed. It was apparent to Andrew that she had been crying even before she bumped into him.
Almost immediately, his anger faded. "Are you - are you, okay?"
He realized the girl in front of him was in a state of turmoil, more than him... despite being soaked with coffee, and only an hour away from a very important appointment.
Andrew could not help but ponder what made this beautiful girl turn grim. From his point of view, sadness did not suit her eyes.
"It's her! I'm sure it's her!" He heard people say not too far that it made him look up.
He noticed how the girl looked away, hiding her face and covering them with her hands.
"I'm sorry. If I see you again, I'll make up for it, but... I really have to leave. I'm sorry, Mister." And before he knew it, the girl with blonde hair left him in the middle of JFK, stained with coffee all over.
Andrew Kentworthy never made it to his appointment. He couldn't make it in time to change clothes and get new copies of their company's offer to the show, "The Rich Asians."
He lost his big fat opportunity, but that did not bother him one bit. In the days that followed, his mind often drifted to the girl with blonde hair and sad blue eyes.
Somehow, he felt the dire need to make her smile and bring sparks to her eyes, but it was too late. He did not run after her. To him, it was a far worse of a lost cost than the contract for the famous TV series.
Little did he know, fate had it made. They were bound to meet on a two-week cruise... thanks to his grandmother.
When Andrew realized his grandmother had set him up on a date with Madelyn Wilson, he was determined to get off the cruise at one of its island stops. He did not care where or how, but he was banking on returning to work immediately.
However, on the night where he had spent at the bar, he met the same woman who spilled coffee all over him at JFK airport.
Slender hands grabbed his arm and forced him to look at her. She said, "Hi there, sweetie, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
When she called him sweetie, he was ready to lash at her, but to his shock, that familiar electric blue eyes made his heart stop for a second.
'It's her.'
'It's definitely her.'
'And she doesn't remember.'
Then, in no time, he brought back a skill he once knew in college, one that he had not practiced for a very... very long time; flirting.
A smirk easily formed on his face as he answered, “Well, if it isn’t my lovely wife. I knew you could not get out of bed after what we did last night.”
Andrew figured, whatever game this girl was playing, he was in it to win it!
More than just practicing his humor and his pickup lines, he wanted to make her smile.
When he brought her to the dance floor and had a glimpse of her predicament, he learned she was heartbroken. He stared directly into her expressive orbs and said, “I’m sorry to hear that. His loss, definitely… Sad eyes do not suit you.”
Back to the present. “Hungry?” Andrew asked Kenzie as he walked alongside her by the corridors. His black hair was without a style, softly moving freely as they made their way to the restaurant. She smiled with pursed lips, nodding while studying how his shirt loosely hugged his well-shaped body. She pretended to look down at her feet but peered sideways under her lashes, appreciating Andrew's long and masculine legs. They were well hidden beneath his faded jeans. 'Damn.' Andrew was in simple clothes, yet he still managed to be guilty of being an adonis. How cruel was the world to the other men and how lucky was she to be walking with a possible demi-god? He looked too perfect to be human, or so she thought. “ I wasn’t sure if you like fancy restaurants. So I decided we could go to a more comfortable – casual one,” Andrew revealed. It was his way of adjusting to her supposed simple life. “Ummm. Yeah, sure. That would be great.” S
"Oh, my god! Three o'clock. Stalker alert!" Kenzie warned as she pretended to look down at the menu, ready to order for her meal.Earlier, before entering the restaurant, they still found Madelyn waiting for them. They flashed their wedding rings and had to deal with a few nasty exchanges before they went inside to have their dinner.To Kenzie's shock, the brunette took a table not too far from them, clearly observing how they acted together.Andrew just shook his head, saying, "I'm sorry. I'm too gorgeous for my own good. Just ignore her.""Whatever." Kenzie rolled her eyes, but at the same time, she could not agree more. Someone like Andrew probably has more than one stalker in his life.She also had a few, but her father and her brother took care of them."You are just lucky that with the way she judges me with her stares, I want to stay married to you just so she would bleed with envy," she added as she continued to sca
"Are you ready?" Andrew asked, placing a hand behind Kenzie's waist. Kenzie gulped, looking down at the water slide snaking down to the ship's deck. Andrew had convinced her to take the plunge after three days of putting it off. Yes, they have been out in the sea for four full days, and going down the famous slide was one of Andrew's bucket lists for Kenzie. "I can't do this." She shook her head and repeated, "I just can't!" "Oh, come on, Kenzie. Live a little," Andrew urged. She found herself looking at the deep blue ocean and added, "Andrew, I am definitely in for living a little, but this is just not what I expected. I can see the ocean from here, Andrew! I can't do this!" From behind her, Andrew chuckled and said, "Sweetheart, you aren't jumping into the ocean. You'll just land in the landing pod below, right on the ship's deck. Trust me when I say you aren't escaping me that easily. Now, go on. I'll follow."
Andrew's light brown eyes were staring at Kenzie adoringly as they stand by the vessel's bow. His hands gently caressed her face while slowly leaning closer. Kenzie felt her heart going wild, just gawking at Andrew's athletic face. She gulped, realizing what was about to happen. Seconds apart, Kenzie closed her eyes, anticipating their second, yet their very first, meaningful kiss. Just as she was inches away from Andrew's lips, a loud banging awoke her from her dream. Kenzie groaned as she awakened, frowning at the realization that her special kiss, even in a dream, had just been interrupted by the very same man. "Kenzie, sweetheart. Time to wake up!" She heard Andrew banging at the door of his bedroom suite. "Damn, you Andrew. I can't believe I dreamed of him kissing me," she muttered under her breath. Her mouth twitched before adding, "And I was looking forward to it." She could only keep
Kenzie should have seen the signs. It was right in front of her ever since. From Andrew's suite, she was leaning against the balcony railings, watching the endless waters, when she recalled how she often met new acquaintances, especially girls. "So, you are Kenzie, right? Kyle's brother?" "Kenzie, we've been friends for some time now. Are we ever going to meet your brother?" "What's it like to be you? Did I mention your brother is so hot!" It was... mostly about Kyle, really. They wanted to be friends with her because they wanted to have a chance with her twin brother. Kenzie, at least, had a few honest approaches. She remembered Kennedy, who was probably one that she considered a good friend. Back then, when she met her at her father's office, Kennedy said, "So, my dad said, since your dad and my dad are working together on a project, we should be like... friends." Kenzie and Kennedy still hit it off, only th
"Sir? What can I do for you?" Passed midnight, Andrew made a phone call to his assistant, Wendell Reyes. "Wendell, I need you to do a background check on someone for me. Kenzie Wright of Monroe City in the US. I sent you the details in the email. I need to know everything about her. Your life depends on it," Andrew directed while trying to keep his voice down. "Well, since you put it that way, Sir. I will do as you say. I'll check with our resources and let you know soon," Wendell replied. Andrew did not want to have to find out this way. He earnestly preferred to hear everything from Kenzie, but he felt strong walls guarding her when it came to her background. For the life of him, he could not fathom it.Most girls in her shoes would have already given him their life's story, but not Kenzie. A week had passed, and she remained a mystery to him. Andrew could only hold on to her name. Thus, he just had to know more. "Wait
"On top or under?" Andrew asked, still giving off that sly grin. "Oh, please. Don't even get me started," Kenzie retorted. "Can we have another set of questions?" "Again, sweetheart, your mind is dirty," Andrew insisted. "These questions could mean anything." He leaned back in his seat before including, "I personally would like to be on top of everything, like my career." "Fine! I like to be on top too." She gave her answer. A hissed left Andrew's lips before he informed, "This is going to be tough in bed then." "I knew it!" She answered, shaking her head before taking in more of the Ramyeon broth. "You are always green." "Next, what is your favorite part of my body?" He asked before sharing, "You already know mine." As soon as his eyes landed on Kenzie's chest, she saw him wink. She winced and unwittingly covered her chest, despite it being perfectly concealed by Andrew's over-size shirt. "Pervert!"
"Kenzie, can I kiss you?" The request repeated in her head again and again. Kenzie was not shocked at all. Andrew was always teasing and to say there was sexual tension between them was an understatement. Andrew, asking for a kiss, did not surprise her. It did, however, sparked butterflies in her stomach, a sensation that was far louder and rowdier than she ever felt for Brad, her fake boyfriend of two years. 'Wait, why am I feeling anxious? This would not be the first time we would kiss,' she asked herself, still maintaining to bury her face in Andrew's solid chest. 'Do I want to kiss him? Of course, silly! You dreamt of him doing it! Just get over it and get some relief!' Quietly, she scolded herself. Kenzie knew she was in denial. Why? Maybe it was because she had recently gotten off a bad relationship and that she was hurt badly? The truth was, Kenzie was not sure if she was ready for this again.