Jesse 'never heard that before' James (criminalelement) wrote in oblivionrp, @ 2009-01-28 21:11:00 |
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Entry tags: | jesse, jesse and morgan, morgan |
a meeting in the dark
Who: Jesse and Morgan
When: Night
Where Apollon Grace theater
The blackout would have been perfect cover for Morgan if she'd been interested in cleaning out some passenger rooms. As it was, however, she'd decided to heed the old saying with regards to discretion and valor; with so few passengers and staff on board, it would be all too easy to be found out if she wasn't careful. She was an opportunistic sort, however, and wouldn't pass up a chance if she got it. There were some loaded passengers on board - celebrities and just plain rich folk.
She'd been down in her room when the power went out; deciding to take advantage of the empty deck, she'd chosen an empty employee stateroom around midship and had put in some time picking the lock. Electronic locks took more time than regular locks, of course, but she was good at them and it didn't take as long as it could have. Rigging it so it would stay locked and look normal but open much more quickly if she needed to get in in a hurry, Morgan checked her watch. It wasn't too late, but everything was emptied out, save Circean Delight, where she could hear the sounds of a party starting. She was still in exploratory mode, however, and decided to continue on to the ship's large amphitheater, Apollon Grace.
She slipped in silently, pausing to let the door close behind her with a faint click. She had good night vision and her eyes had long since adjusted to the dark; she took her time making her way towards the stage, taking in what detail she could. Partway there, she realized she wasn't alone - a sloppy mistake, though she forgave herself. If she'd been on a job, she wouldn't have missed him. And it was a him, sitting on the stage with a candle. It was a little intriguing, and she made the decision to step out of the shadows as she approached so he could see her in turn.
Jesse had just been wandering, he'd snagged a candle from somewhere, though it was one of those jar-ones. Which he supposed at least meant that it wouldn't be burning out as fast as the other kind. Plus, he felt slightly less like an axe murderer was going to leap out at him with a jar candle. It just didn't have the same connotation as a taper. Of course, he also wasn't a big breasted chick in a white nightgown, so that helped. Still, he didn't want to tempt fate. He'd found the theater, and it was vaguely creepy inside. Huge, crazy acoustics, and he'd looked around for a while. Eventually he'd poked around back stage, then went to sit on it, eyes up on the ceiling as he hummed a little bit, just to see about said acoustics. He happened to be humming 'Midnight Rider' for some reason, since it was the first off the top of his head, and he broke off only when he caught movement, and then saw a whole lot of gorgeous walking up on him. He flashed a grin. "Hello." he greeted. "You the ghost of christmas future, come to teach me a lesson?" he asked.
He was cute, Morgan saw as she made her way to the stage, and apparently flirty. She didn't mind; Georgina wouldn't have responded, and Juliette would've flirted right back. As the quiet but friendly Morgan, however, she gave him a smile and ducked her head just a tiny bit in an imitation of the sort of unconscious body language that would indicate trying to hide a blush or perhaps a bit of fluster. "Wasn't the ghost of christmas future the scary one?" she asked as she reached the stage. "Wore all black, was probably supposed to be associated with the Grim Reaper in some way according to most analyses of the book?"
"You're the one coming out of the shadows, sweetheart." he told her, grin still in place. "So, maybe I was just thinking you might look good in black. Or something. But I take it you're not then." he said, biting back that last little comment about how it was a shame, because he might not have been the best behaved boy in the universe. Or that if she was death, he could always just die happy. "C'mon over, share some light." he said, gesturing to his candle.
"Not scary?" Morgan asked him. "Or not here to teach you a lesson?" She grinned as she planted her palms on the stage - it came to about waist-height on her - and boosted herself up to take a seat. "Sorry, I'm probably going to have to say no to both. Morgan Malone," she introduced, as she tucked her legs in to sit comfortably indian-style, holding out a hand to shake. "Do you often take a candle and sit in big, empty theaters?"
That made him chuckle, and he kept his eyes on her as she got closer. "I can always hope you're here to teach me a lesson at some point." he told her, flirting easily. It was in his nature, and she hadn't run off just yet so he was assuming she could take it. He shook her hand. "Jesse James--and yeah I've heard just about every joke that can possibly be made about that. My parents really did think they were funny motherfuckers." he told her. "And well, I hadn't made a habit of that previously, but I might--seems to be working out for me so far." he said with a clear indication that she was what made it worthwhile.
"So there aren't any similarities between you and the legend himself?" Morgan teased quietly, looking down and tucking her hair behind one ear with that same shy-yet-appreciative smile at his flirting. "It's nice to meet you," she said, making eye contact with another smile. "I was surprised to see you in here," she said. "Most people are over at the restaurant enjoying their free drinks."
"I never said that." Jesse told her, winking at her. "Nice to meet you too." he told her genuinely. "Yeah--but that's sort of why I'm not there. Everyone's there, I was sort of not into dealing with a huge crowd, especially when it's lights out tonight." he told her honestly. "So I went exploring instead, and this place was interesting enough to explore." He looked back to her after looking around the theater again. "Why aren't you there getting your own free drinks?" he asked. Then he quirked a half grin at her. "Though something tells me you're a girl who doesn't pay for her drinks a lot of the time anyhow." He was sure people bought them for her all the time. He knew he sure as hell would.
"I don't really go out that often; I'm not really a big drinker, either," Morgan said as if admitting something she knew most people would make fun of her for. "And I didn't feel like being in there with all those people, either. Plus I haven't really had much time to explore the ship since boarding. I know the layout, of course; we all have to know where we're going in case of emergencies and stuff, but there's a difference between memorizing a map and actually getting to explore, check out the details and things." She smiled slightly. "So what do you have in common with your namesake?" she asked.
"Oh, you know, the usual. We're both criminals." he said, but his tone was purely joking. Even if it was true. "But not the marrying his cousin thing, I'm not into it." he told her with a playful sort of tone. "You've memorized the map? Good for you, I still don't know where the fuck I'm going around here. I have an easier time with normal buildings, this place is laid out strange for me. So, if I get lost, can I call you?" he asked with a grin and a hopeful lilt to his voice.
"I'll make sure to keep my valuables hidden, then," Morgan said with a laugh, joking along with him, though some corner of her mind was now wondering. He could just be being casual, or he could be a little too casual. Time would tell. "I've memorized it for the most part," she said, nodding. "It's recommended. It's more general stuff, though, like a certain club is oh, eighth deck fore or Arete deck aft, stuff like that. So we can give directions. And of course, emergency gathering points and the like." She smiled again. "If you can find a phone," she teased lightly. "I'm almost always up in the spa."
"We?" he asked. "Is that like, the royal we, or the 'hey I work here' we, or...?" he asked. "And the spa, check. I'll keep it in mind, should I get terribly lost and need a rescue." he told her. And now he might be more apt to take Samantha up on her whole 'hey we should hit the spa' thing. If this girl was around, he'd suffer through somehow. "And finding a phone...hm. I think I can manage finding the little signs with the phone picture on them. I'm damn good with pictures." he said, downplaying everything. But then he was always a lot smarter than he let on.
"No, not the royal we," Morgan said with a laugh, as if it was ridiculous that she'd ever see herself as royalty. "It's definitely the staff we. I work in the spa, so I'm either there or... well, in my room or the gym." She smiled, a little shyly, as though aware that she sounded boring but couldn't do anything to change that. "I take it you're a contest winner?" she asked. He obviously wasn't staff, and she didn't think they were charging for this first voyage.
"Yeah, that'd be me. Me and my sisters, really." he told her. "How's the job thing working out for you so far?" he asked, curious about that. "And is it long term, or are you just working this one cruise, then you move on to something else?" he asked, entirely unsure how shit like that worked, and so he wondered.
"It's contract work," Morgan explained. "The first run is usually like probation, make sure it works out, and then you're signed on to do the same run for about six months or so, sometimes nine. Then you get shore leave for a few months and come back to do it all again. If you haven't found something else, that is. It's only the second day, but so far I like it. What about you? Are you enjoying yourself? Are your sisters older or younger?"
"I don't know, I haven't done a whole lot yet." Jesse admitted. "I guess it's alright. There's enough to do, anyhow." Even if he was sitting there in a dark room avoiding what there was put out there for his entertainment. But he never claimed to make sense. "I can't imagine being on a boat that long though. Think I'd get driven nuts." he added. "And they're younger. By about nine years."
"You get used to it," Morgan said, though she didn't really know. But she'd grown up sleeping in an apartment that was smaller than her stateroom on board, along with myriad accommodations throughout the course of her career - whatever the job required. She thought she could sleep just about anywhere. "There's always something to do, too. This ship is actually... well, almost like a pleasure cruise for a lot of us staff, too. We usually don't get to mingle with passengers at all, and the rooms are closet-sized that you share with two or three others." She smiled. "That's quite an age difference. It's nice that you're taking them on a trip with you."
He didn't mention that they were both kinda messed up psychologically and this was meant to kind of help them both out. "Sharing a closet-room with a bunch of people sounds...pretty much like cruel and unusual punishment." he said, a bit surprised at that. And they didn't get to hang with the passengers at all? That sounded like a shit deal. But apparently it wasn't like that on this ship. "I take it you have a better room accommodation than the norm on this ship?" he asked. "My room was pretty crazy...and I think someone thought they were a funny motherfucker too, considering it was a western themed room...."
Morgan couldn't help her amused snort at that. "Maybe they just weren't paying attention," she suggested, grinning. "As for my room... you could say that. For one, I have a room all to myself, which is kind of amazing. And it's actually like, a small suite? With a kitchenette. It's positively luxurious. I don't know how they plan to house enough employees for a full passenger load on further cruises, but I guess the place is bigger than I thought." One needed tons of employees for a full-on cruise, especially with so many all-night entertainments. Not that Morgan truly cared; she wouldn't even be finishing this one. As soon as they hit Bermuda, she was going to disappear.
"Maybe they weren't paying attention, but somehow I doubt it." Jesse said with a quirked half smirk. "But, it's not like people don't just love to play off of the name thing. I've dealt with it my whole life." Not that he sounded like he was complaining. Just used to it. "And go you with being accommodated nicely! That's something, I suppose. Still that whole...packed in like sardines idea is a little claustrophobic sounding to me."
"It can get a little tight," Morgan admitted, "but you get used to it. Usually you're only using your room to shower and sleep, anyway; there's always work to be done, and we've got our own lounge for hanging out. It's not big, but we find ways to keep ourselves entertained. Or busy. Or both."
"Okay, so that begs the question here...is it like slave labor? Like...you're on this cruise, and you're working it, so you're constantly working it?" he asked. "How many shifts do you have, and what kind of hours?" he asked. Sounded like it was a little off. Then he wondered absently what the laws were regarding downtime and the like. Not that he had a nine to five, but he knew there were rules about that shit.
"No, it's not slave labor," Morgan said with a laugh, "but it can be hard work. When you're on a cruise ship, you have to be doing a job that you love - or at least like - because you're usually doing it seven days a week, sometimes working long hours depending on what you do. You get breaks every day, but not all cruise lines adhere to U.S. labor laws. Just because they sail from the U.S. doesn't mean they're American companies, and they have different standards of labor. Plus, remember that cruise liners are part of the hospitality business. That means all of us have to work hard so that our passengers--" She poked his arm with a friendly grin. "--don't have to lift a finger during their stay." She shrugged. "It's a good job, though - the pay is good, you don't have a lot of places to spend your money so you can save almost all of it, and the ship provides free lodging and meals, pays for your health care, if you don't have to work while we're in port you get to see a lot of cool places. No, you don't get to use passenger recreation areas and fraternization with passengers is usually discouraged unless you're social staff, but we usually have our own designated bar, pool, gym, and so on. So the fact that I love my job and I get to do it here without having to pay rent, utilities, food, insurance... it's a good deal for me."
Jesse listened, trying to figure out if that still sounded fucked up to him, or if it was alright-sounding. In the end he landed on fucked up. At least, he wouldn't want anything to do with it. "So...you're not allowed to fraternize with the passengers?" he asked, grinning. "Does that mean I should stop trying to think of a way to get you to go out with me some night?" he asked. "Or are you a rebel?"
"Normally, not really," Morgan said. "If we ran into each other ashore and wanted to grab a drink, they don't really care about that. But if you were to, say, come in for a massage and I tried to put the moves on you, that'd be an issue." She chuckled. "They seem to have relaxed the rules a little bit, likely because it's the maiden voyage and the ship's so empty." She ducked her head a little, smile gaining a faint edge of shyness. "I've never really thought of myself as all that rebellious," she admitted, inwardly debating the pros and cons of anything that might come of going out with him. "But you could probably keep thinking." On one hand, dating had never been a priority - she was either in and out of the area too often, didn't want to let someone close, or just didn't care (or all three) - but on the other hand, it'd been a while since she'd gotten laid, and it wasn't as if she had much to hide on the ship. The stolen goods she'd brought with her and tools of her trade were safely stowed, and she was pretending to be normal. Which, in her line of work, was actually rather exotic.
"I'll keep thinking then." Jesse said. "And, should you happen to think of a time and place where we could just maybe possibly run into one another on a purely coincidental basis, and maybe just spend some time, I could be game for that too." he told her with a grin.
"I might even be able to do it more than accidentally," Morgan said, grinning back. "I'll definitely keep it in mind. And listen, whenever you or your sisters want to come up to the spa, let me know. I'll make sure you guys get taken care of."
He smiled at her. "Will do." he said. "Samantha said she wanted to go anyhow. Now I just actually have an excuse to want to go myself. And I'm sure Savannah wouldn't have to have her arm twisted." But if he was going to see her, he'd be cool with it. She seemed nice, and hello easy on the eyes.
"You never need an excuse for a massage," Morgan teased, "other than 'I want one.' Some days, my clientele is more men than women. Stress and tension is equal-opportunity." She smiled. "But I'll look forward to seeing you and your sisters." Sure, he was cute and seemed like a good way to pass some time if she was bored, but on top of that, she got paid when people got spa services, and Morgan always loved money.
"I'm sold, I'm sold. So you'll see me." Jesse assured her. "Soon." he added. "So, were you planning on sticking around here in the dark all night, or do you have staff things to do in this time of mild crisis?" he asked. Actually, he did half wonder if there were people wandering the ship panicking.
"I was sort of just wandering," Morgan said. "Exploring seems so much more fun when it's in the dark, doesn't it? A little mystery, a little - probably imagined - danger. There's not really anything for me to do - mostly it's the crew right now, trying to get everything up and running again. It seems like most people are in the restaurant, anyway. If things get crazy they might calling in some of the entertainers and trying to stage a show, but free liquor seems to be more or less working right now."
"True. So, have you gotten to fully explore then?" he asked. "Or have I interrupted?" He smiled at her, and nudged her shoulder with his. "Have to agree about the exploring in the dark, thing. I find it's the most entertaining sort as well." Which was only half true. If he was someplace he didn't have to worry so much about everything? Hells yes. If he was on a job? He knew every inch of the place before ever setting foot inside. It was just good business.
Morgan would've laughed if she'd known how similar their thoughts were at that moment - on a job, there was no time for nocturnal exploration. She'd have already memorized the layout and disabled the security systems before getting close. "You were part of the exploration," she said, nudging him back and smiling. "I discovered you. Just be lucky I don't carry flags with me; I'd've had to stick one in you and claim you as my land. There are a couple decks I haven't really seen yet, though."
"Would you declare yourself the monarch of me? Would you be queen?" he asked, hopping down from the stage, and he stood in front of her, hands resting down on either side of her hips. "You know I'm sure whatever decks you haven't seen, I haven't either. We could go exploring together." Because that sounded like a much more entertaining time than doing so himself.
"Yes," Morgan said decisively, fighting a smile as she looked down at him. "I would be queen of all I survey. You could be a loyal subject, or perhaps a knight if I felt you would do service to the realm." She grinned. "Mostly it's the two decks connecting to the theater that I haven't seen - I've been all over the top three decks. The spa has two levels and there's just the mini golf above that. In between there are just passenger staterooms and below here are the crew and staff rooms. Boring if you're looking for adventure, but good if you're into a decent game of manhunt."
"I thought I would just be your kingdom, with the talk of claiming me for yours and all." Jesse said playfully. "And alright, where do you want to explore next then?" he asked, not moving back away from her at all, but he kept where he was. Sort of invading her personal space, but not so much so that she couldn't get away if she wanted to. But he figured if she did she would have already.
"Oh, well, if you're more interested in being a big piece of land instead," Morgan said with a shrug, "you can be the kingdom instead. Or rather, queendom." She glanced around the theater as though pondering. "Well, we can always head up to the next deck," she said. "The question is, do you do it the boring way, using the stairs, or do you do it the adventurous way, finding a route in here?" The theater encompassed three decks; the second floor balconies didn't look that hard to get up to. There were nice decorative support beams all over the place, things to climb and jump. She was a burglar at heart, had rappelled her way down more than one high-rise, and she just couldn't help herself. Well, and she might have wanted to see if he could keep up.
He glanced up and around. "You know, I was having enough fun with you just talking, but that sounds like a good time to me." he said. "So let's go for creativity points, and find another way." he agreed. Plus, for him, if they did, it'd just be something good to know. He couldn't help it, it was the way his head worked. Like he would at some point be checking the elevator shafts, just so see how they were put together, how much space was in them, if there were emergency ladders...everything he really didn't need to know because he was on his best behavior here, but he wanted to know anyhow. It was a compulsion he knew he wouldn't be able to push back entirely.
"It doesn't look like it'll be that hard," Morgan said, glancing around. "The support beams look climbable, and there's railing around the balcony." The beams were set under the edge of the balcony by a foot or so, but she didn't think it would be hard to jump back and up at the same time from the beam - she'd done it before, and it was more or less a common rock climbing move when one came across an overhang. "Or the curtains at the side of the stage."
He looked around as she spoke, ticking his gaze to what the candlelight could catch. Which was really the bitch of it. Because they did only have candle light. "Well we could try. Nothing ventured, right?" he asked, looking back to her, and he smiled at her. Then he moved, to climb back up onto the stage again, snagging his candle as he did so, and he held out his hand to her to help her up should she take him up on it.
"The things you do when you're bored on a cruise ship with no power," Morgan agreed, taking his hand as she slid off the stage. She surveyed the beams that she could see with the glow of the candlelight, nodding towards one. "That looks promising." She grinned up at him, giving a teasing wink. "Want to go first, or did you need me to show you the way?"
He considered, and in the end opted for her to go first, because at least then if she fell, he could try to break the fall. Let it not be said he couldn't be chivalrous when he wanted to be. And beautiful girls with broken legs on a cruise ship he just didn't think he wanted to deal with. it'd be a shame, considering he was willing to bet she had nice ones anyhow. "You go first." he said, nodding towards her.
"All right," Morgan said, a little surprised. She'd've thought he'd be the type to take a challenge like that. She had a route more or less mapped out, however, so she didn't mind taking point. The columns were small enough around - more like poles, really - that they'd be easy to climb, and it didn't take her long to get to the ceiling. She paused to adjust her stance, getting her feet braced against the pole, knees tucked close to her body, and glanced up and back once to check her aim. With a breath, she jumped back and a little up, catching the lip of the balcony and hanging for a second to control her swing. The harder part was pulling herself up with her arms, but with the railing of the balcony right there, it didn't take long before she was up and over, leaning back out to grin down at Jesse. "Easy as pie," she said, only mildly winded. "Your turn."
He could barely see her up there with the candle light, but he heard her well enough. Why'd he agreed to do this again? Oh yeah, because he was generally thinking with parts of him that weren't licensed to do the thinking. That and he had a keen sense of adventure. So....he just set the candle down, and started up after her. He was kind of thinking to himself now, however, that she had to be something other than a spa attendant. With the ease of her ascent, and the jump she made? She had to be some kind of an outdoorsey girl. A climber at the least, even if it was just indoor rock climbing or the like. Gymnastics, maybe. Which of couse had him wondering about flexibility...not the best time to be thinking about it, though, so he knocked it off and just climbed up, looking back at her once he was at the top. "You going to tell me how you got good at shit like this?" he asked, waiting for her to move a bit before he decided to try and make the jump. Ronnie would have a royal fit if she knew what he was up to. Though he was pretty sure his daughter would be cheering.
"Rock climbing," Morgan called down, shifting a little to the side so he could work but she could still see him. If one counted ceiling descents and tall buildings as rocks. She wondered briefly if he was going to be able to do it, but he looked in shape and it was pretty easy. The trickiest part was jumping to catch the balcony, but even then it was less of a jump and more extending backwards enough to catch the edge - trusting yourself long enough to let go and make the reach. She figured he'd manage. "Well, and just messing around with friends. You know, you find a house where the staircase switches back on itself a couple times and before you know it, you're climbing up the outside to get to the second floor instead of using the stairs. Stuff like that."
He took a second to give himself the balance he needed, the center, before he did it, and he did manage fairly easily. He also had an easier time pulling himself up next to her, and he flashed a grin. "So you like to create shortcuts?" he asked, picking that out of her statement. It was a valid enough point from what she'd just told him, he was curious what she'd say. And rock climbing, yeah, that fit. She seemed pretty good, too, she had a confidence about her that hadn't quite been as present before, when she'd been almost shyish with him. But in that she had it going on well.
"Mmm... more that I like to take the road less traveled," Morgan said. "They're not always shortcuts - sometimes taking the unconventional way up takes longer or is harder than just going the route that you're supposed to take. It's about seeing if you can do it, not necessarily getting there faster." She grinned and gave him a tiny clap. "Bravo. What about you? Do you climb?"
"Not usually, but I have before." Jesse told her, cracking his knuckles one by one out of habit. "So you're a girl who likes challenges then? Proving yourself?" he asked. "I wouldn't have guessed that from a few minutes ago. But interesting." Which basically meant she had some depth, which he preferred in a woman. The ones without tended to bore him to death in very short order, and while never someone to turn things down just on a principal like that? He didn't jump in for it either.
"I just like to know I can," Morgan said, shrugging. "I ask 'what if' a lot." She tilted her head slightly and gave him a curious look. Not that she could see much; the candle was still down on the main floor. "Why wouldn't you have guessed that?" she asked curiously.
"You were coming off kinda shy." Jesse told her honestly, seeing no reason to lie. "Not overly so or anything, just a little. And that doesn't usually go together with girls who decide to push to know if they can or not." he pointed out. Though, he didn't sound like he didn't believe her. People could be both, it just wasn't usual. Didn't mean it was impossible, or even improbable. It was just something he noticed, and he wondered how often people didn't with her.
"I'm just not much of a flirt," Morgan said, shrugging. Because there was no question that he'd been doing that earlier. "And I'm quiet, yeah - it's kind of habit from the job, I guess. Most people just want you to shut up, put on some Enya, and turn them into noodles. But you know what they say about still waters." They were on the run from the cops and carried several tens of thousands worth of stolen jewels. Or maybe it was that they ran deep. "Challenging myself is something for me, just to know I can," she added conversationally. "I just don't really need a huge crowd to see it."
"No, I didn't peg you for an attention seeker." Jesse said. "That doesn't go with the shyish thing either." he said. "Just curious on things is all. So what's the most intense thing you've ever done to prove something to yourself?" he asked curiously, leaning his arms on the ledge of the balcony, and watching the very faint amount of light highlight just the edges of her face. They'd wanted to explore in the dark, they definitely got the dark part down.
Morgan thought for a moment. "Probably skydiving," she said after a second, making up something that was intense but still benign enough for a twentysomething massage therapist. "My two biggest fears were airplanes - well, flying in them - and heights. So what do you do to get over it? Jump out of an airplane at fifteen thousand feet. I think I screamed the whole way down," she admitted with a sheepish smile. "But it was amazing. What about you?" she asked, glancing over at him. "Do you do things to challenge yourself?"
He had, but he'd sort of decided to quit a while back. Not that it was working out so terribly well for him and all, but he was trying. "Nothing like skydiving." he said. "I'm sure you've lived a more interesting life than I have, just with that kind of mentality alone." he told her. His life was interesting, just not something he could talk about much. There was a reason Jesse'd never really been nailed for anything major, and that was because he wasn't an idiot, didn't have loose lips, and played things down very well when he needed to. Like nowish. "Besides, I'd rather hear about you anyhow."
"More nerve-wracking, maybe," Morgan said, "not necessarily more interesting." But she probably had if you counted her real life and not the one she'd made up for this trip. "But I would like to hear more about you instead of talking about myself all the time," she said. "Come on, let's go check out this deck and you can tell me stuff about you. Like what you like to do for fun, to start."
"What do I do for fun..." Jesse started, getting moving as she asked, heading towards the door to open it up for her. "A little of this, a little of that." he said, shrugging one shoulder. "Look after my family, hang out with my daughter..." he said, effecting a bit of a sheepish smile. "Nothing too exciting." he admitted. Really his life was a bit more than that, but again, it wasn't like he could say, and he could go making things up, but it was always easiest to stick to a story that was mostly truth. You didn't forget it, and you didn't have to scramble on the details.
Morgan had to pause internally for a moment and analyze that bit about his daughter. Either he was the type to hide it when trying to score and he wasn't trying to score with her, or he just didn't hide it. She wondered which it was. "You have a daughter?" she asked with perfectly feigned interest. "How old? Did she come on the cruise with you and your sisters?"
"Yes, I have a daughter." Jesse said, and he smiled, a genuine, happy sort of expression that only came out of a guy who was a proud father. "Her name's Jessie, and she's seven. She didn't come on the cruise, though, her mother vetoed the shit out of that." he admitted. And legally, Ronnie had custody rights on that and could in fact, veto it.
"Well, I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities in the future," Morgan said kindly, smiling. And then, because Georgina didn't give a damn if he was married or in a relationship but Morgan would, she gave him a small sideways glance. "Was her mother not able to make it, either?" she asked casually.
Jesse shook his head. "Her mother and I aren't together, I'm pretty sure if I asked, she would have just given me a look, and reminded me that we aren't." he said, chuckling lightly. He and Ronnie's relationship was complicated at best, and never quite in sync. But they weren't together, that much was certain. And it was possible that he wanted Morgan to know that he wasn't married with children. Just he did have a daughter.
"I see," Morgan said, managing to look both slightly apologetic and a little pleased at the same time. "So it's a sort of family vacation then, you and your sisters. That sounds nice." She glanced around at where they were, remembering the layout she'd memorized. "I know there's a greenhouse on this deck," she said then, "and a library. Somewhere."
"I've seen the greenhouse." Jesse said. "It was alright if your thing is plants, I suppose. My sisters loved it, anyhow." Or Samantha had, Savannah, not so much, but she'd been way too worried about her new bracelet and her internet friends to really pay that much attention.
"All right, so that leaves the library, and... pretty much the rest is restaurants and cafes, I think," Morgan said. "And all the gorgeous ocean views, of course. Where to next? Up or out?" She wasn't one for flowers; all they did was wither and die after a few days, and fake plants got dusty. It wasn't her style.
"Ladies choice." Jesse told her, smiling. "I'll go along with whatever you're up for." he promised, really willing to do whatever at this point. It wasn't like there were tons of options, and he didn't have anyplace specific that sounded good, or caught his attention very well. So, he'd see what she wanted.
"Hm, out then," Morgan decided, smiling back at him. "I think a nice ocean view is better than heading upstairs to dance clubs housing potentially disgruntled tourists." It would've been worth it if she was in the market to empty a few wallets, but staying low profile meant their money and jewelry were safe. For now.
"Out it is then." Jesse agreed. "Ladies first." he added, bowing to her. Outside sounded much better to him. Plus it'd be less distracting from her in general, and he liked the chance to study someone he thought he might want to spend time with. Just in case.