Beyond the Tide

by Noelle Marchand

  He reigned in a grin, then stood and took both her hands in his. “Will you be my girlfriend for real on the show? Did I say it right?”

  “Yes, and yes.” She backed up, pulling him toward the door. “Now, get out. The door’s been closed too long.”

  “I can see you won’t be the romantic one in this relationship.”

  She poked his chest. “I don’t plan to be too romantic on camera. We’ll have a sweet, innocent romance. No lengthy conversations behind closed doors. No public make out sessions. You can hold my hand. Kiss me on the cheek. That kind of thing. Otherwise, we’ll behave as we always have.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “Are you this bossy with all of your boyfriends?”

  “Only when I’m the last to know we’re together.”

  “Touché.” He slid the trunk back into place at the foot of her bunk. With a wave, he slipped out the door as quickly as he’d entered. She barred it behind him. Still reeling, she sank onto the edge of her bunk.

  Her parents were going to kill her.

  Of course, they wouldn’t say or do anything publicly. Their disapproval would be potent and private. She could feel it even now working its way through her gut, leaving heaviness and unease in its wake.

  Behave circumspectly. That had been their only request. She’d toed the line so far with her behavior… Well, barely. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t let a reality show romance create the scandal they’d feared she’d cause. She might have a crush on Ian, but she wouldn’t let it cloud her judgment.

  As for Ian, she was pretty certain he still only thought of her as a friend. The only reason he’d ventured to suggest more was out of concern for her—much like he’d done with Emily. The thought gave her pause. Did he realize that he was walking down this path again? How could she let him? Then again, how could she not?

  R

  Production wanted to film a romantic tell-all confessional about his relationship with Ava—or so Ian had gathered when Ted tried to corner him for an on-camera interview. Somehow Ian had convinced them to wait until morning. He’d cited better lighting and his own tiredness, but what really won them over was the promise that he’d hold nothing back.

  They seemed to not realize he was well-versed in how to “tell-all” while simultaneously saying nothing of substance. Being on Treasure Hunters had taught him that. Perhaps, like him, they hadn’t watched the show. Either way, he was glad when they finally agreed to let the subject go for the night.

  He needed time to get himself together and come to terms with what he’d allowed the other guys to think. What kind of man would Ian be if he hadn’t stood up for Ava? Yet, here he was again— pretending. After the damage he’d caused in his relationship with Emily, it shouldn’t have been an option with Ava.

  However, as hard as it had been to continue the facade of being Emily’s boyfriend, claiming Ava as his girlfriend had been way too easy. No, not easy. Natural. It was almost as if he’d been waiting to do so since he’d first met her. Or, at least, since the night they’d talked on the beach.

  He shook his head, uncomfortable with where his thoughts were leading. Thankfully, the other pirates provided a timely distraction. Hands clamped on Ian’s shoulders as soon as he stepped inside their designated sleeping quarters within the ship’s gun deck. Jeff gave him a playful shake and all but yelled in his ear, “You lucky dog!”

  Ian winced. “Thank you?”

  “Sly dog is more like it,” Caleb corrected, glancing up from his journal while he leaned back against the carriage of an unloaded cannon.

  Philip punched Ian’s arm when Jeff let go, then offered his hand along with what seemed to be real remorse. “Sorry, man. I had no idea. For the record, she froze me out pretty thoroughly.”

  Ian shook Philip’s hand. “Apology accepted.”

  Philip grinned. “I guess the best man won even if we didn’t know he was in the game.”

  “Debatable,” Dash mumbled as he passed Ian on the way out the hatch. “Come on, Caleb, we’re on watch tonight.”

  “Right behind you.” Caleb thumped Ian on the shoulder on the way out the hatch.

  Noah set his guitar in its case. “I don’t know why everyone is acting so surprised. I totally saw it coming.”

  Brian swung back and forth in his hammock looking smug. “So did I.”

  Scott glanced up from his hammock where he somehow managed to play solitaire despite the ship’s subtle swaying. “I guess you’ll be moving to more comfortable quarters now.”

  “What? No. I’m staying here with you guys. Ava and I aren’t going to… You know what? I’m not discussing this with y’all.” He ignored their disappointed groans, shucked his boots, and grabbed his kerchief. “Quiet, creeps. It’s been a long day, and I’m going to sleep. Goodnight, everyone.”

  Jeff threw a sweaty sock at Ian’s head. Easily deflecting it, Ian slid into his hammock and turned his back on the rest of the group. Thankfully, they left him alone once he tied the kerchief over his eyes. That was more than he could say for Ava.

  The vision of her in his mind moored him to wakefulness. Made up of fleeting images he’d barely paid attention to in his moments of panic, now they filled his memory until they became more real to him than the murmur of the other pirates’ voices. The tumultuous storm of emotions in her turquoise eyes, belying her calm demeanor. Her dark hair tumbling freely past the shoulders of her white sleeping gown. The scent of her perfume. The softness of her skin beneath his rope-roughened fingers…

  Loud, clanging jolted Ian from his sleep. All across the gun deck pirates startled awake, nearly falling out of their hammocks. He covered his ears as he looked at the gleeful pair of sailors who’d invaded their quarters. One of them shouted, “On your feet! The captain requests your attendance on deck.”

  “Now!” The other one added, clanging a pot for emphasis.

  What in the world? Wincing at the noise, Ian slid from his hammock and into his boots. He grabbed a shirt and wrestled it on before scurrying up the ladder along with the other pirates. Muted morning light drenched the world in blue as he stepped onto the main deck. The full production and sailing crews were already assembled and at attention. Ian filed into line beside Caleb and Philip. Ava emerged from below deck looking sleepy and confused. She claimed the spot at the end of the line next to Noah.

  The sight of her reminded Ian of last night and all the trouble he’d gotten them into. What had he been thinking? Of her. He’d been thinking of her. All day yesterday. Before he’d claimed her as his girlfriend. Definitely while he’d let the guys think she was his. Even as he’d drifted to sleep. She’d filled his mind. It had to stop.

  What had she said last night? She couldn’t expect him to be her boyfriend forever. Well, neither could he. Their relationship had an expiration date. That meant, despite their agreement to consider this a real relationship, it couldn’t be. Even if it was, her parents would hardly approve of the guy who dragged her into a relationship on reality TV when they’d explicitly warned her against it.

  Not to mention that at the end of all this, he could very well return home without a family, without a job, and without the Swim For Safety sponsorship. There wasn’t much he could do about it now, but be the best, most respectful and devoted boyfriend reality TV had ever seen. Hopefully, this would all blow over so quickly and become such a minor side-plot that the editors would leave it on the cutting room floor.

  Captain Palmer’s stern, booming voice echoed from the quarter deck. “I’ve heard tell of bets and romances.”

  Ian stared at the man in disbelief and frustration. Seriously? Why? Why did this really have to be addressed before the entire production, sailing, and pirate crews? Since when did Palmer do anything on camera anyway?

  The man braced his hands on the railing of the quarter deck, then pierced them with a steely glare of unwavering authority. “I can only imagine that means none of you are working hard enough. That changes today! You will wor
k harder than you ever have before. I want the wind in those sheets, twenty-four hours a day. Is that understood?”

  Most of them nodded or muttered yes.

  “The appropriate response is ‘Aye, Captain!’”

  Ian’s eyebrows lifted at the show of authority. Nonetheless, he lent his voice to the rousing, “Aye, Captain!”

  Palmer nodded in approval. “In case you’re wondering, this is not a mutiny. Logan Kittredge has promoted himself to ‘Commodore.’ Meanwhile, as captain, I will be running my ship as I see fit.”

  A few of the pirates shifted uneasily.

  “I remind all of you, this is not a pleasure cruise. This is a pirate ship. It will be sailed with discipline and skill like all ships of its day.” The captain let that sink in for a moment before continuing, “Additionally, you will now be required to keep yourselves and your sleeping quarters clean. Buckets, soap, and washcloths will be provided and used each day. Your quarters will be inspected every morning. Is that clear?”

  “Aye, Captain!”

  “Good.” Palmer tossed a netted sack onto the main deck. Bars of soap spilled out. “Now into the drink, the lot of you. I can’t stand the stench.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “This is not what I wanted,” Ava said beneath the sailors’ cheers as Brian jumped off the plank and into the ocean below. “Well, it is, but it isn’t.”

  “I know exactly what you mean,” Ian murmured.

  Curiosity pulled her gaze back to him as he slid a bar of soap into a knee-high stocking, then stepped closer to tie it to her wrist. She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  She gave him a doubtful look. “Want to try that again? More convincingly this time?”

  A hint of a smile played on his lips before a sigh lifted his chest. He knotted the stocking. “I guess it just hit me this morning. All the implications of… Well, everything. I’m sorry I got you into this, Ava.”

  Their mics had already been removed in preparation for the upcoming plunge and the cameras were focused on Dash as he prepared to jump. Taking advantage of the moment of privacy, Ava stepped closer to murmur, “You did what you thought was right. No, the situation isn’t ideal, but we can make it work.”

  He didn’t look entirely convinced, so she touched his arm with her free hand and captured his gaze. “I need you with me, Ian. Here. Present. Not lost in the past or caught up in what might go wrong in the future.”

  He frowned. “How did you know—”

  “Because I’ve seen that faraway look in your eyes before. Stay with me, ok?”

  He looked at her for a long moment—so long she began to fear she’d been too harsh or pushed him too far. He was dealing with a lot. Going back to Corpus Christi after this wouldn’t be a picnic. All the more reason for him to enjoy himself now. Or, at least, not worry about it yet.

  He’d taught her that very thing. How else had she not completely panicked at the idea of ignoring her parents’ wishes with a reality show romance?

  Captain Palmer called out, “Emerson, it’s your turn.”

  Hating to leave the conversation, but without much of a choice, she turned away from Ian to accept Captain Palmer’s assistance onto the plank. She grimaced. “I can’t believe y’all are seriously making us walk the plank.”

  The chant started again, “Jump! Jump! Jump!”

  “Jump,” she muttered to herself as she inched forward slightly. “Just jump. No big deal.”

  She swallowed hard and pressed a hand to her swirling stomach. Feeling the leather beneath her fingers, she realized that swimming in a corset probably wasn’t the safest idea. Besides, the salt water would ruin it. She released the soap and began to loosen the corset’s thick laces. Whistles rang out.

  “What are you doing?” Ian asked as he stepped onto the plank behind her.

  “Not drowning.”

  With a censoring look at the sailors, Ian pulled off his shirt and held it up as a changing screen. A few sailors booed his efforts. She ignored all of them and focused on the task at hand. Once it was completely unlaced, she tossed it onto the deck, then tied the bottom of the poet shirt into a knot to keep it from flying up on her descent.

  “I can do this,” she whispered to herself. Crossing her arms over her chest for extra insurance, she closed her eyes and jumped. It was a long way down. She plunged into calm Atlantic waters, then surged to the surface and swam toward the ship—away from the group of pirates bobbing in the waves.

  Ian yelled, “Look out below.”

  She glanced up in time to see him backflip off the plank. He tucked into a ball and did another turn before diving in the water. The other guys ribbed him as soon he came up for air. She called out, “Showboat.”

  Apparently, that was as effective as a siren’s call because he immediately darted under the water in her direction. She grimaced. Male company was exactly what she didn’t need right now. He popped up a few feet away. “It isn’t safe to swim alone. You should stay with the group.”

  “We’re not swimming. We’re bathing. And, I’m not bathing with a group of men, Ian.”

  “Yeah, probably not a good idea.” He glanced at the group, then tilted his head back to glare at the deck. “You know what? I get them not wanting to treat you differently, but this is stupid. You are different. You’re a woman. You have a right to privacy.”

  She grinned. “Aren’t you being a little too socially progressive for a pirate?”

  “I’m serious, Ava.”

  “I know you are. It’s incredibly sweet. I do appreciate it. Now, please go away.”

  He hesitated. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stand guard? I promise not to look.”

  “By all means, stand guard… way over there with the other guys.”

  He laughed. “All right. I’m going.”

  She waited until he swam back toward the other pirates. More than happy to remain fully clothed for the entirety of her so-called bath, she rushed through it, then scurried up the ladder back to the ship. Stopping only long enough to grab her leather corset from the deck where she had tossed it, Ava rushed down to her cabin to change.

  She was still braiding her hair when she reemerged on deck a few minutes later. Captain Palmer immediately took her aside. “Ava, you will not be required to bathe with the other pirates from now on. You may take a bucket to your room.”

  “Thank you, sir.” She couldn’t help glancing at Ian. Had he had something to do with the captain sudden change of heart?

  Captain Palmer frowned. “You may have been swayed me concerning the pirate’s hygiene, but I warn you, madam, I am not to be trifled with.”

  She swallowed hard. “Yes, sir. I mean, no, sir.”

  He assigned her to the team that would haul rope. She hurried to her post and held back a smile. Oh, blessed historical accuracy! This was something she could sink her teeth into—life on a real, regimented pirate ship rather than a loosey-goosey, rickety cruise ship with guys more interested in her body than an enlightening and challenging learning experience.

  Then again, real pirates probably would have behaved the same way or much worse, so maybe she shouldn’t let it bother her. The same went for the cleanliness issue. Thankfully, Captain Palmer had done something about that. Even if he hadn’t, perhaps she should have been more willing to accept some of the less glamorous aspect of a historical experience.

  So there wouldn’t be any ball gowns or mansions. That didn’t mean she couldn’t get a somewhat accurate understanding of what it was like to live in the 1680s.

  “Haul away!” Captain Palmer barked from the captain’s deck. She pulled at the rope in her hands and watched the sails take life. Now this was worth sticking around for.

  R

  “Let go of the anchor!”

  Ian released the latch that held the anchor chain and watched the anchor drop into the waves below. The last four days under Captain Palmer’s total authority
had been brutal. The ocean had followed his lead with three days of seas so rough it sent the ship rolling nearly sixty degrees each way. Not to mention the rain. It had been steady and just hard enough to make life completely miserable.

  Today had finally dawned calm and clear. The drone buzzing overhead and the motorboat spilling cargo into the ocean around the Intrepid’s portside could only mean another challenge was at hand. Where they’d find the energy for it was anyone’s guess. Most of the pirates had been seasick at one point or another during the squall. Even Ian, with his iron stomach and vast experience with the ocean, had gotten queasy at times.

  Nevertheless, Logan climbed over the railing onto the ship. He was dressed in his pirate commodore’s garb… and a pair of dark sunglasses. The show’s host flashed everyone a smile. “Take a break, pirates. We’ll need a few minutes to set everything up.”

  Ian automatically glanced to Captain Palmer, who gave a tight nod. Every pirate sank to the deck in exhaustion. Ian leaned his head back against the hull and closed his eyes. They burned. Whether it was from lack of sleep or the wind or the glaring midday sun, Ian wasn’t sure. It didn’t matter.

  He wouldn’t let it stop him from doing well on this challenge. He wasn’t ready to go home yet for so many reasons. One of them being…

  Ava’s hand lightly touched his knee as she sank down beside him. He’d done his best to remind himself that their so-called romance was for a limited time only. Frankly, right now, he couldn’t care less. His hand automatically captured hers. “How long do you think it’s been since the competition started?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe two weeks? Everything kind of blurs together.” She pulled in a labored sigh. “The past few days have been the toughest so far.”

  He pried open his eyes to check on her. A healthy pink flushed her cheeks and, although her lashes blinked languidly, her breathing was steady. Even so, he asked, “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m ok.” She offered a soft smile. “No seasickness beyond that first day of the storm. Beyond that, I actually kind of like all the hard work.”