Chapter 2
JORDAN
The pull-out bed was stiff from disuse. In fact, it had never been used as far as Jordan could remember. She tugged at the mechanism, feeling the resistance of the hinges. She'd never had a reason to use it. The cabin was hers, and hers alone, and that was how she preferred it.
The bed finally released with a groan of metal, swinging down and locking into place. It wasn't large—a single, the kind of berth designed for occasional use—but it would do. Jordan tested the mattress with her palm. Firm. Clean. Dani would make her own bed.
Her cabin sat just aft of the bridge on the upper deck, a privilege of rank.
It was small by land standards—everything on a yacht was small by land standards—but spacious compared to the cramped quarters the rest of the crew shared below.
Her double berth was built into the starboard side, storage beneath.
A compact desk was bolted to the port bulkhead, and there was a narrow wardrobe and a chest of drawers.
She also had an en-suite with a shower, a basin with a decent-sized mirror, and a small cabinet for toiletries.
Jordan scanned the cabin, checking if everything was in order for Dani's arrival.
Of course it was in order. It was always in order.
And besides, Dani had been in this cabin hundreds of times.
She was the one who changed the sheets, restocked the towels, wiped down the surfaces. But Dani had never slept here.
Jordan opened the wardrobe to make some space, and pushed that thought aside along with her uniforms. She cleared a shelf for Dani's things.
Then, after a moment's hesitation, cleared another.
She didn't know how much Dani would bring.
She didn't know anything about how Dani lived, really—what she wore to sleep, whether she was tidy or messy in her personal life.
Four years of working together, and Jordan realized she knew almost nothing about Dani Ellis beyond the professional.
Her eyes fell on the small shelf above the desk, where two framed photographs sat propped against the bulkhead. Dani had seen them before, of course. Must have dusted them a hundred times.
But now Dani would be sleeping three feet away. Waking up here. And she might ask questions. Should she hide them? Jordan decided to leave the photographs where they were. Moving them now would only draw attention.
A knock at the door.
"Come in."
Dani stepped through the doorway, a duffel bag over one shoulder and a smaller toiletry case in her hand. "Hey. Am I interrupting?"
"No, of course not. This is your cabin too, now." Jordan gestured toward the wardrobe. "I asked Zoe to take over at the helm so I could clear out some space for you. Half the hanging area and two shelves. I wasn't sure how much you'd need."
"That's—thank you. That's more than enough." Dani hovered near the door, duffel bag still on her shoulder. "I don't have much."
"Right."
They stood there for a moment, neither quite sure what to do next.
Dani glanced at the pull-out bed, then back at Jordan. "Must be strange for you. Having someone in your space."
"It's been a while," Jordan said. "Not since the Navy." She gestured toward the bed. "I've pulled it out for you, but I wasn't sure where to find sheets—"
"Don't worry about it." Dani unzipped her bag. "That's my job."
Another beat of silence. Dani looked up, and for a moment their eyes met. Then Dani turned back to her bag.
Jordan watched her unpack, feeling weird, which was ridiculous. Out of everyone on the crew, Dani was the one she was most comfortable with. Jordan trusted her, relied on her to run the charter.
But over the years there had been moments. Small ones, easy to dismiss. A look that lingered a beat too long. A smile that sometimes bordered on flirtatious. Jordan had filed them away, told herself she was imagining things.
"I won't be long," Dani said. "I need to get back to the guests so I'll ask Netty to put on the sheets later. I just wanted to unpack now, so I don't wake you up when I go to bed tonight."
"I usually don't turn in until late anyway." Jordan leaned against the desk, trying to look more relaxed than she felt. "Is there anything I should know? I usually read in bed but if the light bothers you, I can use a book light. And I'm up early. I'll try to be quiet, but—"
"Jordan." Dani looked up from her bag, a hint of a smile on her face. "It's fine. I'm easy. I can sleep through anything—Lindsay snores like a diesel engine."
"Right."
"And I only need five minutes in the bathroom in the morning, so I won't be hogging the shower," Dani added, tucking a stack of clothes onto the shelf Jordan had cleared. "Honestly, you'll barely know I'm here."
Jordan doubted that very much. "Okay," she said. "Same here." She pushed off from the desk. "Well, I guess I'll see you later. I'll go check on Zoe."
She stepped into the corridor and pulled the door shut behind her, then stood there for a beat, hand still on the handle.
Five minutes. She'd lasted five minutes before inventing an excuse to leave her own cabin. Composure had always been her strongest suit but she had a feeling it was about to be tested.