“She’s not taken until she’s got a ring on her finger,” Michael persisted.
“She does have a ring on her finger,” Quinn shot back. “It might not be a wedding band, but they’re halfway there so ... just pick somebody else.” His annoyance got the better of him as he tried to calm his nerves. “While you’re here, there’s something else I want to talk to you about.”
Michael’s irritation at having his plans for the evening shut down was obvious. “Why would I want to help you? I have to find another woman to flirt with. Perhaps I don’t have time for you.”
Quinn let loose a world-weary sigh. “Can you please not make things more difficult than they already are? I’m sorry you can’t have the pretty ghost hunter. She is obviously spoken for, though. There are plenty of single women on the ship and I’m sure you’ll find them equally stimulating after a few drinks.”
The look Michael shot Quinn was withering. “You said you had a question.”
“Oh, geez.” Quinn rolled his eyes. “If you’re going to be difficult, just go. I’ll ask you the question later.”
“Oh, no.” Michael made a clucking sound with his tongue. “You’re the chief of security. Your needs are paramount in my world. What can I do for you?”
Recognizing that Michael needed time to calm down, Quinn decided to barrel forward and then escape quickly. The congenial captain wasn’t the type to hold a grudge. “How often are all the engines checked?”
Whatever he was expecting, that wasn’t it. Michael furrowed his brow as he regarded Quinn’s serious expression. “I don’t understand why you would ask that.”
“I’m simply curious.” Quinn chose his words carefully. “I had a nightmare last night. I never dream badly because I have Rowan.”
“Oh, you guys are gross,” Michael complained, although his lips curved into a smile.
Quinn took that as a good sign. “In the dream, one of the engines exploded and took out multiple people. That’s not possible, right? I mean ... I’m not an engineer or anything, but that was just a dream.”
“It’s technically possible but highly unlikely,” Michael clarified, causing Quinn’s stomach to hop. “We run through a series of checklists before every trip. Twice a year, the engines are tested to the point of fatigue to make sure nothing can go wrong. The odds of an engine actually exploding are so slim that you’re more likely to find a unicorn first. It is possible, though.”
“Could something else go wrong? I mean ... is there something else that could cause multiple fatalities on the ship?”
“We could sink.”
Quinn had already considered that. “We have lifeboats. In this day and age, help would arrive fast to save us. Sinking in the waters off the Bahamas isn’t the end of the world. It’s not like being on the Titanic.”
“True.” Michael’s expression was thoughtful as he stared at his friend. “So ... a dream caused all this?”
Quinn nodded without hesitation. “Yeah. It made me uneasy. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Not everyone on the ship is a ghost hunter,” Michael pointed out. “I bet we have some dream interpreters, too. Do you want me to ask around?”
That was the last thing Quinn wanted. “I’m good. It was just a dream. I’m being ridiculous.”
“I happen to think you’re always ridiculous, especially when it comes to that girlfriend. Still, you might track her down so she can distract you. She’s good at that ... and you’re clearly a little off.”
“Maybe I’m simply unnerved by the ghost hunters,” Quinn mused. “They make me nervous. Some of them are weird.”
“Yeah, well, there are all types of people.” Michael flicked his eyes back to Harper. “All kinds of hot people.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Quinn warned, extending a finger. “She’s obviously off limits. I don’t know anything about her boyfriend, but he looks the type who could beat you senseless without breaking a sweat. If I have to jump in and save you from your own mouth, I’m not going to be happy.”
“The boyfriend is a cop,” Michael offered, more to himself than to Quinn. “I remember from the television show. He was pretty much a basket case when the girlfriend disappeared in the asylum. He took off to find her, though, and didn’t come back until he’d thwarted a killer and found her.”
Amused despite himself, Quinn hiked an eyebrow. “Thwarted?”
“That’s what I said.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you watch too much television?”
“There’s no such thing as too much television.”
“Yeah, you definitely need to start reading more.”
“EVERY GUY ON THIS SHIP wants me,” Zander announced as he sipped a rum runner and appreciatively gazed around the deck. “I am the king of the world.”
Harper lowered her sunglasses so she could meet her best friend’s steady gaze. “What makes you say that?”
“Look around.” Zander extended his hand. “I’m the center of attention. Everyone thinks I’m a fine specimen of my gender, and they can’t understand why I don’t have anyone with me on this trip.”
“You have me,” Harper pointed out, grinning when Jared handed her a bottle of water and slid her a sly wink. “Maybe they think we’re a couple.”
Zander made an exaggerated face. “Oh, please.” He waved off the comment with a dismissive hand gesture. “Nobody thinks we’re together. It’s obvious we’re friends, but I’m far too good looking for you.”
Harper’s mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe you just said that to me. I’m equally as good looking as you. In fact, well, some people think I’m better looking than you.”
“They do not.”
“They do so.”
“They do not.”
“They do so.”
“And who are these people?” Zander queried. “Who are these poor souls with cataracts who think you’re better looking than me?”
“Lots of people think it,” Harper fired back. “Tell him, Jared. Not everyone thinks he’s better looking than me.”
“That’s true.” Jared sipped a fruity drink as he flipped through the ship’s welcome magazine. “I happen to believe Harper is way better looking than you, Zander.”
Zander snorted so hard Harper was surprised he didn’t blow snot in his drink. “Of course you have to say that. You’re her boyfriend. If you don’t say she’s prettier than me, you’ll get in trouble. Your opinion doesn’t count.”
“She is prettier than you,” Jared stressed. “It’s not something I simply say. It’s something I believe.”
“Oh, you’re so adorable.” Zander shot him a pitying look. “It’s probably best you’ve convinced yourself it’s true. It will cut down on issues in the future.”
“Whatever.” Jared rolled his neck and flipped another page. “Heart, don’t listen to him. He’s just trying to get you going. He’s bored without Shawn and he’s decided that you’re going to serve as his primary form of entertainment. He’ll get over it once he meets some new people and can serve as the center of attention for an entirely new group of desperate souls seeking entertainment.”
Harper giggled at Zander’s annoyed expression. “That’s true. I should’ve seen it. Are you bored without Shawn?” Harper poked her best friend’s side to taunt him. “Have you turned into one of those mushy people who cries without their significant other?”
Zander slapped her hand away, frustration bubbling up. “I am not bored. I most certainly am not mushy. I’m simply explaining the state of the world. Everyone on this ship wants me.”
“Who wants you?” Jared challenged, jerking his eyes from the magazine and finally meeting Zander’s gaze. “Name one person on this ship who is staring at you.”
“Those guys over there.” Zander pointed across the deck without hesitation, forcing Jared to look even though he figured Zander was exaggerating ... which was part of his normal repertoire. “Look how hot they are for me.”
Jared’s for
ehead wrinkled as he studied the two men. Even though he didn’t want to encourage Zander, the men were indeed staring in their direction. “Do you know who they are?”
Zander shook his head. “I think they’re fans.”
Jared wasn’t so sure about that. “The one guy is the captain. I can tell by his uniform.”
“Really?” Zander preened as he straightened, running a hand through his dark hair as he situated himself in a more flattering pose on the lounger. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure ... and you have a boyfriend, so there’s no flirting with the captain.”
“I can flirt if I want,” Zander protested.
“No, you can’t.” Harper was firm as she shook her head. “You have a boyfriend whom I happen to love. He’s good for you. I refuse to let you lose your head and flirt with some random guy simply because he’s the captain of a cruise ship. I’ll buy you the series collection of The Love Boat when we get home instead. That should be more than enough to serve as a distraction.”
Zander dramatically rolled his eyes. “Do you always have to be such a pain? There’s no reason that I shouldn’t enjoy a mild bout of flirting. I mean ... come on. It’s fun and no one gets hurt.”
“I’ll hurt you,” Harper promised.
“But ... he’s making love to me with his eyes,” Zander complained.
Jared cringed at the words. The captain was indeed staring at their little group. The police detective was trained to recognize human behavior, though, and he was certain the man was not staring at Zander.
“He’s making love to Harper with his eyes,” Jared corrected. “He’s not looking at you.”
Zander balked. “He is so!”
“No, he’s not.” Even though he wasn’t fond of the idea that the captain was staring at his fiancée, Jared remained calm. He had no intention of causing a scene. “Harper is the one causing his heart to go pitter patter.”
“Well ... that is just crap.” Zander’s mood turned dark in an instant. “I can’t believe you stole my innocent cruise crush, Harp. You’ve totally broken my heart.”
Harper sighed as she closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. “Oh, geez. This is going to become a thing for the rest of the trip.”
Jared shrugged in apology. “You’re used to it. You’ll survive.”
“That’s so depressing.”
Jared couldn’t help but agree.
Four
Rowan met Quinn in front of the dining room shortly after seven. She wasn’t hungry, but she figured Quinn would make a fuss if she tried to skip a meal.
In truth, since seeing the sheer number of omens, she’d completely lost her appetite. Her stomach felt as if it was going to revolt at any moment and she wished for the umpteenth time that she wasn’t the one considered “special” due to her abilities.
For his part, Quinn greeted her with a hug and a kiss before directing her toward the buffet line. Because of their status on the ship, they had unique eating privileges. The other workers were allowed to eat in the restaurants and main dining room whenever they wished, but they had to pay through a reduced rate. Quinn and Rowan were basically allowed to eat wherever they wanted for free.
“How was the rest of your day?” Quinn asked as they filed into the line. He made sure to stay on the same side of the buffet table with Rowan because he didn’t want to risk being separated from her.
“How do you think?” Rowan challenged bitingly.
“Rawr.” Quinn made a sound like a spitting cat, and his expression was so comical Rowan couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “Oh, there you are.” Quinn beamed. “I was afraid a body snatcher had somehow grabbed my girlfriend and switched places with her. It’s good to know you’re still in there.”
Rowan’s smile slipped. “I’m not trying to be difficult.”
“I know.”
“It’s just ... overwhelming.”
Quinn took pity on her and leaned closer, brushing his lips against her cheek as he whispered. “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to figure this out. I promise you that.”
Rowan wasn’t so sure. “But ... how? I’ve never seen anything like this before. I don’t know what to do. It’s almost paralyzing.”
“I agree.” That was the truth. Quinn felt paralyzed himself. Whenever he tried to come up with a believable scenario to work with, he found himself staring into space. He was well and truly at a loss. “We’re going to figure it out, though. We always do.”
“Sometimes we don’t figure it out until it’s too late, though,” she pointed out.
“Well ... I can’t make any promises. We can only do what we can do. All I can say is that I will do my very best to make sure this thing — whatever it is — never happens. I can’t do better than that.”
Sheepish, Rowan shook her head. “I know. I shouldn’t take this out on you. It’s just so ... weird. I don’t know what to make of it.”
“That’s why we need to take a step back and think,” Quinn said as he grabbed several plates to heap food on. “They have crab legs.” He handed one of the larger plates to his girlfriend. “I think you should eat because you’re looking a little pale. Then, after dinner, we’ll go from there.”
She accepted the plate and nodded. “That makes sense. I don’t know how hungry I am, though. I feel sick to my stomach.”
As if on cue, the crab platter popped into view and Rowan’s stomach gave a terrific yowl of excitement.
“Or perhaps you’re hungrier than you thought,” Quinn suggested, after he’d finished laughing.
Rowan pursed her lips. “I guess I could eat something.”
“That’s good. I want you to keep up your strength. I don’t know much about what’s happening, but I do know that you’re not going to be able to do your best pondering and problem-solving if you’re hungry.”
“Fair enough.” Her smile was small but heartfelt. “I’m definitely getting the crab legs.”
“I’m shocked,” Quinn deadpanned.
“There’s also chocolate cake.”
“I’m right there with you on the cake. Let’s load up. My understanding is they have special entertainment for dinner tonight. I’m kind of curious how it goes.”
Rowan knit her eyebrows. “Entertainment? Do I even want to know?”
“I have no idea. I think we’re going to find out whether we like it or not, though.”
“THIS FOOD IS AMAZING.” Excited, Harper cracked a crab leg and sent juice flying across the table.
Zander used his napkin to dab at the liquid as he glared at his friend. “Well, that was just undignified.”
Harper chuckled at his ornery expression. “It was an accident.”
“I think it makes you look distinguished,” Jared offered, taking a seat next to Harper and across from Zander. “I think you should always bathe in crab juice from here on out. That will help you attract men wherever you go. I mean ... what guy doesn’t love crab juice?”
Harper elbowed him in the stomach hard enough to elicit a grunt. “Don’t listen to Jared,” she admonished her best friend. “He’s just trying to see if he can make you melt down.”
“That’s a horrible thing to say about the man you’re going to marry,” Jared complained.
“Yeah, well, you’ll live.” Harper was used to Jared and Zander fighting. At first they tried to hide their competitive natures and get along for her sake. It didn’t last long. In truth, they were the sort of men who enjoyed getting one over on each other. Harper worried that would eventually cause the structure of their relationships to crumble, but instead, they’d merely strengthened their foundation over time. Now that they were living in separate houses, things seemed to be much better ... which was a relief.
Unfortunately for everyone concerned, a three-person vacation wasn’t going to help their ongoing boundary issues. In fact, Harper was convinced it would only exacerbate them.
“What are we going to do after dinner tonight?” Zander asked, changing the subject. �
��I thought we could go to one of the bars on the lido deck. They’re right off the pool and there’s supposed to be one that plays jazz.”
“I didn’t realize we were spending the evening together,” Jared noted, his eyes momentarily darkening. “I thought we were splitting up after eating.”
“Where did you hear that?”
Jared slid his eyes to Harper, who was suddenly staring at the chandelier and pretending she didn’t hear the two most important men in her life gearing up for a fight. “A little bird told me.”
Zander followed Jared’s gaze and frowned. “You’re not hanging out with me tonight?” He was aggrieved. “You’re just going to leave me on my own, a poor little orphan with no one to love him? I can’t believe you would do this to me. I just can’t believe it.”
“Calm down, Esmerelda,” Jared intoned, rolling his eyes. “There’s no reason to get worked up.”
“It’s as if you don’t even know me,” Zander complained, holding up a hand so he wouldn’t have to look at Jared’s face. “I think I’m going to cry.”
“Oh, don’t cry,” Harper said, forcing her eyes to Zander and grabbing his wrist so she could give it a squeeze. “I’m sure we can work out a compromise. For example, I could go to the lido deck with you for an hour and then cut the evening short to rendezvous with Jared at the room.”
“No.” Jared and Zander spoke in unison, shaking their heads to the same beat.
“You promised we would have time for ourselves tonight,” Jared reminded her. “The whole point of me coming on this vacation with you is so we could have peace and quiet for a bit.
“No ghosts ... or murderous individuals with knives and guns ... or crazy women stealing kids right before Christmas,” he continued. “It was supposed to be you, me, piña coladas, bathing suits, and relaxation.”
Zander made a weird snorting sound that reminded Jared of an enraged pig.
Wicked Ghostly Seas: A Rowan Gray, Harper Harlow and Ivy Morgan Mystery Omnibus Page 43