AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I didn’t think he had even been listening, but I’m glad he was. At least one of us is doing the right thing.
“We are still going to have dinner together. You really should join us. There’s no reason for you to be alone all the time.”
“I’m good, but thanks for the offer,” I said. Not that I planned on having dinner with Valentina, but I needed to see her tonight.
“Oh, yeah. Betty mentioned you like to read. I’ve got some comics in my cabin if you want to borrow them.”
“No. I have a book I need to finish first. But thanks.” I had planned on reading my sister’s book last night. Never even opened it. And if things went the same way tonight, I might never get to the book. Sorry, sis. I’m sure you’ll understand. After all, you write romance. I’m just trying to live it.
“You really hauled ass getting this task finished. Who are you trying to impress?” Mario asked.
“No one. This is a one-and-done cruise for me,” I admitted.
“You’re joking, right?” he asked.
“Nope.”
“How can you be on a ship like this and not want to stay?” he asked.
“I’ve spent most of my life on a ship.” An aircraft carrier is no cruise ship, but for years, it felt like home. I thought I’d never stop missing life on the ocean. Seeing Valentina again changed that because I get lost just looking in her eyes.
“That explains it,” he said.
“Explains what?” I asked.
“Why you don’t seem…into anything going on. I thought you were just distracted but guess it’s more like you’re bored. We need to fix this.”
The hell you do.
“I’m not bored. I have a lot on my mind,” I said honestly.
“Are you sure? Because you seem like you could use a friend right now,” he responded.
A friend. A love. Who knows what I need? I only know what I want, and that is to hold Valentina again.
“I tell you what, I promise that if I need to talk to someone, I’ll come find you.”
He smiled, jabbed his thumb to his chest and said, “I’m your man. But until you need me, I’m going to go back on the upper deck and watch Betty until she gets off work.”
“Watch her work? Don’t you think that’ll be a little distracting?” I asked, remembering how clumsy she already was.
“Oh, good point. Since neither of us has anything to do, want to hang out?”
I shook my head. “I never said I had nothing to do.”
“I get the hint. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me and Betty for dinner.”
They’d be in the staff dining area. I was supposed to eat there last night. I was lucky not to have been kicked out of the passengers-only main dining room. Either they hadn’t recognized me as an employee, or they chose not to intervene because I was with a paying guest. I wasn’t going to try my luck twice. Not because I cared, but because I didn’t want to embarrass Valentina.
Before heading to her cabin, I stopped to shower and change. I wasn’t sure if she’d be in or not. There was so much to do on this cruise, and a part of me hoped she was out enjoying it. Another part didn’t want her around all these single men on the prowl. Valentina wasn’t mine, but fuck, I wanted her to be.
I knocked on her door. No answer. I had no choice but to leave her another note. This time I included my phone number and signed my name. As I went to slide it under the door, I heard her voice from behind me.
“I was hoping you’d come back.”
Standing up, I turned around and saw her beautiful smile greeting me. Any concerns I had on whether she’d been riddled with regret instantly vanished.
“Nothing could stop me,” I said. “Do you have plans tonight?”
