Chapter 42 Daniel
Chapter 42
Daniel
It wasn’t even a day off. He was going to have to drive the tender after all. Daniel had never met anyone who could get under his skin quite like Chuck.
‘I’ll be ready to set off at nine then, sir, and be sure to have Carlos set us up with lunch to have on board.’ It was pointless to argue with the man.
Chuck grinned. ‘You don’t mind if I leave you to have breakfast together? I actually have to hop onto an important call.’ It wasn’t really a question; Chuck was already turning away by the time he got to the end of the sentence.
Daniel stole a glance in Ore’s direction. He was sure she was becoming more beautiful by the day. They sat opposite each other at the very end of a large rectangular glass table that could comfortably fit around twenty people, lord and lady of an empty manor. The rest of the deck was still cleared of its usual adornments, no loungers or drinks table. The huge gas barbecue and the bar were still bundled up in tarps to protect them from the storm.
An awkward silence settled between them, thankfully broken by the appearance of Nicole with two large plates heaped with steaming pancakes.
‘Morning, you two!’ Nicole chirped cheerily. Either she was totally oblivious to the discomfort that lingered in the air or she was compensating. Regardless, it was some welcome levity.
‘Hello, Nicole, how are you doing? What a crazy couple of days hey?’ Ore smiled as she chatted to Nicole, and Daniel wondered when exactly he’d turned into the sort of person who noticed how delightfully sunlight reflected off a woman’s face.
‘Literally insane, I mean I’ve only been doing this for a couple of years, but I’ve never seen a storm like that. I thought I might actually, like, die, you know?’ She shot an apologetic look at Daniel. ‘Not that I like doubted you or anything!’
Daniel waved away her apology. ‘Please, Nicole, don’t worry about it. It was a misjudgement on my part and I’m really very sorry you were scared. It shouldn’t have happened.’ Daniel hadn’t meant to bring the mood down, but his sincerity skewered the remaining joviality.
Nicole bowed her head. ‘I’ll get you some coffees,’ she said quietly before scuttling away.
‘Twenty-year-olds aren’t very good at earnestness, Daniel.’ Ore’s tone was lightly teasing, and Daniel felt awash with relief. Until that moment he hadn’t realised how much tension he’d been carrying. After their last encounter in the cinema room, he’d feared that she might hate him, or worse, totally lose interest in him.
‘Yes, it seems the misjudgement keeps on coming …’ He dared to look directly at her and her face took his breath away.
Her brow furrowed slightly. She was waiting for him to say more. When he just smiled and looked away, she leant in, pushing her plate to the side and placing her clasped hands in the middle of the table between them.
‘Daniel, look at me.’ Her voice was barely a whisper. Daniel felt the hairs on the back of his neck prick. She was close enough that her breath brushed his face. He did as he was told.
‘It is not your fault that we were in that storm.’ Daniel gave Ore a small smile. He knew she was trying to make him feel better, but she didn’t understand what it meant to captain a ship. It meant accountability, responsibility.
‘It’s my job to keep everyone safe, Ore.’ He was surprised to hear his voice crack.
Approaching footsteps. Ore leant back suddenly as Nicole served the coffee.
‘Thanks, Nicole,’ Daniel said in what he hoped was a cheery tone, but Nicole just nodded nervously as she turned to go.
‘I think I’ve spooked her.’ It was an offhand comment but when Ore giggled, Daniel grinned.
Ore started on her mountain of breakfast and Daniel followed suit, chewing in a now comfortable silence. When she was done, she pushed the plate away and took a sip of coffee. He watched her as she worked up the conviction to say something.
‘I was in my room last night, like, all last night.’ His chewing slowed as he absorbed what she was telling him. Eventually he swallowed and took a large gulp of water to buy himself just a few milliseconds’ more time.
As he put down the glass, he met Ore’s gaze. ‘And why didn’t you answer the door?’ He was stalling, trying to remember exactly what he’d said.
‘I was about to fall asleep, and I was worried about who it might be,’ Ore said matter-of-factly.
‘Who were you worried it might be?’ Daniel felt himself getting agitated; he hated the idea of Ore being scared.
‘Well, I had this weird thing happen in my room a couple of days ago. I thought someone had been in there and moved some of my things …’ She paused, wary. Daniel nodded almost imperceptibly: go on.
‘Well I thought for a crazy moment maybe Claude had been in there, like looking through my notes or something, but I’m definitely just being paranoid.’
Daniel’s expression must have changed as his blood boiled because Ore’s turned to concern.
‘I mean I am probably being paranoid, and my notes hadn’t been touched so …’ She reached out her hand again, this time laying it on his forearm. Almost instantly his rage dissipated, a calm radiating outwards from her touch.
‘Please, Ore, call me next time, if you’re worried about anything like that. I think it’s right to be a little wary of men like Claude, and Chuck for that matter …’ He took a deep breath. ‘I meant to tell you about my conversation with Chuck, before the storm …’ Daniel looked around. ‘But maybe not here.’
‘Now you’re paranoid. Shall we say, kit cupboard 6, after your afternoon shift?’ Her tone was nonchalant but Daniel thought he spied a mischievous glint in her eye. He told himself to stop imagining things.
Her hand was still resting on his arm and she suddenly pulled it away self-consciously. Daniel felt a little bereft as Ore continued: ‘It doesn’t really matter anyway. I’ve sent a draft to Henry already, the straight profile, and he’s said he wants more on the daddy-daughter angle, so the investigation is off …’
‘Oh right, I kinda thought that was just a ploy to get another interview with Chuck, but honestly I think it’s for the best. I think Chuck is more dangerous than he looks.’ Daniel was relieved.
Ore crossed her arms, and Daniel got the sense that he’d annoyed her. ‘I mean, that’s usually the sign of a good story, Daniel, one that powerful people don’t want you to tell, but I guess you’re more in the habit of leaving closed doors as they are.’ Her comment stung and brought back into sharp focus the memory of the night before. The dream, the irresistible urge to go to Ore’s room, the mix of disappointment and relief when she didn’t answer, the soliloquising into the empty corridor.
He was embarrassed, ashamed of the truth in her words. ‘You’re right,’ he said quietly, defeated.
Ore sighed loudly and when he peeked over the table, she seemed agitated, rubbing her palms restlessly over her face and neck.
‘What’s wrong, Ore? I didn’t mean to minimise your work. For what it’s worth I think you were on to something; I just don’t want to see you get in trouble. We’re in the middle of international waters with a narcissist billionaire. It’s best not to rub him up the wrong way.’
Ore laughed at that, and once again it made Daniel smile.
‘So you’re more perceptive than you look, huh? I’m sorry for being snappy. That’s not how I wanted to talk about … that night … I guess I’m feeling a bit confused after … what happened the next morning.’