“Yes. I’m gonna love the pool.” I bounced back into the room and grabbed my suitcase, swinging it up on the bed. “Look, Daddy. It’s Jax’s logo.” I rubbed my hand over the blanket on the bed, embroidered with Jax’s company logo. “I’m so proud of him. He made all of this from nothing.”
Daddy chuckled as he dropped his bag beside mine on the bed. “Not exactly from nothing. He started with money. Lots of it.”
“You gots money. So does Daddy Crow.”
“True. So what? You think we should make a yacht company to compete with Jax?” he teased.
I gave him a raspberry with my tongue stuck out. “No…no way. But, I don’t know. Maybe we could do something.” I had a thought niggling around in the back of my head, but I wasn’t ready to talk about it.
“Maybe we could. What do you have in mind?”
“Mmm…maybe something, but I need more thinky-time over it.”
“Think away, Cody. But get a move on unpacking.”
“Can I get my swim trunks on?” I held them up.
“Yes. Of course.”
I had a hard time getting them on because I couldn’t stop bouncing around. Finally, Daddy had to help. I kept falling over when I tried to step into them, so Daddy nudged me to lie back on the bed and stick my feet up so he could get them on. Then I bounce-bounce-bounced them up to my hips. “Let’s go swimming.” I headed for the door.
“Wait a minute. Finish unpacking first.”
“I don’t want to. I can live out of the bag.”
Daddy shook his head and continued sorting through his things. He always had to be neat, and I’d bet he’d have a conniption if he went to my apartment right now. I left all the clothes I didn’t want to take all over the floor and bed. I’d pick up later. “Come on. The faster you finish, the quicker we can get out to the pool.”
I groaned, but listened, and we did the boring chore of unpacking clothes. Then Daddy changed into his swim trunks, and we finally-finally headed out.
We walked onto the deck with the pool in the middle, which was big enough for thirty to forty people to comfortably hang out around the outside, and probably the same in the pool. Plus, there was a bar just inside that overlooked everything. Our entire group could easily fit here, and many were already, with a few in the water and others circling the bar or just lounging around the deck.
“Cody! Cody!” Joey yelled and waved his hands over his head.
“I’m going to hang out with Joey, okay, Daddy?”
“Sure. Go and have fun. I’ll bring you a drink.”
“Ooh…can I have an adult drink? Please?”
“Sure, babe.” He swatted my ass playfully as I walked off. This cruise was already turning out to be amazing.
I hugged Joey. “It took you forever to get out here. I’ve been waiting. Want to swim?”
“Did you even breathe while saying all that?”
“No.” He smiled brightly. “Oh, wait. Let’s get selfies. Stand in front of the pool.” He took a few pics of us in front of the pool, some serious and some silly. We even made duck faces together.
Our other friend Levi showed up while we were fooling around. “Hey, want me to take a few?”
“Yes, please.” Joey handed him his phone. After that, Levi took a few pictures of us hugging and being goofy. “Now you two.” He took his phone back and shoved Levi toward me to get a few more.
When Danny arrived, Joey had fun taking pictures of all of us, then he made a video. After that, we all jumped in the pool. At some point, music started playing, and we had a great time shaking our butts in the water.
Then Daddy brought my drink, and my friends’ daddies had drinks for them too. They were all fancy, fruity drinks with paper umbrellas and fruit on skewers. “These are just like in the movies. Thank you, Daddy.” I tried mine and it tasted like boozy strawberries but not like a daiquiri and not frozen. “Mmm…this is yummy.”
“Glad you like it. That’s vodka in case you need another drink when I’m not around. Don’t mix the alcohols.”
“Okay, Daddy.” I held my drink up. “Guys, guys. Toast with me.”
