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Chapter 1
     
    Penny sat staring at her airline ticket, marveling at the thought that she would soon be boarding a flight to the Maldives. Who would have believed she would ever get an opportunity like this?
     
    It was the result of one miracle after another… getting the job at Exotic Destinations was a fluke. She had simply been fancifully staring at the travel agency window when a young girl flew out of the store in a tizzy, followed by a harried-looking older woman, who turned to Penny and asked, “Want a job?”
    Penny’s eyes lit up, “Yes! Absolutely! But I’m not sure I qualify to work in a travel agency.”
    “ Can you handle a computer? Can you answer a phone? Do you know how to read?”
    “ Well, yes!”
    “ Can you start now?”
    “ Yes! Yes, thank you!” she said, eagerly following her new boss back into the store.
    “ My name is Margaret Smith. What’s yours?”
    “ Penelope Martin,” she replied.
    As she filled out her employment forms, her boss explained why the job had come up so suddenly.
    “ I just fired the girl you saw running out.”
    “ Why? May I ask what happened?”
    “ Let’s just say, it isn’t wise to get involved with your married customers! The reason I need a replacement so quickly is because I am leaving for the Maldives soon and I need time to train someone.”
    “ How exciting! Is this for business or pleasure?”
    “ Both! It’s all expenses paid to a beautiful tropical island. What could be bad about that?”
    Penny shook her head as she remembered what happened next. She had only been working there for two weeks when Margaret fell off the curb, broke her hip and shattered her chance at the trip of a lifetime; only a few days before she was supposed to leave.
     
    It was a mad dash getting Penny prepared for the trip. She needed appropriate clothing for a Muslim city, her passport had to be rushed through, she needed a travel guide and dictionary to mitigate the language barrier, and she needed a clear understanding of what was expected of her.
    And here I am, one lucky Iowa farm girl!
    Just then, her flight was announced. She gathered her carry-ons and joined the boarding line.
     

Chapter 2
     
    The pilot’s announcement abruptly woke Penny from her nap.
     
    “ Ladies and gentlemen, we’ll be landing at Malé International Airport in fifteen minutes.” The plane swooped in low over the water and landed on a runway which spanned the entire length of the island.
    When Penny stepped off the plane, she couldn’t believe her eyes. This was the most beautiful place she’d ever seen, surrounded by azure seas and exotically dressed Muslims. She wasn’t sure what to do next until she spied the man holding the sign that read, Exotic Destinations .
    “ I think you’re here for me.”
    “ Are you Miss Martin?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ Then I’m here to walk you through customs and take you to the resort. We will travel by ferry so you can see our wonderful island.”
    The ferry’s seaworthiness was questionable but Penny was mesmerized by the coral reef which was teeming with sea life. Dolphins played in the bow’s waves while herons waded in the shallows and tropical fish of every color filled the reef around her.
    As she panned the beautiful scenery, something else caught her eye. “Look at that gorgeous yacht out there,” she exclaimed while pointing it out to her guide. “Do you know who owns it?”
     “ I don’t know, but I’ve seen it here before. Madam, we have arrived,” he informed her. The ferry pulled up to a dock which was literally right in front of the lobby of her resort.
    Penny didn’t know where to look first. The island was lush and tropical, with palm trees and flowers as far as the eye could see. Her escort gathered her belongings and led her to the check-in desk. She was amazed by the large, open-air lobby, with its wicker and rattan furnishings and paddle ceiling fans. The flower arrangements on the counter were magnificent.
    In fact,