Page 4 of Curves and Waves

He raised an eyebrow. "On your first night of vacation? Come on, live a little. Jake and I are trying out the steakhouse. Join us?"

The thought of an entire dinner watching Jake and Caleb bro out while I pined silently was not appealing. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass.”

Disappointment flashed across Caleb's face, but he quickly masked it. "Alright. Raincheck, then?"

I nodded, relieved. "Definitely. You guys have fun."

As I fumbled with my key card, Caleb leaned against the wall, watching me. "You know," he said casually, "if I didn't know better, I'd think you were avoiding me."

I froze. "What? No, of course not. Why would I avoid you?"

He shrugged, but his eyes were intent on my face. "I don't know. That's what I'm trying to figure out."

The lock finally clicked, and I pushed the door open, desperate for escape. "Well, no avoiding happening here. Just tired. You know how it is."

Caleb straightened, taking a step towards me. "Zoe"

I backed into the room. "Have a good dinner. I'll see you tomorrow."

Before he could respond, I closed the door, leaning against it with a shaky sigh.

What was I doing? This was Caleb. My brother's best friend. The guy who'd seen me through braces, bad haircuts, and my awkward goth phase. When did things get so complicated?

I flopped onto the bed, burying my face in a pillow. This vacation was supposed to help me relax and forget about my real life, not make it worse. But being around Caleb, seeing the way he looked at me it was stirring up feelings I'd worked hard to bury.

Groaning, I hauled myself off the bed and headed for the shower. Maybe the hot water would clear my head.

As I stood under the spray, I tried to sort through my jumbled thoughts. I'd been half in love with Caleb for as long as I could remember. But he'd never shown any interest beyond friendship. And even if he had, was it risking upsetting Jake? They often say that twins feel each other’s emotions, but if that were true, then Jake would already know how I felt about his best friend.

I stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in a huge luxurious fluffy white towel. As I wiped steam from the mirror, I stared at my reflection. My hair was a mess of wet curls, my cheeks flushed from the heat.

What did Caleb see when he looked at me? His best friend's sister? A girl he'd known forever? Or something more. The memory of his hand on mine, his intense gaze as he called me brave, sent a shiver through me.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. This was ridiculous. I was on a luxury cruise ship, surrounded by beautiful scenery and endless entertainment. I should be out there, having fun, not hiding in my cabin obsessing over Caleb.

Decision made, I threw on a sundress and sandals, determined to enjoy my evening. I'd go to the cabernet bar, find a nice spot to watch the sunset, maybe even check out one of the shows.

But as I opened my door, I came face to face with Caleb, his hand raised to knock.

We stared at each other, both caught off guard.

"I thought you had dinner plans," I managed.

Caleb shrugged, looking sheepish. "I told Jake I wasn't feeling well. Zo, we need to talk."

My heart raced. This was it. The moment I'd been dreading and longing for in equal measure.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped back, gesturing for him to enter my room.

"Okay," I said, closing the door behind him. "Let's talk."

Maybe fate had finally intervened and it was time to tell him the truth.

Chapter 3: Caleb

The small space felt even smaller with her in it. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and wary, and I forgot every damn thing I'd planned to say.

"So," Zoe said, breaking the silence. "You wanted to talk?"

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