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The look on Beverly’s face would have been appropriate if she’d been given a terminal cancer diagnosis, but to her credit, she nodded. “Okay. It probably would be good for me, too.” She sat back down on the bench.
“You’re all the nicest people I know,” Grandma announced.
For a minute or so, we all stared out at the sea, my hand in Adam’s. He spontaneously kissed the top of my head, and I turned to smile at him.
He smiled back, eyes crinkling with real happiness. Somehow the app, the cruise, and Adam’s zany family had turned a fake boyfriend I found on an app into a man I was falling in love with. Could I really bring myself to end things with him?
Staying together meant trusting him with my heart and possibly even my job, and trust wasn’t something I had in high supply.
But maybe, just like a box store Florida Ghost, all it needed was time to grow.
After we finished with mini-golf I waited while Jenna changed for one last dinner with my family. Squishing myself into the tiny suite couch, I pulled out my computer and squinted at the number of emails I’d allowed to pile up while I enjoyed the cruise—over a thousand. It was probably going to take me the entire plane ride home and hours after to get through them.
I glanced at Jenna’s door, wondering if I could knock out a few. If I sped through, I might even have enough time to invite Jenna out to dinner after we returned to Philadelphia.
An email from Dr. Cassidy Croft was at the top of my inbox. I blinked at it a few times, wondering if I was misreading the name.
Dr. Donaldson—Great news! DiseCon had a cancellation, and they want the two of us to present our paper the last day of the conference! I really hope you can attend—obviously, your name would draw the crowds. I’m almost positive I can guess your answer, but please confirm you’ll come before I accept for both of us. —C
Cassidy’s hard work submitting our paper had finally paid off—DiseCon was one of the biggest conferences in our field. My initial smile at the good news turned into a thoughtful frown as I considered her request. Surprisingly, the thought of spending time with her didn’t fill me with dreadorexcitement. I was happy for her—that kind of exposure would be great for her career in the long run—and I wanted to help as a colleague. She was perfectly capable of doing an amazing job presenting on her own, but, as she said, my name would draw more attention. I could easily take a couple of days off to fly into Seattle and present at the beginning of August.
My frown deepened as I recalled my promise to travel to North Carolina with Jenna the very same weekend as the conference. When she’d first told me about the wedding, Jenna said it would be okay if I didn’t want to attend, but after all she’d done to help me, it didn’t feel right. Plus, Iwantedto be with her, even if it meant going to a wedding with strangers.
I froze like a statue on the couch. Realizing I’d go to that extreme to spend time with Jenna was even more shocking than news of a global smallpox outbreak.
Maybe there was some way I could attend both the wedding and the conference? Seattle was on the opposite side of the country from Asheville, but if the wedding was early in the day and the presentation was late afternoon, the time difference might work out in my favor.
As I started to look up the precise dates of the conference, Jenna stepped out of her room wearing a knotted silk blouse and denim skirt. I glanced glumly at my khaki cargo shorts and blue polo. She made a lot more effort to dress nicely than I did. Would that annoy her when we were back in Philadelphia?
“You look amazing.” I didn’t need to decide about the conference at that very moment, so I put my computer aside, stood up, and pulled Jenna into my arms.
“Thanks.” When Jenna smiled at me, she made me feel like she was delighted to see me. LikeIwas a delight. I couldn’t remember any other girlfriend looking at me that way.
“Will you come with me to see the fireworks later?” I asked between kissing her like we’d been separated for ten days rather than ten minutes.
“I’d love that.” Jenna rested her head against my chest for a moment and sighed. “Guess we’d better get to dinner before Nicole gets mad at us for ditching the schedule.”
During the meal Jenna listened to Grandma’s stories, complimented Mom’s dress, and got Nicole to tell tales from when we were kids. As I watched Nicole act out my attempt to get a frisbee off the neighbor’s roof, it struck me how much easier it was to handle my family with Jenna around. Normally by the last day of a family vacation, we weren’t on speaking terms with anyone but Grandma.
Not just easier with Jenna—better. I was relaxed and enjoying myself. I didn’t want to do another family gathering without her.
I reached for Jenna’s hand under the table, and she put hers in mine with a little glance and a smile. It felt good to be able to take her hand when I felt like it, without worrying I was overstepping a boundary.
Still, I couldn’t shake the concern that started back in the suite when Jenna had emerged from her room far more fashionably attired. I could tell she was enjoying our relationship, but would that continue after the cruise? She could easily find another guy, one with better style, more interesting hobbies and a not-crazy family. Somebody who didn’t hold unique theories about love.
Not that she’d come out and tell me she was dumping me for a better man. Jenna was such a kind person that I couldn’t see her rejecting me outright. She’d make excuses and let me down gently.
As I worried over the future, Jenna let go of my hand and started gently scratching my back. I relaxed under her touch. I hadn’t known Jenna that long, but so far, she’d given me no indication she was going to abandon me for somebody else.
Just like my parents had, I realized with a start. Was that actually still hanging over me? Maybe I did need to start therapy, not just with Mom and Nicole, but on my own.
What was happening to me? I’d had more insights about my family on the cruise than I’d had in my whole life combined.
“Is that Frank?” Grandma pointed to a man who’d just entered the dining room. “I’ve been worried about him.”
Sure enough, Frank had his arms wrapped around a blonde lady who was maybe a little younger than my mom. What did women see in him?
Nicole rolled her eyes and went back to her dinner, but Mom stared at Frank for just a moment before turning pointedly away and addressing my girlfriend. “Jenna, we’re meeting up in Grandma’s room after dinner for a girl’s night! Wear your PJs. I brought some face masks.” She gave me a wide, forced smile. “Sorry, Adam! Maybe you can make a friend to hang out with tonight.”
