Trying to appear cool and put-together, Rob said, “Well then, I guess we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
“Definitely. I’m looking forward to relaxing on the ship for a week. Things have been rather hectic for me lately.”
While they were chatting, Carlos managed to catch their eye and held up the bottle of Tempranillo with a questioning look. When they each nodded, Carlos refilled their glasses and moved along. A few more people had wandered into the bar, but it was still relatively quiet.
“Wait a minute, you’re only on the ship for a week?” Rob asked.
“Yes, why? Are you cruising longer than that?”
“Three weeks,” Rob paused a moment, thinking of the cruise itinerary. “Now I remember. There’s a seven-night cruise back to Barcelona first, then there’s a two-week sailing with a few more ports in Europe followed by an Atlantic crossing and the ship ends up in Fort Lauderdale. That’s where I get off. In fact, my friend Sam is flying here in a week to join me on the cruise for the crossing.”
“Well, we’ll be on the ship together for a week anyway, so hopefully we can get together for dinner or a drink. Um, if that’s something you’d be interested in doing,” Ben said.
They’d only just started chatting, but there was something very interesting about this handsome man. Rob wasn’t sure what it was yet, but he was definitely interested in spending some time on the cruise with Ben.
“Are you traveling with someone? Not that it’s any of my business, but shouldn’t you check with them first before you start making plans?” Rob asked.
“No, this is a solo trip for me,” Ben replied. “I finished working on an independent film not that long ago and I’ve been doing a round of interviews about it here in Europe. I’ve been living out of a suitcase for the past couple of weeks and I don’t always remember what city I’m in. I taped my last interview this morning and I’m really looking forward to relaxing for a bit. But then it’s back to the States for me.”
“Well then, Ben, I’d definitely like to meet for dinner or drinks on the cruise,” Rob replied.
“Nice, sounds like we have a plan. And if I’m not being too forward, do you have any plans for dinner tonight? I’ve got to head back to my room in a few minutes to get on a video call with someone back in California, but I’d really like to continue our chat.”
Rob didn’t detect anything flirtatious about Ben’s question, but he did want to spend more time with him. “No, I’ve got no plans. I was just going to try a tapas place somewhere in the area, so I’m open to pretty much anything.”
“Great. Why don’t we meet in the lobby around eight? There are several great places within a few blocks, so I’m sure we can find something.” Ben took a final sip from his glass and rose to leave, extending his hand to Rob.
They sealed the deal with a handshake. “Okay,” Rob said. “I’ll see you at eight.”
As Ben was leaving, he waved at Carlos, calling out,“Hasta luego, Carlos.”
“¡Hasta luego, mi amigo!”Carlos replied with a grin.
After Ben left, Rob sipped some wine and thought about their conversation.WasBen being a bit flirty? He had no idea.
I’m way out of practice with reading signals. Alan and I were together for twenty years, so I have no idea how to date anymore. Wait, what am I saying? This isn’t a date! It’s merely two guys who just met and had a short but pleasant conversation who then decided to have dinner together since they're both alone.
The more Rob thought about it, the more he convinced himself he was just overthinking it all. As far as Rob knew, Ben wasn't even gay, but just to be sure he pulled out his phone for a quick Google search. His first instinct had been right—Ben had been married years before. He even had a son who must now be in his late twenties. He was divorced and didn’t seem to have any steady love interest.
But something still tickled the back of Rob’s mind.He’s not gay, but even if he were, it’s too soon after Alan. Although, he is quite attractive!
Rob shook his head to clear his tumbling thoughts, finished his second glass of wine, and headed back to his room. He was on holiday, and he was bound to meet attractive and interesting people. It didn't mean anything other than that he was getting back into the world again. He couldn't add more meaning to their plan than what it was. It was just dinner, but he needed to rest before that. He’d have time for a quick nap before meeting up with Ben.
* * *
Ben pondered his conversation with Rob as he made his way back to his room for the video call.
Hmmm, I don’t make a habit of noticing attractive guys, but there’s something about this guy that’s really hard to miss. And it’s not just that he’s rather handsome. There’s something deeper, something below the surface that really excited me while we chatted. I’ve not felt like this in a very long time—and never this quickly. I need to get to know Rob better. Something tells me this cruise is gonna be lots more than I bargained for!
