CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Nearly an hour into the tour, Nova found herself genuinely fascinated by the sprawling maze of steel platforms, towering machinery, and endless walkways that made up the offshore rig.
She had studied the specs and tried to get an idea of what to expect, but nothing prepared her for the scale of it.
Clint had been thorough in pointing things out, though most of Platform Two, which housed the drilling operations, was foreign to her.
It was a maze of machinery and noise where Snow would spend his days playing engineer.
She had watched him slip into the role easily, asking questions, pointing at valves and pumps like he belonged there.
It shouldn’t have surprised her. Snow had the kind of confidence that made almost any role believable.
Still, there was something attractive about watching a man who looked completely in his element, sleeves pushed up showing off his muscular forearms and speaking the language of machinery as if he had been doing it his entire life.
More than once, she had to force herself to refocus on what Clint was telling them. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to spend more time watching Snow than learning anything about the rig. And that could pose a problem later on.
When they were headed back toward the main platform, she had nodded toward the neighboring platform visible in the distance and asked if that was Platform Three.
Clint had confirmed it with an easy smile before reminding them that it remained off-limits due to ongoing safety concerns. Nova returned the smile, but inwardly called bullshit. Whatever was happening over there, she was becoming more convinced it had nothing to do with safety.
Nova had pressed the issue slightly, mentioning her client’s right to inspect all assets. Clint’s jaw had tightened, and something passed behind his eyes that made her skin prickle.
He had told her that if it came to that, someone would personally escort them.
She had let the subject drop, but one look at Snow and she knew that Platform Three was at the top of his radar.
Throughout the tour, Clint had probed with personal questions.
She had followed Snow’s lead, giving clipped answers, deflecting with practiced corporate charm.
But something about Clint’s smile, the way his eyes lingered too long, and the careful way he watched them, made her feel less like a guest and more like someone being quietly assessed.
The man seriously creeped her out. And in her experience, that instinct was worth trusting.
Platform One, the structure they were currently on, was designed for daily living and upkeep.
As they moved through the main platform, Nova was impressed with the quality of the amenities offered to the crew.
Clint showed them the main operations office, recreation area, gym, basketball court, laundry room, and even a small music room that looked wildly out of place in the middle of an offshore rig.
As they headed toward the dining and kitchen area, Nova whistled. “This place is impressive.”
“You would be surprised what people need after weeks at a time out here,” Clint explained casually.
“Because we are not fully operational and have a light crew, everyone is responsible for their own meals. We do have a fully stocked pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. Help yourself to whatever you see fit. All we ask is that you just clean up after yourselves,” Clint said as they walked through the dining area, which was empty.
“There are also snacks and drinks available to everyone.”
“Is that an ice cream machine?” Nova asked, pointing to the far side of the room.
Clint laughed. “Yup.”
“Nice,” she said, smiling.
She noticed Snow shaking his head and looking amused. She shot him a playful glare. “What? I happen to have priorities, and soft serve ranks very high on that list.”
Clint looked at Nova and gestured toward a hallway leading toward a door marked “stairs.” “Those stairs can also get you up to the main office area. Our corporate office sent over a list of files that your client requested for review. We went ahead and pulled those to make it more efficient for you. As for the personnel files, you’ll find those in the grey filing cabinets.
And if there is something you are looking for but can’t find it, just let me know. ”
“Perfect,” Nova said.
Clint turned toward Snow. “Tomorrow, someone can walk you through most of the systems and equipment areas personally,” he offered. “Might help save you some time with all the inspections and checks you need to conduct.”
Snow gave him a nod, but internally Nova couldn’t help wondering if Clint was offering out of hospitality, or because they wanted her and Snow in and out of there as quickly as possible.
“Sounds good. I appreciate that,” Snow said.
Clint glanced down at his watch before looking back at them. “If you two don’t have any other questions right now, I need to head over to Platform Two for a bit.”
“I think we’re good for now,” Snow replied, waving Clint off. “Please don’t let us hold you up.”
Nova offered a small smile. “I think I’m going to grab my laptop from the room and then head up to the office for a few hours. I mean, this place is cooler than I expected, but I’d still rather be somewhere that can’t sink.”
Clint smirked. “Yeah, life out here isn’t for everyone.”
Nova forced a polite smile, but it faltered the moment Clint’s gaze drifted from her face to her chest, then slowly traveled the rest of the way down her body. It made her skin crawl.
She had dealt with men like him before, men who believed lingering eye contact and a charming smile somehow disguised what they were really thinking. As a corporate attorney, she had learned to ignore it, to keep conversations professional, but that didn’t make it any less disgusting.
“You two enjoy the rest of your evening,” Clint said, flashing another easy smile.
“Yeah, you too,” Snow replied.
Nova waited until Clint disappeared around the corner before letting out a quiet breath.
“Please tell me I wasn’t imagining that.”
Snow’s expression hardened. “Are you talking about the way he looked at you?”
She nodded. “He wasn’t exactly subtle.”
Snow’s jaw flexed. “Unfortunately, you’ve got guys out here who haven’t seen a woman in weeks.” His blue eyes settled on hers. “And then you show up looking like...” He paused before giving a slight shake of his head. “Well, you’re you.”
She raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh.
“Is that your incredibly smooth way of calling me attractive?”
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“I’m saying you’re a beautiful woman in an environment mostly made up of men. That changes the way some people look at you, whether it should or not.”
Heat crept into her cheeks. “I understand that. But it doesn’t make it okay.”
“No, it doesn’t.” His voice turned serious again. He stepped a little closer. “If anyone makes you uncomfortable, promise me that you tell me.”
Something in the firmness of his tone settled the lingering unease in her stomach.
“I promise.” A teasing smile returned to her lips. “If Captain Creepy even looks at me sideways again, you’ll be the first to know.”
A laugh escaped him. He then glanced toward the galley. “Hungry?”
She shook her head. “Not really. But I am grabbing a cup of ice cream before I head upstairs.”
“You’re really going up there?” he asked, looking surprised, but also smirking as he watched her take a cup and fill it with a generous amount of chocolate and vanilla swirl.
“I figured I could see where everything is so that I can hit the ground running tomorrow morning. I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted back on solid ground.”
Snow nodded. “Do you have your phone on you?”
“Yup,” she said, pointing to the back pocket of her jeans.
“Alright. I’m going to head back to the room and check in with the team. If you need anything, just call.”
“Will do,” she said, offering him a small smile and then turning toward the door that Clint had pointed out earlier.
As she climbed the metal stairs toward the administrative offices, she savored another bite of ice cream.
The office space was eerily quiet as she walked around, familiarizing herself with the layout and where everything was located.
She saw the stack of files sitting on a desk that Clint mentioned they had pulled for her.
To the right of the desk were the gray filing cabinets that he said the personnel files were in.
She noticed there were three other doors. One was labeled storage. Another had a sign for the restroom. But the one on the far side of the room didn’t have any signage. Clint also didn’t mention it when he walked them around.
“Finding everything all right?” The deep voice came from directly behind her.
Nova jerked so hard she nearly dropped her cup of ice cream. Her heart lurched into her throat as she spun around to find another man standing only a few feet away.
The tall, broad-shouldered man in dark jeans and a Gulf Tide T-shirt walked toward her. His hard features softened into what she assumed was a welcoming smile, though the way his eyes lingered on her made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
“You scared me,” she admitted, forcing out a small laugh while her racing heart slowly settled.
His presence instantly put her on edge. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t heard him approach, or the intensity of his stare. Either way, every instinct told her to keep her guard up.
“I’m Brett Marrow,” he said, extending a hand. “The rig supervisor.”
So, this was the man in charge, she thought to herself. “Nice to meet you,” she said, accepting his handshake.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t welcome you properly when you and Mr. Iverson arrived. I hope Clint was able to show you both around.”
“No worries. I’m sure you have more important things to do than greet visitors. And Clint has been very hospitable.”
“Good. Is there anything you need?”
“No. I just came up here to see where everything was.”
His gaze drifted over her once more, slow enough that it made her stomach tighten.