What was the big deal anyway? Tuesday or Friday, it shouldn’t make a difference. They did the exact same thing, from pretty much the exact same location every day they were out here.
Captain Whiny-dick was just being his normal, asshole self; trying to make trouble where there was none.
“We’ll see about this,” he growled, his eyes going to nasty slits as he stomped away.
Right.
There was nothing he could do, so…
Suck it up, Buttercup.
Going back to her seat near the aft until they reached their destination, she watched as the captain, on the way back to the helm, grabbed one of the two young men who had been nice to her so far this summer. They chatted for no more than a minute, then the kid headed her way.
Great.
The captain had obviously ordered him to “have a talk” with Lace, to get her to change her mind.
Not happening.
“Hey Zach. What’s up?” Lace greeted, forcing a smile to her face.
He seemed uncomfortable as he sat down beside her.
“Uh, the captain wants me to talk you out of changing your day off to Tuesdays,” Zach began.
Lace was glad he didn’t beat around the bush, because neither would she.
“Well, here’s the story, Zach.”
She took a second to debate how much to tell him.
Ryan had walked up as she’d thrown out her initial response. He sat down on her other side, joining the discussion with a grin. “Yeah. Give us the deets.”
“Not you, too, Ryan,” Lace groaned.
“Not me, too, what?” he asked, clearly clueless.
Zach quickly filled him in. “The captain is pissed because Lace is changing her day off from Friday to Tuesday,” he said pointedly.
Ryan’s eyes widened and his leg began a nervous jiggle.
Thatwas a little too weird for what they were discussing.
Alarm bells started clanging in Lace’s head. What the hell was going on?
She’d have to ponder it later, because Ryan was speaking again.
“I, uh, see,” Ryan finally managed. “Umm, Lace? Maybe we can talk you out of it?” he conjectured.
Now wasn’t the time to mess around. Lace needed to lay her shit right on the line.
“Not happening,” she responded gravely, then sucked in a breath.
“Have you two ever wondered why I always keep my head covered? Even when it gets really hot? And why I avoid the sun whenever possible?”
“Umm, yeah. Like maybe you get sun poisoning or something?” Zach suggested.
Lace took a quick look around and saw that the four other men onboard were busy, so she picked up the edge of her head-scarf and lifted it surreptitiously to show them her bald pate.