“Well, you’re here now. You’re doing something. That’s the first big step if you really want change.”
Alex looked up into his eyes. They shone with a kind softness. Wow, he really does care. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
“Don’t take that for granted.” He went on. “Not everyone will take action when they need change. You’re braver than you may think.”
She shook her head. “That’s what my brother said the other day.”
“Well, it’s true. I’ve seen too many people just sit and complain about their lives and never lift a finger to change anything. It’s too bad really. They’d rather stay stuck in what they think is safe even if it makes them feel like shit every day. But that’s their choice. Change can be hard, but it’s also rewarding. And when you know it’s right, you need to go after what you want.”
“Thank you. Really.”
“You got it.” He patted her knee. “What do you do back home?”
“My best friend and I run a small shop. Art and photography. I’m the photography half.”
“Where at?”
“West Coast small town. She moved out there a while back. I just did last year.”
“Sounds nice. You like it?”
“I do,” she replied. “Someday I’m gonna move to the middle of nowhere though. I’ve always wanted to. Lou, she’s my best friend, and I have camped a few times in the mountains, and I’m hooked. But in all honesty, I’ve been hooked since I was little. Nothing like being surrounded by tall pines and amazing views.”
“I won’t argue with that one bit.”
“What about you?” Alex asked. “How did you get started in this, and how long have you been doing what you do?”
“Yeah, well, that’s a long story. For another time. The getting started part anyway.” Aaron chuckled into his coffee cup before taking a drink, then looked out at the ocean. “For now, I do like what I do. We keep people safe from the worst. Lots of travel. It’s been good, as it can be, for quite a few years.”
“So, is there anything exciting you can tell me?”
A dark, side-eyed smirk from him. “If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.” He finished with a quick eyebrow hike.
Alex burst into laughter.
“No, really.”
“Right…” She rolled her eyes at him. “You mentioned travel. How many continents have you been on?”
“All of ’em.”
“Okay, yeah, that’s… Wow, all?”
He nodded.
“How many countries?”
“Name some.”
Alex stared into his humor-lit eyes. What would be the more obscure or improbable places she could come up with? “How about Siberia?”
Another nod.
“How many times?”
“Just once thankfully. At least for the reason I was there. Beyond that, it’s a beautiful place.”
“Uh-oh. The reason you were there wasn’t good?”
A pained look flashed across his face before a naughty smirk replaced it. “Remember, I’ll have to kill you…”
“Oh geez.” She smacked his knee. A sigh and she took a big bite of croissant. “What about…” Think out of the way here. “Antarctica? Staying with the cold theme.”
A lighthearted look this time. “Once also. And I will say a little about that. Protection detail. It was an educational expedition. One of the students was a kid with high-profile parents. Parents who from time to time received threats. Nice people, mind you, just that that more exposed life sometimes attracts the wrong element. It was a little like this.” He gestured, indicating their current voyage. “No team though, just me. I went as a chaperone. It was a cool trip really, no pun intended.” He laughed. “Ten days. And no complications. My charge and the others loved learning about the ship and the continent.”
“Aww, that sounds so fun!”
“It was a good assignment.”
“Have you ever had to do that other times, pretend you’re someone you’re not? I mean we all know that you’re here for protection on this trip, and I guess, well, you’re you. But like on that trip where you were a ‘chaperone’ and they didn’t know the truth?”
Aaron opened his mouth and shut it, turned to look out at the ocean.
That pained look again. Oh God, I upset him! Alex shoved the last of her pastry into her mouth as her chest started to feel tight. She finished and swallowed the bite. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ask so much.”
He offered her a brief smile. “Don’t be sorry about being curious.” He looked down at his coffee cup and spun it a couple of times. “All right, this one is from way back in the day. Before… anyway, this team I ended up with, they needed access to certain individuals. That was part of my skill set. So, it’s a black-tie affair in…” He halted and sighed. “Let’s just say on the European continent. My objective is to get the high-profile target away from the event and as secluded as possible so the team can have a chat with him.” Another pause. “In that case, the target might have deserved some of what he got. At any rate, my assignment is to get this guy alone for them. He has this poodle that he’s just obsessed with. And when that poor little creature isn’t with him, it’s tended to by his mistress. And she had her own proclivities that didn’t just pertain to him. Ahead of time, we researched these people, looking at likes and dislikes, searching for patterns of activity. As it turns out, she has a thing for hooking up with new partners in secluded outdoor settings at lavish events. And get this, knowing all the while that he will come find her in said compromising position and fight it out with the unfortunate new lover.”
Alex sat back and raised an eyebrow.
Aaron shook his head. “I know. Weird game. So I’m the new guy in this scenario. I make contact, flirt, boost her ego. We sneak out of the party and head for a spot she’s used before in a tall growth garden, pup in tow. I keep her attention on me, target shows up, the team shows up, my job is done.”
Alex sat with a wide-eyed, dubious stare. What an unconventional story! “Uh, so did you, you know…?”
“You mean did I sleep with…? God no. Not that…” His nose wrinkled in distaste. “No.”
“Sorry. I mean that’s good. I mean…” She stammered as heat flushed her cheeks. Why was it important for her to hear that? She barely knew him. Why should it matter what he did?
“Well, which is it? Sorry or good?”
“Good.” Her cheeks grew hotter, and she shook her head at him. “Just please, go on.”
He laughed at her. “Remember, you asked. Okay, well, the whole funny thing about this is, the target is more worried about his dog than her. No matter what these guys do to him, he’s yelling the whole time about getting that dog back inside and safe.”
Alex still couldn’t come up with accurate words to express the mixed emotions swimming through her. “I don’t know what to say. That’s… not at all the kind of story I expected you to tell me.” She tried to collect herself. “Do you still, um, do those things?”
“No. No, that was way before. These protection details we do now are nothing like… We don’t deceive the people who hire us.” He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “That wasn’t a good scene back then. Something I never should have gotten mixed up in. And what I told you, even as bad as it may come off, was one of the lighter moments.”
“Well, it was a funny story. In a way. Was the little dog okay?”
“Oh yeah, that dog was very well cared for. The one good thing about those people. They genuinely loved that dog. Last I saw of it, it was being carried back to the mansion by the mistress. After she got done screaming and cussing me out.”
Alex laughed. “You obviously made quite the impression.”
Aaron side-eyed her. “Yeah, just not the kind of impression she was hoping for.”
“At least you did the right thing in that respect.”
Aaron nodded but said nothing and turned a haunted gaze out to the water again.
Alex watched
him. The look in his eyes told of a darker aspect he avoided. What was going on in that head of his? A fascinating if oddball story that last one, and he seemed deeply troubled by things that happened in that time period of his life. Her heart ached for him for whatever might have occurred that hurt him.
“Thank you. For breakfast dessert. And for the stories.” She laid a hand on his knee.
“You’re welcome.” He turned back to her. “You’re really interested in this stuff?”
“Of course,” she replied. “It was fun. And intriguing.”
“Well, I’ve got tons more. If you want to hear. I don’t usually talk about it. Most I won’t. But there’re some cool places. And a few other scenarios you might like.” He tilted his head. “You want breakfast dessert tomorrow?”
Alex’s heart skipped. Really? This man was interesting, well-traveled, and had a widely varied history. Not to mention how she felt being around him. And he was also interested in her! He genuinely wanted to spend time with her, know her thoughts and feelings, share his stories. Yes!
“I’d love that.”
“It’s a date then.”
Oh shit, a date? Alex’s grin overtook any thought of playing it cool.
“Frisbee!”
“Frisbee?” Alex’s eyebrows shot up. Her questioning of her nephew on what fun things he might want to do for the day had elicited that as his first choice.
“Yes!” Will replied, jumping in place. “I love Frisbee!”
Alex winked and shook her head. “I love Frisbee too, bud. But remember, we are on a ship. We can’t throw it very hard or it’ll go over the side.”
“I know. I promise I will try not to. Pleeease?”
“Okay,” Alex agreed. “I’ll try too. Let’s go get it.”
They retrieved the toy from the mess lounge and returned to the main aft deck to play. While not being a comfort for the hot weather they’d experienced over the past week, the near nonexistent breeze proved very helpful toward not carrying away the Frisbee. They were able to get in about thirty minutes of throwing and laughing before an errant toss by the young boy sent the bright turquoise disk over the rail and into the ocean.
Will’s frolicsome eyes transformed to enormous brown orbs, and he clamped his hands over his mouth, staring at his aunt.
Alex bit her lip and smiled back at him. “Oops.”
They made their way over to the railing.
“Aww, man,” Will said, his cherubic face falling into dejection. He and Alex looked over and down at the smooth water below and the Frisbee drifting away. “Epic fail.”
“Well, it did work out for a while,” Alex said and ruffled Will’s blond hair. “We’ll let someone know and get a new one for the crew when we get back if they don’t recover it. Any other ideas before it gets too hot?”
He turned to her, his studious look exaggerated as he tapped his chin with one finger, his other hand resting on his hip. “Hmmm… Well… What about… baseball!” His eyes lit up as he came to his decision.
“We can’t hit, but we can throw,” Alex said. “And we’ll have to be careful to not let the balls go over too.”
“Yeesss!” Will exclaimed as he took off, Alex in tow, to retrieve the bag of baseballs from the room he shared with his father. “And don’t worry—it’s okay if we lose a couple ’cause I have a lot!”
After a quick stop to inform about the Frisbee situation, they gathered the balls and a duffel with several gloves and headed back up to the aft deck. Will played ball back home, and it wasn’t often that he went anywhere without his gear if he could help it. He grabbed his glove as Alex sifted through to find one for herself. The closest fit flopped a little loose but would work.
They threw for a time, high flies, grounders, pitches, and some just tossing back and forth.
“Can I do some fast pitches?”
“Bring it,” Alex replied with a wink.
Will threw a couple. They zipped fast but a little wide, and Alex had to run after and retrieve them. Then one clapped solid in her glove.
“Nice one!” she called out to him. Another good one. The next slapped hard, stinging her palm. She tossed the ball back to him and removed her hand from her glove, rubbed it, and shook it out before replacing the protective cover. “Ow,” she said, and Will giggled.
The next throw went wild, and she ran to collect it. Next one in the glove. The pitch after flew outside again and she dove for it but missed. The small sphere bounced away behind her. She rolled onto her back and lay there on the deck, resting her gloved hand across her eyes to block the sun. The scent of worn leather filled her nostrils.
A little out of breath now from chasing the strays, she called out to Will, “Just a sec!”
Sun-drenched floorboards warmed her back, too heated for comfort, and a few seconds later she moved to get up and go retrieve the ball. Brightness flooded her eyelids as she took the mitt away from her face. Ah, sunny days. About to roll to stand, an eclipse flickered across her sight as the missed globe sailed above her, back to Will.
“Hi, Aaron!” Will called out.
Alex blinked at Will and followed his line of sight back the other way.
Aaron walked toward her. He waved to the boy as he strolled up to stand beside her, his shadow protecting her from the sun’s glare. Luminous radiance streaked out around the sturdy outline of his body in a halo effect.
He gave her a quick eyebrow raise in greeting. “Want some help?” He extended a hand.
“My hero.”
She reached up and grasped strong fingers. A warm, sparking rush surged through her digits and up her arm, and she nearly let go. His hold remained firm, and she reasserted hers. Maybe catching all those fast pitches had affected her nerves? But… that was her other hand… He pulled her on up to her feet.
“Thanks.”
The briefest of frowns and a fleeting hint of question flashed through his eyes. He nodded to her. “Got room for a couple more?”
“Sure,” she replied as Shane strode up to join them.
“Hey, sweetie!” Shane made a show of a lingering touch to her back and his purposeful move between them as he passed through, not hiding a risqué wink to Aaron. He headed for the bag of gloves and greeted Will as the boy ran over and began pulling more out.
Alex shared a near simultaneous eye roll with Aaron. She removed her glove and handed it to him. “You can take my place for a while actually. I’m gonna sit out for a bit. You may want a different glove though,” she added as Aaron glanced over to the two rummaging through mitts.
He stuck the glove she’d given him on his hand, flexed his fingers, shrugged, and smiled at her. “It’ll work.” He stepped out a few feet from her and whistled to Will, punching his fist into the glove once and holding it up. “Right here!”
She watched the two men and her nephew throw for a few minutes. Aaron Donovan… why can’t I get you out of my head? A rather intimate dream had roused her from sound sleep that morning, in turn leaving her with a warm fuzzy aftereffect and the distinct recollection of his eye color. Their now regular after-breakfast hangout had been postponed as he’d had a meeting with Jimmy and Mac, but a near-miss collision with him later in one of the passageways resulted in shared laughter, a borderline flirtatious quip from him, and her thankfulness that, as he’d had some errand or other, she hadn’t had to hold a coherent conversation. She blushed again at the recollection. That’ll teach me to daydream and not pay attention.
She turned away and made her way down to the galley to select a pack of water from the refrigeration unit. Cold air against overwarm skin caused a chill when she opened the door, and she lingered a few extra seconds in its invigorating embrace. As she walked back, Alex inspected her hand, folding and extending her fingers a couple of times. Had she bent her wrist wrong and pinched a nerve as Aaron grabbed her hand? No odd tingling now. She rotated the joint. I think I may be losing my mind.
Upon returning to the deck, she moved over to a large storage crate.
It lay tucked in the shade, and she positioned herself there, sitting cross-legged on top. She pulled out a water and twisted off the cap. Refreshing liquid slid down her throat to cool her insides. Over half was gone before she recapped it and set what remained beside her on the crate. Aaron glanced over to her, and she held up the water bottles for him to see. He nodded before sending the ball back to Will.
Watching the two men throw and catch pitches with her nephew, Alex contemplated just how wrong her initial thoughts were about having the hired guns on board. Though they were, beyond any doubt, all business when it came to tactics and weapons, they had integrated well with the crew and her family. Taking the time to carefully familiarize everyone with plans in case the worst happened, they did so in a way that was instructional, to the point, reality based, and at the same time not upsetting for Will. They made sure Will felt secure while still understanding what he would need to do in case they were boarded by hostiles. Aaron had even met alone with Captain Mac, her brother, nephew and her on a separate plan just for their family. Just in case.
Will took to them right away, and they regularly spent some of their downtime with him in various activities. Alex appreciated that for Will more than she could say, since there were no children for him to play with on board. And for all of them. Instead of being the complete hard-asses she’d first expected, she found them to be just regular guys with a rather irregular profession. Maybe they could be cold, tough, and terrifying when it came down to a situation, but otherwise she found them fun and interesting. A warmth filled her heart. She’d uncapped her water to finish it when Les appeared next to her.
“Hey, Les,” she said. “You ready to play too?”
“Absolutely,” he replied and gave her a quick smile. “I think your brother is on his way down too in a bit.”
“Good,” she said. Jimmy was putting in long hours and more than deserved to get in some relaxation time. “I take it all’s well?”
Off the Deep End Page 4