Shipped(28)
Opening my laptop, I log on to my work email. I skim over several unread messages, including one from Barbara sharing an updated department calendar, to click open an email from Christina. She wants me to proofread some copy she drafted for an upcoming cruise guide. I fire back a reply letting her know I’ll take a look ASAP.
The next email that catches my eye makes me sit up straighter. It’s from Ahmed in accounting, one of Tory’s direct reports—a response to an email I sent him yesterday asking for a breakdown of results from the paid digital advertising we did for our Hawaiian Islands cruises earlier this year. I scan the spreadsheet and nod slowly. The new advertisements worked. We saw decent click rates and an uptick in Hawaii bookings following the campaign.
“This could work.” Our Hawaii cruises appeal to a similar demographic as the Galápagos—they’re both warm weather destinations that include snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking, and they have somewhat comparable price points. If our new advertising approach worked for Hawaii, it would stand to reason that similar advertisements for the Galápagos would boost sales in the region as well.
I click over to my Galápagos digital marketing proposal document and begin typing. It might not be the most novel or fanciest idea, but it’s solid and can be backed with actual numbers. Doubt threads through my gut, but I shoo it away. All I need is to make this idea pop…
“Ms. Evans!” Gustavo’s booming voice makes me jump. He strides over to me, the door to the bridge thumping closed behind him. His red staff shirt gives his cheeks a rosy glow. “Why are you still on the ship? The last Zodiac for the long hike is leaving now.”
“I’m not going on the long hike.”
“No, you must. I insist. Whatever you are doing now, it can wait.”
“Um…”
“You are healthy, yes? You can survive a three-hour walk?”
“Yes…”
Gustavo places his hand over his heart. “Then you have to go. Please. The beach walk is nice, yes, but Suarez Point is unforgettable. I could not live with myself knowing that you traveled all this way, to my home, and did not experience one of its most magical sites.”
Jesus, Gustavo, guilt much? I force a smile. “Well, when you put it that way…”
“Bueno! You have everything you need, yes? Sunscreen, water, camera?”
“I do.” Heaving a sigh, I save my proposal and shut my laptop.
“Good. I will store this for you in the staff office until you get back.” He picks up my laptop and tucks it under an arm. “Hurry! Go now!”
His words are like spurs and I find myself trotting through the lounge and down the stairs to the disembarkation level. How did I get bamboozled into going on the long hike? Maybe I can multitask… take some notes during breaks…
I’m panting by the time I reach the mudroom and a sheen of sweat coats my forehead. There’s no scaffolding today, as disembarkation is taking place at the back of the ship. A harried crew member waves me through a door that leads to a sea-level outdoor deck where a single Zodiac holding three older guests is waiting. A middle-aged naturalist helps me climb in, and a minute later we’re zooming through sea spray to the green shores of Espa?ola Island.
Gripping the rope running along the side of the Zodiac, I squint at the sun blazing low in the sky. At least it’s early in the day—and early in our weeklong cruise. I should have plenty of time to work on my proposal. And if I don’t? I’ll just have to make time. My future depends on it.
10
Henley, you made it!” Xiavera’s warm voice carries across the rocky beach.
Barely. The rest of the hikers have already set off; I’m one of the last few passengers to arrive. I hitch my backpack higher on my shoulder. “I’m here.”
“You will not regret it, I promise. Okay, everyone,” she calls out to all the guests. “Since the last two groups are so small, I am combining you. The ten of you will be hiking with naturalist and bird expert Juan Luis.”
I turn around to take stock of my fellow hikers, and my stomach drops like an anvil.
Graeme is standing off to the side, in the shade of a short, scrubby tree. When he spots me, the corners of his mouth twitch. Can’t I have even five minutes to myself on this cruise without him popping up?
Adjusting his cap, he sidles up to me. “What happened to going our separate ways? Let me guess, you can’t get enough of my sparkling personality.”
“I’m here against my will. Gustavo guilted me into it.”
“Yeah, poor you. Forced to hike in paradise.” He throws his arm out, gesturing at the scenery.
I have to admit, it is beautiful. A yellow-and-black lighthouse rises from the brush-covered lava rocks hugging the shore, framed by an impossibly blue sky. Farther down the beach, a mother sea lion nurses a squealing pup, and gulls circle overhead. It’s otherworldly. Pure wild.
“Okay, everyone, remember to stay together as a group, don’t wander from the path, and do your best to keep at least six feet away from all wildlife. Ready? Follow me.” Juan Luis marches down a rocky path that winds up and away from the beach. I hang back to let the others go first, including Graeme. The sun is strong, and I’m sweating even though our pace is slow to accommodate the older passengers.