Welcoming Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 1)

by Lily Harper Hart

  What am I supposed to do about it, though?

  It was the same question she’d grappled with for the bulk of her life. She still didn’t have an answer.

  “HOW ARE things?”

  Captain Michael Griffin took a seat next to Quinn a few hours later, his smile pleasant and engaging as he signaled a bartender for an iced tea. He wasn’t averse to drinking, but he made sure he only did it after darkness fell and he could mingle with the other guests in a social setting. He was nothing if not diligent. Well, mostly.

  “Things seem to be running smoothly so far,” Quinn replied, nursing his own iced tea and watching the excited guests interact with one another. It had taken him almost thirty minutes to extricate himself from Kylie and her overtly flirtatious attitude. She was eighteen – so, legal – but even if there wasn’t a rule about fraternizing with guests, which there was, he had no interest in playing games with a teenager. She was too young to see the truth of the world and he was too old to put up with that much giggling. Besides, he wasn’t interested in any relationship – no matter how short – and Kylie had almost been pouty when he finally made his escape. “The liquor store guys are going to be rowdy and there’s a group of young girls I expect to be a pain once we reach the open sea and they can legally drink.”

  “That’s pretty normal, though,” Michael pointed out, smiling as the bartender delivered his drink before relaxing in his chair. “Anything else?”

  “It’s all smooth sailing so far.”

  “That’s good,” Michael said, playing with his straw wrapper as his gaze floated toward the railing and landed on an unfamiliar figure. He knew the woman from her photograph, but he hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting her yet. “That’s the new photographer, right?”

  Quinn jerked his head and glanced over his shoulder, the corners of his mouth tipping down when he caught sight of Rowan. “That’s her,” he said after a beat, narrowing his eyes. He’d lost sight of the comely photographer after Kylie and her friends distracted him. By the time he returned to the lobby, Rowan was gone. He’d innocently wandered past her private office, but it was empty and he couldn’t help but wonder where she disappeared to. Now he knew. She was doing her job, her hands busy as she snapped photographs. It was almost disappointing to realize that she wasn’t up to something nefarious. He had no idea why he felt that way.

  “Have you met her?” Michael asked, oblivious to Quinn’s inner turmoil.

  “She went to the bar with Demarcus and Sally last night,” Quinn replied. “I talked to her for a few minutes. She’s still getting used to her new environment. She seems friendly, maybe a little shy.”

  “It’s interesting that she’s gravitating toward them,” Michael mused. “That bodes well for her. They’re dedicated and always get the job done.”

  Quinn didn’t want to point out that both of them were so hungover this morning they could barely function. He didn’t enjoy ratting out his co-workers unless it was absolutely necessary. “I don’t think that she sought them out. I think Demarcus and Sally sought her out. You know how this ship is. Everyone loves the newcomer.”

  Michael grinned, amused. “Yes. You’re still the center of attention for the bulk of the female staff. You’d better get on that if you want to take advantage of their curiosity.”

  “I’ve already told you that I have no intention of taking advantage of anything.”

  “Is that because you’re frigid or a stickler for rules?” Michael teased. He’d gotten to know the moody security chief pretty well since Quinn’s tenure on the Bounding Storm began, but the quiet man was still a mystery. “Personally, I’m a big fan of breaking in the newbies. I like to get to them before anyone else has a shot. I like them to be fresh and clean when I strip them naked.”

  Quinn made a disgusted face. “You’re kind of a pig. You know that, right?”

  Michael shrugged. “I can live with that.” He puffed out his chest. “I am the captain, after all. If I can’t take advantage of that situation, then there’s no sense in being the captain.”

  Quinn pursed his lips. Michael was the closest thing he had to a friend on the ship other than Demarcus, but he didn’t like the predatory look on the older man’s face when he looked at Rowan. Michael was fifty and fit, but he wasn’t looking for a relationship. Quinn usually found amusement in his attitude, but he didn’t today.

  “Maybe you should let her get settled first,” Quinn suggested. “She’s only spent one night on the ship.”

  Michael arched an eyebrow. “That didn’t bother you last week when I spent some quality time with the Cajun restaurant hostess.”

  Quinn shifted on his seat. That was true. “Yes, but there’s high turnover when it comes to the wait staff,” he explained. “Miss Gray signed a yearlong contract. She’ll be here for a bit longer. There’s no reason to rush things.”

  Michael didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure that’s the reason?”

  Quinn balked. “What other reason would I have?”

  Michael shrugged, unsure how to answer. “I don’t know. Maybe … um … do you like her?”

  It was a warm day, but the two men were sitting in the shade. Quinn was thankful the shadows from the nearby awning hid the bulk of his face because he could feel his cheeks burning.

  “Of course not,” Quinn sputtered. “I’ve spent like two minutes talking to her. I’m not interested in women while I’m here. I already told you that.”

  Michael opened his mouth to say something sarcastic, an evil grin on his face. Quinn realized his predicament before Michael could utter a single word, though.

  “I’m not interested in men either,” Quinn said. “Don’t be a pain.”

  Michael held up his hands in a conciliatory manner. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I was simply teasing you. Although … you signed up for a yearlong tour with options for longer than that. There’s no reason to ignore all of the pretty faces this ship has to offer while you’re here. You don’t need to live like a monk or anything.”

  “Yeah, well, we’ve already talked about this, too,” Quinn reminded him. “I’m not a one-night-stand guy and I’m definitely not a relationship guy. I’m fine on my own.”

  “You realize that kind of makes you the celibate guy, right?”

  Quinn made a face and pushed himself to a standing position. “Like I said, I’m fine with that. Don’t go getting any ideas. I’m not interested in a relationship, and I have no intention of making this ship my home forever. I just needed a break and something to focus on after … well, you know.”

  Michael had the grace to be sympathetic. He was the only one other than the company owner who knew what propelled Quinn to take refuge on the Bounding Storm. “I understand that,” he said. “I was just messing around. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Quinn’s expression softened. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, shaking his head. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just … it’s hot.”

  Michael bobbed his head. “It’s supposed to be hot all week,” he said. “Make sure you stay hydrated … and get some rest. This is a party ship, but it can still overwhelm you if you don’t take time for yourself.”

  Quinn flashed a genuine smile. It lightened up his already handsome face. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “I should probably make my rounds, though.”

  “I’ll see you later,” Michael said. “I’ll think about what you said regarding the new photographer, too.”

  “Yeah, you do that.”

  ROWAN did her best to disappear into the crowd as she snapped photos even though she was primarily focused on the four girls from before. They stood next to the railing, all dressed in skimpy bikinis that made Rowan marvel at their sense of self-confidence, and enthusiastically chatted with another group of girls.

  Rowan took photos of all the nearby guests but surreptitiously returned to the foursome whenever she thought she could do it without drawing attention to herself. Each photograph came back with a death omen ho
vering over the girls. The other guests were clear, which was a relief, but the four girls had a pall hanging over them. One of them was going to die. Rowan was sure of it.

  Rowan was so lost in thought she didn’t recognize the shadow falling over her sightline path right away. It was only when Quinn spoke that she realized she wasn’t alone.

  “How is your first day?”

  Rowan jolted at his voice and she swiveled so fast she smacked him in the jaw with her camera. “Oh, I’m so sorry!”

  Quinn rubbed his jaw as he stared at her, his eyes momentarily flashing with annoyance before settling. “It’s okay,” he said after a moment. “I thought you realized I was next to you. I guess you didn’t, huh?”

  “I get lost in my own little world when I’m shooting photos,” Rowan said, shoving her long hair behind her ear. “I really am sorry. You should make a noise or something when you’re coming up behind someone, though.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Quinn said dryly, continuously rubbing his cheek as he stared at Rowan. She really was pretty. It was in an unobtrusive way, though. She didn’t wear a lot of makeup and her clothes were simple and without flash. It was a refreshing change from the bulk of the women on the ship. They all wanted attention and went out of their way to get it – even if it was negative attention. Rowan was exactly the opposite. She seemed content fading into the background. “You didn’t answer my question, though. How is your first day?”

  “Oh, well, it’s fine,” Rowan said hurriedly, lowering her camera. “It’s hard to get a feel for everything. I feel as if I’m behind, if that makes sense. There are so many people here I don’t know how I’m going to get action shots of all of them.”

  “I don’t think you’re expected to get action shots of everybody,” Quinn pointed out. “All you need to do is get a lot of action shots and put them in that online ship gallery thing. There’s no way you can get everyone.”

  “But … wouldn’t you feel bad if you went to the gallery and saw thousands of photographs and you weren’t in one of them?”

  Her expression was so earnest Quinn couldn’t help but chuckle. “I never thought of it like that,” he said. “Still, you don’t have to kill yourself to take photos. Just pick a comfortable pace and go from there.”

  “It’s my first day,” Rowan said. “I think I have a right to worry on my first day. Isn’t that how it is on most jobs?”

  Quinn shrugged. “I’ve only ever had two first days. One was when I joined the Marines and I was definitely nervous that day. The other was when I started here. After the Marines, this place is a cakewalk … and by that I mean they have literal cake here.”

  “I guess from your point of view that makes sense,” Rowan said, licking her lips. “I … um ... well … I really am sorry for hitting you. I’ll try to refrain from doing that again.”

  Quinn held his hands palms-up. “It was an honest mistake. No harm done.”

  “Well, okay.”

  The duo lapsed into uncomfortable silence and after a full minute of it Rowan couldn’t take it any longer.

  “I should get back to work,” she offered lamely.

  “I have work to do, too,” Quinn said. “If you have any questions or need help with anything, I’ll be around.”

  “Thank you.”

  Rowan flashed another smile before ambling down the deck. Quinn didn’t miss the fact that she kept glancing over her shoulder. At first he thought she was staring at him. The idea gave him a small thrill, although he had no idea why. That feeling only lasted for a few minutes, though, because as Rowan widened her arc and took photographs of multiple people her attention was never far removed from the group of women standing behind him.

  Quinn glanced over his shoulder and frowned when Kylie caught his gaze.

  “I knew you would find us,” she enthused, stepping toward him. “Do you want to give us a tour of the ship now?”

  Quinn was caught and he knew it. He couldn’t beg off without being rude and manners were the one thing stressed above all else when working on the Bounding Storm.

  “I don’t have a lot of time,” Quinn gritted out. “I guess I can spare ten minutes, though.”

  Kylie clapped her hands, oblivious to his unhappiness. “Great! Where should we start?”

  5

  Five

  Rowan woke bright-eyed and refreshed the next morning. She didn’t expect it – mostly because she always found it difficult sleeping in a new place – but there was something about the rocking of the ship that lulled her into a deep sleep. The slumber was so magical it managed to keep the nightmares that often plagued her at bay.

  The moment she woke, though, she was focused on her problem. The girls. There were four of them and any one of them could be a potential victim. The bigger problem was that multiple girls could be in trouble. Rowan simply had no way of knowing because she’d never taken the time to invest in testing her ability. Most of the time she opted to ignore it because she hated feeling anxious and seeing the death omen always left her drowning in anxiety.

  Rowan didn’t suffer from a hero complex. She knew she couldn’t save everyone. That didn’t mean she was okay with innocent people dying. She found herself in a unique conundrum, though. She couldn’t confide in anyone on the Bounding Storm because she’d just met the crew. If she admitted what she saw in the photograph, odds were they would either think she was crazy or evil. She didn’t need or want that.

  So, what was she left with? Rowan had no idea, but she was determined to keep an eye on the girls. She figured if she was close, she might be able to sense or recognize danger before it settled over one of the oblivious teenagers. That was her only hope.

  Rowan showered quickly and braided her long hair to keep it out of her face. She put in contact lenses instead of wearing her regular glasses – she found the sun caused a glare the previous day and she was keen to avoid that – and then trudged into the hallway wearing cargo shorts and a T-shirt, her camera fastened to a leather strap around her neck.

  She’d already decided to skip breakfast and head toward the girls’ room rather than risk having to search for them on the big ship when she careened into a large figure at the hallway intersection.

  Quinn grunted when Rowan rammed into him, extending his hands to her shoulders to steady her so she wouldn’t slam into the nearby wall. He widened his eyes when he realized who he was dealing with, and then dubiously shook his head.

  “You’re a walking calamity, huh?” Quinn released Rowan’s shoulders and took in her reddening cheeks. “You need to be careful. These hallways are small.”

  “I’m sorry,” Rowan sputtered, taking a moment to collect herself. “I didn’t see you.”

  “Did you look?” Quinn knew he sounded grumpy, but he wasn’t expecting a meeting with Rowan so early in the morning. He’d spent hours watching her the night before, his stomach uneasy. She, in turn, spent hours watching the same group of girls. Oh, sure, she made a show of taking multiple photos of other people in the main dining room. Her attention was clearly focused on the one group, though.

  “I … didn’t know I had to look,” Rowan said, recovering. Her temper flared as she locked gazes with Quinn. He seemingly had an endless amount of attitude to throw around. Unlike the other crewmembers, though, he didn’t have the charm to go with it. “I didn’t hear you. I said I was sorry. You hardly look hurt.”

  Quinn arched an eyebrow, her annoyance somehow amusing him. “I didn’t say I was hurt,” he clarified. “I said you need to watch where you’re going. What if you’d run into someone else?”

  “Then I would’ve apologized and I’m sure they would’ve accepted it without the lecture,” Rowan fired back.

  “I … .” Quinn broke off and sucked in a calming breath. He often had to remind himself that he wasn’t in the military any longer. Normal people – er, well, people who had never been in the military – weren’t nearly as regimented and safety conscious as him. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thin
g, of course. He couldn’t delude himself that it was always a good thing either, though.

  Instead of continuing along his previous conversational track, Quinn pivoted. “Where are you going?”

  Rowan was taken aback by the question. “I’m going to work.” She shook her camera for emphasis. “I thought that’s what everyone did during a cruise outing.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” Quinn said, tugging on his limited patience. “Where are you going to take photos?”

  “Oh, well, I’m going to the deck,” Rowan lied. “I thought I would get the early birds in the pool and playing shuffleboard. The early morning light makes for beautiful photographs.”

  Quinn didn’t know Rowan well, but he got the distinct impression that she was lying. “Shuffleboard, huh?”

  “That’s a thing. I saw people playing it yesterday.”

  “I didn’t say it wasn’t a thing,” Quinn clarified. “I just said … you know what? Never mind. It’s not important. I’ll walk with you to the deck. That’s probably the only way I’ll be assured of not being smacked in the head with your camera.”

  Rowan narrowed her eyes to dangerous green slits. “If I wanted to hit you with my camera, I would do it. I’ve already apologized for running into you. What more do you want?”

  Quinn shrugged as he fell into step with her. “I haven’t decided yet. It’s early. I need my coffee before I decide.”

  Rowan snorted. “Whatever,” she muttered, shaking her head. “You don’t need to walk me to the deck. I know where I’m going. I’m still getting used to the ship, but I’m sure I can find the deck on my own.”

  “I’m glad. I would be worried otherwise.”

  Rowan licked her lips, casting Quinn a sidelong look out of the corner of her eye as he led them toward the stairs. “You’re not much of a morning person, are you?”