Bakers on Board Read Online Free PDF Page A

sure everything his marketing team had ordered was being loaded aboard the ship.
    â€œWhat about the balloons? The giant Ralph Warren logo banner? The confetti cannon?” he asked his assistant, Mitchell.
    â€œYes, sir, all accounted for,” Mitchell answered. “And just in time. He’s here! He’s here!”
    Ralph Warren, the famous fashion designer, pulled up to the ship’s terminal in a long, black stretch limo. He was dressed impeccably in a navy suit and a red, white, and blue tie with tiny anchors on it.
    â€œLeo!” he said, shaking Jenna’s dad’s hand warmly. “I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to this collection launch—especially the runway show at sea.”
    â€œYou are? I mean, you are!” Leo replied nervously. “We all are. It’s going to be amazing.”
    â€œWe hope,” Mitchell muttered under his breath.
    â€œI’ll see you onboard then,” Mr. Warren replied. “Anchors aweigh!”
    Leo mopped his brow with a handkerchief and began checking and double-checking his clipboard for the third or fourth time.
    â€œDad looks a little frazzled,” Maggie said.
    â€œIt didn’t help that half our family is home sick with chicken pox,” Jenna said. “He felt terrible leaving Mami. And she was so disappointed.”
    Marisol overheard their conversation and gulped. She, too, was worried about disappointing Mami. What if she told her mother she didn’t want to be a doctor and Mami burst into tears? Or worse, what if she decided to be a photography major—and Mami grounded her for life? What then?
    â€œNext!” a cruise agent bellowed, waving his hand in Marisol’s face. “Unless you want the ship to set sail without you, young lady?”
    â€œI’m sorry,” she said, handing him her passport and ticket. “I was just daydreaming.”
    Jenna tapped her on the shoulder. “You should take lots of pictures on the cruise,” she whispered. “You know, in case you need some to send with your scholarship application to film school.”
    â€œI haven’t decided if I’m applying,” Marisol said, looking around to make sure Leo wasn’t in earshot. “I told you to keep it a secret, so don’t blab.”
    â€œBlab what?” Delaney poked her head in between them. “What’s all the whispering about? Did I miss something?”
    â€œNada,” Jenna said. “Marisol was just wondering if they have a chocoholic buffet at midnight tonight.”
    Delaney’s eyes grew wide. “Chocoholic buffet?” she gasped. “Now those are two words I love to hear.”
    The girls all got their cabin assignments and waited for Leo to board the gangway with them.
    â€œDaddy”—Maggie waved at him—“are you coming?”
    Leo was shouting loudly into his phone. “Isn’t there anything you can do? Hire a private jet or something? Mr. Warren just boarded the ship. What am I supposed to tell him?”
    â€œUh-oh,” Maggie said, watching her father’s face turn bright red. “Something’s wrong.”
    â€œQué pasa, Leo?” Jenna asked him gently.
    He waved her off and continued yelling into the phone. “What am I supposed to do? Who is going to photograph the collection? You’ve left me in a terrible bind!”
    When he had finished with his conversation, he turned to his family and friends. “Major problema . Patrick De Olivier, the famous photographer I hired to shoot the new collection, missed his flight this morning from Paris. Now he’ll never make it here before we sail.”
    â€œI’m sure you can find someone else to take pictures,” Kylie said, trying to cheer him up. “I mean, there must be a gazillion photographers who could do it.”
    â€œOn this short notice? When we’re sailing in less than three hours? I doubt it.”