Page 18 of Too Far To Sea
Dana turned back to her plate. Just her luck. The guy was off limits. If he had been a regular passenger, she probably wouldn’t find him attractive. She repeated the lie to herself, hoping to believe it. Someone cleared her plate and replaced it with dessert. It looked too pretty to sink her fork into.
Next to her, Mrs. Jackson gasped. “Oh, I love this dessert so much. Too bad they only serve it in this restaurant.”
Mr. Jackson chuckled. “You wouldn’t like it half as much if it were on the buffet for everyone to get. Part of what makes it special is it is a rare commodity.”
“You can take the professor of economics out of the university, but you can’t take the economics out of the professor.” Mrs. Jackson covered her husband’s hand with her own.
Dana had the distinct impression this was not the first time the older woman had said this. Everyone else picked up their forks and most of them were enjoying the decadent treat.
“Is something wrong?” Officer Worth nodded to her dessert. “It is almost too pretty to ruin by eating.”
“You won’t think that after your first bite,” said Mrs. Murre. She closed her eyes as if she’d been transported to another level of consciousness.
Dana cut out a piece with her fork and added one of the fresh raspberries. The others were right. Words couldn’t describe the perfection of the chocolate and berry dessert.
“Told you it was good,” said Mrs. Jackson.
“Good is not an adequate word.” Dana savored a second bite. Across the room, Chey waved a subtle gesture as she and the others prepared to leave. Sheila glared. Dana closed her eyes. Her mother would not ruin this moment for her. Chocolate and a handsome man. Both would be gone soon, but for now, they were hers.
The passengers finished up their meals, and each was given a small blue folder with a ticket to the evening’s performance, a commemorative menu, and a photo with the captain, Dana’s photo spot was empty.
“Miss Knight. Do you mind if we take the photo here?” asked the captain.
“Of course not.”
Officer Worth helped Dana stand and helped her with her crutches so she could move to the head of the table. “Do you want me to hold your crutches, or do you want them to be part of the memory?”
“I think they should be part of it.”
The captain stood by her side as the ship’s photographer took the photo. “I think you should also have one with our security team.”
Officer Alvaro took a place on the other side of the captain, and Officer Worth stood beside her for the next photo.
“Thank you for joining us tonight.” The captain shook Dana’s hand.
Standing near where the captain had sat all evening Dana realized that the arrangement of the mirrors allowed the captain to see out into the small lobby by the hostess stand. She nodded to the mirrors. “Thank you for allowing me to join your group.”
“I should have known you’d find my secret. We are the fortunate ones this evening.” The captain smiled. “Now, if you will excuse me, I must get back to the bridge.”
Officer Alvaro nodded to her. “I also must go. Officer Worth will escort you to the theater or wherever you planned on going. We entered rougher waters during the meal, and I remember having to use crutches in my youth.”
“Thank you.”
Officer Worth touched her elbow to spot her as she descended the dais. “It may be easier to go around the far wall since the aisle is wider there.”
Dana moved her crutches, breaking the contact of his fingers with her elbow. The spot tingled all the way to the elevator.
What was Alvaro thinking? Escort a passenger? They rarely did that. Of course, he hadn’t told Alvaro that Dana offered a threat in a different direction than they originally thought. McKay cleared his throat. “To the theater?”
“Is the show any good?” Miss Knight’s black dress swirled above her knees.
He looked away while adding her legs to the list of things he shouldn’t notice. “Yes.”
The elevator arrived empty. A blessing or curse, given how conscious he was of their proximity.
“Why security?” he asked as the doors closed.
“My father is a police officer. I intended to follow him, but life took a turn.” She adjusted her grip on the crutches. “I could ask you the same thing.”
