Kerry put her glass down and crossed her ankles. “You really like milk?”

“I swear by the stuff,” Dar insisted, taking a swallow. “Mmm…” She licked her lips. “Mmmmiillllk.”

Kerry caught the playfulness in her voice and went along with it. “You must own a cow, then. Where do you keep her?”

Dar laughed and raised her glass, clinking it against Kerry’s. They both took a sip and their eyes met for a moment before Dar’s dropped to the travel documents she’d left lying on her thigh. “The Floridian, eh? Well, it’ll be a drive in the morning, but at least I know we’ll have hot water.” She reconciled herself to her fate. “And they have great banana-stuffed French toast for breakfast.”


166 Melissa Good Kerry leaned on her armrest and lifted a brow. “Banana-stuffed French toast?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Dar nodded, with a quirky grin.

“I love bananas.” Kerry covered her eyes. “I’m in trouble.”

Dar chuckled, and leaned back, sighing as she relaxed into the leather of the seat. Maybe it won’t be so bad. There‘s a little water park near the hotel. Maybe we can take an hour off between meetings and take a quick splash, it might be fun.

Yeah. Dar let her head rest against the soft surface. It will be fun, bid or no bid.

“THANK YOU.” KERRY smiled at the guide who had led them to their rooms as he bowed out and let the door close after him. She looked around curiously, giving the room an approving nod as she took in the light, airy décor and the crisply clean linen. The room had one large bed in it, a dresser flanked by a tall console that contained a television, and a small refrigerator.

One wall was glass, covered by drapes which were drawn halfway, exposing a view that sparkled with color. Kerry put her bag down on the bed and walked over, to draw back the fabric and peer out. “Ooo.”

A dark lake stretched in front of the hotel, the lights of the building winking fuzzily on its surface. Boats, likewise covered in lights, were crossing the small body of water, and across the way, the glowing, light bulb-chased pattern of Main Street. Beyond that the silvery spires of Cinderella’s castle reached skyward. Kerry pressed her nose against the glass, watching the cheerful sparkle of light. Across the water to the other side she could see a glimmer of torchlight on an island in the center of the water, and she could see other torches lining the far shore.

She was so busy looking, she didn’t hear the connecting door between her room and the next open, and was startled when a warm presence materialized at her back. Kerry looked up and saw pale blue eyes watching her in the reflection of the glass, and she smiled, meeting them. “Oh, hi. You spooked me.”

“Mmm.” Dar turned her gaze to the outside. “Well, well, the old castle’s looking pretty good.”

Kerry exhaled. “I have to plan a trip up here, it looks like so much fun.”

She paused. “Hey, we’ve got a couple of hours. You want to go over there?”

“Oh no.” Dar chuckled, shaking her head. “I’ve got reports to study.”

Oh well, good try. “I guess I should do that too.” Kerry smiled. “It’s probably crowded and noisy, and we’ve got an early start tomorrow, right?”

Dar nodded. “Exactly.”

Hmm, let’s just try one more tack. “Besides, you’re supposed to be taking it easy. Better if you just hang out here and relax,” Kerry told her innocently.

“You don’t want to overstrain yourself.”

A dark brow edged up. Kerry moved back into the room and opened her bag. “I’m going to call the valet for this suit. Want me to have them get yours, too?” Dar folded her arms and gazed out at the glowing spires. “You know, on second thought, it might be better to take a look around.”

Twinkling green eyes regarded her back. “No, it’s late, Dar, and you’ve Tropical Storm 167

had a really long day.”

The taller woman swung around and eyed her. “Late?” She snorted softly. “It’s barely prime time, Kerry. I think it would be a good idea to at least check the park out. But if you’re not up to it, you can stay here.”

Somehow, Kerry was able to keep a grin off her face. “No, I can manage…if you think it’s important.”

Dar gave her a nod and headed back towards her room. “I do. Besides, it’s nice weather out there for a change, might as well take advantage of it.”

She disappeared into her own room with a decisive closing of the door.

Kerry polished her nails on her shirt, then chuckled. “Watch out, Pluto, here I come.”

THE HOTEL CONCIERGE cheerfully provided two tickets, and they ambled through the lobby, passing throngs of people laughing and relaxing.

The lobby held several bars and casual restaurants, and Kerry suddenly remembered that she’d forgotten to eat dinner. Well, I’m sure there’ll at least be popcorn over there. She sighed and followed Dar’s tall form across the carpet, and up to the monorail station.

It was crowded with people heading to and from different parts of Disney World, and the murmur of voices rose to a din. “Whoa.” Kerry edged back against a low railing, peering down the track and looking for the train.

“It is crowded.” She glanced at the people around them, and sighed.

Dar glanced around from her more comfortable six-foot-plus height, then put a hand on Kerry’s shoulder as she stepped past the barrier and leaned close to the neatly dressed and smiling attendant. “Excuse me.”

The man turned. “Yes, ma’am?” His smile grew a bit wider as he looked at Dar. “What can I do for you?”

“Pilot car?” Dar returned the smile. “My friend here’s never been.”

The man stood on his tiptoes and peered past them. “Sure.” He stepped back and motioned them forward. “Always glad to help a first-timer.” He grinned at Kerry as they walked past into a small, enclosed area near the control booth. “There you go, ladies. Have a great time.”

Kerry looked around at their conspicuous isolation. “Dar?”

“Hmm?” The taller woman looked down, but was saved from further questioning by the arrival of the monorail. It hissed quietly into the station with an electronic whine and pulled to a stop with its nose about six feet from where they were standing.

The attendant popped open the driver’s door and motioned to them, and Dar put a hand on Kerry’s back, gently shoving her forward. “Go on.”

In mild disbelief, Kerry entered the pilot’s cabin and smiled at the young man seated there. The roughly triangular space had padded benches along the Plexiglas front nose, and she slipped into one as Dar relaxed on the other.

“Isn’t this different.” She peered ahead at the track.

“Hi, folks. Welcome to Monorail Purple,” the driver cheerfully greeted them. “Next stop is the Magic Kingdom.” He looked to one side as the door slammed shut, then he put the train in motion, pulling out from the hotel along the tracks. “You folks come far?”


168 Melissa Good Kerry watched the approaching lights in fascination. “No, we’re from Miami.”

“Oh, fellow Floridians. That’s great. My family is from West Palm Beach.

We just moved up here last year,” he chattered happily. “Isn’t the weather great? It’s perfect for walking around the parks.”

“You ever get tired of going around in circles all day?” Dar asked, her face half in shadow, and her arms crossed over her chest.

“Oh no.” The boy shook his head. “It’s different every day. Sometimes we go around one way, sometimes the other, and they also rotate us on the other line. If you’re qualified on the mono, you can get parking tram runs in the morning. They’re fun.”

Dar and Kerry exchanged glances. “So, it’s like a ranking, right?” Kerry asked, as the monorail started to slow, preparing to enter the station at the Magic Kingdom. “Are the monorail drivers on top?”

He giggled. “Oh no, that would be the lake pilots…who drive the launches.” He stopped the train and pressed a button, opening the door for them. “Wow, it’s been great talking to you. Hope you come back soon to Monorail Purple.”

Dar stood and gave him a brief grin. “Thanks, have a nice, um…” She rotated her finger in a circle. “…ride.”

Kerry slipped past her and ducked outside the door, waiting for her boss to follow her and catch up before she laughed softly. “Omigod, what do they put in the coffee here?”

“They’re all like that,” Dar assured her. “I think it’s corporate policy.

Though your notion of drugs in the water fountains has also occurred to me.”

She followed Kerry down the long sloping ramp, then through the electronic turnstiles which took their tickets and spat them back out.

“Souvenirs.” Kerry held hers up and tucked it in her pocket. She took a deep breath and started forward, under the train station and towards the glimmering lights of Main Street.

Her smile half hidden in the darkness, Dar entered the park behind her younger companion. In front of them was a town square, with the train station at the front, two large buildings on either side which had signs indicating they were the fire station and City Hall, and the long street of shops heading down on the far side. They crossed the cobblestones, and turned down the main street, and Dar took in a breath as the castle rose before them, brilliant with light. On either side of them, old-fashioned store facades heralded shops of all kinds, and Dar stopped short at one. “Hey.”

“Wh—” Kerry watched her duck into a doorway and she followed. She was struck in the face with a strong blast of air flavored with taffy and chocolate. “Oh boy.” She ducked around a scurrying attendant and spotted her boss, leaning against the glass partition and watching a machine pull long strings of fragrant taffy out, over and over again. A case of chocolates caught her eye, though, and she detoured, finding herself in front of a neatly stacked display of assorted squares. “Fudge.”