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“Why the hell did I agree to this?” I ask, standing on the platform staring at the biggest boat I have ever seen in my life. I’m not one to be afraid of boats but staring at this monstrosity is bringing me back to high school as flashbacks of watching Titanic for the first time fill my head.
“Because you love me and you're my best friend,” Kelsey says, stopping beside me as she shades her eyes to take in the ship in front of us. “Plus, I got us a hell of a deal and you paid next to nothing for a week’s vacation.” Also, true.
“You still never told me how you swung that,” I mutter, watching her eyes dart around, her tell that she's hiding something. “What did you do?” I accuse as she rolls her eyes.
“Nothing, and don't worry about how I got us on here, just be grateful I brought you and not that girl from work that was trying to convince me to take her instead.” I can't help the laughter that boils in my chest because the idea of Kelsey bringing the one person who annoys her the most on a seven-day cruise is insane.
“Nice try, but I will get it out of you eventually,” I say, watching as the nervousness creeps to the surface, which makes me wonder exactly what she's up to. Not even a week ago she called me, told me to meet her in New Orleans, and that I better be there or else. Of course, I questioned her and of course, I didn't actually buy the flight until I knew what was going on, but when she told me the price…I couldn’t pass it up. Then she dropped the bombshell that this cruise was a singles cruise, and that’s when I started to regret saying yes. The last thing I want to do is be surrounded by people who are focused on hooking up when it’s the furthest thing on my radar.
Am I single? Yes. Do I like being single? Sometimes.
Don't get me wrong, there are perks to having someone you care for in your life, but in my experience, a toy and a couple of double A batteries create the same outcome.
“Come on, let's board,” Kelsey says before taking my hand and dragging me up the ramp and into my home for the next seven days. The second we walk onto the ship I try and hide my smile because as much as I hate the reason I’m here, I can't hide the fact that this ship is impressive. Every surface looks like it's sealed in wax, reflecting everything around it, chrome accents are everywhere and for some reason, I can't wait to see our room.
I peer over to see Kelsey doing the same thing, her head on a swivel, looking around as if she's a kid in a candy store. “Don't try and hide that smile I see peeking through,” she jokes, her eyes meeting mine as a crew member directs us to the elevators.
“I have no idea what you're talking about,” I mutter, turning my head and peering down the hall.
“I know I dragged you on here with me, and I know you aren’t that excited, but please trust me when I tell you that we will have a good time. I promise.” I chuckle softly, shaking my head as the elevator descends.
“Kels, as much as I want to believe you, the last time you told me that, we got arrested for indecent exposure.” Her eyes widen, and her mouth opens in shock.
“I completely forgot about that night,” she whispers as if I just unlocked a memory she stored away. “I wonder what ever happened to that sexy cop?” I roll my eyes because of course that’s what she remembers about that night, not the fact that we got put in a cell for a few hours until her dad could bail us out.
“I think he died…” I lie, watching her face transform before realizing I was joking.
“You know, that was mean. That man was fine as hell.”
“Yes, and we were teenagers so if I’m not mistaken, him doing anything with you that night would have landed him in jail.” She waves her hand like that was a minor detail as the elevator stops and we drag our bags down the hall until we reach our room. The second the door opens I gasp because it's like I’ve been transported onto some kind of spaceship. The curtains are open, showing us a beautiful view of the ocean. After a few seconds, my eyes wander and notice how modern everything is. The desk is oddly shaped, with a mirror hanging above it, there is a single chair in the corner, and one queen size bed.
“I know what you're going to say and before you get all pissy, this was all we could get on such short notice.”
I grumble to myself, hating that Kelsey knew exactly what was on my mind, and yet she's not wrong. I hate sleeping with her and have since we were kids. She kicks, talks, and sometimes sleepwalks, so being right next to her every night for the next week isn’t something I’m looking forward to. Before I can say anything there’s a knock at the door. I turn to open it, but Kels jumps in front of me, rushing to get there first.
It isn’t until I hear his voice that everything starts to make sense. It isn’t until Kelsey opens the door fully and I see her twin brother for the first time in five years that all the little pieces of her plan start to meld together.
CHAPTER TWO
KACEY
I knew it was risky telling my sister about my feelings for Ashley. I also knew it was a risk making her keep this all a secret until the last minute because I knew if Ash found out I was behind it she would have run for the hills.
Seeing her for the first time since I had my hand down the front of her bikini all those years ago is a shock to my system and a punch to my gut. After she sent that last text, the one that told me in no uncertain terms that she didn’t want to be with me, I put her to the back of my mind, or at least tried to. Every woman I tried to date paled in comparison to the minutes I spent with her in the garage. I know I should have gone after her before today, kept it in my pants and confronted my feelings sooner but the timing was never right. I was always on the road, moving and being an apprentice tattoo artist, and she was in California, living her life far away from her past. But the second I got this contract and saw it was singles cruise, I knew my sister would jump on it. Getting her to bring Ash was just the icing on the cake.
“Kacey?” Ashley whispers, her gorgeous hazel eyes widening as I step into the room, a shy smile playing at the edge of my lips. She looks fucking incredible in her loose jean shorts and white tank top, an outfit she used to wear every summer when we were in high school. “What are you doing here?” My eyes dart to Kelsey, hoping she’ll take some of the heat off me and she winks, stepping in front of me.
“Kacey works on the ship, he's the reason we got tickets so cheap.” Ashley’s eyes dart between the two of us, a mixture of emotions washing off her as the seconds tick by. At first, I can see anger, then it shifts to annoyance, and finally, she settles on acceptance.
“And you couldn’t have told me this before we got on the boat?” she accuses. My sister shrugs her shoulders and pulls her suitcase into the room, leaving us semi-alone. The first time I told Kelsey about my feelings for her best friend she was pissed, accusing me of stealing her friend and ruining her life. That was over five years ago. Now, we're all adults and that moment from my parents’ garage is seared into my brain and hasn't left since she walked through that door, never to be seen again.
I knew I crossed a line when I let my feelings get the best of me. I knew taking her as I did without talking first would be one of the biggest regrets of my life, and I was right. Seeing her like that, feeling her come apart in my arms, was probably the best moment of my adult life. But right now, seeing the confusion on her beautiful face? I would go back and change all of it.
“I feel so stupid,” Ashley whispers, my eyes narrowing as hers meet mine. “I knew I should have gone with my gut and told your sister to fuck off.”
“Love you too!” Kelsey yells from afar, causing a slight smirk to appear on Ashley’s face.
“Am I really that bad?” I ask, a slight tease to my tone when in actuality, I’m waiting with bated breath. I know her feelings for me were there all those years ago, and she made it clear, but I haven’t spoken to her since and uncertainty is weighing heavy on my chest.
