“Full up,” Giacomo guessed.
“Then we’re going to have todouble up. Giacomo, organise something. McReidy, take care of the girls. Usemy office. The numbers and requirements are in the system.”
Giacomo mumbled something underhis breath. On calculating the time it would take to reach Aran, he mumbledsomething else. He looked up and apologised immediately to McReidy in case shehad overheard or understood.
She smiled back, then frowned,lifted a hand to her forehead and mumbled something equally offensive.
*
The rest of the morning in John’soffice had Giacomo ready to tear his hair out.
“There’s going to be more of themthan us,” he told McReidy, slumping against the back of his chair in front ofthe desk.
“I know. I read the figures,”McReidy leaned back in John’s chair.
“Ambassadors are one thing, butentourages? The admiral does know we’re a cargo ship?” He had seriousdoubts. “And the Fillarmars are requesting two rooms? Next they’ll want roomservice and breakfast in bed.”
“No one is getting more than oneroom.”
Giacomo stood up and headed tothe door.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to get out of here andfly this ship through an asteroid field!” The rest of his words wereunintelligible.
McReidy’s mood lightened and sheshook her head with amusement for a moment before the door closed behindGiacomo and her attention returned to the screen.
* * *
Even with the afternoon to thinkabout it and the evening to tackle it again, Giacomo was having no success inhis attempts to arrange quarters for the ambassadors. The men objected tobeing moved. Giacomo received everything from folded arms and glares tooutright refusals. Every combination he tried upset someone. With Aranrapidly approaching, he was running short of time.
Mentioning it to Lorraine over dinner didn’t win him any brownie points as he received a response theequivalent of the men’s.
“Don’t you even think aboutputting any of them in my quarters.”
“Not my problem,” he shook hishead. “McReidy’s sorting you ladies out.”
“Oh, is she now?” Lorraine leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “We’ll see aboutthat.”
“Lorraine, please,” he pleaded. “This is driving me insane.”
She softened, leaning forward andreaching a hand to brush his cheek. “If you boys double up, we won’t have to.”
There was way more in her intentthan in her words and his breath shortened.
“I’m going to see McReidy.” Hewas on his feet. “Catch you for coffee later?”
Lorraine nodded and smiled.
*
Giacomo stopped outside McReidy’squarters. His head was lowered, looking again over the list, his hand halfraised and about to press the beeper when the door opened.
“Giacomo.”
His head shot up.
“I was just coming to look foryou.”
“I saved you the trip then,” hesmiled. “Can I come in?”
“Of course you can,” she toldhim. “Sit down, make yourself at home… Having any luck?”
“Nope.” He shook his head as heput his list on the coffee table and took a seat. “What about you?”
She retrieved her own list,placing it next to his, and joined him on the lounge. “They are worse than youcould possibly imagine.”
After dinner with Lorraine, he was well aware of that.
McReidy sparked up. “Swap? Youwork on my list, I’ll work on yours.”
“You can’t do any worse than me,”he conceded, reaching for her list.
McReidy grabbed a couple of pensand settled back on the lounge with his list. Soft breaths and pen scratchingsfilled the quiet.
Giacomo stared at the list, notwanting to make any suggestions as Lorraine’s mood was fresh in his mind. Evenso, he was the first one to come up with a suggestion.
“Move Kat in with Wanda?” McReidyqueried. “I don’t think so.”
“Is she still upset aboutRodgers?”
“I think she still cares forhim.”
“Then we better not put him andWright in together,” Giacomo noted.
“Wanda?” McReidy askedtentatively, marking the names with an asterisk.
“I think so.” Giacomo had hissuspicions, but he was not about to start any rumours.
“What about Red with Kowalski and–”
“Sam’s still cheesed off aboutbeing knocked out. I don’t suppose you and the commander would considersharing?” No sooner were the words out than Giacomo realised how it sounded. “I didn’t mean it in that way,” he quickly apologised.
“I know what you meant,” shesmiled. “I don’t mind. But you’re braver than I am if you plan on doublinghim up.”
“I’ll avoid it if possible.”
She leaned over and read from hislist. “All right… I’ll take Lorraine and Kat.”
Giacomo flinched.
“What?”
“Lorraine’s not happy.”
“No one is going to be happy. Put Helen and Anna in with Wanda, and Lynn with Brenda. That keeps the threenurses separated so they won’t kill each other.”
He frowned.
“Anyone you want to spend twentyfour hours with? Don’t even answer that,” she warned as his smile touched hiseyes.
“The numbers don’t add up.”
“It doesn’t matter how you workit, the numbers still won’t add up.”
He avoided her look. “If youneed some privacy, let me know. I’m hardly here anyway.”
He looked up slowly, a lightblush highlighting his dark eyes. “Are you sure it’s all right?”
“Just keep out of my stuff andleave the place the way you found it.”
Giacomo couldn’t hide the grinthat broke out. He thought it safer to change the subject completely. “Youknow what I’d really like to do with those ambassadors?”
“What?”
“Put them all down in one of thecargo bays together and let them sort themselves out. Although we’d have to becareful that the doors didn’t accidentally open.”
“Why, Giacomo, you’re beginningto sound like the commander.” Her mocking tone told him she knew he wasn’tserious.
An hour later, Giacomo rubbed hiseyes and leaned back. He was tired. Everything was nearly sorted out and hewanted to finish it now; to get it over and done with. He covered a yawn andclosed his eyes for a minute.
“Do you want to leave it tillmorning or should I make coffee?” McReidy asked.
“Coffee, please.” He opened hiseyes and stretched, then realised he’d promised to catch up with Lorraine for coffee. He hit his communicator. “Sorry, Lorraine, I can’t make it.”
“Tomorrow,” Lorraine answered.
“Sure.” He switched off.
“Am I interrupting something?”McReidy asked.
“No,” Giacomo shook his head. “Iwant to get this finished now so I can sleep properly. We arrive at Aran theday after tomorrow. Everyone’s got to be moved tomorrow. I want to run thisby the commander before shift in the morning.”
“Do you think he’ll disapprove?”
“I don’t need his permission. Ineed his authority. They won’t listen
