Chapter 9
Another Chance Meeting – Jack
I can’t get that mystery girl out of my head as I look out at the water while rubbing at my lips and cursing myself for taking that stupid phone call from my assistant.
“Everything okay, boss?” Bryant asks from behind me.
His voice startles me a bit, but I play it off as best I can that it didn’t.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I finally respond.
“You sure?” We’re both sitting in the bridge, and he’s enjoying the treat I got for him. “You’ve been quiet ever since you got back from shore.”
I turn to face him and slide my hands into my front pockets. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” That wasn’t a lie, after all.
He looks at me out of the corner of his eyes. “Okay, if you say so.”
“I do.”
After wiping his face with a white linen napkin, he says, “The engineer said the boat is ready to head out tomorrow.”
“Good.” Now I’m bending the truth. Of course, I’m eager to get going… but I also kind of want to try running into Kayla, that pretty blonde-haired woman from before again.
There’s always time when you get back, I remind myself.
“But before we do, I’d like for you to meet our newest employees.”
Ugh. I resist rolling my eyes. I don’t typically care much for who is or who isn’t working on the yacht. All I care is that they keep their heads down, mouths shut, and that they do a good job. That’s why I leave all the hiring and firing to him.
“Fine.” Captain Bryant is a dear friend of mine, so I’m often doing little things I find annoying and incessant for him. When it comes to this, however, I reason that I probably should at least be aware of the people around me—especially when trapped out at sea.
Seconds later, his voice is booming on the loudspeaker.
“Apologies, folks. But before the recent hires climb into bed, please make your way into the bridge for an official meeting with Mr. Shelley.”
As we wait for their arrival, I’m trying my best to hype myself up. I may understand why I need to see their faces and interact with them, but that doesn’t mean I’m thrilled to do so either.
Pretend they’re all renowned authors. I’m always kissing those peoples’ asses because all I see is money over their heads.
My focus is interrupted when the phone starts ringing nearby.
“Yes, everyone. What do you mean?” Bryant asks after answering it.
Then, he slams it down and clicks his tongue.
“Who was that?”
“Denver. He asked me if every new person had to come.”
My eyebrows furrow. “Did he say why?”
“No. But then again, I didn’t really give him the chance to.”
“Huh.” That isn’t like him to try to bend the rules… especially not on behalf of someone else.
Finally, when everyone arrives, I take a deep breath before scanning down the line. There are the typical youngsters who likely only applied after watching that new stupid reality show and other more seasoned looking people as well.
I smile flatly. “It’s nice to meet you,” I mutter with my mouth closed as much as possible.
However, it isn’t long before I notice a head peeking from behind the last person. Bryant stops shy of her when telling me the names of each man or woman.
So, I walk closer. What are they hiding? I have no criteria for attractiveness among my staff—that would be gross.
“Um, hello?” I call out to whoever it is.
“Yes?” by the meek and high voice, I can tell it’s a girl.
“Would you mind stepping out?”
She seems to hesitate.
I chuckle. “We won’t hurt you; I promise.”
Then, as she steps into the light, my heart almost stops.
It’s her. It’s Kayla.
My first instinct is to turn away as my eyes dart from side to side.
“Sir?” Captain Bryant mutters after stepping over. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah, fine.”
“Listen, I know this isn’t your favorite thing in the world but—”
“I said it was fine.” I bite back a little harder than I intended.
“Okay.” He backs away with his hands up.
My mind is still spinning. Did she know who I was the whole time? Was it all a setup? With those possibilities, that innocent moment feels so dirty, and I want to confront her.
I turn once more and force the left side of my mouth to curl upward into a smile.
“That’ll be all then, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.”
I nod to Bryant.
“Have a good night’s rest, all of you. Tomorrow, we set off on our journey.”
I glance over at my sexy stranger again. She’s trying to keep her head down as she files out of the door with the others.
“Wait a minute.” My hand extends to stop her.
Her bright green eyes slowly raise to meet mine. “Yes, sir?”
The rest shuffle out, and I ask Bryant to excuse us for a second. In response, his nose crinkles up. “Jack?”
“We’ll just be a few moments,” I assured.
He shrugs and then exits himself.
Now that we’re alone, I feel that I can be candid.
I saunter over, push my shoulder up against hers, and I speak in a low, gravely tone. “What was your goal with all of this?”
She looks up. “My goal?”
“Yes. For tonight. You know that if my phone didn’t ring I would’ve—” I pause to make sure everyone else is gone. “I would’ve kissed you.”
Pushing hair behind her ear, she says, “I don’t know. It all just sort of happened .”
Her playing dumb is making me even angrier. “You just sort of happened to run into and share a romantic evening with me?”
She squints at me. “Yes. That’s exactly what happened. I told you, I went out with a friend, and he left to hook up, so I made my journey back to the boat.”
With a clenched jaw, I ask next, “Did you know who I was?”
Her striking eyes look down at her fiddling thumbs.
“Well?” I demand when she fails to say something.
“… I did.”
I feel my heartrate racing. “You knew I was your boss, but you said nothing?”
“I didn’t know what to say.”
Not good enough. “Let me see. Oh, I know. How about, ‘Hi there, Jack. It’s funny. I quite literally ran into you. You may not know me, but I’m Kayla. One of your new employees.”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I did tell you my name at least.”
I scoff. “I suppose you did. But there are probably thousands of Kaylas in Fort Lauderdale right now.”
She nods. “That’s probably true.”
“So, again I ask you, what was your plan? Did you just want a sexy little story to tell all your friends back home? Or maybe you wanted to blackmail me.”
“None of that was my intention!” Kayla yells back, her face turning red. But when she heard herself, she hung her head and spoke more quietly. “I wasn’t thinking at all.”
I cross my arms and widen my stance. “Be that as it may—at least we can say that nothing happened. Thank god.”
Instead of cursing the call that separated us, I’m now unbelievably thankful for it.
When her gaze meets mine again, she looks a little sad. Nevertheless, she rolls her lips in on themselves before saying, “Are you done then? Can I please go back to my room.” I feel so embarrassed.
I don’t say anything else, but I step out of her way. I don’t know if she means to, but her elbow smacks mine as she walks by.
Good riddance.
Thankful not to have scandal or potential PR concern, I pour myself a glass of whiskey, sit down, and look out at the rolling waves.
“What was that all about, Jack?” Bryant asks when he returns.
“Don’t worry about it,” I answer before taking another swig.
Then, he sits down beside me. “You looked pretty upset.”
My head snaps over at him. “Were you spying on me?”
His eyelids close for a second. “I wouldn’t call it spying. But I was just curious. After what happened—”
I sniff in and hold my breath. Don’t even say it.
“You know what I’m referring to.”
I won’t even justify it with a response.
“Anyway,” he momentarily dips his head, “I thought you wouldn’t want to be caught dead alone with another steward.”
After a sharp inhale, I explain, “I just know Kayla. That’s all.”
“Really? Well, I guess you are both from the Midwest.”
“She is?” We hadn’t discussed where we were from.
“If I remember correctly, she’s from Indiana. That’s next to Ohio, right?”
I shake my head. “Good ole’ New Yorker. You don’t know much about the states in the middle of the country.”
He raises his hands. “Guilty as charged.”
We both chuckle.
“But to answer your question, yes. Ohio and Indiana are right next to each other. What part of Indiana is she from? Do you remember?”
He looks up and taps his chin. “I think it started with an “a.” Akron?”
“No, that’s Ohio.” My mother, Marina, was from there. So, I assume that’s where he was getting that from.
“Hmm.” Then, after thinking a little more, he throws his pointer finger into the air. “Aurora. That’s it.”
Huh. I lift and tip the glass once more. Kayla from Aurora, Indiana. It certainly has a ring to it.