Thirty

Cory

Tonight was the last night of the cruise, but it wasn't the end of our story. It was just the beginning. Tomorrow we'll be on a plane to Sacramento where we planned to stay for a week before driving up to Seattle. I'd never been before, and the two of us wanted to see more of the country when we weren't cruising around the Caribbean.

"I'm going to miss watching you two make eyes at each other," Johnny said while we were eating before dinner service.

"Join us on our road trip," Jackson said, before taking a big bite of the burgers we were having.

"No way, this is like your honeymoon trip. I see enough without being in a car with the two of you for a week. Plus, I have plans. I'm going to visit my family too. It's been a while, but Rio is calling."

"That's great, Johnny. Have fun," I said. Johnny went home often, but he missed his family and his homeland, so I wasn't surprised when those were his plans.

"So you guys are meeting the families?" he asked and looked at both of us.

"Yep, I can't wait for my family to meet Jackson," I said, and Johnny burst out laughing.

"What?" Jackson asked.

"Has he told you about his family?" Johnny asked while staring directly at Jackson.

"Not really, why, are they in the witness protection program?" Jackson asked.

"You didn't tell him?" Johnny asked me before laughing again. "He has a huge family. He has something like ten siblings and there's aunties, and uncles, and cousins, and second cousins. And they all like each other so they always have big dinners and invite everyone. Like at least a few times a week."

"That's it?" Jackson said.

"They're a little overwhelming," I said, and wished I'd just told him.

"I don't mind that." He stood as we all got ready to go to our shifts.

"Just wait," Johnny said and laughed again.

The three of us walked outside to the pool area and were about to cross into the dining room when I saw the couple that had brought Jackson on board. "You guys go ahead," I said. Johnny walked off with a wave, but Jackson stayed.

"What's going on?" he asked as I took his hand and pulled him over to the bar outside the dining room.

"Excuse me," I said and tapped the older man on the shoulder. "I know you don't know me, but I wanted to thank you for bringing Jackson on board from Berry Island. If you hadn't, I would have never realized what a great person he is, and I wouldn't have met the love of my life."

Both of them were dressed in impeccably fitted white tuxedos. The older man's was a more traditional style while the younger guy's had a flare of pink on his tie and the lapel that matched the pink in his hair. They stared at me for a moment before they looked at Jackson, who waved.

"Hi, guys," Jackson said.

"You're the guy we snorkeled with," the younger guy said and smiled while giving Jackson the once over. "You're hot."

Jackson's eyes widened and he stepped closer to me. "Syd, please," his husband said. "I'm Greg, and you are?"

"Sorry, I'm Cory Wynn. I just wanted to thank you."

"Well, Cory, you're welcome," Greg said with a grin and a wink. "Now if you don't mind, I have a husband I need to romance tonight." Syd smiled and snuggled into Greg's side. "Oh and thank you too, JJ. It was very—memorable." They both walked over to the end of the bar and ordered drinks while Jackson and I hurried to our shifts.

I paused at the entry before kissing him. "See you soon," I said, making him smile.

"See you soon."

I watched as he walked away and forced myself to go to work. Tomorrow we'd leave the ship, and I hoped our feelings for each other off the ship were the same as they were on board. But right now, I couldn't imagine loving anyone as much as I knew I loved the guy that I'd hated more than anything until we were forced together below deck.

My phone buzzed with a text, and I checked it before starting work, it was from Mom on the family chat. I can't wait to meet Jackson

I was about to reply how excited we were too when five more messages came through from a cousin and four of my siblings. They were all giving me crap while also telling me how much they missed me, and I missed them just as much. But Johnny was right. They were a lot, and I really hoped Jackson loved me as much as I thought he did when he met them all.

"Sorry, Cory, we got behind on dishes, do you mind taking that cart back to the kitchen?" one of the bussers from the last shift asked me on their way out of the room.

"Nope, I got it," I said, and pushed it along the hallway to the kitchen where the man I loved was busy at work even though he'd just arrived. As soon as I entered the room, he turned to look with a grin.

"Hey, gorgeous," he said and kissed me on the cheek. "I've missed you."