Chapter 5
DANI
"Morning." The galley smelled like bacon and coffee. Dani headed for the coffee pot and three heads turned toward her.
Rei was perched on the edge of the crew table in sweats, mug of coffee cradled in both hands, blue hair sticking up at odd angles. Zoe sat in the nook, already in uniform, and Lindsay was at the stove, flipping pancakes.
"Well, well," Rei said, drawing the words out slowly. "Look who decided to join us common folk for breakfast. How was your romantic night in the penthouse?"
Dani poured herself a coffee and sighed. Four years of this. You'd think they'd be bored of it by now.
"We weren't sure you'd come," Zoe added, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Thought maybe you two would want breakfast in bed."
"I'm not dignifying that with a reply," Dani mumbled.
This was exactly what she'd known would happen. The teasing, the insinuations, the endless commentary on a situation that was entirely practical and not at all romantic and absolutely did not make her heart beat faster when she thought about it.
"Leave her alone." Lindsay turned from the stove, carrying a plate loaded with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. She set it on the crew table and pointed her spatula at Rei and Zoe in turn. "Both of you. She had a late night."
"A late night?" Zoe's eyebrows shot up. "Do tell."
"I slept. Normally. In the pull-out bed." Dani sank onto the bench at the crew table and pulled the plate toward her. "Thank you, Lindsay. At least someone has some decency."
"I never said I had decency." Lindsay leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "I just think we should pace ourselves. It's only day two. We have four more nights and don't want to use up all our material at once."
"I hate all of you."
"You love us." Rei slid off the table and joined her on the bench. "Seriously, though. How was it? Awkward? Did she snore?"
"She doesn't snore."
"She doesn't snore," Zoe repeated. "Which means you were awake long enough to notice whether or not she snores."
"I was awake because it was a new environment. It takes time to adjust."
"Mmm-hmm."
"It does. Ask any sleep therapist."
"I don't know any sleep therapists, but I do know someone who's been crushing on the captain and just got handed the opportunity of a lifetime," Zoe said.
Dani shot her a glare, then focused on her breakfast. The bacon was crispy and the toast was buttered edge to edge. Small comforts in a morning that had already gone sideways before seven AM.
The truth was, last night had been absolutely fine and uneventful. She'd come out of the shower expecting to make awkward small talk, but Jordan had fallen asleep—or pretended to be asleep, Dani wasn't entirely sure. And she'd woken up alone, Jordan's bed made as if she'd never slept there at all.
"What does she sleep in?" Rei asked in a whisper. "I bet she sleeps in old t-shirts. Something faded and soft and—"
"I have no idea what she sleeps in. She was under the covers," Dani said. "And for the record," she continued, "nothing is going to happen between us. Ever. She's the captain. I'm the crew. That's it."
"Sure. You tell yourself that," Lindsay said. "Now, moving on to actual problems—Sarah informed me via Grace that she wants the kids to have pancakes but without gluten or dairy. None of this information was on the preference sheets."
"Can you use almond milk and almond flour?" Dani asked.
"I'm trying. Not quite there with the batter yet." Lindsay ran a spatula through a bowl of batter, raised it and let it drip. "And Olivia has decided she's vegan. As of this morning."
Rei snorted. "Didn't she have the lamb last night?"
"She did. Apparently that was her last meal as a carnivore.
" Lindsay shrugged. "I don't make the rules.
" She turned to Dani. "The kids are already up and Grace is getting the younger ones dressed.
She asked if they could have an early breakfast on the sundeck so they don't disturb the parents and grandparents. You okay with that?"
"Sure," Dani said. "I'll get ready in five and set up while Elsa and Netty have their breakfast."
Rei drained her coffee and stood. "I should clean up and do my rounds."
"And I'm going to stay here, have more coffee and taste test those non-dairy, non-gluten pancakes," Zoe quipped. "I'm feeling like something sweet." She turned to Dani. "So what's on the schedule today now that the itinerary has changed? I haven't had a chance to catch up with the captain yet."
"Swimming this morning while we're anchored," Dani said. "Then we sail to Norman's Cay. The family wants a late lunch on the beach there, so Elsa and I will go with them to set up and serve."
"All twelve of them?"
"All thirteen," Dani corrected her. She quickly made herself a bacon and scrambled egg sandwich to go and brought her plate to the sink. "Lindsay, can you have the picnic ready by two-thirty?"
"No problem." Lindsay poured a round of batter into a pan. "Assuming these pancakes don't kill me first."
"You'll figure it out." Dani plated breakfast for Jordan, filled two takeout cups with coffee, and headed for the stairs. "Oh, and tonight is Captain's dinner as planned. Netty can help you prep if you need an extra pair of hands. I know it's always a bit more work and she loves assisting you."