Page 7 of The Cruise Back to You

When we reach Robin’s cabin, he turns to face me.

“This is me.”

“This is you.”

We stand there for an awkward moment, neither of us sure how to say goodbye. Then Robin steps forward and wraps his arms around me.

I freeze for a split second before my body remembers what to do. My arms come up around him, pulling him close, and I close my eyes.

He still fits perfectly against me. He still smells the same, like mahogany and teak. For one brief, perfect moment, I let myself remember what it was like to have this whenever I wanted. To come home to him. To fall asleep next to him. To wake up and know he was mine.

My heart aches.

Robin pulls back first. “Goodnight, Colter.”

“Goodnight, Robin.”

He disappears into his cabin, and I stand there for longer than I should, staring at the closed door. Then I turn and make my way back to my own room.

When I reach my cabin, I stop.

There’s a magnet on the door. A small, ridiculous pineapple magnet that Marc bought as a joke months ago. Our secret code for when one of us is … entertaining company.

I stare at it.

Marc is already hooking up with someone. On the first night of the cruise. In our shared cabin.

I lean against the wall and let out a long breath.

Perfect. Just perfect.

Five

Robin

I’m already down to my underwear when there’s a knock on the door.

Jules has his own key, unless he misplaced it, which wouldn’t surprise me in the least. The knock comes again, more insistent this time. Convinced it’s Jules, I don’t bother covering up and open the door.

Colter is standing there.

My brain short-circuits. He’s back. After that conversation, after that hug, after we agreed to be friends⁠—

“Before you say anything,” Colter says quickly, holding up his hands, “I’m not here to go back on the friends thing.”

“Oh.” I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed. “Then why are you here?”

“Marc is hooking up with someone.” Colter’s expression is somewhere between exhausted and annoyed. “In our cabin. There was a magnet on the door.”

“A magnet?”

“Don’t ask. It’s a system he came up with when one of us …” He shifts his weight awkwardly. “Can I just … hang out here for a bit? I just need somewhere to exist that isn’t a hallway, and I’m not in the mood to hit the bar.”

I should say no. I should send him back to wander the ship until Marc is done with whomever he’s entertaining. But Colter looks tired, and honestly? So am I.

“Fine.” I step aside to let him in.

Colter walks into the cabin and looks around. It’s probably identical to his if he’s sharing with Marc—two small beds, a tiny bathroom, that ridiculous porthole window. His eyes land on the empty bed.