Page 15 of Too Far To Sea
“We can’t have that. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but fire and cruises don’t mix well.”
When they arrived at her room, Miss Knight paused in the hallway outside her cabin door. “Thanks for tonight. It was really nice talking to you.”
“My pleasure.” McKay smiled. “Perhaps I’ll run into you again.”
“Please, not literally.”
“No. Not that. If you need more ice or assistance, just ring your cabin steward.”
“I will.”
They stood as if frozen, unable to avoid the awkward end. Then McKay cleared his throat. “Well, goodnight, Miss Knight. Sleep well.”
He walked on down the passageway, listening for the click of her door. He’d come too close to the line he’d set for himself with passenger relations tonight. He shouldn’t be interested in her. Alvaro needed to be content that she wasn’t here for anything other than the wedding, so he wouldn’t have another excuse to talk with her. Perhaps he could look her up when they were home. It was only a three-hour drive to Chicago, if traffic was good.
Dana shut her cabin door and leaned against it, her heart racing in a way that had nothing to do with navigating on crutches. She’d just flirted with a crew member. Worse, she’d enjoyed it. What was she thinking?
She wasn’t thinking; that was the problem. He’d remained mostly professional. Minus the whole walking her back to the room thing. Which she could chalk up to a liability thing especially after toppling over on deck. Her life couldn’t handle much more embarrassment. Falling all over a handsome man. At least her training kicked in and she’d changed her trajectory to the deck. The memory of his hands on her hips earlier today was enough. She didn’t need to end up in his arms again.
She placed her crutches on the floor under the bed. His excuse to walk her back was mostly legitimate. She should have waved him off when they reached her hall and avoided that awkward first date door moment. First date? She’d never told a first date so much about her life.
Jet lag. It had to be jet lag. Maybe the jokes about the Love boat. Flirting with—forget flirting—trusting. She’d gone straight to trusting him. It took her days, if not weeks, to trust her very well vetted coworkers. And she couldn’t remember telling any of them that much about her family. She’d spent hundreds of hours on duty with Chris, and he didn’t know half as much about her.
The bucket of ice sat in the bathroom sink. A good place in rough seas, she supposed. There was enough for 2 ice packs.
After changing and brushing her teeth, she made her way to the bed and settled in with her ice pack. She searched her reading app forPersuasion. After watching it the other night, she wanted to review the finer points. The words on her phonefaded as she replayed her conversation with Officer Worth. The way he half smiled when she teased him about following her.
Her phone buzzed, breaking her out of her dangerous thoughts.
Brit: How’s the cruise so far? Meet any handsome officers?
Dana groaned. Of course Brit would ask that. She typed back:
Dana: Getting ready to go to bed. Sheila caused drama on the plane. Did Simone tell you?
Brit: That’s not an answer to my second question.
Writing her answer, Dana remembered she hadn’t paid for ship Wi-Fi. She checked to make sure the Hastings app was off. She didn’t need Officer Worth banging on the door when she was in her comfy t-shirt featuring a hippo eating chocolate, and boy shorts.
Dana: We discussed that impossibility.
Brit: Rumor has it, the cruise ship called Hastings.
How did she know that? Of course Mr. Gossip himself. One of these days…
Dana: Doesn’t Javier have something better to do than gossip?
Brit: I think you are being too evasive.
Dana: Yes, I met and was questioned by an officer. They were worried I was a security risk.
Brit: My imaginary version is better.
It was tempting to ask what her friend imagined just so she could compare.
Dana: I’m here for Chey’s wedding. That’s all.
Brit: Was he cute?
