Page 11 of Once Upon a Holiday Vacation
CHAPTER FIVE
EASTON
We walkedaround the interior of the ship for a while, checking out the gift shops, jewelry stores, casino, and various bars and lounges. Everywhere we turned, there were twinkling lights, shimmering garlands, and ornate Christmas trees. The scent of cinnamon and pine wafted through the air, and familiar carols played softly in the background. The entire ship seemed to be awash in Christmas cheer and I loved it.
As we strolled along, West's hand brushed against mine, sending a jolt of electricity through my body. I quickly shoved my hands in my pockets, hoping he hadn't noticed my reaction.
I couldn’t believe he’d said we were married in order to win the tickets, but that was Weston—act first and think second. It was one of the things I adored most about him, his carefree, fun-loving attitude.
I just hoped we could pull this latest idea of his off without getting kicked off the ship. And more importantly, without me giving away my true feelings. That was going to be hard when the two of us were pretending to be madly in love.
“Hey, are you hungry?” he asked after about an hour.
“Starving,” I admitted. I’d been too nervous to eat before the flight and now, my stomach felt like it as trying to eat itself.
“Me too. Let’s go find some food. There are supposed to be some amazing restaurants here, but I think most of them require a reservation. How does the buffet sound instead?”
“Perfect.”
The buffet was a sight to behold, stretching as far as the eye could see with an array of dishes that made my mouth water instantly. Christmas-themed centerpieces adorned each station, and the servers wore Santa hats, adding to the festive atmosphere.
“Wow,” he breathed, his eyes wide with excitement. “I don't even know where to start.”
I chuckled, grabbing a plate. “Maybe with some actual food before you hit the dessert bar?”
He grinned, bumping his shoulder against mine. “You know me too well.”
We loaded our plates with a little bit of everything—roast turkey, glazed ham, buttery mashed potatoes, and crisp vegetables.
Several plates later, we both called it quits. I leaned back in my chair, a hand on my abused stomach. “I don’t ever remember eating this much in my entire life,” I groaned.
“Yeah, and just think, we get to do it all week.”
“Ugh! No way! If I keep eating like this, they’ll have to roll me off the ship.”
Weston laughed. “Then we’d better walk it off.” He reached across the table with his hand. I stared down at it, confused. “Come on,husband. Let’s see what kind of activities they have going on tonight.”
My eyes darted to his where I could see a teasing sparkle. He was testing me. I arched a brow at him. Two could play at this game. “Great idea, sugar britches.”
I stood up, thrilled with the idea of turning the tables on him, but my breath caught as we linked hands, our palms warm against each other, our fingers lacing perfectly together.
Deep longing surged through me, and I had to remind myself this was all pretend. But as we walked hand-in-hand through the bustling corridors of the ship, it felt so natural, so right. I allowed myself to savor the moment, knowing it would all be over once we got back home.
“Oh, check it out!” Weston suddenly exclaimed, pointing towards the ship's atrium. A massive Christmas tree dominated the space, its branches still bare but promising grandeur. A small crowd had gathered around it, and a crew member was gesturing excitedly. “Let's go see what's happening,” he said, already moving towards the group.
I hesitated for a moment, my natural inclination to hang back warring with my desire to follow this man anywhere. In the end, as always, Weston won out.
As we approached, I caught the crew member's enthusiastic voice. “... and we'd love for all of you to help decorate our tree! We've got ornaments, tinsel, the works. Who's ready to make this the most festive cruise ever?”
A cheer went up from the gathered passengers. I glanced at Weston, seeing the excitement dancing in his sea-blue eyes. “What do you say, East? Wanna help deck the halls?”
I couldn't help but smile at his eagerness. “Sure, why not? Although I should warn you, I’ve been dubbed the Christmas Elf at work due to my decorating skills.”
He laughed, the sound warming me more than any cup of hot cocoa ever could. “Was it your skills or your enthusiasm that earned you that name?”
I shrugged. “Either.”
We approached the ornament table together, and my eyes were immediately drawn to a delicate glass bauble. It was a deep blue, like the ocean at twilight, with swirls of silver that reminded me of stars. Without thinking, I reached for it—only to find my fingers brushing against Weston's as he went for the same ornament.
