Page 3 of Total Ship Show

Dove and Joaquin both laugh. I want to laugh with them because God, I know how I must sound. Lame as hell, but it could work.

It has to work.

“It’s a great idea, you guys. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with that?”

CHAPTERTWO

ARIS

“You seriously toldyour parents you’ve been seeing a hot blonde for over a year and you’re still going to go on this cruise with them?” Kohen asks, hanging his stethoscope with his white jacket behind his office door. “How are you going to explain your single-man status to your family?”

I rub my hands together, giving my best friend a mischievous grin. “I think I could easily say we broke up right before the cruise and just ride the waves as a single guy. I’m also pretty confident I’ll run into a few hot women that like the idea of laying the hot doctor. I’m a catch if I do say so myself.”

“You do.”

Ignoring Kohen’s jab at me, I continue. “But I kinda see it like a challenge, you know? My mom was all too excited when I told her about my very committed relationship last year. I mean my imaginary hot blonde got me out of spending a miserable Christmas holiday with my family.”

“What makes spending the holidays with them so miserable? Some of them are doctors too. It’s not like you don’t have anything in common.”

“Oh, we have plenty in common. But other than that, it’s the fact they hate that I moved across the country to work when they’re all on the eastern seaboard and I’m the last one of us to settle down and start a family. I guess being a surgeon isn’t enough to be proud of. I have to have a wife and a mansion and a zillion kids and all the shit that comes with that. I mean, correct me if I’m wrong, but my plants are my babies, and my gardens look stellar, and who needs kids when I can just come hang with yours?”

“Okay.” He nods. “But Aris, you literally leave tomorrow, and you have no hot blonde.”

“Semantics.” I shrug.

Kohen shakes his head, amused and probably a little stressed for me. He’s definitely the type who would worry over going on a couples cruise with his family without a significant other next to him.

“You know,” I start. “I seem to recall you were in this same predicament not too long ago and everything worked out for you. I mean, look at you now! Married with children and a white picket fence.”

Kohen rolls his eyes. “There’s no picket fence, Aris.”

“Oh, okay. Sorry. Wrought iron in your case.”

He smiles and winks at me. “I’m nothing if not classy.”

“Still, you didn’t have anyone for last year’s Seattle Cares event and look what happened. If you can do it, why can’t I?”

Kohen shakes his head. “Because I was a crazy dumb fuck who got lucky asking Kim to be my fake girlfriend. It probably shouldn’t have worked out as well as it did. That was all luck.”

“And good sex. You said so yourself.”

He nods. “Yeah, okay. Agreed. It was definitely hot sex.” His eyes glaze over as if he’s thinking about a few of those moments between his now wife, Kim and himself, but then he shakes his thoughts away and focuses back on me. “Why don’t you ask that girl you took to Seattle Cares last year? What was her name?”

“Hollie.” I shake my head, my nose scrunching. “Meh, she was alright but I kind of didn’t call her back after that night and she hasn’t spoken to me since.”

“Well, my friend, you certainly have a way with women. Good luck on your cruise. Can’t wait to hear all the details of you embarrassing yourself when you get back.”

“Hey, don’t forget who made you realize how crazy you were for Kim. You’re welcome, by the way. Anyway, it’s a singles and couples cruise, which means there’s bound to be a few hot blondes hanging around. I’m not above hiring one to hang with me for the week. Hell, she can have any color hair. I can always say she dyes it. Doesn’t matter.”

“So, you’re not above prostitution, you mean?” Kohen raises a brow.

“It’s only prostitution if she sleeps with me.” I grin. “Again…semantics.”

“And how are you going to have time to meet someone and convince them to hang with you when you’ll all be boarding together?”

His question makes me chuckle. “Oh, Kohen. Have you met me? No way are we boarding together. I’ll be boarding before the rest of my family. They’re all flying into New Orleans from Philadelphia later in the morning. I’ll be on that ship the moment they open it. I want to make sure I have time to scope out a few good hideouts and maybe have a few drinks flowing through me before we’re all stuck together. That gives me plenty of time to meet a woman, woo her a little, and offer her the deal of a lifetime.

Kohen stops. “The deal of a lifetime?”

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