But then… what if Christina is right? What if this is exactly the sort of approach that would impress James? I want this promotion so badly my toes curl. I need to pull out all the stops, do anything I can to get a leg up on Graeme. Maybe bringing Walsh along will give me an edge. It would sure show James I’m proactive, creative in obtaining solutions, and willing to think outside the box…

Walsh blinks up at me with round, guileless eyes.

I blow out a long breath. “Okay.”

“Okay? I can come?”

“Yes.” The word settles in the space between us like an anchor dropping.

Walsh’s body practically vibrates as she jogs her feet under the table and lets out an ear-splitting squeal.

“Well, maybe,” I clarify. “I still have to clear it with my boss. He might say no, so don’t get too excited. But if he says yes, you have to promise you’ll actually debrief with me every night. I want your honest feedback, your ideas. You can’t just flit around sipping mai tais the whole time. I’ll need your help.”

“Scout’s honor.”

I slurp the watery remains of my drink. “Then it looks like the Evans sisters might be going on a cruise.”

5

The first thing you need to know about a Seaquest Adventures cruise: it’s not a cruise. Not in the way most people think of a cruise, anyway—gargantuan ship, thousands of passengers, onboard entertainment, and rushed day trips at busy ports.

Seaquest Adventures is different. Our ships are smaller. Much smaller. Our largest ship in the fleet—Intrepid—accommodates a whopping 158 guests. Discovery hosts 91. Due to their small size, our ships can go places larger cruises can only dream of—deep into the wilderness where no docks exist.

Where we’re going, we don’t need ports.

Which is why I’m perched sideways along the inflatable edge of a Zodiac, a small boat designed to transport passengers between the ship and the shore. My feet are firmly planted on the hard-bottomed rubber floor as we zoom away from San Cristóbal, the easternmost island of the Galápagos archipelago while our ship, Discovery, gleams like a red-and-white diamond on the horizon.

“First time on a Seaquest Adventure?” asks the man next to me in an unmistakable Russian accent. He looks to be in his midthirties. He has a thatch of receding brown hair, has a long nose, and is wearing Oakley sunglasses. His tan leg is already inches from mine since there’s about seven of us squished in a row along the side of the Zodiac, but he scoots closer anyway. I can feel the heat coming off him.

“Yeah, first time,” I say with a forced smile, edging toward Walsh, who’s sitting on my other side.