Page 42 of The Butler

“I’m sorry Troy left, Linc, but you’re better off without him,” he said, doing his best tosortof be sympathetic.

“This is not about Troy or fucking backstabber Brock Mann! I am an asshole to people, so no fucking wonder I can’t find love,” I raged, slapping at the armrest. “I haven’t had an honest feeling in my life regarding love and something has to give.”

“Okay, okay,” he acquiesced. “Can you tell me what the hell went on the last two weeks onboard Action?”

“He happened. Him!” I yelled toward the ceiling. “That’s what happened, and I fucked it up like I always do, Bob. That is exactly what I always do.”

“Deklyn Dalton?” he asked. “Two weeks and you’re acting like this?”

I shut up because there was no way to explain how I felt about Dek. He was different and smart. He had a backbone and wasn’t afraid to challenge me in thoughtful ways. No man had ever attempted or came anywhere near accomplishing that feat.

“He was different, Bob. Don’t ask me how I know, but I just do.”

“Then turn this damn helicopter around and let’s go back and tell him,” he advised. “Why not? What do you have to lose?”

WhatdidI have to lose? Bob was right. I could turn back and admit how I felt. I’d done harder things in my life than eat a little crow. “I can’t,” I croaked. “I’m afraid of who he is, Bob.”

Bob watched as the dam finally burst and flooded my face, and then he did something he hadn’t done since we’d split as a couple a decade before. He held my hand.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: Deklyn

The noise from a vacuum running in the hall woke me from a fitful night of sleep. I wondered if housekeeping had been in Linc’s cabin after he left. Normally it would have been my job to clean it and secure any valuables that remained while he was off the boat. While working for Linc, I’d learned that there was a safe located behind one of the paintings on the wall, and remembered that it was my job to inventory the contents and log them onto a clipboard kept inside. My initials and date were required anytime an item was removed. I hadn’t done the task since he’d left and wondered if I needed to.

It was a very Hollywood movielike discovery. Linc kept expensive watches such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, as well as cash and any credit cards that had high credit limits locked up. I’d seen my first Amex Black Card when I was setting out his favorite Submariner Rolex watch with the navy-blue face. The look on his face said it all when I asked about his credit limit. Apparently billionaires didn’t receive silly things like credit limits. I was shocked he carried a black card considering his penchant for royal blue. Everything about his yacht, from uniforms to interior décor, featured royal blue as an accent color. Even the entire bottom half of Action was royal blue from bow to stern.

After his sudden departure, all of his guests were shuttled via helicopter to Cabo. The boat was a hundred miles from port, but they were free to take advantage of the quick access to shore and the nearest airport if they didn’t want to wait. Several crew members were relieved of duty from the sailing, and they were met by boats that were sent to the yacht from shore. Many of them already had jobs set up for other yachts that were sailing along the west coast of Mexico for the season.

The captain of Action was being sent to the Mediterranean ahead of Linc’s arrival in Italy. It had been decided that since he had seniority and a preference for Europe, he would captain Linc’s other yacht that was based there. It was named Hyannis after his mother. First OfficerHeaven-Sentwould be staying on as the new captain of Action.

Jake had asked me to stay on board with a skeleton crew of deckhands and Starr to make sure that once we were at dock in Cabo, we could assist him in preparing the yacht for several corporate sailings that were coming up for executives of the company. I had nowhere to go so I agreed to help and certainly appreciated the extended ability to work and save money.

After a day or so, the ridiculous tip Linc gave me was returned from my bank account to the company. My standard butler pay of three grand per week was paid, but my new role would only be paying twelve hundred per week and no tips, but it was still a job. I wired my back rent to the landlord and was finally back on schedule with my shitty studio apartment. The experience of working with computers again while on board had convinced me to submit my curriculum vitae and resume to several tech companies as well. I quickly found out how a Stanford degree in technology sciences easily opened doors. There were several invites for interviews for me to consider once as I was onshore permanently.

* * *

Linc had been off the yacht for four days. That would have been the end of our agreement at that point anyway, so at least I had a head start on getting over him. I knew it was never supposed to be anything but sex, but my heart had still betrayed me. Since he’d left, most of my days were spent focusing on the work of preparing the large boat for her next journey. All spoil-sensitive food was donated to a local charity. Dry provisions were ordered ahead of time and stocked since they could be held for months at a time. I marveled at how efficient Starr was at running such a large enterprise. I joined her in the galley as she helped the chef pack up equipment and valuables. She seemed delighted with the additional help.

“A deckhand helping in the galley?” Chef Piotr asked. “This cruise has been a world of surprises.”

“Easy, Chef. Dek is good people and he’s here to help,” Starr stated. Piotr winked at me and decided to agree with Starr and welcome the help.

“Can you do the freezer, Dek?” she asked. “Just make sure all the frozen food hasn’t gone past their best by dates and mop up any liquids you see.”

Normally I would have put up a fight and bitched about the shit job, but I lacked the will to argue. Besides, I craved the solitude of being in my mind as I wondered what Linc might be doing. Where was he? Did he ever think about me? All the usual questions a broken heart inquires about. I grabbed a hoodie and stepped into the massive freezer. The freezer was next door to a refrigerated space that had clear, heavy, plastic flaps as doors. I bet it was warmer than this icebox. The walk-in was the size of an average bedroom with a thick white door that I left open. Walk-in freezers and being trapped in one were two of my biggest fears. Maybe I’d seen too many creepy movies, but they scared the shit out of me.

“Hey, handsome.”

I jumped out of my skin at the surprise voice.

“Oops, did I frighten you?” Jake, the hotnewcaptain, asked.

“Yes!” I exclaimed, shivering even though I had on a hoodie.

“Perhaps shorts weren’t a good idea, Dek.” He walked over to where I was and removed a box out of my hand that I was checking expiration dates on. “Come here, cutie.” He wrapped his massive arms around me and held me tight. He felt good and smelled even better. “Go out with me tonight,” he said as more of a demand than an invite.

My teeth were chattering but him holding me close helped on so many levels.You need to move forward, Dek. What would it hurt to start tonight?“Yes. I can do that!” My answer surprised me. It surprised Jake even more.

“Yeah?” he asked.

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