Thursday, October 3 – L17 Metropolitan Hotel, Barcelona
Ben Rockingham was restless. He tried napping, but after punching his pillow and turning over a few times, he realized he was too wired to sleep at the moment. He tried to get into the latest book on his Kindle, but reading the same paragraph three times convinced him that he couldn’t concentrate enough to read, either.
He’d finished his last interview that morning with a Spanish television talk show, promoting his latest indie film. The movie was set to be released in a few weeks and he’d spent the last couple of weeks in various European cities doing the necessary promo work. He was now taking a little time off—he’d told his agent that it was non-negotiable since he was exhausted—before returning to the US and hitting the talk show circuit prior to the film’s debut. When he’d decided to pursue a career as an actor, he never realized that he’d spend so much time promoting his movies. Yes, it needed to be done, but it wasn’t something he enjoyed.
He was going to have a serious talk with his agent about cutting back on his schedule a bit. He was fifty-five now and starting to realize that making money wasn’t as important to him as it used to be. He’d made enough in the past and wisely invested a good deal of it, so he didn’t have to accept every project that came his way. His preference would be to do just a couple of projects a year and take it easy the rest of the time. Life was too short.
Okay, I can’t sleep and I can’t read, maybe I’ll just head down to the bar for a glass of wine or two.He grabbed his phone and his key card and headed downstairs.
* * *
After roaming the streets in the neighborhood and stopping at one of the sidewalk cafés for lunch, Rob arrived back at his hotel parched and ready for a drink. At four o'clock it was still a sunny sixty-seven degrees, but he was ready for a break, and the hotel bar was just what the doctor ordered. He'd spent some time there over the past couple of days and the eclectic décor, comfortable seating, and relaxed atmosphere suited him just fine.
As he meandered to the bar, he admired the bright orange wall running along one side, filled with random 3-D art pieces and various paintings. He saw a couple sitting on one of the lime green sofas and only one of the eight seats at the bar was occupied by an attractive man who appeared to be around Rob’s age.
“Good afternoon, señor Rob,” the bartender said as he approached the bar.
“Buenas tardes,Carlos. How are you doing today?” Rob asked as he sat at one of the corner bar seats.
“Very good, sir. What can I get you to drink this afternoon?”
Rob thought a moment and then said, “I really enjoyed that Tempranillo you served me yesterday. I’ll have another glass of that, please.”
Carlos placed the glass of wine in front of Rob and walked away. Rob lifted the glass and made eye contact with the only other patron sitting at the bar. Until now, the man had been focused on his phone, but now he looked at Rob and raised his glass as well.
“Salud,” Rob said and took a sip.
“I must agree with you,” the stranger said, “the Tempranillo is excellent.” He sipped from his own glass.
Rob took a moment to study the man, without obviously staring. He was definitely attractive. While it was hard to judge his height since he was sitting down, Rob guessed he was close to Rob’s own six-one. Medium-brown hair falling almost to his shoulders and shot with a bit of gray, piercing green eyes, and a bit of scruff on his cheeks and chin, completed the look of this strikingly handsome man.
Sneaking a quick peek at his throat and the open collar of his dress shirt, Rob spotted a bit of chest hair. But wait, there was something familiar about this man. Rob considered whether he had seen him somewhere before. Then it hit him.
Rob cleared his throat then asked, “Excuse me, but aren’t you Ben Rockingham?”
“Yes, I am,” the man nodded shyly.
Rob extended his hand, “I’m Rob Asher, it’s very nice to meet you. I’ve seen many of your movies.”
They shook hands and Ben said, “It’s very nice to meet you, too. What brings you to Barcelona?”
Rob paused. How much should he actually say? This trip was supposed to be about him getting on with his life and trying new things—like spending time in Barcelona and on a cruise ship by himself—this was not the time to bring up the past. But what the heck, he’d never see this guy again. He took a deep breath and smiled.
“I’m actually on vacation. My husband Alan and I planned this trip over two years ago but then Alan suffered a massive coronary several months later. I was going to cancel, but my best friend talked me into doing it anyway. I’ve spent the last couple of years existing more than living, and Samantha, being the kick-ass BFF that she is, told me it was time to, and I quote, ‘Get off my lazy ass and start living again.’ So here I am. I’ve been here for a couple of days and I’m boarding a cruise ship on Saturday.”
Realizing he just told a total stranger a whole lot more than was necessary, he quickly added, “I’m sorry if I overshared a bit there, It’s a bad habit of mine.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Ben said quietly, “but I applaud your resolve to take this trip anyway. That’s no small feat. And no apologies necessary.”
Rob chuckled, relaxing a bit. “Thank you. Samisa force of nature when she wants to be, so I’ve learned that it’s best to listen to her. It’s much safer than suffering her wrath!”
“Yes, I’ve had a friend or two like that as well, and it’s definitely worth listening to them.” Ben agreed and then paused a moment before asking, “You said you were boarding a ship on Saturday. May I ask which ship?”
“Sure, theOcean Wanderer,” Rob answered. “Why do you ask?”
“Oh, my God!” Ben exclaimed. “I’m getting on theOcean Wandereron Saturday, too! What a crazy coincidence!”
Rob was shocked and at a loss for what to say next. Part of him had been dreading the first week of the cruise. At least now there’d be one familiar face on board. The thought of spending some time with a handsome man was suddenly quite appealing to him. Yes, he still loved Alan—part of him always would—but Alan would also be the first to kick him in the ass and tell him to enjoy himself.
