“What other part?”
“The part where she accidentally lets my secret slip to someone else,” Rowan replied. “I know she would never purposely do it but accidentally is another story. What if she tells the wrong person what I can do? We can’t put that genie back in the bottle once it’s out.”
Quinn swallowed hard. He hadn’t considered that. “Perhaps we should just stick with Demarcus, at least for right now.”
“And what happens if that’s not enough to keep Leighann safe?”
Quinn wasn’t sure how to answer. “I don’t know, Ro. We can only do what we can do.”
That was exactly what Rowan was afraid of.
7
Seven
Rowan steeled herself for a long afternoon on the aft deck, grabbing a bottle of water and her camera before meeting Quinn in the rear employee hallway.
“So, how are we going to do this?” Rowan was all business. “If we stick too close to Leighann then she’s going to know something is wrong. We’re not exactly stealthy.”
“Who is this we you speak of?” Quinn teased, smirking. “I happen to be very stealthy when I want to be.”
“Since when?”
“Um … since forever.”
Rowan wasn’t convinced. “I’ve never once seen you be stealthy.”
“I stole your heart, didn’t I?”
Rowan pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at Quinn’s serious expression. “I don’t think that counts,” she said after a beat. “I saw you coming a mile away.”
Quinn refused to back down. “You’re so full of it. You didn’t see me coming any more than I saw you coming. It was already too late before we realized what was happening.”
Rowan wanted to argue the point, but she knew it was a waste. “Fine. Still … you’re not very stealthy.” She flicked her eyes to the practice area, which was rapidly filling up with giggling girls in tiny outfits. “Trust me. In this environment, people are going to realize you’re here.”
“Then I’ll say I’m here to keep the peace.” Quinn lowered his voice so only Rowan could hear. “As long as Leighann plans on being here for the bulk of the day – and that’s what she said herself when I casually asked after breakfast – then I’m going to be here. You have photos to take. I’ll watch her.”
Rowan nodded, her attention drifting to the corner where Leighann had her head bent close to Kasey Witherspoon and they talked in muted tones. “It’s going to be a really long day, isn’t it?”
“You have no idea, honey. It’s going to be the longest day ever.”
“I guess we should get to it.”
Quinn wasn’t keen on the prospect. “Yeah. I guess we should.”
ROWAN CONSIDERED HERSELF a patient individual. She knew she wasn’t perfect – there were times she was downright ornery, after all – but she wasn’t the type of person to let general annoyance ruin her day.
She believed that … right up until she spent an hour with a group of squabbling girls. It seemed the two factions – they were both difficult to deal with – preferred screaming and yelling at each other to practicing and maintaining a professional demeanor.
“I hope you fall into a hole in whatever hovel you live in and never get back out,” Kasey barked at one of the girls, hands on hips.
Rather than yell back, it was clear that the girl – Rowan thought her name was Clover – was going to turn things physical. Since Rowan figured that was exactly what Kasey wanted, she grabbed Clover by the back of the neck and hauled her away from the smug blonde before she could attack.
“Why don’t you come over here and spend some time with me?” Rowan suggested, exchanging a quick look with Quinn before dragging the girl away from her friends and positioning her in a spot where Rowan could cut her off should she decide to charge. “Take a breath.”
Clover, her eyes firing, ignored Rowan’s order and thumped her chest in an aggressive manner when Kasey looked in her direction. Rowan could do nothing but widen her eyes and shake her head.
“You’re giving her exactly what she wants,” Rowan pointed out, opting to be pragmatic. “She wants to push you to the point where you attack. Then she’s going to tell people Leighann was right to want to keep you out because you’re uncivilized. Is that what you want?”
Clover slowly dragged her eyes away from Kasey and glared at Rowan. “What do I care what they think?”
“I didn’t say you had to care what they think.” Rowan chose her words carefully. “I am mildly curious what you want out of this, though. Did you come just for the free trip or do you want to win the competition?”
Clover’s expression remained hard, but she focused completely on Rowan. “I don’t understand the question.”
“You understand it fine.” Since she’d already drawn attention to herself Rowan saw no need to refrain from pushing forward. “I genuinely want to know. Do you want to win or cause trouble?”
“Maybe causing trouble is winning.”
“For who?”
“I … what do you mean?” This time Clover looked legitimately uncomfortable as she shifted from one foot to the other.
“I know this is hard for you.” Rowan kept her tone light and easy, but she was determined to get through to the girl. “You don’t understand why girls like Kasey dislike you simply because of your economic status.”
“And my skin color.” Clover patted her dark skin for emphasis. “They hate me because I’m black.”
“I don’t know that’s true,” Rowan cautioned. “I think it has a lot more to do with the money than race … at least that’s the feeling I get from them. I’m not saying it’s right either way, for the record, but those girls are to be pitied rather than hated.”
“Why do you say that?” Clover was resigned when she planted herself on the floor and began to stretch.
“Because they’ve been overprotected their entire lives. They’ve been told they will get what they want no matter what, even if they never work for it. You guys have been taught that life is going to be difficult and you need to work – and work hard – for what you want. In the end, even though it will be difficult, that will serve you better.”
Clover gave Rowan a long look. “You don’t look like you know that from personal experience.”
“You would be surprised what I know.” Rowan opted for the truth. “I grew up in a suburb of Detroit. It wasn’t a rich suburb by any stretch of the imagination, but it wasn’t really poor either. It was basically a comfortable middle-class upbringing.”
“So you don’t know what it’s like for me.” Clover was adamant. “You don’t understand how rude and obnoxious those girls are.”
“Oh, I understand.” Rowan shook her head. “There are mean girls no matter where you grow up or what your economic status is. I’ve never understood why it happens, but it always happens.
“For me, I was fine during high school for the most part,” she continued. “I wasn’t the most popular girl in school, but I wasn’t the most unpopular either. I had a small group of friends and we got along fine.”
“So how do you think you know what I feel?” Clover persisted. “You don’t. You don’t know what it’s like to be me at all.”
“I don’t,” Rowan agreed without hesitation. “Everyone has something different to deal with, though. My mother died when I was in high school and it was very sad. I had my father, though, so I managed to get through it. Then, right around the time when I was supposed to graduate, my father just disappeared. He essentially fell off the face of the Earth.”
Clover sobered. “Wow. Did you ever find out what happened to him?”
Rowan wasn’t sure how to answer. “No,” she said finally. “He just went away.”
“Do you think he’s dead?”
“Maybe.”
“Do you think you’ll ever see him again?”
Rowan swallowed hard. “Maybe. I didn’t tell you the story to make you feel sorry for me, though. I told you the story so yo
u would understand that there are different types of pain. You’re not the only one who is feeling it right now.
“I know it seems like those girls have everything and they’re trying to take the very little you have away but that could possibly be perception rather than reality,” she continued. “You don’t have to like them. Personally, I don’t blame you for not liking them. You don’t have to waste energy hating them either, though.”
“I guess.” Clover rubbed her forehead. “They’re just so mean. I was excited to come here until … well, until I got here.”
“This is a cruise ship. It’s supposed to be fun. One group of girls cannot suck the fun out of your trip. Ignore them and focus on what you can enjoy. That will be a punishment for them at the same time because once they realize they can’t get to you they’ll be even sadder than they are now.”
“That’s something to enjoy, I guess.”
Rowan cracked a smile. “It definitely is.”
QUINN LEANED AGAINST THE wall as he watched Rowan interact with the combustible Clover. He thought for sure the girl was going to start throwing punches until Rowan calmly drew her aside and began talking to the girl.
Quinn had no idea what she said, but the way Clover smiled when talking to Rowan made him think his girlfriend had managed to drive her point home. That was a good thing. Actually, it was the best thing given the circumstances.
Leighann sidled close to Quinn and followed his gaze, her lips curling when she realized what he was looking at. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”
Quinn swore he could feel his spine go up one vertebra at a time as he stiffened. “What’s pathetic?”
“The way the ship’s photographer is propping up that girl,” Leighann replied without hesitation. “It’s ridiculously pathetic.”
“And why would you think that?”
“Because it’s clear she has an agenda. She’s playing favorites. I’m going to have another talk with the captain about this. It’s unacceptable the way she’s giving Claire’s group preferential treatment.”
Quinn narrowed his eyes and barely managed to contain his temper. “Rowan isn’t giving anyone preferential treatment. If anything, she stepped in and saved your girl from getting a fist in the face. To me that’s preferential treatment.”
Leighann’s snort was derisive. “Whatever. If that girl had done what came naturally and punched Kasey in the face, everyone would’ve seen exactly what I was talking about. They would’ve understood that I was right from the beginning.”
Quinn folded his arms over his chest, giving off warning signals with his body language. “And that’s what you want, isn’t it? You want to be right.”
“Doesn’t everyone want to be right?”
“I don’t know.” Quinn fought the urge to squirm. He’d been teasing Rowan about being right for two days straight. He couldn’t help but wonder if he sounded as obnoxious as Leighann when uttering almost the exact same words. “I think compromise is probably the most important thing.”
“And I think you’re just saying that.” Leighann’s smile was smug. “You’ve been hanging around here all morning. Do you have a specific reason for that?”
Quinn shrugged, noncommittal. “I’m head of security. I spend time on various parts of the ship throughout the day.”
“And yet you’ve been here for hours.”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“Of course not,” Leighann answered hurriedly. “I think it’s probably a good idea for you to spend some time being visible back here. That will make those hoodlums Claire brought aware that they can’t get away with whatever dastardly plans they spend their nights coming up with.”
Quinn made a face that would’ve been comical under different circumstances. “Hoodlums? Do you even think before you speak?”
“I think before I do everything.”
Quinn wrinkled his forehead at the statement. It could be seen as weighted or innocent. “And what are you thinking right now?”
“That you and I should have a private dinner and discuss security for the big competition,” Leighann answered immediately, her eyes sparking with interest as she pressed closer to Quinn and the corners of her mouth tilted up. “I’m going to bet we have a lot more in common than you realize.”
Quinn was dumbfounded. His mouth dropped open as he struggled to deal with the conversational shift. He considered himself a good judge of character, but he didn’t see Leighann’s personality shift coming until it was far too late to head it off. “Excuse me?”
“Dinner.” Leighann wasn’t embarrassed in the least as she offered up what Quinn assumed she thought was a pretty smile. “We could have a private dinner together and talk about a few things.”
Quinn’s discomfort was obvious to everyone but Leighann. “Um … don’t you have girls to watch?”
“I do, but that’s what my assistants are for.” Leighann rested her hand on Quinn’s strong forearm. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. We should have dinner together and remedy that.”
Quinn went from being mildly annoyed to overwhelmingly irked in the blink of an eye. “Yes, well, I have security for the competition under control. If you have concerns, you’re more than welcome to stop in at my office to discuss them.”
“That doesn’t sound nearly as fun as having dinner together.”
“I already have dinner plans.” The words were out of Quinn’s mouth before he could give real thought to the intelligence associated with uttering them. Leighann was the type of woman who considered herself the center of the universe and she didn’t understand when people didn’t agree with her. Quinn knew he could’ve phrased things differently, but it was too late to take things back.
“And who do you have dinner plans with?” Leighann’s expression was hard to read.
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business.”
“And I think you’re making it up.” Leighann’s gaze was speculative as she leaned closer. “Listen, if there’s some ship rule about fraternizing with the guests, I can assure you it doesn’t apply to me. I don’t live by the same rules as others.”
And that right there was only one of Leighann’s problems, Quinn thought. The others were too numerous to list. “That’s not a rule or a concern.”
“So … what’s the problem?”
Quinn realized that Leighann wasn’t going to do well with subtlety so he would have to spell it out for her. “I have a girlfriend and I have plans with her.”
“A girlfriend?” Now it was Leighann’s turn to make a face. “Why would you possibly want a girlfriend? I mean … you’re the head of security. You must have women making offers every trip. Why would you want to settle when you can play the field and have fun?”
Quinn couldn’t decide if Leighann actually meant what she said or she was trying to appease some version of a male machismo that only existed in her head. “Because I happen to like my girlfriend a great deal and she makes me happy. I don’t want to be with anyone but her.”
“Oh, really?” Leighann rolled her eyes. “And just who is this girlfriend? She must be on the ship.”
Quinn knew turning smug was a mistake, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Take a wild guess.”
“WHERE IS GABBY?” Rowan asked, glancing around the practice area as she helped Clover carry four sets of pompoms to the center mats. “Isn’t she supposed to be here with you?”
Clover nodded. “She is, but I haven’t seen her since breakfast. How do you know Gabby?”
“I actually met her at breakfast.”
“She’s our captain so it is unusual for her not to be here, but I’m sure she’s just running late.” Clover was breezy as she spared a glance for a dismissive Kasey. “I know you said that giving in and punching her was exactly what she wanted, but I’m not sure if I can stop myself from doing it.”
“You can.” Rowan was convinced that was true. “Treat it like a game. If Kasey says something, pretend you don’t hear her. Don’t react
. Don’t engage. Trust me. That will drive her more nuts than if you punched her in the face.”
“But I’m not sure if it will be as satisfying,” Clover complained. “She’s a terrible person and I’m pretty sure no one has ever explained that to her.”
“A lot of people are going to explain that to her once she escapes the protective bubble she’s lived her life in,” Rowan countered. “She’s not going to have nearly the smooth sailing that she believes she is when it comes to life. In that respect, you’ve already won.”
“Because I know things are going to be hard?”
Rowan nodded. “Life isn’t easy for anyone. There are always obstacles, hurdles. The people who don’t believe that are the ones who get knocked down the furthest. Do you know what that means?”
“That I can’t smack her in the face.”
Rowan ignored the bloodthirsty dig. “That she’s going to ultimately have a lot further to climb because she’s not a realist. You are. You understand about hard work. Don’t let someone like Kasey Witherspoon ruin this opportunity for you. I promise you’ll regret it forever if you do.”
“Okay.” Clover blew out a sigh. “I get what you’re saying. I’ll be good.”
“Great.” Rowan patted her shoulder. “We should find Gabby so you guys can get practicing. I want to make sure you get the same number of photos as everyone else.”
“Yeah, because that’s the most important thing in the world,” Clover said dryly.
“Keep it up.” Rowan cracked a smile. “I’ll make sure you’re making ugly faces in all your photos if you’re not careful.”
“Now that is cold.”
“You have no idea.”
8
Eight
Quinn and Rowan broke off for lunch, purposely choosing a table in the dining room where they could watch Leighann from a safe distance. For her part, the woman kept staring at Quinn and making him uncomfortable, something that wasn’t lost on Rowan.
Choppy Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 5) Page 7