Chapter 9
He had interruptedthe hung-over munching and commiserating of the group as they swigged coffee and amicably bickered over who drank most and who suffered it more. Dan seemed to win with most. Rebecca felt it a lot. She held a wet compress to her head moaning when Beckett yelled her name.
Sarah said, “Shhhh, Beckett, we’re right here.”
Beckett slid into the booth beside Jeffrey across from Rebecca. “I have a thing to ask. I—”
Rebecca groaned and dropped her head down on an arm. “I can’t think right now Beckett; can’t we sit here quietly and not talk?” She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
“Not really, I don’t have time.”
She slid to an upright position.
Dan grabbed the coffee pitcher and refilled mugs. “From the look on Army’s face we’re going to need the caffeine.” He sloshed the pitcher back to the counter and slid beside Sarah who immediately draped her head and arm across his shoulders, lazily.
Beckett looked around at the group, hung-over, tired, barely knew him, busy researching, and he was going to ask them to aim their ship in a different direction. To sail into a storm. He swigged coffee. “Luna is gone. I believe she’s in trouble.”
Rebecca lifted her head.
“I have her coordinates, but there’s a big storm, and she’s in it alone. I spoke to Captain Aria about it. It would take us six hours to get there. But I need you all to agree.” Beckett’s bandaged hands were out in front. He hurriedly put them under the table. He wanted this be a no-guilt decision.
Rebecca looked groggy and half asleep, with a crease on one of her cheeks, a bit of dried drool on the corner of her mouth, and her bangs stuck straight in the air. She twisted in her seat and spoke over her arm to Sarah in the next booth. “Didn’t I tell you, Sarah? I said, ‘This guy is going to be trouble with his dimples and tattoos and those abs.’ I said, ‘Yum,’ and I said, ‘He’s going to cause nothing but trouble. He’ll smile at me and then I’ll do anything he wants.’”
Sarah raised her head off Dan’s shoulder joined in pretending as if Beckett wasn’t there. “You did say exactly that, but if you’ll remember I disagreed; I said he wasn’t your type. He was neither pasty enough, doughy enough, nor was he a comic book reader. I told you you would be fine.”
Rebecca sighed. “Wearedone with the research we needed, everything else is just cake.”
Sarah said, “That it is.”
Rebecca said, “And he wants to ride into a storm for love. How am I supposed to say no to that — so I can continue to celebrate that my research is over?”
Sarah said, “My head wants to vote ‘no’ on the ‘continuing to celebrate.’ And itisfor love.”
“What about you, Dr Mags? Any reason why we shouldn’t let Beckett talk me into this romantic folly?”
Dr Mags said, “Well I didn’t want to mention it before, but this has been a pretty boring trip, you know, except for the whales, and the turtles, and the injuries, and the nomads. When I think about it most of the exciting things that have happened have been because of Beckett. So, why not?”
“Jeffrey?”
Jeffrey bobbed his head, “Not a big fan of storms, but I’ll do what everyone else wants.”
“Okay, Dan?”
“One of my basic life principles is to never ask an Army guy what direction my ship should be pointing.” He grinned and tightened his arm around Sarah’s shoulder. “That being said, I’m a sucker for a romantic story, aren’t I baby?”
Sarah kissed his jawline. “You cried like a baby at our wedding.”
“True that. I’m in.”
Rebecca dramatically sighed and turned to Beckett. “You want me to agree to riding into the storm so you can save this love of your life?”
Beckett smiled. “If you want I can bring up my Calvin and Hobbes comic book, prove that I’m a comic book nerd to sweeten the deal.” He batted his eyes and made his dimple really dimple.
Rebecca laughed, begrudgingly. “Fine. But now that we’re in close proximity, I see you really aren’t my type at all. Sarah was right, despite the epic tattoos — I’ve always dreamed of a guy with an eagle on his back — you aren’t doughy enough. I definitely shouldn’t be with someone cuter than me. So, fine. We’ll go rescue your girlfriend. Definitely.”
“Thank you.” Beckett stood. “Thank you so much everyone, I don’t deserve this much, but Luna does, thank you.” He raced up the steps to tell captain Aria to pretty please sail their ship into the Sierra Squalls.
