Page 34

CALEB

Our bachelor party consists of me, Marcus, and a few of Amir’s friends from med school. Pretty chill night here at the house, which was exactly what he wanted.

We are deep into our poker game when I reach for my beer, taking a small swig. I shuffle the cards in my hand, checking my deck. King. Jack…

My phone lights up on the table, breaking my concentration. I glance down. The airline sent a check-in notification, and there’s also a new text from an hour ago.

New message from Amelia

I set my cards face down and tap on the notification, seeing a voice memo. It must be important, maybe she needs me to drop something off at the hotel.

Excusing myself from the table, I swipe my deck of cards before Amir tries to cheat…again. I walk into the kitchen, pulling out the stool, taking a seat. I raise the phone to my ear as the voice memo automatically plays.

“My sex fantasy is that…”

Muffled noises follow. What the hell is this?

“I’ve always wanted to have sex in front of a mirror or recreate a scene from my favorite movie.”

Holy shit. I swipe out quickly. That was clearly not meant for me.

The faint noise of poker chips clanking against the table grows distant. I adjust in the stool, dragging a hand down my face, inhaling deeply. I should just let it go. Pretend I never heard it.

Wait. My read receipts are on. Shit. Well, there goes that plan.

Marcus walks into the kitchen, looking my way curiously. “Everything good?”

I nod. “Yeah, I’m just gonna make a quick call. I’ll be right back.”

Marcus smirks. “A call , huh?”

I roll my eyes, already knowing where his mind’s at. “Not the kind that starts with the word booty.”

“No judgment.” He puts his hand up in surrender. “Enjoy your call .”

Shaking my head, I head toward the back, sliding the screen door open, stepping onto the patio. The cool air hitting against my skin as I slide the door shut behind me, pacing the wooden deck as I call Amelia.

The phone rings. Once. Twice.

She picks up and starts rambling “Um…hi. So about that text, let’s just pretend you didn’t hear any of that?—”

I take a quick peek through the screen door, making sure no one’s coming outside.

“You know,” I lower my voice, “if you wanted to bring a fantasy of yours to life, all you had to do was ask.”

“Oh,” she says shakily.

“And for the record, I like a woman who knows what she wants.”

I let the silence stretch.

“Goodnight, Amelia.”

I end the call before she can respond.

Sliding my phone back into my pocket, my heart starts pounding against my ribcage. Was that stupid of me to say? Jesus.

When I step back inside, Marcus steps out of the kitchen looking at me. “You lost by the way.”

Rolling my eyes, I walk back with him to the pool table, taking my seat. “Deal me in.”

One minute, I’m unwinding in bed, replaying last night's conversation with Amelia on a loop, and the next, my alarm is deafening in my ears, reminding me that we have a flight to catch.

I hardly got any sleep. Between Marcus giving me shit later on for stepping out the game for my “booty call” and my own damn thoughts refusing to keep quiet, I might’ve drifted off for maybe three hours, if that.

The LAX terminal is crammed, like always, people rushing with their luggage, flight announcements echoing overhead, and people waiting in line for their coffee. I make my way toward the gate with the guys, adjusting my backpack over my shoulder, rolling my suitcase behind me.

And that’s when I see her. Amelia, standing near the beam seating, as she rolls her luggage closer to her leg, hair gathered in a messy bun with two curl pieces cascading down, stopping right above her brow.

She looks up, her eyes meeting mine. And just like that, I’m fully awake.

“You look awful.” Tia gloats, walking up to me, looking all refreshed like she just got a facial.

I stare at her, then press a hand to my heart. “Thanks. You really know how to make my morning so much brighter.”

“Anytime.” She strolls off, looping her arm through Amir's, leading him toward their seats.

Amelia keeps sneaking glances at me but says nothing, and she keeps fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve. Is she embarrassed about last night? I hope not.

An hour goes by with me sitting behind her in these uncomfortable airport seats and all I’ve been doing is listening to Maya and Marcus argue about whether they’d rather live on Earth as giants or miniature-sized people.

My brain is going to fry if I have to hear Marcus say, “But if you’re a giant, you’re just gonna crush every person in sight,” for the tenth time.

I turn my head, catching a whiff of her strawberry perfume as I lean back slightly, lowering my voice as I murmur near her ear. “So…in front of the mirror, huh?”

She freezes. I lean back further, stealing a glance at what she’s doing, and notice she’s reading a physical book this time rather than her Kindle.

She exhales deeply, slipping a bookmark between the pages, and my chest tightens. It’s the same pink one I gave her back in high school.

“What?” her voice trembles as she turns her head slightly toward me. Her glossy lips hover dangerously near mine.

“You want to watch yourself?” I say, staring at her lips. “Is that the only reason?”

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I’m done playing it safe. I’m fed up. It’s time I step up and prove I can be the best damn boyfriend she’s ever had.

The flight announcement blares over the intercom.

“Good morning, passengers. This is your boarding announcement for flight 1924 to the Bahamas. We will now begin priority boarding.”

I stand up, rounding the seats, reaching for her suitcase. “After you,” I gesture for her to go first.

She offers a nervous smile. “Thanks.” As she steps toward the boarding agent and scans her ticket, I trail right behind.

The roar of the jets reverberates through the air as we step onto the plane, greeted by the flight attendants.

I fall in step behind her down the aisle as she slides into the window seat. After adjusting our bags in the overhead compartment, I take the seat beside her.

A few hours in, a flight attendant walks by, handing us ginger ale and crackers which are the only two things I actually enjoy about flying.

“What’s your book about?” I glance over at the cover, tilting it slightly with my finger to sneak a peek at the back.

“Since when do you care about what contents are in my book?” She laughs.

My mind flashes back to that day, her reading that book on the way to the cake testing.

“Since I realize how filthy those books you read actually are,” I murmur, though I’m fighting a grin as I take a sip, staring at the flight map on the monitor.

“Define filthy.” Her gaze shifts, and I can feel it burn into the side of my head. I refuse to look at her yet. “Because I assure you, that was the tamest part of the whole book.”

“Is it now?” I turn my head to meet her eyes.

She goes back to reading as a slow grin curves her mouth.

Hours pass, and as the final minutes count down, the plane begins to descend. Amelia leans toward the window and raises the shade.

Sunlight spills in, casting a warm glow across her skin, as she takes a moment to admire the island and the clear blue water, rippling.

“It’s so beautiful,” she says, smiling at the view.

“Yeah, it is,” I reply, though my gaze isn’t on the island.

We step out of the shuttle van, and the photos didn’t do this place justice.

Towering palm trees surround the entire hotel, the entrance is lined with water and smooth stone pathways and large boulders.

Everything about this place feels calm, like a bubble of pure bliss, far from the chaos of LA.

I roll my suitcase, following the others inside.

“Welcome to Paradise Island.” An older man calls out from behind the front desk. “Let me get you guys checked in so you can soak up every bit of sun we have here in the Bahamas!”

After we check in and grab our key cards, we head toward our rooms while everyone else splits up to do the same. Amelia lags behind, dragging her suitcase as if it weighs a hundred pounds.

“Need help back there?” I grin, as the wheels of her luggage skip against the carpet.

“No,” she huffs.

“I bet you wish you had your High School Musical suitcase instead.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She retorts, yanking her suitcase again over the carpet.

I chuckle, stopping in front of our room as she pulls the keycard from her pocket and slaps it against my chest.

“Ouch.” I place my hand over hers, mock-wincing as I take the card. “That’s gonna leave a bruise.”

“It’ll match the one your shoulder.” She can’t hide the smile tugging at her lips and I’m glad to be the one who pulled that string. “Just open the door. I need to pee.”

“Wouldn’t want to keep you waiting.” I laugh, swiping the keycard, watching the light flash green, followed by a beep.

I walk in first, taking in the room. A mini bar, couch, sleek bathroom, and a beautiful window view of the ocean. And then my gaze lands on the bed.

As in a singular bed.

“Wait, what?” Amelia steps in behind me, yanking her suitcase fully inside just as the door slams shut with a loud clunk. She scans the room, then stares blankly at the bed confused. “Where’s the other one?”

I raise an eyebrow, scratching the nape of my neck, joking. “You don’t see it?”

“I’m serious.”

I flop back onto the mattress. “Well, at least it’s comfy?”

She folds her arms. “Call the front desk.”

“I got it.” I nod, stretching out on the white sheets before reaching over for the phone, pressing the front desk button.

I hear the faint sound of the bathroom door closing as Amelia runs to go pee and the call connects.

“Hey, there seems to be an issue with our room. We booked two queen beds.”

“I am so sorry for the inconvenience,” the man says, his voice sounding a little flustered. Clacking from the keyboard is all I hear.

“Unfortunately, we’re now fully booked.”

Shit.

I glance up at Amelia who’s just emerged out of the bathroom, blissfully unaware of our current situation.

“We can offer free breakfast vouchers for your stay if that would help? Give me one moment.” He puts me on hold as the sound of the automatic bad quality elevator music fills my ears.

She catches my eyes, mouthing, “What did they say?”

“They’re giving us free breakfast vouchers because they have no other rooms left.”

“Wait.” Her eyes light up, like a kid on Christmas morning. “Breakfast vouchers?”

I laugh at the way she geeks over food. “Yeah, for the whole week.”

Her mouth folds up and twists as she considers the options.

“Hang up,” she says eagerly. “Tell them it’s fine.”

“So now you’re okay with sharing the bed with me as long as food is involved?” I smirk, feigning offense.

“As if you’d want to share the bed with me anyways,” she counters, setting her suitcase down on the floor.

“I wouldn’t have complained.”

The elevator music stops and the man asks me if I would like to accept his offer. “Appreciate it. We’ll take those vouchers,” I say before we hang up.

Amelia claps quietly as she steps over to the mirror, fixing her bun.

“I could sleep on the couch.” I offer.

She follows my line of sight and laughs pointing at it. “You wouldn’t even fit.”

“Trust me, I’d fit.”

“Um.” Her throat bobs as she swallows. “It’s fine, uh, just promise me, you won’t hog the blankets.”

“Sorry princess, that’s one promise I don’t know if I can keep.”

She groans. “You seem more insufferable than usual today.” She kneels down, flipping open her suitcase to unpack.

“It’s part of the Bahama charm.”