Baked Alaska Read online

  But it was obvious to Sadie that school and the inevitable transition that followed wasn’t it. “Why wouldn’t he talk to me about that?”

  Breanna still wouldn’t meet her mother’s eyes. “Um, well, have you asked him what’s wrong?”

  “Of course I have. He’s assured me everything is fine, but he only calls me back about half the time these days. I can just feel this...vagueness from him.”

  “Maybe don’t worry about it, then,” Breanna said, attempting a smile as she finally made eye contact. “When he’s ready, he’ll tell you.”

  “So he is having trouble that he doesn’t want to talk to me about.”

  “Mom,” Bre said, but the roar of a lion cut her off. Breanna rummaged in her bag and pulled out her phone. She’d majored in zoology and currently worked as a docent at the London Zoo, so of course her text message tone was a lion’s roar. Because they were in port, there was still cell service, but once they headed out to sea, cell phones would only be useful to check the time and to take pictures.

  “They’re checked in,” she said while typing a response.

  “Shawn and Pete?” Sadie asked, sitting up straighter and instantly dropping her concerns in favor of an appropriate welcome for her two favorite men. “Where are they?”

  “Shawn says they just had their ‘Welcome Aboard’ photo taken.”

  “Together?” Sadie said, a tender lump in her throat at the thought of Pete and Shawn superimposed in front of their boat, the Celebration.

  Breanna smiled at her and sent the text message. “They’re on their way up. Shawn said to save him some bacon.”

  “Even if it’s undercooked?”

  When Pete found them, Sadie jumped up for a hello kiss and hug. It had only been a week since he’d dropped her off at the Denver airport so she could fly up to visit some friends in Portland before the cruise, but she’d missed him. Only when she pulled back from the embrace did she realize he was alone. “Where’s Shawn?”

  “He said he’d catch up. I think he saw someone he knew.”

  “Really?” Sadie asked with heavy skepticism in her voice as all her concerns came rushing back. What were the chances of him knowing someone other than Pete, Breanna, and herself on this cruise?

  “He told me to go ahead and he’d be right behind me.” They all looked behind Pete, but there was no 260-pound Polynesian man with an Afro bringing up the rear.

  “You go get yourself some food—avoid the bread pudding, though—and I’ll find my boy,” Sadie said to Pete. She hadn’t seen Shawn since Christmas—almost six months—which was far too long to go without one of his signature bear hugs. She knew she’d feel better once she saw him in person.

  “Okay. He was one level down, in front of the elevators when I last saw him. Hurry back.” He gave her a wink, and she felt all jiggly inside for a moment.

  Sadie made her way out of the dining room and down the set of stairs just outside the entrance to the buffet. Unlike deck twelve, deck eleven was primarily a cabin deck, though a sign indicated that the security office was forward on the starboard side and the bridge was forward on the port side of the ship. Although there were several people waiting for an elevator when Sadie arrived, Shawn was not one of them. If she didn’t find him soon, she’d call his phone, but she liked the idea of finding him on her own.

  She headed to the port side and glanced down the long narrow hallway lined with turquoise doors that led to the passenger cabins. There was a younger couple coming out of a room, but no Shawn. She crossed in front of the elevators to the starboard side, glanced right, and then left, relieved when a familiar set of shoulders and six inches of picked-out curls caught her eye. She smiled to herself and headed toward Shawn’s towering form when she realized he was talking to someone. And he didn’t look happy about it.

  Sadie slowed her steps and observed the scene with a little more interest. The woman Shawn was talking to was a light-skinned black woman with hundreds of long thin braids pulled back into a bulky ponytail. Some of the braids were dyed hot pink. She wore a black cotton sundress and was very engaged in whatever it was she was explaining to Shawn, who had his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.

  The woman was gesturing with her hands, but the expression on her face was somewhat pleading, as though she was trying to convince Shawn of something. As Sadie got closer, she realized the woman was older than Shawn. She was thickly built and at least six feet tall. The two of them completely blocked the hallway.

  Sadie stopped about twenty feet from them, not wanting to be rude and interrupt, but not inclined to back away either. Why was Shawn upset? Who was this woman?

  The woman said something, then leaned forward slightly, awaiting his answer. Shawn shook his head and began to speak, then saw Sadie out of the corner of his eye and pinched his lips together. She smiled, but he didn’t smile back and instead turned to the woman with some urgency. Sadie couldn’t hear what he said, but the woman looked at Sadie too. She didn’t smile either, and Sadie found herself taking a step backward. Were they angry with her? What for?

  Shawn said something else, and the woman nodded, turned away from Sadie, and proceeded down the hall. Shawn looked after the woman for a moment, then turned back to Sadie. It took him ten feet before he managed to put a fake smile on his face.

  “Who was that?” Sadie asked.

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “But it seemed like the two of you—”

  “Gosh, Mom,” Shawn snapped, “can you please just not worry about it?”

  Sadie lifted her eyebrows in surprise. Shawn never talked to her like that. At least not since he was twelve and she’d grounded him from his GameCube for sassing her.

  His expression softened and he took a breath. “Sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind right now. Where’s the buffet?”

  Sadie opened her mouth to ask what he had on his mind, but the way he was holding himself and shifting his weight from one foot to the other kept her quiet. She forced a smile of her own and tucked her wanting-to-know-everything instinct away while putting out her arms, her signal that she wanted a hug from her favorite boy. “It’s great to see you.”

  Shawn wrapped his strong arms around her back, but he didn’t squeeze her quite as tight or hold on for quite as long as she’d expected. “Good to see you too, Mom.” He pulled back and headed toward the elevators. “Is the food on deck twelve, then? I’m starving.”

  “Yeah,” Sadie said, following him down the hall. “One deck up.”

  Just before they left the hallway, Sadie looked over her shoulder. The woman Shawn had been talking to ducked out of sight around a corner.

  A heavy feeling settled into Sadie’s stomach as she and Shawn climbed the stairs leading to deck twelve. Over the last few years, Sadie had developed an extreme dislike for secrets. And now, it seemed, her son was keeping one from her.

  Kara’s Bread Pudding and Caramel Sauce

  Caramel Sauce

  1/3 cup white sugar

  1/3 cup brown sugar

  6 tablespoons butter

  2/3 cup corn syrup (maple syrup works well, too)

  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

  Bread Pudding

  1 1/2 cups sugar

  4 eggs, beaten

  1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

  1 1/2 cups milk

  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  1/2 cup butter, melted

  1 1/4 pounds white bread, cubed

  1/2 cup Caramel Sauce

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  To make sauce, combine sugars,butter, and syrup in a pot. Cook over medium heat until ingredients liquefy and sugar is dissolved. (Caution, this sauce gets very hot, so be careful. Also, this recipe does not thicken like traditional caramel; you should have a thin sauce.)

  Remove from heat and add the cream. Set aside.

  To make pudding, combine the sugar, eggs, cream, milk, cinnamon (if desired), vanil
la, and butter in a bowl or blender and mix together well. Put cubed bread in a very large mixing bowl. Pour milk mixture over the bread, folding ingredients together until bread has absorbed the liquid.

  Pour the mixture in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Pour ½ cup of the caramel sauce over the top of the bread mixture. Bake for 30 minutes; rotate pan and bake another 30 minutes until crust is golden brown and the center doesn’t jiggle when you shake the pan. (Depending on your oven, the bread density,and type of pan, it could take up to an additional 30 minutes to cook through the middle.)

  Serve bread pudding warm and top with leftover caramel sauce.

  Serves 12.

  Note: Any type of bread works for this recipe—hot dog buns, etc. Just go by weight.

  Chapter 2

  Sadie stood at the railing with Pete and her children at her side as the engines roared to life and confetti burst out of the chimneys at the top of the ship. She watched the Space Needle disappear behind them.

  “And we’re off,” Breanna said, her long hair dancing in the wind. Though Sadie had suggested the cruise, Breanna was the one who requested Alaska as their destination. She’d never seen whales in the wild. Seeing her daughter’s excitement validated Sadie’s decision to fulfill the request despite knowing she would miss the warmer climates of the Caribbean and Mexican cruises she’d been on before.

  Liam, Breanna’s fiancé, had been invited to attend, but since taking over the affairs of his family’s holdings in England, it was difficult for him to leave for long periods of time. He’d sent Sadie a very gracious thank-you card for the invite though. Sadie liked Liam quite a lot, but his responsibilities to his heritage—his father was an earl—had posed many challenges for the engaged couple. Despite the difficulties, Liam and Breanna were both working hard to make the compromises needed for a future together, and Sadie was proud of her daughter for finding a place of independence amid the obligations.

  After the pier faded into the horizon, the Hoffmillers and Pete returned for another round at the buffet. Or, rather, Shawn headed back for another round while the rest of them settled for something to nibble on. Breanna and Pete went with cookies while Sadie got another roll. The bread pudding might be subpar, but the rolls were excellent.

  Shawn’s lingering tension seemed to dissipate in direct correlation to how much food he ate, but the woman in the hall was never far from Sadie’s mind. Each time she considered bringing it up again, however, she remembered Shawn’s request to leave it alone and she recommitted to respect that . . . for now. Shawn had been through a lot the last couple of years, and she wanted this to be a true vacation for him, which meant not pushing him too much.

  The mandatory evacuation drill went well—the crew didn’t make the passengers put on the ugly orange life vests, which Sadie appreciated—and the first evening’s entertainment was a preview of the different shows that would be playing in the ship’s theater throughout the week. After the performance, Sadie and her family enjoyed a late dinner in the Tiara Room, one of the onboard restaurants, and Sadie was pleased to note that the food there was much better than at the buffet. Everyone got along well, and Sadie was relieved that Pete and her children seemed to be enjoying one another’s company.

  By ten o’clock, the sky was mostly dark—she wasn’t sure it ever got fully dark this far north this time of year—and their bellies were full as they headed to their cabins. Breanna and Sadie were sharing a room on deck eight, while Shawn and Pete each had their own cabins; Shawn on deck seven and Pete on deck ten. Sadie had expected all three rooms would be close to one another, but she must not have checked a box for that request when she submitted the reservation. Oh well, going up and down the stairs would be good for her glutes.

  Sadie had stuck to a pretty regular exercise routine since having stayed in New Mexico last fall. Pete’s cousin, Caro, had been her inspiration, and Sadie had maintained a better weight than she’d had in several years. She’d given up on ever having the word “slender” be an adjective anyone would use to describe her figure, but she could live with “curvy.” It beat “round” any day of the week.

  Breanna hadn’t quite recovered from her transatlantic flight yesterday, and though Sadie had encouraged her all evening to go to bed early, Breanna hadn’t wanted to miss anything.

  Once in the room, however, she wilted fast, which meant grilling her about Shawn wasn’t the best idea. Breanna managed to brush her teeth, send Liam a quick good night e-mail from her laptop—at approximately $1.25 per minute, Sadie didn’t imagine any of them would be spending much time online—and change into her kitten-print pajamas before falling into bed. Within a minute, she was out.

  Sadie changed into her own PJs—plaid, not kittens—and was considering checking on Shawn when she heard a tapping at her door. She peered through the peephole and smiled to see that her late-night visitor was Pete. She opened the door quietly and eased out of the room, keeping her hand on the doorknob so it wouldn’t lock behind her.

  “I tried to text you,” Pete said quietly, “but we must be out of cell range now that we’re in open water. Did you get settled in okay?”

  Sadie nodded. “Breanna’s already asleep.”

  “Good. Then she won’t know you snuck out. I want to see what the stars look like from the Pacific Ocean.”

  Sadie was sixteen all over again, although she’d never actually snuck out when she was sixteen. Still, she felt a little scandalous as she tiptoed back inside her room, put on her slippers, grabbed a jacket, and slid her room key into the pocket. Thank goodness she hadn’t taken off her makeup yet; hopefully that made up for the fact that she was in her pajamas.

  “Do you mind if I stop by Shawn’s cabin to say good night on our way?” Sadie asked after she’d closed the door and tested the handle to make sure it was locked.

  “Uh, sure,” Pete said.

  Sadie pretended not to notice that he wasn’t thrilled with the idea. On the way to Shawn’s room, Sadie explained that she was worried about him and wanted some reassurance that he was okay.

  “Why are you so worried about him?”

  “I’ll tell you later,” she said, dropping her voice since they’d reached Shawn’s cabin: room 749. She didn’t want him to overhear them talking about him. She tapped on his door and waited for him to answer. His stateroom was the same size as the one Breanna and Sadie were sharing, which meant he could get to the door in about five steps no matter where he might be inside. Sure enough, a few seconds later, he pulled open the door, completely filling the doorway. Sadie smiled and was relieved when he smiled back.

  “I just wanted to say good night before Pete and I go look at the stars,” Sadie said.

  She put out her arms for a hug, and he complied, holding her tighter than he had that afternoon, which went a long way toward easing her worries.

  “Good night, Mom,” he said when he let her go. He glanced at Pete and raised one eyebrow. “Don’t keep her out too late.”

  “Well, you know what they say—what happens on a cruise ship, stays on a cruise ship.”

  Shawn chuckled while Sadie shook her head and hoped her embarrassment didn’t show. The phone in Shawn’s cabin rang, and his expression instantly hardened as he glanced over his shoulder. “I better go,” he said, stepping back and closing the door halfway. “I’ll catch up with you for breakfast, okay?”

  “Okay, what... time?” But he’d shut the cabin door before she finished. She blinked at the door for a few moments, until Pete took her hand and pulled her toward the stairs.

  “Who would be calling him?” Sadie wondered. “It’s almost eleven o’clock.” But even as she asked it, she had a strong suspicion about the answer. There was only one other person on this boat whom he seemed to know besides his family—the woman with the braids.

  “Stand down, Mama Bear, we’ll see him in the morning.”

  Pete guided her down the hall, but Sadie kept looking over her shoulder at the closed door to Shawn’s room.

  Th
ey took the elevator up to deck twelve, then followed a short hallway to the automatic doors that led to the open portion of the deck that held the swimming pools, hot tubs, and outside grill—none of which she expected would get much use since the temperature wasn’t expected to go past the low sixties all week. This late at night, it had to be in the forties. Though June was technically summer in Colorado, it seemed to still be early spring in the Pacific Northwest.

  She was surprised to see a few of her fellow passengers braving the hot tubs, and she shivered at the thought of how cold they would be once they ran for their towels. She zipped her jacket up to her chin and pushed her hands into the fleece-lined pockets as she followed Pete up a set of stairs that led to the highest deck on the ship. Thirteen-forward, like its sister deck, thirteen-aft, were partial balconies, set up with a few tables and a dozen or so deck chairs. It was a perfect place to get away from the bustle of the ship, which was still going strong despite the late hour.

  Sadie and Pete had the deck to themselves, probably because it was also the coldest part of the ship with nothing to protect them from the bracing breeze coming off the ocean. Sadie had hoped to see the northern lights on this trip, but in her research prior to the cruise, she had learned they probably wouldn’t be far enough north to see them, especially this time of year. But she still hoped all the same.