Grave Seas: A Maddie Graves and Rowan Gray Mystery Read online

  “I can’t possibly have a worse time than I’m already having. There’s a bright side, right? We’re supposed to look for it. I think things can’t get worse, which means they absolutely have to get better.”

  A picture of Eeyore flashed in Rowan’s head, but she managed to hold it together ... mostly. “I think that’s a great outlook,” she lied, her tone falsely bright. “Things suck so they can only get better. I bet other people are going to love hearing that philosophy.”

  “Yeah.” Dylan obviously didn’t grasp sarcasm because he managed a legitimate smile, that somehow looked wrong on his face. He would’ve been handsome if it wasn’t for the perpetual pout. “Do you have any suggestions for where I should go first?”

  Rowan had a bevy of suggestions, but she didn’t want to be mean. “Maybe try the tiki bar on the main deck,” she offered. “The atmosphere isn’t loud but there are usually a decent amount of people there so socializing is fairly easy. Tell the bartender — his name is Demarcus — that Rowan sent you. I promise he’ll take care of you.”

  “Good enough.” Dylan scuffed his feet against the marble floor as he headed for the hallway.

  Rowan waited until she was certain he was out of sight to swivel and catch Barbie’s eye. “What was that?”

  Barbie giggled and held her hands palms out. “Your guess is as good as mine. He’s by himself I think ... and I’m not sure he’s going to meet anyone who wants to put up with his crap ... because that’s a lot of crap.”

  Rowan couldn’t help but agree. “Maybe he’ll surprise us,” she offered hopefully. “I mean ... he might turn into a party animal.”

  “Maybe, but I doubt it.”

  Rowan couldn’t help but agree. Since she had work to do, she focused on the next couple and was thrilled to see that they seemed much more jovial. There was always one odd one in the group. Apparently that was Dylan this go-around. They would simply have to deal.

  Three

  Maddie thought she was going to fall over when they walked into the room.

  “What the … ?” Words failed her.

  Nick wasn’t far behind. “This can’t be right.” He turned to the porter who was helping them with their bags for confirmation. “This is our room?”

  The porter nodded, his lips curving. “It is, sir. This is the premium honeymoon suite. Actually, we have two of them. This one belongs to you.”

  “But … this is huge.”

  “And two stories,” Maddie added, abandoning their luggage in the center of the small living room and looking up the spiral staircase, to where their bedroom was located. It was offset with glass walls and recessed lighting, making for a romantic mood. On the other side of the living room, set off by a mosaic glass-block wall, was the wine-glass tub the clerk brought up when explaining about their room. “Look at this!”

  Maddie wasn’t much of a squealer, but she couldn’t contain herself. The hip-wiggling boogie she did through the opening was enough to cause Nick’s heart to soar. Even though he hadn’t yet settled with the idea of the extravagant room, her excitement was enough to sell him.

  “Hold on,” he called out before the porter could leave. “You need a tip.” He dug in his pocket for his wallet, but the porter was already waving him off.

  “All the gratuities have been included, sir. Apparently your parents wanted you to have the time of your life.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to be difficult. Thank you so much.”

  The porter winked at him as Maddie made another gushing noise in the bathroom. “I hope your honeymoon is everything you ever wanted.”

  “I have her. She’s all I ever wanted so the honeymoon is incidental. Thank you, though.”

  ROWAN MOVED TO THE DECK to snap photos of the guests, smiling as she watched them cavort. Theme cruises, while often entertaining, were more difficult from her perspective. If there was a specific event, she was expected to take pictures on a regular schedule. With a standard cruise, however, she was allowed to go wherever she wanted and photograph whichever couples and scenes struck her fancy.

  She much preferred that.

  Because Quinn knew she enjoyed shooting photos as the ship was leaving port – there was something somehow poetic about the people waving at bystanders – that’s where he tracked her down. He took a moment to stand in the shade and watch her work her magic, smiling as one of the waiters called something out to her, causing her to laugh.

  “Oh, now that’s just pathetic,” a voice said from behind him, causing Quinn to jerk his eyes over his shoulder. He wasn’t surprised to find the head bartender, Demarcus Johnson, hovering behind him.

  “What’s pathetic?” Quinn queried.

  “The way you’re looking at that girl.”

  “Rowan is all woman.”

  Demarcus chuckled, shaking his head. “And you’re completely gone over her. I thought that might wane a little bit once you got engaged. Apparently whatever you have is only getting worse.”

  “I’m fine with it.” Quinn went back to watching Rowan. “She looks happy, right?”

  “She does. Although … she’s never been exactly what I would call morose. I’m still getting over the fact that her father faked his death and somehow you guys took down a millionaire nutjob who just so happened to be her uncle. There are still a few holes in the story you guys told after the dust settled, by the way.”

  Quinn managed to keep from flinching, but it took effort. “You don’t need to know everything,” he said finally. “You’re one of my closest friends but … .”

  “It’s none of my business,” Demarcus finished. “I get that. I just didn’t realize how much you guys were dealing with all these months. I would’ve helped. I hope you know that.”

  “I do know that. It’s not my family drama, though.”

  “You’re marrying into that drama.”

  “I am … and I can’t wait.”

  Demarcus rolled his eyes. “Yup. You are the ultimate sap. I guess you’ve earned it, though. After everything you’ve been through … I’m surprised you’re still standing. Actually, I’m surprised either of you are standing.”

  “She’s stronger than she looks.”

  “She would have to be.”

  “She also gives me strength.”

  “Ugh. That is the grossest thing I’ve ever heard.” Demarcus made a tsking sound with his tongue. “Do you want a drink?”

  “Um … just an iced tea for now. I’ll have something harder later.”

  “Good enough.” Demarcus left to fill the drink order at the same time Rowan looked over and finally noticed her fiancé. She snapped one more photo and then hurried over to join him.

  “Hey.” She was mildly breathless when she landed. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re the handsomest man in the world?”

  Quinn cupped her chin and greeted her with a smoldering kiss. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re the prettiest woman in the world?”

  “Not last time I checked.”

  “Well, then let me be the first to say it. No one is prettier than you.”

  She plastered herself against him and threw her arms around his neck. “I can’t believe this is our last night in my old room.”

  “It could be our first night in the new room,” he pointed out.

  Rowan tilted her head, considering, and then shook it. “No. I want to send the old room out in style. It deserves a proper party.”

  He chuckled with overt glee at the way she phrased it. “I think that can be arranged. Then, tomorrow, we’ll throw a different sort of party for the new room.”

  “That sounds like a plan.” Rowan risked a glance over her shoulder and turned rueful. “I really should get back to work. If I stay here, we’re going to do nothing but fall all over each other.”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  “It is if I get fired.”

  “Good point.” He gave her one more quick kiss and then took a step back. “Don’t work too late. I f
igure we’ll hit up the dining room for crab legs before throwing our bon voyage room party. We might as well do it right.”

  “I love the way your mind works.”

  “Right back at you.”

  MADDIE CHANGED INTO A SIMPLE tank top and khaki shorts before heading toward the main deck with Nick. Even though she was dressed down, her new husband didn’t miss the way the other men lobbed appreciative looks in her direction. He was used to it – she was an absolutely beautiful woman – but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

  “Let’s get a spot in the shade,” Maddie suggested, pointing toward a booth in the corner. “That looks comfortable.”

  Nick nodded without hesitation. Since they were from Michigan, the heat was something they struggled with. Temperatures in the seventies were comfortable. The eighties were tolerable. Anything above that was difficult.

  Nick grabbed the drinks menu from the center of the table and squeezed her knee underneath when she slid into the circular booth next to him. They were close without touching. The last thing they needed was to share more body heat.

  “I know what I want,” Maddie said after giving the menu a once-over.

  “Piña colada?”

  She bobbed her head. “Yup.”

  “I think that’s all you’ve imbibed since we got here,” he noted. “There are a ton of other drinks you could try.”

  “I like piña coladas.”

  “Fair enough. I’m going to try something new, though.”

  Maddie watched him study the menu for a long beat and then frowned. “Wait … do you think having the same drink all the time makes me boring?”

  “You could never be boring, Mad. I wasn’t suggesting otherwise. I thought you might want to try a blueberry margarita … because you love blueberries. Or maybe a banana daiquiri because that sounds yummy. Or how about this Oreo ice cream thing? That sounds like dessert and drinks mixed together.”

  Maddie pursed her lips. Now that he mentioned it, the ice cream drink sounded divine. “Well … .”

  “That’s what I thought.” Nick’s grin was wide. “How about I get the banana daiquiri and you get the Oreo drink thing and we’ll share?”

  “What makes you think I want to share?”

  “We’re married now. You have to share.”

  “I don’t remember vowing to do that.”

  “Fine. Don’t come crying to me when you want to taste my banana daiquiri.”

  “Oh, I won’t.” Although, now that he mentioned it, a banana daiquiri sounded fantastic. Ugh. Why did she have to be so stubborn?

  A CRUISE SHIP WAS SUPPOSED TO be a place for laughing, love, and liquor. Pretty much in that order. Nick was happily embracing all three an hour later … and he was ashamed to say he was feeling a bit tipsy.

  “We should probably stop,” Maddie noted, her finger moving to her tongue after she uttered the words. “I think my tongue has fallen off.”

  Nick had to press his lips together to keep from laughing. “Your tongue is fine, love.”

  “It doesn’t feel fine.” She slurred her words because she had a firm grip on her tongue. “Seriously, part of it is missing.”

  “It’s not missing.” He lightly slapped her hand away from her mouth and chuckled. “You’re drunk, Mad.”

  “No. I only had one drink.”

  “You only had one glass. That nice bartender kept refilling your drink. I think you had three … or maybe four. Either way, you’re drunk.”

  Maddie jutted her lower lip out into an adorable pout. “No. I don’t really get drunk.”

  “Not usually,” he agreed. “This is a special day, though. It’s our honeymoon.”

  “Oh, well … .” Maddie blew out a sigh. “I think I need to go to the bathroom.”

  “I think I do, too. How about we switch to water until we sober up once we’re out of the bathrooms, huh?”

  “Yeah. Maybe then my tongue will grow back.”

  He slung an arm around her shoulders as they got to shaky feet. “Is it any wonder that I love you?”

  “Nope. I’m pretty lovable.”

  “That you are.”

  NICK WAS THE FIRST TO EXIT the bathroom and he moved to the bar so he could order two glasses of water. The bartender, a friendly guy named Demarcus, chuckled at the order.

  “What happened to your pretty wife?”

  “She’s in the bathroom,” Nick replied. “We’re not big drinkers so we’re kind of drunk.” He didn’t miss the way the three women sitting at the bar looked at him. They were young – younger than him if he had to guess – and they appeared to like what they saw, which made him distinctly uncomfortable. “We’re going to try to sober up.”

  “You should order some food,” Demarcus suggested, grabbing the menu from the bar. “I can have something here for you guys in ten minutes. You are the special honeymoon couple, after all, and we’ve been instructed to give you whatever you want. Is there anything there that strikes your fancy? If not, I happen to know the head chef very well. She can pretty much make whatever you might have a hankering for.”

  “Oh, that won’t be necessary, but thank you.” Nick was polite as ever as he perused the menu. “How about this three-item sampler. Go with the stuffed mushrooms, the breadsticks to soak up the alcohol in her stomach, and the mini tacos.”

  “Absolutely.” Demarcus typed the order into the cash register, which was actually a hybrid computer. “I put a rush on it. It shouldn’t take long.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.” Nick edged his hip against one of the stools and rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know how things got away from me so quickly.”

  “My guess is that the heat, coupled with all the fun you guys were having, made for an interesting combination.”

  “Yeah, well … she makes me laugh.” Nick’s smile was sheepish. “I can’t help it. We’ve known each other since kindergarten. She’s familiar with all my deepest and darkest secrets and she likes to press my buttons.”

  “I’m guessing the same can be said for you.”

  “Absolutely.” Nick sipped from the glass of water Marcus handed him and slid his eyes to the nearest woman. If he wasn’t mistaken, he thought for sure that the stool she was sitting on was closer than it initially had been.

  As if reading his mind, Demarcus let loose a sly grin. “This is Violet, Lana, and Connie,” he said by way of introduction, nodding his head at each woman in turn when he said a name. “They’re all here to bond and have fun.”

  “We’re already bonded,” the one introduced as Violet practically purred. She was the one who had somehow managed to edge closer to Nick. “I wouldn’t mind bonding with you, though.”

  Nick was taken aback. “Oh, well … .”

  Demarcus made a clucking sound with his tongue and shook his head. “Now, Violet, this is a married man. He’s here with his lovely wife. I know you saw her because you were commenting on her hair and wondering what brand of dye she used.” The statement was pointed.

  Nick felt the need to stand up for Maddie. “She doesn’t dye her hair. It’s always been that color.”

  “No way.” Lana was dubious as she shook her head. There was a thick sheen of sweat coating her face. Even though the tiki bar had large fans in every corner, it was still hot, and apparently Lana didn’t handle the heat well. That was something she had in common with Nick. That was about the only thing, though. “There’s no way that color didn’t come out of a bottle.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you,” Nick countered. “Her hair has always been the exact same color.”

  “You’re newly married, right?” Connie prodded, a smug smile taking over her face when Nick nodded. “You just haven’t seen her dye her hair yet. She kept that bit to herself because she doesn’t want you to know how much maintenance she has to do to look that good.”

  “We’ve been living together for months,” Nick countered. “I think I would know. Besides, we were best friends in school. That was long before we got romant
ically involved. If she was dying her hair, there’s no way she wouldn’t have told me back then.”

  “There’s just no way,” Lana argued. “I mean … that hair is ridiculous. She looks like a model.”

  “That’s my Maddie.” He grinned as he sipped more water. “I wonder what’s taking her so long.” He flicked his eye toward the hallway that led to the restrooms. “There’s no way she could’ve wandered to another part of the ship, right? That hallway doesn’t lead anywhere else, does it?”

  Demarcus shook his head. “She can’t escape. She might be splashing cold water on her face or something. If she doesn’t show up in the next few minutes, I’ll send one of the female staff members to check on her. She looked tipsy and not drunk, but I guess there’s always a chance she passed out.”

  “I hope not.” Nick turned serious. “She’ll be mortified if that happens.”

  “At least you’ll have a funny honeymoon story to tell in fifty years.”

  “She won’t think that.”

  MADDIE DID INDEED SPLASH WATER on her face. She wasn’t much for makeup and frills so she didn’t run any mascara or eyeliner in the process. She opted for cold water to jolt her back to her senses and she was feeling much better when she exited the bathroom.

  The feeling only lasted until she ran smackdab into the world’s most morose man … and he decided to bend her ear. For some reason – one she couldn’t fathom – he decided to tell her his life story while she was trapped in the hallway and there was no way for her to politely escape.

  “My therapist thought I should spend some time in the sun,” Dylan explained. He either didn’t notice or chose to ignore the furtive looks Maddie shot toward the tiki bar. “He said I was vitamin D deficient.”

  Despite her fervent desire to escape, Maddie was legitimately curious. “I don’t understand,” she said after a beat. “Can’t you just buy vitamin D over the counter?”

  “Apparently it’s not the same as actually feeling sunshine on your face.”

  “Oh, well … .” Strangely enough, that made sense to her. She hoped it wasn’t just the booze talking. “I’m sure you’ll have fun on your trip. If you’ll excuse me, though, I need to get back to my husband.”