his pants pockets and went to the window.
“Looks like there’s a storm moving in,” he said.
The boat pitched and yawed as if agreeing with his assessment.
“Answer my question, please,” Red said.
“I never claimed I’d give you complete autonomy. Of course I’ll provide some guidance, because I’m older and wiser and I have knowledge to pass on to you.”
“And what if I disagree with your advice? Would you force me to make strategic decisions that I didn’t agree with?”
“Perhaps,” Kane responded.
This time they rode a wave that felt like a rollercoaster. Nicole realized she was getting nauseous. Her mouth was filling with saliva and she closed her eyes.
“Baby, are you okay?” Red asked.
She nodded. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“You sure? What’s wrong.”
“Just…feeling a tiny bit seasick.” She opened her eyes and saw that the sky outside the windows had turned dark and was spitting rain.
“We won’t be able to dock again for about an hour,” Kane said to them, “but I’ll tell my captain to head back.”
“Thank you,” Red said, as Kane left the room.
Nicole closed her eyes again. “I’m so sorry, I ruined your meeting.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Come on,” Red said, grabbing her hand and lifting her to her feet. He took her back outside to the deck, where she stood at the railing. They’d passed into a larger waterway and the sky had opened up its floodgates. Thunder and lightning too.
“It came out of nowhere, didn’t it?” she asked him.
“Yes, I never saw any storm clouds gathering,” he said, rubbing her back. “Don’t be embarrassed if you need to be sick.”
“God, I hate throwing up,” she cried. It was true. Ever since she was little, Nicole had always fought not to get sick to her stomach. She hated the loss of control, the way her stomach would clench and twist, the burning of the bile up her throat and in her nose.
As she thought about it, everything came up in a rush and she was sick over the side of the yacht.
When she finished heaving, she felt better. Her hair and clothes were soaked.
Kane came outside and saw them. “Come on, we can get her to a room to rest.”
“No, I’m fine,” she said.
“You’re not fine,” Red replied. “Do you have anything for her seasickness?”
“Yes,” Kane said.
“I don’t need it, I swear.” She let them help her back inside and then into a small room with a double bed and one circular porthole looking out on the water. Nicole lay down, closed her eyes, and tried to focus on not being sick again.
“If you want something for the nausea,” Kane told her, “just let me know.”
“I’m okay for now,” she said, not opening her eyes.
She felt Red’s weight pushing down on the bed and then his hand lightly stroking the hair on her forehead. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Are you all right by yourself?”
“Yes, go talk. Please, I’ll be fine.”
He squeezed her hand and then left her in bed, where she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
When she woke up, the ship was docking and Red was standing over her, smiling.
“Better?” he said, holding out his hand.
“Yes,” she nodded, sitting up. Her stomach still felt strange, as though someone had put it in the washing machine on spin cycle. But she knew they’d be off the yacht soon enough.
Kane was on deck when they were ready to climb off the boat. He and Red shook hands and said they were glad to have spoken. Nicole sensed that things between them had progressed in a generally good direction, but wasn’t sure how she felt about that right now.
When the older man looked at her, his eyes were intense and made her nervous.
“I’m so sorry the outing upset your stomach,” he said. “But it happens to all of us one time or another.”
“Thanks for letting me use your bed,” she replied, instantly regretting her choice of words.
“Anytime,” he
“Looks like there’s a storm moving in,” he said.
The boat pitched and yawed as if agreeing with his assessment.
“Answer my question, please,” Red said.
“I never claimed I’d give you complete autonomy. Of course I’ll provide some guidance, because I’m older and wiser and I have knowledge to pass on to you.”
“And what if I disagree with your advice? Would you force me to make strategic decisions that I didn’t agree with?”
“Perhaps,” Kane responded.
This time they rode a wave that felt like a rollercoaster. Nicole realized she was getting nauseous. Her mouth was filling with saliva and she closed her eyes.
“Baby, are you okay?” Red asked.
She nodded. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“You sure? What’s wrong.”
“Just…feeling a tiny bit seasick.” She opened her eyes and saw that the sky outside the windows had turned dark and was spitting rain.
“We won’t be able to dock again for about an hour,” Kane said to them, “but I’ll tell my captain to head back.”
“Thank you,” Red said, as Kane left the room.
Nicole closed her eyes again. “I’m so sorry, I ruined your meeting.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Come on,” Red said, grabbing her hand and lifting her to her feet. He took her back outside to the deck, where she stood at the railing. They’d passed into a larger waterway and the sky had opened up its floodgates. Thunder and lightning too.
“It came out of nowhere, didn’t it?” she asked him.
“Yes, I never saw any storm clouds gathering,” he said, rubbing her back. “Don’t be embarrassed if you need to be sick.”
“God, I hate throwing up,” she cried. It was true. Ever since she was little, Nicole had always fought not to get sick to her stomach. She hated the loss of control, the way her stomach would clench and twist, the burning of the bile up her throat and in her nose.
As she thought about it, everything came up in a rush and she was sick over the side of the yacht.
When she finished heaving, she felt better. Her hair and clothes were soaked.
Kane came outside and saw them. “Come on, we can get her to a room to rest.”
“No, I’m fine,” she said.
“You’re not fine,” Red replied. “Do you have anything for her seasickness?”
“Yes,” Kane said.
“I don’t need it, I swear.” She let them help her back inside and then into a small room with a double bed and one circular porthole looking out on the water. Nicole lay down, closed her eyes, and tried to focus on not being sick again.
“If you want something for the nausea,” Kane told her, “just let me know.”
“I’m okay for now,” she said, not opening her eyes.
She felt Red’s weight pushing down on the bed and then his hand lightly stroking the hair on her forehead. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Are you all right by yourself?”
“Yes, go talk. Please, I’ll be fine.”
He squeezed her hand and then left her in bed, where she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
When she woke up, the ship was docking and Red was standing over her, smiling.
“Better?” he said, holding out his hand.
“Yes,” she nodded, sitting up. Her stomach still felt strange, as though someone had put it in the washing machine on spin cycle. But she knew they’d be off the yacht soon enough.
Kane was on deck when they were ready to climb off the boat. He and Red shook hands and said they were glad to have spoken. Nicole sensed that things between them had progressed in a generally good direction, but wasn’t sure how she felt about that right now.
When the older man looked at her, his eyes were intense and made her nervous.
“I’m so sorry the outing upset your stomach,” he said. “But it happens to all of us one time or another.”
“Thanks for letting me use your bed,” she replied, instantly regretting her choice of words.
“Anytime,” he
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