Welcoming Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 1)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “I’m not fixating on anyone,” Demarcus clarified. “I’m simply curious. We don’t get a lot of turnover in the big jobs, and a photographer is one of the big jobs. They had something like three hundred people put in for the job. There has to be a reason she got it.”

  “She’s got a good résumé,” Quinn acknowledged. “She has a strong work ethic and is diligent. That’s all I care about.”

  Demarcus made an exaggerated face. “Sometimes I think you’re an android or something. Do you always have to be so serious? You know it’s okay to look at the hot chick, right? That’s one of the perks of working on a cruise ship. What we give up in personal living space is made up for with eye candy.”

  Quinn barked out a laugh, genuinely amused. In truth, he liked Demarcus a great deal despite the other man’s insistence on invading his personal space. He wasn’t here to make friends, though. That was the last thing he wanted. He openly worked to avoid forging ties with people, and that included male friends and female conquests. He wasn’t interested in either at the present moment.

  “She’s an attractive woman,” Quinn said. “It doesn’t really matter to me, though. If you want to ask her out … if that nerdy librarian quality you mentioned does it for you … then go for it. Don’t be surprised if everyone lines up to hit on her, though, and you find yourself waiting in line to get a date. As far as I can tell, that’s the cruise ship way. You’re never more popular than when you first arrive.”

  “You’re a real killjoy sometimes,” Demarcus said, sipping his beer as he leaned back in his chair. “Has anyone ever told you that?”

  Quinn shrugged, unruffled. “I prefer being referred to as quiet, but if killjoy is the word you want to use, I have no problem with it.”

  “You’re a mystery, man,” Demarcus said, wrinkling his nose. “I’m going to solve you before it’s all said and done, though.”

  “That sounds as if it could be misconstrued as dirty,” Quinn pointed out.

  “I guess we’ll have to see what way the wind blows tonight,” Demarcus teased, his eyes lighting up when he caught sight of Sally and Rowan approaching. “There’s my favorite girl. How are you tonight?”

  Sally offered Demarcus an exaggerated eye roll as she took the open seat next to him. “Since when am I your favorite girl?”

  “I was talking to the newbie,” Demarcus said, beaming at Rowan. “I’m Demarcus. I don’t think we had the pleasure of meeting earlier this afternoon, although I did see Sally giving you a tour.”

  “I’m Rowan.” Rowan extended her hand in greeting and sat next to Quinn once pleasantries were exchanged. Her eyes were curious as they wandered in Quinn’s direction. “I don’t think we’ve met either. Are you from the Bounding Storm, too?”

  “That’s Quinn Davenport,” Sally supplied. “He’s the guy I was telling you about.”

  “Oh.” Rowan had no idea why she was blushing – perhaps it was the fact that Quinn might think they’d been talking about him behind his back – but she couldn’t stop the color from flooding her cheeks. “Well, it’s nice to meet you.”

  “You, too,” Quinn said, leaning back in his chair. His stance wasn’t exactly welcoming, but it wasn’t entirely closed off either. “How did you like your first day on the ship?”

  “I’m not sure,” Rowan replied, opting for honesty. “It seems like it’s a little overwhelming because it’s so big, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.”

  “Bigger is better,” Sally teased.

  It took Rowan a moment to realize the double meaning behind Sally’s words and that only caused her cheeks to redden more. “I didn’t mean … .”

  “Ignore her,” Demarcus said, waving off Sally’s snicker. “She likes messing with people. You’ll get used to it.”

  “I suppose so,” Rowan said, forcing herself to relax. She wasn’t known for being socially adept, but that was one of the reasons she took the cruise job in the first place. She wanted a chance to get out of her comfort zone and grow as a person. “I’m kind of excited so far, though. I’m sure tomorrow will be busy, but I’m looking forward to learning the ropes.”

  “All you will have to do tomorrow is take photos of the guests as they arrive,” Sally explained. “They will go to the front desk and check in and there’s a spot for photographs already set up on the left side of the desk. They step in, you snap their photo and keep track of what room they’re in, and then you send them proof options later to see if they want to purchase the photos. It’s really pretty simple.”

  “That was explained to me when I was hired,” Rowan said. “Then I’m supposed to take action photos of everyone over the course of the cruise, keeping track of who is in what photo, and offer a complete package for people when it’s time for them to disembark.”

  “That sounds like a cushy job to me,” Demarcus said, winking. “At least you’ll be able to turn in at a reasonable hour. Sometimes I think I’m a vampire or something.”

  “Why is that?” Rowan asked, genuinely curious.

  “Because even though people start drinking in the afternoon when they’re on vacation, my job doesn’t even generally start until six at night,” Demarcus replied. “I work late and sleep late. I don’t really mind, though.”

  “I guess it all depends on what you’re used to doing,” Rowan said. “I’m sure it will be an adjustment, but I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone.”

  “Yes, we’re a lovely bunch,” Demarcus said, waving to a group of men as they walked through the door. “Speaking of lovely people, I have some new faces to introduce you to, Rowan. I think you’re going to be very popular for the next two weeks.”

  “Oh, I don’t know if … .”

  Sally cut off Rowan before she could finish the sentence. “Just get used to it. Everyone is going to be all up in your business until they learn your secrets. I told you that.”

  “You did,” Rowan confirmed, bobbing her head.

  “I think that’s my cue to leave,” Quinn said, draining his beer before placing his empty mug on the table. “It was nice meeting you, Miss Gray. I hope your first day on the job is a pleasant one.”

  “Oh, I … you can call me Rowan.”

  Quinn smiled, although the expression didn’t make it all the way to his eyes. “Good luck tomorrow, Rowan. If you need any help, just ask. We’re all here to make this a pleasant experience for the guests. There’s a learning curve, but it’s not steep. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

  And with those words Quinn nodded at Demarcus and left the table. Rowan couldn’t stop herself from watching him go. He never looked back as he disappeared into the night.

  “I CAN’T have another drink,” Rowan said three hours later, shaking her head vehemently when Demarcus shoved another mixed drink in her direction. “I’m going to have a headache tomorrow if I’m not careful, and I’m pretty sure that’s not how I want to start off my new job.”

  “Oh, don’t be a wuss,” Demarcus ordered. “This is a bonding exercise. We do it with all new crewmembers. If you leave now, you’ll be cursing us with bad luck and we could very well sink because of that.”

  Rowan pursed her plump lips. “How so?”

  “It’s one of those salty seadog things,” Sally explained. She was definitely drunk but didn’t seem to care that she might have to deal with a hangover because she was eager to accept the drink Demarcus handed her. “Cruise personnel are like sports figures in that they assign ridiculous omens to things.

  “You know how some sports figures have traditions they refuse to break from?” she continued. “Some hockey players refuse to shave their beards during the playoffs. Some football players always insist on wearing the same socks. Some basketball players insist on sitting in the same seats along the sidelines. You’ve heard about all that, right?”

  Rowan wasn’t sure she had but it sounded plausible. “Yes.”

  “That’s how cruise liner folk are,” Sally explained. “They find bad luck everywhere for some reason. T
hey think if you break from tradition that something terrible will happen.”

  “Do you believe that?”

  Sally shrugged. “I believe a little of everything,” she conceded. “In this case, though, I don’t believe it for a second. Demarcus is pulling your leg. There’s no such tradition.”

  “Oh, you suck,” Demarcus complained, making a face as he flicked Sally’s ear and caused her to squeal. “Do you have to ruin all of my fun?”

  “Only when you’re being a tool,” Sally said, flashing an impish smile.

  The duo dissolved into a fit of giggles as Rowan finished the last gulp of her pineapple margarita and pushed her weary body to a standing position.

  “I figured as much,” Rowan said, smiling. “I want to thank you guys for a great first night, but I should really get back to my room. I haven’t even unpacked yet. I want to get a good night’s sleep since tomorrow is my first official day on the job.”

  “Do you want us to walk back with you?” Sally asked, marginally sobering.

  “I’m fine,” Rowan said, waving off the offer. “I can see the ship and it’s a straight shot down the beach. I only brought a little bit of cash and I drank through most of it. I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure,” Rowan confirmed. “Stay here and finish out your night. I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

  Rowan made several rounds of goodbyes to people she knew she was introduced to but couldn’t remember names to go along with their faces. She consoled herself with the knowledge that she would be introduced to them more than once and then set out on her way back to the ship.

  It was a beautiful Florida night and Rowan took the opportunity to enjoy the weather as she strolled down the sandy beach. Growing up in Michigan she was used to being close to the water – the state boasted an endless stream of lakes and rivers – but being close to saltwater in balmy temperatures was something entirely new. She’d never been to Florida before her first interview – not even bothering to head south for spring break when she was in college – and everything about her new environment was different.

  Rowan was lost in thought, wonder at the beautiful moonlit landscape warring with anxiety about what she’d gotten herself into as she closed the distance to the Bounding Storm. She was so caught up in her internal monologue that she almost didn’t notice a dark figure when it detached from a nearby tree and moved into her path.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Rowan sputtered, moving to avoid the figure at the last second. “I didn’t see you there.”

  The shadow grabbed Rowan’s arms to steady her and the close contact was enough to cause Rowan’s heart to pound as a bevy of terrifying possibilities flitted through her head. For a brief moment she grew concerned for her own safety. She didn’t know the area or what type of people frequented docks close to cruise ships. It was only when the moon highlighted a strong set of cheekbones and jaw line that Rowan realized she recognized the new individual.

  “Quinn?”

  “It’s me,” Quinn said, his voice low. “You should be careful about wandering around this late at night on your own.”

  “It’s only ten.”

  “Yes, but you’re not familiar with the area,” Quinn said. “If you needed someone to walk you back … .”

  Rowan wasn’t generally a fan of confrontation but something about the way Quinn looked at her – as if she was a child who needed scolding – set her teeth on edge. “The bar is right there,” she said, jerking her arm away and pointing down the beach. “That’s like a two-minute walk. I’m fine.”

  Quinn wasn’t about to be dissuaded. “Then how come you jumped out of your skin when you saw me?”

  “Because you were lurking and I’m not a big fan of lurkers.”

  Quinn’s eyebrow quirked. “Lurking?”

  “What would you call it?” Rowan challenged. “You were hiding in the shadows and only came out because you thought you could scare me.”

  “I wasn’t hiding,” Quinn protested. “I was resting. I like having my feet on solid ground before shipping out. You don’t realize how much you miss it until you spend a few days on choppy water.”

  Rowan wasn’t convinced. “Well, next time you should rest out in the open,” she suggested. “That would probably cut down on the random crew heart attacks.”

  Quinn made a face due to the sarcasm. “I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

  “That’s good. I don’t scare easily.”

  Quinn leveled his gaze on Rowan, momentarily transfixed by her dark eyes and the way the moon glinted off of them. The air around them buzzed with a strange electricity, and for a moment they were lost in the surreal shared interaction. Quinn was the first to break the spell and he took a step away from Rowan and gave her an open path to finish her trek toward the ship.

  “Are you okay to walk to your room?”

  “What?” Rowan was briefly confused. “I … what?”

  “Are you too drunk to find your room?”

  “Oh, I’m not all that drunk,” Rowan said, collecting herself. “I’m fine. I’m going to unpack and then go to bed.”

  “That’s probably a good idea,” Quinn said. “It’s going to be a big first day for you. A lot of people can’t handle the pressure because this is such a fast-paced environment at times.”

  Rowan gritted her teeth to keep her temper in check. “Something tells me I’ll be fine.”

  Quinn didn’t miss the hostility clinging to her words. “I certainly hope so.”

  “I … um … guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” Rowan said, taking an uncertain step toward the Bounding Storm.

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Quinn said, smirking as he watched her go. For some perverse reason he couldn’t put a name to, he found he genuinely meant the words. “Goodnight, Miss Gray.”

  “Goodnight, Mr. Davenport.”

  3

  Three

  Despite her admonishment to the contrary, Quinn followed Rowan back to the ship. He maintained a safe distance between them, keeping to the shadows as he watched her walk. She didn’t appear to be listing to one side or stumbling – which meant that she hadn’t imbibed too much alcohol – but he was still keen to make sure she safely made it back to the Bounding Storm.

  He watched her head toward the employee corridor once hitting the ship – only making one wrong turn before correcting to find her destination – and waited a full two minutes before following. He stayed in the main hallway, only glancing once around the corner that led to Rowan’s room. When he heard her door shut, he heaved out a sigh and then moved to the center of the intersection. His room was only about five hundred feet away and yet he lingered in the open spot and stared at her closed door.

  There was something about her that intrigued him. He wouldn’t lie to himself and say otherwise. She was cute – actually, she was beautiful – but it wasn’t her looks that caused his curiosity to pique. It was her eyes. They were haunted. He recognized the look because he boasted it himself. She’d either been through something truly terrible or seen enough of it when dealing with others that had her running.

  Quinn wasn’t big on invading other people’s privacy, but he couldn’t stop himself from wondering what exactly plagued Rowan’s nightmares. He knew what haunted him. She was a different story. She was running from something, but what?

  ROWAN stared through the distorted peephole in the door and frowned when she caught sight of Quinn standing there. She was almost positive she felt someone following her so she wasn’t exactly surprised to see him. He stared at her door, his expression thoughtful, but made no move to follow her. He didn’t show any inclination to leave either. He just stood there … staring.

  Rowan understood why the rest of the crew was fascinated with the man. He was tall and muscled, his body a work of art maintained through hours in the gym each week. His face was angular and pleasing to look at, the hard planes making him look as if he belonged on the pages of a military surplus catalog
rather than serving as head of security on a cruise ship.

  He was hardly friendly, though. He hadn’t been unfriendly, Rowan reminded herself. He hadn’t been open and gregarious like everyone else, though. He hadn’t been cold and standoffish either. He was just … there. He liked watching people and gauging their motivations and abilities. That much was sure. He had a natural curiosity about everyone, which made him dangerous. If he started looking into her background beyond the initial check he’d obviously already run … well, it wouldn’t be good.

  Rowan sucked in a steadying breath and watch Quinn through the small peephole for another minute. Finally he tore his gaze from her door and continued walking down the hallway in the direction she assumed led to his room.

  “What do you want?” she murmured to herself, her stomach flipping. “Do you already know?”

  Once she realized she was talking to herself, Rowan took a step backward and shook her head. He couldn’t know. No one knew. She was merely acting paranoid because of the alcohol – which was why she didn’t drink very often. Quinn Davenport was head of security and it was his job to watch the crewmembers. He wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary. Okay, the staring thing was a little weird. It didn’t make him a stalker or anything, though.

  So why was she so nervous?

  QUINN headed to the crew mess hall early the next morning. Employees were allowed to eat anywhere on the ship, although if they didn’t want to pay for it they were relegated to the employee food dungeon. That’s what the rest of the crewmembers called it anyway. After serving several tours overseas, Quinn thought the employee food offerings were delicious. To hear the other workers tell, though, they were eating slop. He considered explaining to them that they had no idea how lucky they had it, but that would involve unnecessary conversation and he wasn’t big on chatting – whether it was necessary or not.