Page 56 of Total Ship Show

How long can something like that last?

And what if someone else comes along?

That thought immediately sends a jolt of anxiety through me. For the first time in a while, I haven’t thought about when the good guy will come along and sweep me off my feet. I haven’t thought about it once on this trip thanks to Aris. I look over at him and truly feel like I got lucky and ran into the perfect guy. I’m beginning to think it’s a tragedy we don’t live closer to each other.

Sure, it’s fun and exciting and I’m slowly becoming addicted to him, but in the end, we’re two strangers who hooked up to save face in front of loved ones. That’s all. At least that’s what I keep telling myself at times like this when my heart wants to gush all over him.

He’s a great guy.

He’s someone I could see myself with if we lived closer.

But what we have isn’t real.

It’s merely an agreement between two consenting adults.

And when this trip ends, we end.

And the more I think about that, the more it kind of sucks.

Because I like him.

As Jamaica’s second largest cruise port, the pier area where we disembark from the ship is expansive and impressive. There’s room for three other cruise ships to pull into port with us, but I’m thankful that’s not the case today.

More beach for us.

“You sure you guys don’t want to do something, dear?” Aris’s mom asks when we run into the family once off the ship.

Holding my hand, Aris waves them off. “Yeah, you guys go and enjoy the day. Adrienne and I are just going to walk through some of these shops in the port and then take a taxi over to the beach for the day.”

His mother’s brow furrows. “Who?”

Oh, noooo.

I’m not supposed to be Adrienne with his family.

I’m Tayla.

Aris eyes me. The corner of his lip twitching.

Oh shit. Does he think this is funny?

“Tayla, Mom.”

“Oh. I could swear you called her something else.”

“He did, Mom. He called her Adrienne.”

“No.” Aris shakes his head, rolling his eyes, calm as a cucumber as he squeezes my hand. “Actually, I called her Adreene. That’s her middle name.”

I almost burst out laughing so I bite the inside of my mouth. Hard.

His brother looks at me. “You didn’t tell us you go by your middle name. I’m sorry, we didn’t know.”

“She doesn’t,” Aris corrects him. “That’s just for me. Because I think it’s a pretty name.”

“Of course, it is, Dear.” His mom smiles, but Aiden’s eyes narrow. He clearly doesn’t believe Aris.

Uh oh.

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