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Watching the water had always been one of her favorite things to do when at home, and made her feel less overwhelmed by ‘real life’ during moments where she was losing herself. A part of her refused to step away from the railing, because there was enough room for two people to enjoy the silence… or the captain could walk away.
“Miss Calista?” a voice tentatively called out, and she recognized it, turning slightly.
“Hello Bo,” she said politely, remembering how they were supposed to be kind to the crew, when all she wanted to do was tell him to go away so she could savor this peace.
“I hope I’m not bothering you,” he began, and she smiled politely in the darkness. “I really am a huge fan of your books.”
“Thank you.”
“You mentioned you would autograph one for me?”
“I’d be happy to,” she replied, and felt a little nervous as he was suddenly there, leaning awfully close to her on the railing… looking at her intensely with this wide smile she could see in the dim light from the moon. “Did you bring the book?”
“Yeah, but I’m in no hurry, you know?” Bo said quietly. “The moonlight is nice, isn’t it?”
Oh mercy…she thought painfully, as she glanced at the man again. He was closer to Athena’s age than hers, and she was very conscious of just how much younger he seemed in personality. She felt like an older, mentally wornout woman instead of barely thirty-five years old.
“Is there someone special waiting for you back home?” Bo asked – and Calista practically groaned aloud in painfulawareness. The deckhand was definitely hitting on her… and the captain was standing there in the distance, letting it all happen.
Jerk.
“Bo, just how old are you?” she asked openly.
“Old enough to know how to make a woman happy… unless you’ve got a problem with me having a prosthetic limb?”
“Not at all,” she replied, hearing how defensive he was automatically. “Look, you seem very kind, but I’m not really looking for anything but an escape from reality right now.”
“I can make you forget all your troubles…” he began, taking a step closer, and she backed away just as the captain finally spoke up, revealing himself.
“Prowert, I believe the lady isn’t interested. Get your autograph. We have a big day tomorrow.”
There was no question, no further elaboration, just a blunt statement given in the stillness.
“Yes, sir.”
“… And Bo?” the captain said quietly. “Quit mentioning your leg, kiddo. I told you before that people don’t notice it until you say something. It bothers you more than anyone else – and if they are the right person, they won’t care you lost a limb, brother.”
Brother?
Were the two of them related?
Interesting…she mused, fascinated by this sudden gentleness towards the other man. She never expected that from the captain at all.
“Yes, captain,” Bo acknowledged quietly – and didn’t sound convinced at all, but instead held out the book to her and dug a pen out of his pocket.
Calista saw it was the cover of her first book andsilently winced. When she wrote it, she had been learning, and it was painful to re-read now. No, she’d grown quite a bit as a writer and hoped he bought some of her others, too.
Scribbling her name, she closed it with an audible snap and smiled at him.
“Here you go,” she said politely.
“Maybe we can talk some other time,” he murmured quietly, looking at her.
“I’m sure over the next six days we’ll talk a few times, since we’ll all be working together on board.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do – and while this is flattering, I could use a friend a whole lot more than anything else,” she said firmly, trying to let him down and hoping he took the hint.
