Sail Away [COMPLETED]

Chapter 11 - "And I'll supply the witty charm."

"Have you worked anywhere else?" Hudson asked quietly. They had both dropped their voices when they reached the main lobby.

"If you don't count coaching soccer while I was in high school, then no," Ty said. She glanced at the clock behind the customer service desk and grimaced. Her alarm clock would not be her friend when it went off in a couple of hours.

"And how long have you worked here?"

"Five years," she yawned.

"So you started working right after you ran away from home?" He asked it in a nonchalant way, but this was the third time his questions had circled back around to the fact that she had run away from home.

She shook her head sleepily and hit the call button for the elevator. "You aren't getting that story out of me tonight. Accept it."

"Come on..."

"No. I have to keep some mystery, or else you might get bored of me."

He gave a surprised laugh. "I don't think anyone could get bored of you."

She smiled appreciatively and motioned him onto the elevator. He held his peace for the ride, but once they stepped out into the hallway, he couldn't help it. "Here's your last chance," he taunted as they walked towards his room.

She stopped walking, making him pause as she touched his arm. She looked at him with concern. "I guess..." she started like she was still working the idea out in her head. "I guess this is my last chance. I mean, after tonight I won't see you..." She looked at her watch, then said flatly, "for five hours."

"A lot can happen in five hours."

"Hopefully a lot of sleep," she said.

"And brushing your teeth," he offered.

She laughed but nodded. "At least twice."

"And eating. Do you do that?"

"I do. And you? Do you eat?"

He nodded. "I do. Speaking of eating," he grew serious, "I heard the craziest thing the other day."

She perked up at the change of tone. "Do tell."

"I heard... Okay, this might sound crazy," he prefaced, "but I heard that sometimes people get together to eat." He looked at her like he had just landed the biggest revelation.

"What?!? No way. Get out of town," she said. He nodded. "So, what you're saying is..."

"Have breakfast with me?" he said bluntly.

She smiled at his quick change of tactics. "Okay. But it's going to be early," she warned. "I'm talking seven AM. That's in a couple of hours."

"Have I not mentioned the early morning workouts?" She laughed and he continued, "I imagine the restaurant isn't open that early, so shall we meet at the buffet?"

"Too public," she said.

"Okay. Where do you usually have breakfast?"

"In the mess hall," she said. "With all of my fellow employees. What about your room?"

"The room I share with five other guys?" he asked.

"Well..." She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it isn't..."

"How about the utility closet?" he offered.

She frowned. "Where we first met?"

"Yes," he said, brightening. "It'll be perfect. And I can't imagine it draws a crowd that early in the morning."