Elodie’s POV
The venue for tonight's date turns out to be a small, quiet corner of the ship I hadn't properly explored before, a modest outdoor terrace tucked near the stern, string lights woven through the railings, a single table set with white linen and flickering candles, the ocean stretching dark and endless beyond the deck's edge.
Leif's already waiting when I arrive, dressed considerably smarter than I've seen him all trip, a crisp shirt, sleeves rolled neatly to the forearm, hair combed back in a way that makes him look almost unfamiliar compared to the easy, rumpled version I've grown accustomed to seeing around the ship.
'You look lovely,' he says, rising immediately the moment he spots me, something genuinely warm in his expression.
'Thank you. You clean up well yourself.'
