Page 10 of Too Far To Sea
“Yes.” Miss Knight adjusted her grip on her crutches. “Since it made you nervous, I’ll promise to not use the app on board again, but I can’t guarantee they won’t need to contact me.”
“Why would they contact you on vacation?”
“I have a very particular principal, and my substitutes have questions that aren’t easily answered from the files.” She took a hop back. “Well, I’d better get back to my room and ice this ankle.”
“Thank you for your time, Miss Knight. Again, I’m sorry I ran into you.”
“I can’t complain. I got fresh ice and didn’t have to go topside again.” With a practiced movement, Dana spun on her crutches toward her room.
McKay watched her, unable to look away. Either she was very good at pretending, or she was telling the truth. He would tell Alvaro about their conversation so Alvaro could decide if further action was necessary. Should Miss Knight be allowed to continue the cruise? He wouldn’t mind having another spirited exchange with her.
And therein lay the real problem with Miss Knight. He was already thinking about the next time he’d see her, when he should be focusing on security concerns. Five years he’d worked cruise ships without ever being tempted to cross the line with a passenger. What was it about Dana Knight that made him want to risk everything?
The ice bag softened as the cubes melted. Dana adjusted its position, noting her swelling seemed to be going down. Perhaps she should have worn compression socks on the plane, even if they did make her feel like an old lady.
Dana found her thoughts drifting to her encounter with Officer Worth. The way he’d caught her, his hands strong but gentle on her waist… just like that viscount… She shook herself mentally. She was here for Cheyanne’s wedding. Besides, cruise ship security officers probably helped dozens of passengers every day. She was just another passenger to him.
Wasn’t she? No. She was worse. She reminded him of Panama. Bad memories, that is why he sought her out. And hecouldn’t fraternize. Seriously she needed to find a new over-the-counter pain med. This one had the side effect of playing cupid.
Someone tapped on the door. One nice thing about the tiny room—Dana didn’t have to get up to reach the doorknob. She looked through the peephole relieved to see her sister.
Cheyanne breezed into Dana’s cramped stateroom, the air around her shimmering with excitement. She waved a piece of pink paper. “You left the pool before I shared this. I’ve got everything planned out for the entire trip!”
Dana took the paper and moved closer to the nightstand lamp to read it in the dim room. There had to be a light switch she hadn’t located yet.
“Wow,” Dana tried to match her sister’s energy. “This looks... fun.”
“Of course, it is!” Cheyanne sat on the end of the bed, her short pink sundress fluttering around her. “It’s my bachelorette cruise. We’re going to have the time of our lives.”
Dana smiled, genuinely happy to see her sister’s excitement. “Agreed.”
“You better take care of yourself too, okay? I want you to enjoy this trip just as much as I will, even if you have to miss some things. Like the hike on the cliffs. Chandler and his groomsmen requested that one. He says I can’t ignore him the entire time.” Cheyanne’s smile faltered slightly.
“Walking like a normal person down the aisle in front of you is my number one goal. Don’t feel bad if I skip some of the excursions or late-night activities and dancing.” Dana held up her phone. “I have a whole TBR selection of books. I won’t be bored. And I promise to stay out of Sheila’s way so she won’t take it out on you.”
“Speaking of Mom,” Cheyanne tugged at the hem of her dress, “I wanted to apologize for the way she acted on the plane.I can’t believe she moved you to this... tiny stateroom, without asking me.”
Not a surprise that Chey hadn’t known after all. Dana waved off her apology with a wry smile. “No need to apologize, Chey. It’s not like it was your fault. I’ve stayed in worse places.”
“I’m glad you had the miles to fly first class. I hope you got some sleep.”
A suspicion grew. Their mother’s dishonesty reached new depths. At the risk of offending her sister, Dana told the truth. “Actually, I donated most of my miles so Sheila could upgrade you to business. A friend upgraded me.”
“What? Chandler paid for my ticket.”
Dana pursed her lips, determined to hold in the scream boiling up.
Cheyanne paused her exploration of the room. “Mom’s been mean to you over the years. This stinks. I am so sorry.”
“I’ve said it before. It is what it is. You shouldn’t have to worry about her issues with me.”
“I can’t believe Mom moved you to this.” Cheyanne waved around the cramped room and leaned over a wall rack to turn on a light.
“Thanks for finding that light switch. This place was giving off a dungeon vibe.” Dana tried to lighten the mood. Her mind wandered to Officer Worth’s offer to help her get ice. He’d noticed her discomfort before she’d even mentioned it. Stop it, she told herself firmly. Don’t go there.
“Chandler’s cousin isn’t even a bridesmaid. He doesn’t even seem to like her. He barely speaks to her. Carlotta is nice and all but she doesn’t really belong. I guess that is why she is hanging out with Chandler and the guys, which is what probably annoys Chandler. Erin and Renee are upset about the change too. Especially since your injury is going to exclude you from so much. Amy-Kate and Lindie pointed out it is probably better foryou anyway since you don’t drink. Which is a stupid thing to get annoyed about. I rarely drink myself, I limit myself to a drink a day. I’m not even sure my mimosa was worth it. But still, we all agree this isn’t right.”
They were not wrong. “Look at the bright side. No one has to feel bad about having fun while I am sitting on the couch with a bag of ice.”
