Churning Seas

by Lily Harper Hart

  Rowan realized she wanted so desperately to believe Quinn that her heart hurt. “I’m kind of afraid.”

  “I know.” Quinn pulled her in for a hug, swaying back and forth as he stared at the rolling waves crashing into the beach. A storm was definitely coming. He could practically feel it prickling his skin. “I don’t ever want you to be afraid. You know that, right?”

  “I know. This isn’t your fault.”

  “It is my fault.” Quinn kept his hands busy on Rowan’s back. Before her, he never gave much thought to the idea of soothing someone. He wanted to curse his ignorance now. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I should’ve watched my stupid mouth.”

  “It was an accident. You didn’t know she was there.”

  “I know better than that.” Quinn was firm. “I should’ve been careful with your secret. I let myself get lazy when I should’ve been protecting you.”

  Rowan was incredulous as she leaned back so she could meet his gaze. “You can’t blame yourself for this.”

  “Who else am I supposed to blame?”

  “Me. I’m the weirdo.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re Rowan Gray ... and you just happen to have a special ability. You’re not a weirdo.”

  Rowan sighed. How was she supposed to blame herself when Quinn was doing a bang-up job taking the blame on his broad shoulders? “I am a weirdo. I’m not afraid to admit it. It’s okay to be weird.”

  “You’re my weirdo.” Quinn buried his face in her hair. “Still, this is my fault. You’re not going to lose your job, though. I won’t let it happen.”

  Rowan realized that Quinn was having more trouble dealing with the Sally situation than she was, which was a frightening thought. “You’re right. We’ll figure it out together.” She patted his back. “I didn’t mean to set you off. That wasn’t my intent. I was feeling sorry for myself, which never helps. I won’t do that again. Er, well, I’ll try not to do that again. It’s not always as easy as I would like.”

  Quinn chuckled, the sound low and throaty. It was the last thing Rowan expected and yet she couldn’t help joining in.

  “We’re quite the pair, huh?” He murmured against her ear as he continued to sway. “We’re both melting down and yet we’re not even sure we have anything to melt down about.”

  “Yeah. It’s just ... this was the one thing I was warned about the entire time I was growing up. I wasn’t supposed to let anyone know my secret.”

  “I know.”

  “Yeah, and I think it gave me a false sense of security. You accepted what I can do and never looked back. I think somewhere deep down I always thought Sally would do the same. I guess that was a mistake.”

  “We don’t know that yet.” Quinn forced himself to be upbeat. “I still think Sally might come through and surprise us. She grew up in New Orleans. There’s magic all over that city. She might be open to hanging with a weirdo.”

  “I hope so but ... I guess maybe too much has happened over the last few weeks to allow myself too much hope.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I blame Nick.”

  Quinn barked out a laugh. “I blame him, too. Now, come on.” Quinn planted a soft kiss on the corner of Rowan’s mouth. “I have a friend I want you to meet. I think he’s going to be able to help us.”

  Rowan’s smile was rueful. “That will be a nice change of pace, huh?”

  “It will be,” Quinn confirmed. “Oh, just one thing. Fred is a great guy, but he’s a bit alpha and has a huge mouth. Whatever he says, ignore it.”

  Rowan was instantly alert. “What is he going to say?”

  “It’s hard to say. He’s one of those people who speaks before he thinks. It’s a sickness with him.”

  “Well, bring it on. Whatever happens can’t possibly be worse than what occurred this afternoon.”

  “You might be surprised.”

  “Bring it.”

  FRED DELMORE WAS NOT what Rowan expected. He was tall and built, but not quite the wall of muscle Quinn reflected. He was more lanky and firm than overly defined. He also had an easy smile and what looked to be a colorful personality, which was on full display when he stood in welcome as Quinn led Rowan across the restaurant’s balcony to greet him.

  “I’m sorry we’re late.” Quinn shook his friend’s hand and smiled. “We’ve had a bit of a day.”

  “That’s fine.” Fred looked Rowan up and down with a measured eye. “You’re even prettier than I imagined. I guess I should expect nothing less from the woman who brought the infamous Quinn Davenport to his knees, huh.”

  Suddenly shy, Rowan’s cheeks burned under the man’s scrutiny. “Oh, well, thank you.”

  “Humble, too.” Fred smirked as he sat. “I’m not used to women who look like you being humble. I think I’m going to have to adjust my expectations.”

  “Leave her alone,” Quinn chided, pulling out Rowan’s chair so she could sit before taking the spot next to her. “I wasn’t joking when I said we’d had a long day.”

  “I heard.” Fred’s smile was enigmatic. “News already broke that you found a body in the laundry chute. That must have been quite the sight to behold.”

  “It wasn’t my favorite part of the day,” Quinn conceded. “Ironically, it wasn’t the worst part.”

  Fred was officially intrigued. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  Quinn would’ve liked nothing better than to confide in his old friend. Fred was one of the few ties from his military days that he felt the need to remain tethered to. That didn’t mean he could tell him about Rowan’s ability. Fred was a man with roots firmly planted in the scientific world. The fantastical would throw him ... and not necessarily in a good way.

  “Well, Larry Lincoln paid a visit to The Bounding Storm,” Quinn supplied. “It’s always nerve-racking when the big boss decides to check on his property.”

  “I’m surprised he got off his lazy rear end even for something as big as this.”

  “Yes, well, at first I thought it was because he wanted to protect his ship,” Quinn said. “I realized pretty quickly that he was more interested in hanging around with Jasper Fitzgerald than anything else.”

  Fred’s eyebrow winged up. “Jasper Fitzgerald the oil executive?”

  “Yup. It was his rig. The Andromeda.”

  “May I ask exactly what happened that forced you guys to attempt a rescue during a storm? The news was sketchy on that.”

  “I’m not sure what happened,” Quinn admitted. “I tried pressing one of the drilling foremen, but he said it was mechanical failure. That’s all he would say. That rig was tilting to the side, as if at least two of the struts were about to give. I don’t think that’s simple mechanical failure.”

  “I wouldn’t think so either,” Fred said. “I’m not an expert, though. I could do some research.”

  “I have a few other things I want you to research.” Quinn turned grim. “We have some photographs I want you to run for background checks. We also have a letter that’s coded, and I want you to decode it.”

  Fred was flummoxed. “Wait. I’m definitely missing something. How does a coded letter play into this?”

  “They’re two different things,” Quinn replied. “The letter is for Rowan.” He cast her a sidelong look and rested his hand on top of hers as he debated how he wanted to phrase the next bit. “I can’t really tell you what’s going on. I just need to know if you can break the code.”

  Fred wasn’t happy with his friend’s response. “I’m going to need more than that.”

  “I can’t give it to you.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because ... because I simply can’t.” Quinn refused to back down. “I would appreciate it if you would simply consider it a favor and see what you can do.”

  “And I would appreciate knowing what sort of trouble you’ve managed to trip over,” Fred pressed. “You’re my friend. I’ll help. I need more information, though.”

  “It’s not my information to give.”


  “If not your information, then whose information?”

  “Mine,” Rowan automatically answered on a sigh, weariness coming out to play. Her shoulders suddenly felt heavy and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. “Quinn isn’t trying to keep you in the dark. He’s trying to protect me.”

  “I see.” Fred leaned back in his chair when the waitress arrived to take their orders. His expression remained thoughtful — only breaking when Rowan ordered an absolutely huge seafood platter that made Quinn smile — but he was silent until their server disappeared. “What is he trying to protect you from?”

  “Don’t ask her that,” Quinn admonished. “Can’t you just do that code-breaking thing you do and leave the rest for us?”

  “I prefer knowing what I’m inserting myself in before I do it.”

  “I understand that but ... it’s complicated.”

  “I have a fully-functioning brain,” Fred pointed out. “I’m capable of understanding complicated things.”

  “I didn’t suggest otherwise. This is Rowan’s secret, though. I need you to trust me enough to do it without asking too many questions. Do you think that’s possible?”

  Fred opted for honesty. “I don’t know. I ... .”

  Rowan held up a hand to still him before he could continue. “No. You’re not asking for anything that isn’t fair. You want to know what we’re involved in because it could come back on you. I’ll tell you.”

  “Ro, you don’t have to.” Quinn lowered his voice. “You’ve been through way too much today. You might want to give this some thought before you bring in anyone else.”

  “You trust him. You have good instincts. That means I can trust him.”

  Quinn sighed as he ran his hand over the top of his hair. “It’s your call.”

  Fred was practically salivating when he propped his elbows on the table. “This must be good.”

  “I think the only one interested in this story is me,” Rowan countered. “If you need to know, though, I understand.” She launched into her tale, leaving nothing out but avoiding most of the emotional (and, for that matter, magical) details. When she was done, Fred had a broad overview of her father’s disappearance and her uncle’s reappearance.

  “Basically we think they’re in some kind of trouble,” Quinn explained when Rowan was done, his hand resting on her thigh under the table. “I have no idea what a Detroit bank manager could’ve done to force an issue like this, but I think it’s obvious that Nick wanted to leave Rowan with a message but wasn’t sure how to do that while ensuring no one else would read it.”

  “That is quite the story.” Fred was flabbergasted. “I’ve never heard anything like that.”

  “Yes, well, it feels more frustrating than exciting from where I’m standing,” Rowan noted.

  “I don’t doubt that. And you can’t think of any reason why your father would suddenly disappear?”

  “No.”

  “Huh.” Fred rubbed his stubbled chin. “That is ... wow. I’ll totally see if I can break the code, though. I’m as curious as you are.”

  “I very much doubt that.” Rowan rolled her neck and flicked her eyes to the water. It was growing dark, but she could make out a few silhouettes frolicking on the beach. They looked to be young adults having a good time, and for all the world, she wished she could break from her life for twenty-four hours and join them. “Thank you for your help, though.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Fred bobbed his head before turning a serious look to Quinn. “As for the photos, I have no problem running them. What do you expect to find from these checks, though? I mean ... do you think this is some grand conspiracy just waiting for you to uncover it?”

  “I don’t know what to think, other than we’re dealing with liars,” Quinn replied. “I know those rig workers were lying. There’s no way they couldn’t have realized they had an extra body on that rig. It’s impossible. And, whatever he is, Jasper Fitzgerald is a fairly poor liar. He recognized the man in the photograph, but law enforcement still doesn’t have a name.”

  “Well, I don’t know much about Fitzgerald,” Fred said. “I will say that he has a terrible reputation in certain circles.”

  “What circles would those be?” Rowan asked, legitimately curious.

  “The ones human beings frequent.” Fred winked at her. “He’s pretty much hated in social circles. He’s considered a shark on the business front and a scavenger on the romantic front.”

  Rowan was even more confused. “What does that mean?”

  “It means he’ll sleep with anyone,” Quinn explained. “It’s a saying of sorts.”

  “I’ve never heard that saying before.”

  “That’s because it was something we used during our military days,” Quinn explained. “Basically he’s saying that Fitzgerald isn’t known for being monogamous. He likes to ... um ... spread his seed, so to speak.”

  Rowan made a disgusted face. “That was a lovely visual. Thank you.”

  Fred chuckled. “You guys are a trip. I mean that in a good way. It’s nice to see Quinn so happy.”

  “I don’t know how happy he is today,” Rowan hedged.

  “He’s happy. Not every day can be perfect. Happiness is a state of mind, and our boy is definitely happy.”

  Rowan’s cheeks pinked with pleasure. “Well, I’m glad. I’m happy, too.”

  Quinn beamed at her. “Other than that massive headache you have brewing, right?”

  “That’s the humidity. As soon as it breaks, as soon as the storm hits, I’m sure I’ll feel better.”

  “I’m looking forward to that.” Quinn rubbed at Rowan’s neck as he turned to Fred. “Regarding Fitzgerald, I didn’t have a lot of time to research his background. I know he’s on his third wife and they keep getting progressively younger.”

  “They also don’t get anything from him in the divorces,” Fred volunteered. “Fitzgerald makes them sign iron-clad prenups, wines and dines them for a bit, and then unceremoniously dumps them when some new flavor strikes his fancy.”

  Rowan was appalled. “That’s terrible.”

  “The women getting involved with him know the score. They want a chance to crack the fame nut and become pseudo-celebrities. They’re willing to trade sex and their dignity to do it.”

  “Wow, tell us how you really feel,” Rowan drawled, eliciting laughter from Quinn and Fred.

  “I really feel that Fitzgerald has no reason to lie on something like this, but if Quinn believes he lied then there must be something cool to dig up,” Fred supplied. “I’m willing to help. I’m also willing to see if I can break your code. I would love to help you solve the mystery of your missing father.”

  “Yeah, that would be nice.” Rowan rested her head against Quinn’s shoulder and briefly pressed her eyes shut. He wasn’t wrong about her headache.

  Quinn brushed a kiss against her forehead and did his best not to squirm under Fred’s heavy gaze. “What?”

  “You’re half of a couple,” Fred answered without hesitation. “I didn’t see it coming but ... it’s kind of cute.”

  “Yes, well, she’s definitely cute. I didn’t see the couple thing coming, but I’m enjoying myself.”

  “I can see that.”

  Rowan let their playful banter wash over her as she drifted. She would give anything to be free of the headache, but it wasn’t about to cede its power position until the weather broke. She was simply happy for the moment of reprieve ... until the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she was forced to snap open her eyes.

  She intently stared at the beach, the light now completely gone as she searched for a hint of movement. Even though she could make out nothing, she was convinced that someone was out there, just beyond the first row of palm trees, and whoever it was watched her with an intensity that was hard to fathom.

  Rowan opened her mouth to tell Quinn about her feeling and then snapped it shut. She was being ridiculous, she internally chided herself. There was no one out there.
Allowing the day to warp her sensibilities was the last thing she wanted.

  “And here comes our food.” Fred ripped Rowan from her dour thoughts. “I can’t wait to see that tiny woman eat her weight in seafood. I think it will be something for the record books.”

  “Prepare to be amazed,” Quinn boasted. “My girl can eat ... and she’s adorable when she’s doing it.”

  “Ugh. You sound so whipped.”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  9

  Nine

  Rowan ate so much food she was glad she wore a dress when she walked back to the ship with Quinn two hours later.

  “I know we’re supposed to keep the mystique alive for at least a year and all that, but if I was wearing jeans right now I would totally be forced to unbutton them,” Rowan admitted.

  Rather than reacting with horror, Quinn barked out a raucous laugh. “That’s lovely, darling. I think that’s my favorite thing you said all night.”

  “Darling?”

  “Just keeping the mystique alive.”

  “Well, I’m sorry I wasn’t chattier with Fred,” Rowan offered, changing the subject. “I really like him. It’s just ... this humidity is messing with my head. Even the aspirin I took is barely taking the edge off.”

  “You were fine. I have a headache, too. I say we head back to your room, get naked, turn on the blizzard movie thing you were talking about, and let the air conditioner blast us until we feel human again.”

  “That sounds like a plan to me.”

  They lapsed into amiable silence, their fingers linked, and made the short trek back to the ship. Quinn lingered on the deck long enough to exchange information with the security guards he had posted on the gangway and then continued onto the ship.

  Rowan was looking forward to a few moments of silence (and a general lack of humidity thanks to the air conditioning), but all thoughts of enjoyment fled when she found Sally standing in the hallway outside her room.

  “Oh, no.”