bag.
“What’s in there?” Catherine asked her as they all gathered in front of the booth.
“A little gift from Arnold,” she said, smiling at him, and making Charlie frown. Then she transferred her smile to Charlie. “And Charlie bought me the most beautiful earrings, which I intend to wear tonight.”
Oh, yes, Denise certainly was enjoying herself.
“You really are a stinker, leading both those men on,” Catherine told her once they were in their room, showing each other their new acquisitions.
“I’m not leading them on. I like them both. We’re pals.”
“They’re probably both hoping you want to be more.”
“You know, maybe I do. I’m getting pretty darned fond of Charlie. But never mind me. What about you and Rudy? That’s the third charm he’s bought you.”
“I know,” Catherine said, and suddenly felt sad.
“Hey, why the long face? You’ve got a treasure of a man interested in you, and even his daughter seems to be coming around.”
“Only because she knows this isn’t going anywhere.”
“Why not? He’s single. You’re single.” Denise narrowed her eyes. “I hope this isn’t about Bill. He’d want you to be happy.”
“I can’t commit to anyone when I have no idea what the future holds.”
“Who does?” Denise argued. “You’d let a little thing like that stop you from enjoying a relationship with someone? Forget the oncologist. You need a shrink.”
“It wouldn’t be fair to Rudy,” Catherine said.
“Maybe you should let him make that decision. Have you told him?”
“No.” She needed to. She would. Soon. But not yet.
First she intended to enjoy the taste-of-Germany dinner buffet in the dining room. After a quick nap.
The quick nap stretched into two hours and Catherine barely got freshened up and to the lounge in time to hear their cruise director, Elsa, talk about the next day’s activities. Her group had claimed their usual spot and she saw that Rudy had saved her a place. She tried not to feel conspicuous as she threaded her way through the various groups of people already settled and listening to Elsa, who had been telling them about the next day’s off-ship adventure option.
“So I hope you will all enjoy your excursion to beautiful Baden-Baden. I’m sure you will want to do the walking tour so you can burn off enough calories to enjoy our final port of call the following day where we will take you into the Black Forest with its beautiful mountain landscape and rolling meadows. There you will see a cuckoo clock–making demonstration and learn how to make the popular Black Forest cherry cake. Once you try the cake you will understand why I encourage you all to take tomorrow’s walking tour,” Elsa concluded.
“Black Forest cherry cake. Be still my taste buds,” cracked Charlie.
“My mouth is already watering,” Denise said. “At the rate I’m going none of my clothes are going to fit by the time we get off this ship. I’ll have to walk down the gangplank in a beer barrel.”
“I’d like to see that,” Charlie said, waggling his eyebrows.
“Don’t let me have dessert tonight,” she told him.
“It’s all traditional German food. You don’t want to start dieting now,” he told her.
Once they got to the dining room Catherine couldn’t help but agree. The aromas that greeted her as she walked in were a gourmand’s delight. The tables gleamed with the usual glassware and silver, but had been laid with festive blue-checked tablecloths, baskets of giant pretzels on each one. Their servers were all dressed in traditional German dirndls and lederhosen, and a couple with an accordion and violin, also dressed in traditional Bavarian garb, were already strolling among the tables, serenading diners.
“This is a feast,” Catherine said to Rudy as they filed past the main-course station, which offered them everything from schnitzel to bratwurst and German potato salad, warm and spicy with vinegar, onions and bacon.
“The perfect ending to a perfect day,” he said.
“The whole cruise has been perfect. I’m so glad Denise talked me into coming.”
“I am, too.”
Her heart turned over at the way he looked at her. She had to tell him what lay ahead for her.
Tomorrow. She didn’t want to think about it tonight.
At her sister’s urging, Sophie had left to sit with Trevor at another table, which left room for Charlie to squeeze in at theirs. Arnold had to settle for sitting at the next one over. As it was a group of women traveling together, he didn’t seem to be suffering too much, obviously enjoying talking with a busty middle-aged blonde in a sequined red top. Meanwhile, Charlie