Read the first 2 chapters of Midnight Wine!

Below Deck but sapphic! Welcome aboard the Maiden Voyage, where the all-female crew navigates more than just turbulent waters. This series of novellas follows the romantic adventures of these queer women, where every charter brings new possibilities.

Chapter 1

The Maiden Voyage gleamed against the multicolored backdrop of Key West harbor. At 120 feet, she wasn't the largest yacht moored along the marina, but with her sleek lines, elegant profile, and pink accents, she commanded attention. The sundeck crowned the vessel, complete with a jacuzzi forward and an array of loungers for sun-worshippers. Amidships, a curved wet bar with high stools promised refreshment, while a retractable awning provided shade.

One deck below, the bridge deck extended into a spacious outdoor lounge area aft, furnished with white L-shaped seating arranged around low tables for evening cocktails or morning coffee. Forward sat the formal outdoor dining area where up to twelve guests could enjoy meals, sheltered by the overhang of the sundeck above. Custom lighting was artfully integrated throughout, designed to transform the yacht from daytime luxury to evening sophistication.

When chef Lindsay Brewin stepped onto the deck, the polished teak beneath her feet was already warm, promising another scorching Key West day. Despite the early hour, the marina was alive with activity—deckhands hosing down yachts, charter captains preparing for the day's excursions, and early-rising tourists wandering the waterfront.

She spotted Captain Jordan Hayes sitting at the outdoor dining table, a stack of papers spread before her. The captain's dark hair was slicked back, not a strand out of place despite the breeze.

"Morning, Captain." Lindsay set down her latte and a cappuccino for her boss. "You wanted to see me?"

“Morning, Lindsay.” Jordan looked up. "Thanks for the coffee, take a seat. We need to discuss tomorrow’s charter."

Lindsay slid into the chair opposite Jordan, noticing the captain looked tense. After four seasons together, she’d learned to read the subtle signs of Jordan's stress.

"Is something wrong with the booking?" she asked. “There was hardly any information on the food preference sheet.”

"Not wrong, just... sensitive." Jordan's voice dropped slightly. "The charter is for a single guest. High-profile. Very high-profile, actually."

Lindsay raised an eyebrow. "Politician? Or entertainment industry?"

"I can't tell you who it is," Jordan said. "And I know that might seem like I don't trust you but that’s not the case. The guest has requested total anonymity before boarding. They're concerned about the press being tipped off."

“Sure. I understand,” Lindsay said, and she did. Working on a luxury yacht meant discretion was part of the job. They'd had celebrities before, though usually with an entourage. "If it’s just one guest, this will be a piece of cake compared to our usual charters. I might actually get more than four hours of sleep."

"Don't get too excited. Our guest has paid for exclusivity of the entire yacht, so even though she's the only one on board, the expectations remain high."

“Of course.” Lindsay itched to get started on the preparations. A solo charter meant she could really showcase her culinary skills without the pressure of juggling twelve different preferences and working around all the allergens and intolerances simultaneously. People with money seemed to have a lot more intolerances than the average Joe.

"But, you’re right. It won’t be as hectic as it normally is, so enjoy it while it lasts," Jordan continued, leaning back in her chair. "The bookings after this one aren't looking so quiet. We've got a bachelorette party next."

The sound of hurried footsteps interrupted them as Dani Ellis, the yacht's hospitality lead, rushed onto the deck, her blonde ponytail swinging behind her.

"Sorry I'm late, Captain," she said, slightly breathless. "There was a mix-up with the beverage delivery."

"All sorted now?" Jordan asked.

"Yes, Captain. Rei helped me carry everything aboard. She's checking the air conditioning units now; there was a rattle during our last charter." Dani slid into a chair at the table. "I saw there's only one person on the guest list. Should I still make up all the staterooms?"

"Absolutely. Our guest should have all rooms to her disposal. If she wants to spend half the night in one and half in another, that’s up to her,” the captain said. “I was just telling Lindsay her identity will remain anonymous until boarding."

"Understood." Dani’s professional demeanor slipped into place despite her obvious curiosity. "Has she requested any specific entertainment or excursions I should prepare for?"

Jordan shook her head. "No elaborate plans. The primary requests were privacy and an all-female crew."

"Well, she's certainly come to the right place for that," Lindsay remarked. The Maiden Voyage's all-women crew had become something of a selling point over the years, attracting clients who appreciated the unique dynamic.

"Indeed. So let’s give our guest the calm and private charter she wants." Captain Jordan cleared her throat. “Lindsay, any challenges from your side?”

"Nothing. No allergies. Just a dislike of celery, grapefruit and chicory. I’ll stay away from bitter flavours in general to be on the safe side.”

“Good. I want you to prepare a welcome basket for the master bedroom. Things she might want to snack on while watching a movie at night. Use your imagination.” The captain turned to Dani. "Dani, I'd like you to personally verify all the staterooms. Make sure there are fresh flowers in each one, even though she'll likely only use the master.”

The walkie-talkie on Jordan's belt crackled to life. "Captain, this is Zoe. Could you come to the flybridge? The harbormaster is asking about our departure time tomorrow for the harbor traffic schedule."

Jordan stood, gathering her papers. "Duty calls. Thanks, ladies."

As the captain walked away, her posture military-straight, Dani edged her chair closer to Lindsay's. "So? What's your bet? It’s a ‘she’ so… Actress? Singer? Politician's wife?"

"She might be an actual politician, not a ‘wife’," Lindsay said.

“True… But did you see how tense Captain Jordan looked? My money’s on a super famous actress.” Dani opened her water bottle and took a sip. "So, what did you get up to on your days off?"

Lindsay ran a hand through her dark pixie cut, the dark strands falling immediately back into place. She'd had the same haircut for years as it was practical for long hours in the galley's heat. "Family stuff, mostly. I spent a day at the beach with my sister and her kids. Then had Sunday dinner at my parents'." She smiled, thinking of her niece and nephew's boundless energy. "What about you? How'd the big date go?"

Dani groaned and dropped her head dramatically to the table. "Don't ask. Another disaster for the books."

"That bad?"

"Worse." Dani lifted her head, her expression pained. "She looked nothing like her profile pictures—which, fine, whatever—but then she spent the entire dinner talking about her ex."

"The classic."

"I swear, I'm deleting all my dating apps. This is the third awful date in a row." Dani sighed. "Why is it so hard to meet someone normal in Key West? You'd think with all the tourists cycling through..."

"That's exactly the problem," Lindsay pointed out. "Everyone's just passing through. Not exactly ideal for finding anything serious."

"Says the woman who's perpetually single by choice." Dani gave her a knowing look. "When was your last date, anyway? That bartender from the marina? That was months ago."

Lindsay shrugged, feeling the familiar discomfort whenever conversations turned to her love life—or lack thereof. "I'm busy. The charter season's been non-stop so far." She stood, eager to avoid the subject. "Anyway, I should get going with the prep for tomorrow. I wonder if our mystery VIP guest is as low-maintenance as her food preferences suggest."

"They never are. Fifty bucks says she'll have me rearranging furniture on day two." Dani chuckled. "Want to have dinner later? Girls' night at the Sunset Café after we finish prepping? I’ll ask Rei and Zoe too."

"Yeah. I'll meet you there at eight." Lindsay glanced at her watch. "Right now, I've got a date with the fish market before all the good stuff is gone. They missed some items off my delivery."

Chapter 2

"So," Dani leaned forward, lowering her voice, "any new theories on our mystery guest?"

The Sunset Café hummed with evening activity around them. Their corner table on the terrace offered a view of the harbor, where boats rocked against the darkening sky and fairy lights strung along the perimeter of the outdoor patio cast a warm glow over the diners. Lindsay savored the tang of her margarita, grateful for the evening breeze.

"I'm kind of leaning toward the politician’s angle. Someone in power," she said, reaching for a tortilla chip from the basket in the center of the table. She scooped it through the guacamole. "She could be from anywhere, maybe even a head of state or royalty. The NDA, the single guest booking, the insistence on privacy... It has to be someone who doesn’t party. And all celebrities like to party, right?"

Across from her, Rei tucked a strand of sleek blue hair behind her ear as she stirred her Moscow Mule with her straw. "I disagree. High-profile politicians travel with security. If it were a politician, we'd have at least a couple of security personnel boarding with them."

"Unless they're traveling incognito," Dani countered. "Maybe they're trying to escape their security detail for a few days."

Beside Lindsay, Zoe, the first mate, finally looked up from her phone. If she wasn’t working, she was always on her phone. "That seems unlikely," she said, her full lips curving into a slight smile. "High-profile politicians don't just ditch their security. Especially not female politicians who face additional safety concerns."

Lindsay considered this. "Fair point. So if not a politician, then who?"

"It must be a celebrity," Dani said. "An actress or popstar."

"How about some rich woman recently released from prison?" Rei suggested, her eyes sparkling with mischief over the rim of her glass.

"Prison?" Lindsay nearly choked on her margarita.

Rei nodded, warming to her theory. "Some wealthy socialite who got caught up in a financial scandal. She's just finished her sentence and wants to avoid the press. All her so-called friends abandoned her when she went in, and now she just wants to be alone, feel the sun on her face, eat good food, and binge-watch TV shows—all the little luxuries she couldn't enjoy while inside."

Dani burst into laughter. "My God, Rei! You have quite the imagination."

"Just considering all the possibilities." Rei shrugged, though the corners of her mouth tugged upward.

The server arrived with their food—a spread of fresh seafood that made Lindsay's critical chef's eye approve, though she mentally noted how she would have plated the dishes differently.

"Guys, do you know what day it is?" she said, helping herself to a prawn and some salmon. She continued when her friends stared at her cluelessly. “It’s our four-year Maiden Voyage anniversary.”

“Is it?” Dani frowned, mentally calculating.

"Yeah. It’s the first of March. Four years to the day we started our first gig with captain Jordan. It was exactly two weeks after I quit my job at the Harbor Grand, that’s how I remember."

Dani groaned in sympathy. "That place was notorious. Didn't the executive chef reduce his staff to tears on a daily basis?"

"At least twice daily," Lindsay confirmed, remembering the toxic kitchen environment that had nearly crushed her love of cooking. "Egos bigger than the ships that dock here, and half the talent. When Jordan approached me about heading the galley on a luxury yacht with an all-female crew, it felt like someone had thrown me a lifeline."

"I jumped at the chance too," Dani admitted. "Hotel work was stable, but I was tired of fake-smiling at entitled guests while earning barely enough to cover my rent." She took a sip of her margarita and winked. "I’m still fake-smiling at entitled guests but at least I’m getting paid tenfold in tips. Plus, traveling to gorgeous locations instead of being stuck in the same place is a bonus."

"I remember when Jordan first mentioned the concept to me," Rei said. "I was getting frustrated with the maritime engineering firm I was working for. I was stuck in a sterile office building, when what I really wanted was to be on the water, solving problems in real-time."

"For me, it was the natural progression," Zoe said. "I'd spent years teaching sailing to summer camp kids and taking tourists out on day cruises. The logical next step was professional yachting. Though I must admit, when I was told about the Maiden Voyage, what really caught my interest was Captain Jordan's reputation."

"As a naval officer?" Rei asked.

"No. As a lesbian." Zoe kept a straight face, even when everyone burst out laughing. “What?” she said, pulling an innocent face. “I was single, ready to mingle, and I suspected the crew might be queer-ish. But you guys…” She paused for effect. “Well, no offence but let’s just say I never met my dream woman on the job.”

Laughter erupted again and they clinked their glasses together.

“Happy anniversary,” Lindsay called out, and she felt a surge of gratitude. Four years ago, they'd been virtual strangers united only by their desire for change. Now, they were more like family. A somewhat dysfunctional one at times, but family nonetheless.

"Hey, about Jordan," Dani said, "She really did seem tense about the charter."

"Maybe she knows the guest personally," Lindsay suggested. She raised her eyebrows as she peeled her prawn. “Maybe they have history. Actually, no. That’s unlikely. I don’t think Captain Jordan does relationships and even if she did, she wouldn’t have dated someone famous.”

"Maybe she's just stressed about the season in general," Rei offered, ever practical. "We've been booked solid, and a high-profile client means high risk of potential disasters."

"I don't know," Dani mused, twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger. "There was something in her expression when she mentioned the guest... almost like she was worried."

"You’re awfully observant. Still nursing that crush, Dani?" Lindsay teased, unable to resist.

Dani's cheeks flushed pink. "I do not have a crush on the captain! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"About as many times as you blush when we mention it," Rei shot back.

"It's the margarita," Dani protested, but her deepening color betrayed her. “Tequila always makes me red in the face. Besides, as you said, Jordan doesn’t date. She's married to the Maiden Voyage."

"Fair enough." Lindsay shot her a smile but she hadn’t missed the hint of disappointment in Dani's voice.

As the night progressed, their conversation drifted from work to more personal topics. Rei shared stories from her recent video call with her grandmother in Osaka, who still couldn't quite grasp what her granddaughter did for a living. Dani described her latest dating disaster in colorful detail, sending them all into fits of laughter, and Zoe admitted to secretly pining over one of their last charter guests over key lime pie dessert.

Lindsay felt the comfortable weight of belonging as she finished the last of her margarita, savoring the salt on her lips. Tomorrow would bring its own complications, but tonight had been exactly what she needed.