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But he was on his way to see Eddie again. Another shared ten-minute break would have to do, but it was better than nothing, and he had a proposal that would have them spending a little more time together that evening.
The figure walking up the hallway was familiar, and when Will realized who it was, he barely kept the groan at bay. “Will. Good morning.” Gerard’s words were jovial, but they put Will on the defensive.
“Gerard, while I’m in uniform, you’ll address me by my title, please.” Will wasn’t usually a stickler for protocols. He was happy to have a more relaxed approach when he was in civvies, but there were certain expected behaviours, and he needed to comply with them as much as everyone else did. Calling him Captain, and every one of the other executive staff by their titles was a requirement when in uniform. The hierarchy existed, and it needed to be complied with. No level of disrespect could be tolerated onboard. There was a good reason—it wasn’t because Will got off on a power trip but because in an emergency, he needed the complete cooperation of everyone on board. He needed to know everyone would follow the lines of command and do exactly what was required without hesitation. The alternative meant that people could die, and Will would never be okay with that.
“My apologies, Captain.” Gerard gave Will an exaggerated bow right there in the corridor. He didn’t wait for Will’s response, instead just stalking away. Sarcasm laced his tone when he muttered just loud enough that Will could hear, “I try to be nice, but it’s not good enough for the captain.”
Will grasped the door handle to the exit, his grip tight, and groaned. Gerard couldn’t make it easy. He couldn’t just apologize and let it go. Why was he pushing a whole new level of inappropriate now? Gerard wasn’t someone he’d call a friend. They didn’t interact all that much, but even if they were friends, there was a time and place for sarcasm. This wasn’t it.
And now he’d forced Will’s hand. Reacting angrily or getting frustrated would only give Gerard ammunition; Will knew his type. But he couldn’t afford for it to escalate into insubordination. “Gerard,” he called out to his retreating form. “Report to HR.”
“What for?” The snark in his voice was enough to have Will squaring his shoulders and staring him down.
“Keep speaking to me like that, and it will be insubordination. Right now, it’s a caution to keep your attitude in check. Understood?”
“Yes, Captain.” He sounded suitably chastised, but the eye-roll let Will know it was a façade. Will sighed and shot a text to Eddie, apologizing for having to miss their coffee date again. His plans had changed—he now had to stop in and see the HR director.
Eddie’s response was quick.
Eddie: *sad face*
Will was going to ask him face-to-face, but doing it by text would have to do. At least if Eddie could make it, they’d be spending more than a short coffee break together. Excitement pooled in Will’s gut, and heat crept over his cheeks. There was something about Eddie that made him shy and fluttery, and Will kind of loved it.
Will: Wanted to ask you f2f, but I have an event in The Loft at five. It’s black-tie. If you can make it…
Eddie: I don’t have a suit *another sad face*
Deflated, Will trudged back up the stairs to the executive level and knocked on the HR director’s door.
“Come in.”
“Hello, Director. You got a minute?” He shot her a small smile from the doorway.
“Of course, Captain. Always.” Her answering smile was genuine. Emira was a people person through and through. She was incredible at reading everyone and knowing just how to respond. Hopefully she could share some insights with him. “What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to report a situation to you. There’s no need for formal action, but if it escalates, there will be.”
“Okay.”
“Gerard—the entertainer, I’m not sure what his family name is—anyway, he’s… I don’t know. Pushing his luck would probably be a good way of describing it. I, ah… had a date a few days ago, and Gerard pulled me aside and warned me about my date.” When Emira opened her mouth to speak, Will held up his hand and shook his head gently, halting her comment. “The warning wasn’t the problem. I appreciated him telling me. It’s what happened afterwards that has been. Gerard adopted a familiarity with me that crosses professional lines and is bordering on insubordinate.” He retold their most recent run-in, and she arched her eyebrow at Will, tapping her pen on her chin in contemplation.
“Captain, may I speak freely?”
“Yes, Director, it would be appreciated.”
“Thank you.” She adjusted the knot of her tie at her throat and smoothed it down. “I heard the rumours floating around the ship. First of all, congratulations. I won’t make any notes about your date in the record, but I appreciate knowing so I can navigate any conflicts of interest that may arise.” Will nodded, relief washing over him that she didn’t need specifics, like Eddie’s name, just yet.
It wasn’t that he wanted to keep them hidden. He’d never do that to Eddie, especially when he’d suffered that fate time and time again. She probably already knew, but Will wasn’t quite ready to tell the director the full details of their budding relationship. Eventually, it would happen. He’d tell her when things got a little more… formal. He wanted to get there with Eddie, but he didn’t want to jump the gun. Both of them needed to be certain about where they were headed before he subjected Eddie to whatever formalities would, no doubt, be attached to dating the captain. It was a little premature for that after one date; any sane person would probably run for the hills if HR had to get involved in their private lives.
Would Eddie put up with the intrusion? The flicker of hope flared in his chest. The man made him want to giggle like a kindergartener in time with his belly flip-flopping every time Will thought of him. It was the first time in a long time any man had affected Will like that.
“Secondly, I’m glad you came to me. I’ll have a chat with Gerard. The level of disrespect he’s displaying certainly isn’t appropriate. I’ll sort that out for you. In the meantime, I’ll see you at the function this afternoon.”
“You will. Thank you.”
eleven
Eddie
