Chapter 6
6
The small lobby outside the ship’s exclusive upscale restaurant screamed ambiance. Dana joined her sister and the other bridesmaids in the corner of the waiting area. Like her, they’d all worn their little black dresses for dinner. The elevator opened and Chandler stepped off with the groomsmen. The other elevator opened, and the parents of the bride exited chatting. Cheyanne’s father approached the podium, and the group lined up behind him.
The hostess looked at her screen, then back at the group. “Sir, your reservation is for fourteen. There are fifteen here.”
Sheila looked behind her and counted. She stopped when her eyes met Dana’s. “I did not invite you to this event.”
Cheyanne’s mouth dropped. “What do you mean? Of course, Dana is invited. She is my sister and a bridesmaid.”
“But she isn’t in the room with you and we used your room dining credit for part of this meal.”
“She was in the room until you kicked her out.” Cheyanne’s voice rose.
Dana hopped a step forward and put her hand on her sister’s arm. “It’s okay. Obviously, a mistake was made. I’ll go eat elsewhere.”
“You shouldn’t have to. You are all dressed up after our spa day.” Cheyanne turned to the hostess. “Can you add an extra chair?”
“No, she can’t.” Sheila cut off the hostess’s response. “It would be an odd number.”
Chandler’s cousin Carlotta waved her hand. “I’m not really in the bridal party…”
“Nonsense, you’re Chandler’s family. You must stay.” Sheila narrowed her eyes at Dana as if daring her to point out that she was family, too.
Filet mignon, or whatever else was on the menu, wasn’t worth the fight and the bad feelings that would continue throughout the meal. “I really should go ice my ankle soon. I’ll just grab a quick bite at the buffet. Go, enjoy.”
Cheyanne pursed her lips and leaned closer to Dana’s ear. “You shouldn’t give in to her on this.”
“Sometimes it is better to retreat. It is only a dinner.” Dana watched Cheyanne and the rest of the group enter the restaurant in the reflection of the mirrored wall. She closed her eyes for a moment, willing the pain that had been her constant companion since she was five-years old to go away. She wasn’t that hungry anyway.
“Miss Knight?” An officer she’d noticed entering the restaurant earlier approached. “I’m Officer Alvaro, head of Security. I would like to extend my apologies for having Officer Worth investigate you.”
Dana managed a small smile. “No problem. Actually, it turned out quite helpful to discover I could order ice whenever I needed it.”
“I noticed a bit of commotion just now from my seat at the captain’s table, that left you without dinner.” Alvaro’s voice had a mild soothing accent to it. “The captain’s table is one guest short due to sea sickness. He asked me to issue an invitation for you to join us. Officer Worth, is also with us, so you will know another face.”
“After the trouble I’ve given you, I should say no.”
“I would consider it a crime for a beautiful woman dressed for a celebration to eat alone,” Chief Security Officer Alvaro coaxed.
Dana adjusted her crutches. “I wouldn’t want to commit a crime onboard. I already have security suspicious.”
Alvaro smiled broadly. “I would offer my arm but,” his words trailed off as he winked and tipped his head towards her crutches.
Dana followed him as he wound through the dining room, the faint strains of a live string quartet grew. Her crutches sank into the soft carpet as they wound their way around the tables to the largest table with a view of the sea. The captain and other male officers stood as she neared. Officer Worth came to the end of the dais and offered her a hand up and into the chair he’d pulled out. A bus boy took her crutches and laid them behind the platform, well out of the way.
Even Brit’s imagination couldn’t have put Dana dining at the captain’s table next to a handsome and single officer.
The captain retook his seat as did the others. “Miss Knight. Thank you for joining us on short notice. I’m afraid we’ve already made introductions and had appetizers in my cabin. If you could introduce yourself, we’ll go around again briefly.”
Dana hoped none of the stress from moments before showed on her face. Her brain was torn between acknowledging the honor of eating at the captain’s table and the mortification of being saved. She gave an introduction so generic it could have been printed on an off-brand cereal box. She struggled to remember the names as others gave hurried introductions. The couples closest to here were, the Jacksons from Toledo who were celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary, and the Murres, from Spain, who were celebrating their honeymoon.
A waiter handed her a menu.
Officer Worth leaned over. “The rest of us have chosen our courses. If you’ll point out your choices to the waitstaff, they’ll get your order prepared as well.”
Wishing she could ponder the items, Dana picked quickly, assuming everyone would have to wait on her before being served their first course. Her hand shook as she pointed out the items.
“Relax, other than this table, there are only three people paying attention to the fact you entered the room. And your sister looks quite pleased,” said Officer Worth in a low voice.
The other two had to be Sheila and Mitchell. Dana resisted the urge to look at their table.
Officer Worth asked both couples how they met. The Jacksons met at an Elvis concert. Mr. Jackson even did a reasonable impersonation of the famous singer. “Thank you, thank you very much.” The Murres stopped staring into each other’s eyes long enough to say they met on a dating app.
The first course was served, and Dana’s shoulders relaxed as the meal continued. The captain answered questions about the roughest seas he’d encountered and the friendly dolphin who seemed to always greet him at a port in Australia.
Mrs. Jackson leaned close. “So how did you meet the handsome security officer, shoplifting?”
“Nothing like that. There was a cell phone glitch when we were still in port that set off their security protocols. A one-in-a-million random event.”
“This cruise is not lucky for you?” asked the new bride in beautifully accented English. Dana couldn’t understand the woman’s grammar and if Mrs. Murre was saying she was lucky or unlucky.
“I can’t say unlucky. I may be on crutches, but I get to eat at the captain’s table.” Dana smiled.
“I’d say it is very lucky, since you also get to sit next to the most handsome man at the table.” Mrs. Jackson winked. “Next to my David, of course.”
Dana took a bite of food to avoid responding. This was not some 1980s television show. Officer Worth was not vacation romance material. Well, he was, but unlike the sitcom, he was off limits. And even if there was a small likelihood they could meet up after the cruise; well it was best to not think or act on any attraction she may or may not be feeling. “Yes. I have all the luck of the Irish with me on this cruise.”
Next to her, Officer Worth laughed. “I believe the cruise director made that the theme of the cruise.”
Mr. Murre nodded in the direction of Cheyanne’s table. “But your own group refused to let you in with their party. Not very lucky.”
Before Dana could think of a response, the captain answered from the end of the table. “Which makes ours the luckier table. And reminds me, I have reserved some VIP tickets for tonight’s show for the passengers in this group.”
The octogenarian sitting next to him clapped her hands and others followed. Dana had no idea what the show was, but she clapped too. The conversation turned to the show and the singer’s reputation.
Dana savored the Beef Wellington as she listened to the others talk.
“Enjoying dinner?” asked Officer Worth.
“It is divine. I can’t help but be happy that some poor person had sea sickness.”
“It happens. Have you had any trouble?”
Dana raised her hand to her neck, not quite touching the patch behind her ear. “Alan Hastings warned me about this and suggested I get the anti-nausea patches. I may be over medicating myself as I put one on before coming onboard. But, I decided I couldn’t take the risk.”
“I knew you were a wise woman.”
“Really? I thought I was a security risk.”
“A wise one.” His smile was like a warm hug. Seriously, did he flirt with every passenger like this? Dance right up to the no consorting rule and leave a trail of broken hearts?
Dana turned back to her plate. Just her luck. The guy was off limits. If he had been a regular passenger, she probably wouldn’t find him attractive. She repeated the lie to herself, hoping to believe it. Someone cleared her plate and replaced it with dessert. It looked too pretty to sink her fork into.
Next to her, Mrs. Jackson gasped. “Oh, I love this dessert so much. Too bad they only serve it in this restaurant.”
Mr. Jackson chuckled. “You wouldn’t like it half as much if it were on the buffet for everyone to get. Part of what makes it special is it is a rare commodity.”
“You can take the professor of economics out of the university, but you can’t take the economics out of the professor.” Mrs. Jackson covered her husband’s hand with her own.
Dana had the distinct impression this was not the first time the older woman had said this. Everyone else picked up their forks and most of them were enjoying the decadent treat.
“Is something wrong?” Officer Worth nodded to her dessert. “It is almost too pretty to ruin by eating.”
“You won’t think that after your first bite,” said Mrs. Murre. She closed her eyes as if she’d been transported to another level of consciousness.
Dana cut out a piece with her fork and added one of the fresh raspberries. The others were right. Words couldn’t describe the perfection of the chocolate and berry dessert.
“Told you it was good,” said Mrs. Jackson.
“Good is not an adequate word.” Dana savored a second bite. Across the room, Chey waved a subtle gesture as she and the others prepared to leave. Sheila glared. Dana closed her eyes. Her mother would not ruin this moment for her. Chocolate and a handsome man. Both would be gone soon, but for now, they were hers.
The passengers finished up their meals, and each was given a small blue folder with a ticket to the evening’s performance, a commemorative menu, and a photo with the captain, Dana’s photo spot was empty.
“Miss Knight. Do you mind if we take the photo here?” asked the captain.
“Of course not.”
Officer Worth helped Dana stand and helped her with her crutches so she could move to the head of the table. “Do you want me to hold your crutches, or do you want them to be part of the memory?”
“I think they should be part of it.”
The captain stood by her side as the ship’s photographer took the photo. “I think you should also have one with our security team.”
Officer Alvaro took a place on the other side of the captain, and Officer Worth stood beside her for the next photo.
“Thank you for joining us tonight.” The captain shook Dana’s hand.
Standing near where the captain had sat all evening Dana realized that the arrangement of the mirrors allowed the captain to see out into the small lobby by the hostess stand. She nodded to the mirrors. “Thank you for allowing me to join your group.”
“I should have known you’d find my secret. We are the fortunate ones this evening.” The captain smiled. “Now, if you will excuse me, I must get back to the bridge.”
Officer Alvaro nodded to her. “I also must go. Officer Worth will escort you to the theater or wherever you planned on going. We entered rougher waters during the meal, and I remember having to use crutches in my youth.”
“Thank you.”
Officer Worth touched her elbow to spot her as she descended the dais. “It may be easier to go around the far wall since the aisle is wider there.”
Dana moved her crutches, breaking the contact of his fingers with her elbow. The spot tingled all the way to the elevator.
What was Alvaro thinking? Escort a passenger? They rarely did that. Of course, he hadn’t told Alvaro that Dana offered a threat in a different direction than they originally thought. McKay cleared his throat. “To the theater?”
“Is the show any good?” Miss Knight’s black dress swirled above her knees.
He looked away while adding her legs to the list of things he shouldn’t notice. “Yes.”
The elevator arrived empty. A blessing or curse, given how conscious he was of their proximity.
“Why security?” he asked as the doors closed.
“My father is a police officer. I intended to follow him, but life took a turn.” She adjusted her grip on the crutches. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“I love the sea. After the Navy, security was a natural progression. Definitely not a boring desk job.”
“I’m sure you have some stories.”
“A few. Though probably nothing compared to whatever you’re not telling me about your work.”
“Officer Worth...”
“McKay, most people call me McKay. Or Mac.”
Her eyes softened. “McKay. Thank you for the escort.”
The elevator reached the deck where the theater was located. McKay walked her to the door of the theater closest to the VIP seating. “Enjoy the show, Miss Knight.”
“Dana,” she offered with a small smile. “Since we’re exchanging names.”
“Good evening, Dana.”
McKay walked around the deck before slipping into an employee corridor and back to the security office.
Alvaro was exiting as he arrived. “I’m up to the casino to deal with a problem. Did you get Miss Knight to the theater?”
“Yes. Why did you have me escort her? And don’t tell me about crutches. If we had to escort every person with a cane on board, we would never do another thing.”
His friend smiled. “Honestly? I was worried her family might be waiting to pounce on her and I don’t think she deserves it.”
“Oh, I thought—” McKay shook his head. There was no reason to disclose his feelings. “Never mind.”
Alvaro nodded and continued on his way. McKay shook his head again. What had he been thinking? There was no way the chief security officer would have tried to set him up with a passenger and break policies they were both paid to enforce.
McKay took the chair in the back of the room that oversaw all the other security personnel watching the monitors.
From his control chair, he checked the cameras the security crew had flagged for monitoring. A table in the casino, a table in the top side bar, a man and a woman in a secluded area of the ship. Only shadows moved on screen as there was a two-yard-long blind spot there. The largest one in the passenger areas. Few people knew where the blind spots were in the CCTV coverage, so any time people lingered in one, it was concerning.
McKay sent a message to the closest security member to take a walkthrough of the corridor in question. A moment later, a couple emerged from the shadows. McKay zoomed in on them. Wasn’t that Miss Knight’s future brother-in-law? The red head was not the bride-to-be.
The security crew messaged back that the area was clear and the couple had moved on. No evidence of assault. Which had been the original concern. Nothing illegal, not his problem.
Three hours later, alone in his cabin, the incident with the fiancé still bothered him. It wasn’t uncommon to see evidence of unfaithfulness onboard. Maybe it was the fact that the groom knew or guessed a spot where the CCTV coverage had a small break, or maybe it was his relationship with Dana.
The nightly call with Gracie and Jen interrupted his thoughts. Gracie showed him her countdown calendar for going to Robyn’s Place. She’d added a big red heart for next Wednesday.
“Do you know what this is?” Gracie pointed to the heart.
“No.”
“It’s the day you come home!”
On her calendar, it seemed so close. “Actually, that is the day the cruise ends. I have to go sign some papers and things. I’ll likely be home on Friday.”
“Do you know your flight yet?” asked Jen.
“I’m sure I have an email about it.” The cruise line would book his flight, so he had thought little of it.
Jen rolled her eyes. “I don’t get how you can be so responsible most of the time and other times not seem to care.”
“I do care. My flight isn’t one of those things I need to worry about today. Someone else is making the reservations. I’m having a harder time packing up all my stuff. I’m going to have an extra suitcase as it is.”
“Mom was talking about one of those rings you can get in Ireland again today. I assume you’ll have room for one?”
“Claddagh ring, right?”
Jen nodded.
“What are you bringing me, Uncle Mac?”
Jen turned to her daughter and frowned. “Gracie, that is rude. We don’t expect gifts from Mac just because he is coming home.”
“But he always brings me something.”
Mac laughed. “I may not bring you anything this time.”
“Please? Uncle Mac. I won’t ask.” Gracie cringed with an almost innocent smile.
“If I have room in my suitcase. Jen, do you have any requests?”
“The usual.” His sister was easy. She always wanted the local chocolate.
“Not a problem. I’ll bring you Irish and British Cadbury. I heard they are slightly different.”
“I can’t wait to test that.”
Gracie exaggerated a yawn. “It’s my bedtime. When I wake up, I can mark off another day.”
“Good night.” McKay blew a kiss to his niece.
Jen waited until a door closed in the background to speak. “If I’d known how this calendar would have changed our bedtime drama, I would have tried one earlier. She loves marking off the days.”
“How is Mom?”
“As far as I can tell, she is hopeful. They scheduled her surgery for a week from Tuesday to give you a few extra days to get back.”
“Mom assumes every flight will be canceled, doesn’t she?”
“It happens often enough.”
The last three times he’d taken leave, something had gone wrong with his flight. “Fair.”
Jen bit her lip.
“What is it?”
“Mom is lining dates up for you.”
“How bad this time?”
“So far, a nurse and a niece of one of her friends. She hasn’t started in on my coworkers yet.”
McKay took a deep breath. “I should have expected as much. Don’t worry, I’ll let her have some fun before I put an end to it. Besides, it might be nice to talk to a woman without worrying about crossing invisible lines.”
“Work rules?”
“Yup.” McKay opened his mouth to say something about Dana and stopped at the last second.
Jen’s eyes narrowed. “Who is she? Passenger or crew?”
Technically, he could date crew if they were not subordinates. Which in the end only left one or two female crew members and the drama wouldn’t be worth it. “I didn’t say there was someone.”
“But there is. I can tell. I haven’t seen that smile for a very long time.”
“She is pretty, intelligent, and she’s nice. Nothing more, no lines crossed. Not going to cross them.”
“Nothing saying you can’t call her when you are back here. You could get her number.”
“Maybe. But we still have seven days onboard and I shouldn’t even think of it.”
A grin grew on Jen’s face. “Wow. I never thought I’d see the day.”
“There is nothing to see. Nothing happening.” He made a show of looking at his watch. “I should call Mom now.”
Jen laughed and waved goodbye.
McKay made it through his call with his mother, avoiding the topic of women and dating. Probably because his mother didn’t dare bring up that she was already planning dates for him, and she was more worried that he wouldn’t arrive before her surgery.
When the call was over, McKay laid back on his bed and closed his eyes. An image of Dana filled his mind. There was a dignity about how she carried herself even on crutches, even with her family basically shunning her. It was a quality he’d not thought of before in a woman. Perhaps that is what made her stand out. The last night of the cruise, he would ask for her number. Until then, he would avoid her. It was best for both of them.