14. Brig
Chapter 14
Brig
Easton
T he yelling is loud enough I can hear it from three boats away. My run has been cut short by the heat and the thought of food. Food never means much to me while I’m in training mode. It’s fuel and nothing more than that. But I had a burger the chef made at lunch, and shit if I don’t want another one. Or twelve.
“How do I know Brianna Snodgrass?” That’s a question I don’t want to answer. She’s Candy’s niece, and three years ago, I thought she was a sweet girl who might help me decompress after training. It was during a weekend meet, and she had been laughing, her eyes sparkling with mischief. It’s not mischief; it’s full-on crazy. Did I ever intend on her being a girlfriend? No, I thought it was clear. But I thought wrong. Dad told me she was going to be on the yacht, and I said I’d have to pass, that I wouldn’t come if she was a guest. So Candy found a workaround.
“We dated once or twice,” is what I say to keep things simple.
“Man, do you always like them crazy?” Shayla’s eyebrows shoot up, and I have to wonder if she is dissing me or propositioning me.
“Shayla,” Calvin growls at her.
She shrugs and sits on the arm of the sofa. Her casual demeanor is a stark contrast to the tension in the room.
“Why? What happened?” I have a feeling that I’m going to regret asking the question.
“What happened?” Shayla holds out her hair, waving it at me. “The bitch got chop-happy with some shears.”
“Shayla,” Calvin repeats himself. I suppose the crew isn’t supposed to air their dirty laundry, but after helping for the day, I don’t feel like the owner’s son now. I feel more like one of them, part of the team. It’s refreshing. And I like it. Swimming is an individual sport―that’s how I received most of my medals―but I’m most proud of the ones I got from the relays.
“Oh, she’s crazy,” I agree. “And I’m afraid I’m the reason she’s part of your crew.” The two of them snap their attention to me. “She’s Candy’s niece, and Candy hasn’t given up on the idea of her being part of the Rockwell family too.”
“Is that why she’s been hiding?” Calvin turns to Shayla, and her eyebrows shoot up.
“I have no idea. Crazy does what crazy wants. You saved yourself a doozy by not letting her blonde ass hypnotize you.”
“I’m more of a light-brown-brunette kind of guy.” I smile. “I’m sorry she’s caused you any stress. Is the captain on the bridge with her now?” I point toward the bridge.
“Yeah.” Shayla rolls her eyes. She leans back, and the resentment on her face is clear. I don’t blame her. I’m taking long steps to the bridge. I’ve got to come clean to the captain.
The door is closed, and they ignore my knock. I knock again. “Captain, this is Easton. I have some information about Brianna.”
Through the door I can hear her say, “Don’t open it up.”
“Come in,” the captain calls.
Brianna’s cowering next to Haley.
“Hey Captain. I see you’ve met Candy’s niece. Just for the record, I told my dad that Miss Snodgrass wasn’t permitted on the yacht as a guest.”
“I see. And why is that?”
“Because I have a restraining order against her. But I didn’t tell my dad that―I thought to save the woman some dignity.”
“This isn’t America.” Brianna ducks her head out from behind the beautiful stew. “Your order is no good here.”
“No, no, it’s not. But what you did to Shayla in any country is going to be considered an assault.” The captain stands and paces in front of Haley and Brianna.
“She was so loud, and her braid was flapping over the edge of the bed.” Brianna’s eyes widen.
“You cut her hair off because she was loud and her hair was dangling off her bed?” I ask, turning to the captain.
He gives me a nod. “Indeed.”
“Well, whatever you and Shayla decide has to happen to her, I want her off this boat. No way in hell are we leaving the dock with her on board.” I put my hands behind my back.
The captain’s face is stone. “Agreed.”
“But Easter Bunny, don’t you remember how much fun we had together?” Brianna grabs at my arm.
I hear a snicker behind me. The first officer. But the captain holds it together and clears his throat.
“You’re delusional, Brianna. I’ve made myself clear. You’re off the boat whether it’s the police taking you or a derelict cab. I never want to see you again. I don’t know how much clearer I can be. Do you understand?” She nods, tears streaming down her face. I don’t feel sorry for her, not now, not ever. “The money for your therapy is still in the account. Use it. Get some help, Brianna.” It pisses me off that the captain and Haley had to put up with Brianna because of me. Not to mention what she did to Shayla.
“Anything else you need from me?” I ask.
“No. Thank you for the clarification.” The captain glares at Brianna.
“Watch her,” I say to the two crewmen left on the bridge. I give a cock of my head at the first officer because Brianna’s not stable. She’s likely to bolt. The captain walks me to the door, and we step out into the hallway. Shayla and Calvin are still there.
“Depending on what Shayla decides, would you be willing to talk to local law enforcement?” the captain asks.
“For sure.” I glance over at Shayla.
“I don’t want her in jail. I just want her gone.” Shayla crosses her arms over her chest.
“You’re sure?” the captain asks.
“We do not have time to deal with a crazy person like her. We have a boat to clean. If I go talk to the cops? No. She cut my hair. She’s wackier than a clown at an adult birthday party. And I want nothing more to do with her. I wanted her gone before she went all nutso. Let’s cut our losses and move on. That’s what I say.” Shayla looks the captain up and down and nods at Calvin and me.
“All right, then, it’s done. I’ll give her thirty minutes to clear her stuff out. I need to order her plane ticket.” The captain disappears into the bridge. Calvin wanders off too.
Shayla turns to me, a calm mask slipping into place. “What time would you like dinner?”
“You don’t have to serve me. I’ll go check out what the chef is doing in the kitchen in a little while.”
“Okay. Can I make you a cocktail?”
“Thanks, but I’m fine.” It’s horrible―I know I said for them to not fuss over me today, but I was kind of hoping it would be Haley to ask me these same questions. I could tactfully say no, and she’d see what a down-to-earth guy I am. Instead, she saw that I once had horrible taste in women. And I led her to them, causing a whole layer of hell. “I have some work to do. I’ll come out later and go talk to the chef.”
Back in my cabin, it’s really not too bad. I’ve taken away six different horse accessories and put them in the closet. And now it’s nice. I pull out my computer. My inbox is bursting. I’m a long way from taking over from my dad. But while my dad has horrible taste in second and third wives, his associates and board members are top-notch. The team isn’t changing, and as far as we can tell, there isn’t anyone remotely unhappy with Dad passing the baton to me. And I’m not happy about digging into a hundred-page report from a factory in Burma. But I do.
I’ve made a good dent in what needs to be done and skipped most of the busy work, when there’s a knock at my door.
“Come in.” I don’t look until I’ve finished the last few words on the email I was working on. Mostly because I figure whoever is at the door is going to have a hard time opening it like I do each time I leave the room.
I’m a little shocked to see that Haley is standing there when I look up, her hands behind her back, her eyes flitting about the room. “I’m sorry to bother you,” she says.
“No bother at all. Sit down.” Shit, I just told the chief stew to sit.
“I’m good, but thanks. Shayla said you were going to go down and talk to the chef. I’d be happy to do that for you.”
“It’s no big deal. I know you’re busy.” I shut my computer. I want her to know I can focus on her.
She tucks a hunk of golden-brown hair behind her ear. “It’s no problem at all. With your help clearing out the boxes and getting them donated, plus getting us another day, we’re ready for the rest of your family to join you.”
“No one is ever ready for Candy.” And I’m hoping that she doesn’t become family. But I don’t say that out loud.
Haley laughs. “I’m sure she’s a lovely lady who just likes horses and to shop. Speaking of which, what happened to your room decor?”
“It’s in the closet.” I point to the enormous wardrobe by the bathroom.
“Not a fan of horses?” She opens it and eyes the pieces. I wrapped them in a towel I stole from my sister’s bathroom. But I’m not going to tell Haley that. Which I suppose is kind of a dick move, because Emily will have to ask Haley for more towels. But my sister would never yell at anyone for anything. She’s not a fan of a private yacht. But she’s not going to not come, because she is a big fan of water and of family. She loves my dad, and I suppose she loves me too.
“Horses are wonderful.” I flick my eyes to her and back to the closet.
“I see. But you’re not a fan of them in such high quantities?”
“I’m not a fan of them anywhere but in a barn or a pasture.”
“I like horses. But it’s a lot.” She smiles at me. “So, what would you like?”
I know she means for dinner, but my cock jumps because what I want is her on the bed with her screaming out my name. “I’d like to go talk to the chef.”
“Okay, I’ll take you to the galley.” She smiles at me, and I pull my stateroom door shut and follow her down the stairs. She smells of coconut and sunshine.
“I like your perfume.”
She laughs. “I don’t wear perfume. Maybe it’s my shampoo or cleaning solution. The mop bucket smells pretty good.”
“Whatever it is, it smells great. It’s definitely not from the mop bucket.” I need to back up―the last thing I need to do is hit on Haley.
“What did the diva say he wants? Raw chicken and overcooked broccoli?” A pot slams on the stove.
“Dante,” Haley calls out to him. He’s wearing earphones, and he’s got his back to us.
“I don’t care what his preference sheet says. I’m going to cook him real food. What a prick.” He throws his hands up in the air. “A little pork chop or some salmon. Avocados are healthy. But this is ridiculous.” He waves a paper in the air.
“Dante!” she calls out and thuds her hand on the counter. The vibration makes the chef turn around. He pulls his headphones off, and death metal blares out of them.