“I know what you mean. When my mom had breast cancer, I was almost more worried about my dad than I was about her.”

  “That must’ve been rough.”

  “It was, but she’s doing great now, thank goodness. Her latest tests were good.”

  “I’m so glad about that for all of you—and me. She’s been such a huge support to me with all the craziness with Jared. I feel a little guilty because she makes me feel like I have a mother again.” She releases a nervous laugh. “I know that’s weird.”

  “It’s not weird. She has that effect on people. So many of our friends have ‘adopted’ our parents over the years. They always have a warm meal and a shoulder to cry on for anyone who needs them.”

  “They’re lovely people.”

  “They really are. I appreciate them more all the time. But we were talking about your lovely parents, not mine. You were going to tell me more about them.”

  “Ah, right. Well, my mom was a dental hygienist. While we were growing up, she worked ‘school hours’ so she could be home with us in the afternoon and run us around to practices and stuff.”

  “What did you play?”

  “Field hockey and lacrosse, all the way through high school.”

  “Wow, that’s awesome. I never have been able to wrap my head around how to play lacrosse.”

  “It’s a wild game that requires incredible stamina. I was always wiped out after a game.”

  “I’m very impressed—and a little turned on, to be honest.”

  Her laughter is the best thing ever, as is the flush that colors her cheeks. “Stop.”

  Grinning, I say, “I don’t want to stop. Anyway, back to your parents…”

  “My dad was a construction supervisor. He had a big job overseeing as many as twenty different projects at a time.”

  “Wow, that’s cool. He must’ve been busy.”

  “He was. That’s what made their deaths while on a well-deserved vacation that much worse.”

  “Oh no. That’s terrible.”

  “They were killed in a car accident in Jamaica, which was super complicated. The State Department was involved in getting them home.”

  “I can’t imagine what a nightmare that must’ve been.”

  “It was so shocking and devastating. For a couple of weeks afterward, it felt like a bad dream. I kept thinking they’d come strolling through the door and say it was a terrible misunderstanding or something.”

  I reach across the table to take her hand. “I’m sorry that happened to you and your family. Saying I’m sorry sounds so insignificant.”

  “It’s not. Thank you. We were surrounded by incredible support for those first few weeks. My parents had great friends who’ve propped us up ever since. And my dad’s company was incredible. They paid his full salary for a year, and his life insurance made it so my brothers could go to college, although we still incur travel and living expenses. We were lucky, though. Thanks to my parents’ frugality, their house was paid for, and that made it so we didn’t have to move on top of everything else.”

  “Where were you when this happened?”

  “At the University of Florida in Gainesville. I was a second-semester junior. I transferred to FIU to finish so I could be at home with my brothers, who wished I was anywhere else but with them.”

  “Damn, Gianna. That must’ve been so rough.”

  “It was pretty awful for a while, but we’ve pushed through it, and our goal is to keep making them proud.”

  “They’d be so proud of you. I have no doubt.”

  “I hope so.”

  “How could they not be?”

  “Thank you. They were thrilled about me becoming a nurse.”

  “I wish they could’ve seen how amazing you are with your patients.”

  “I like to think they’re watching.”

  I give her hand a squeeze. “I’m so amazed by you. In every possible way.”

  “Can I tell you something?”

  “Anything.”

  “Not once in the two years we were together did Jared ever ask me to tell him about my parents. Of course he said he was sad they died, but he never asked me to tell him about them.”

  “He didn’t deserve you.”

  “No, he really didn’t, and I was in such a fog that I didn’t even realize that until after it was over.”

  “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Gianna. You went through a terrible thing that left you raw and unprotected in the aftermath. Your defenses were low, and he took full advantage.” I lean in a little closer. “I wish I’d punched him when I had the chance.”

  Chapter 15

  GIANNA

  I’m falling so hard for him. I was before today, but after today… it’s just gotten worse in the best possible way. He’s so attentive, and he listens. He asked to see pictures of my parents and brothers and truly cares about what I have to say rather than always talking about himself, which is what I’m used to. It was never about me with Jared. Not ever.

  And why was I okay with that?

  The only thing I can think of is that I was still so numb from losing my parents that I got swept up in something that became too big too soon. And yes, that’s exactly what’s happening with Milo, and yet, I’m strangely calm when I shouldn’t be.

  I keep thinking about how Annie told me to go for it with Milo, that I deserved to be with a nice, sweet, sexy guy. And he’s all those things as he holds me close on the dance floor after dinner. Our bodies fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, and he holds me like I’m the most precious thing in his life. Maybe I am, and wouldn’t that be something?

  I haven’t felt like the most precious thing in anyone’s life since I lost the people who always loved me more than anyone else.

  “How’s it going down there?” Milo asks as we sway to dreamy music from a live band.

  “Best honeymoon I’ve ever been on.”

  His silent laughter rocks his body and makes me smile. “Me, too.” After another minute, he says, “You want to keep dancing, or you want to go explore a bit?”

  “I’m up for whatever you want to do.”

  He pulls back to look down at me. “I’m up for anything, too.” To prove his point, he presses his hard cock against me. “But that’ll keep if you want to hit the slots or something.”

  “I’d love to. I probably ought to confess my secret obsession with slot machines.”

  “Uh-oh. I knew you were too good to be true.”

  “There’s still time to abandon ship now that you know this.”

  Milo keeps an arm around me as he guides me from the dance floor. “I’m not going anywhere but to the casino.”

  He no sooner says that than the floor under us seems to suddenly disappear. Only his arm around me keeps me from stumbling.

  “We must’ve hit those rough seas they mentioned,” he says.

  I’m immediately queasy, but I keep that info to myself as we make our way up two decks to the casino as the ship pitches and rolls. “I’m wishing I never saw Titanic.”

  He cracks up. “Don’t worry. There’re no icebergs here.”

  “Thank goodness for that.”

  The second I see the bright lights of the casino, I feel a charge of excitement. “I used to play the slots with my mom. We’d go to the Hard Rock in Hollywood on many a Sunday afternoon. I haven’t played since.”

  “Are you sure you feel up to it?”

  “Yeah,” I say with a sigh as I look around at the activity in the casino. “She’d want me to continue doing the things we loved to do together.” I make my way toward a familiar-looking penny machine and take a seat. “Do you want to play?”

  Milo sits at the machine next to mine. “I’d rather watch you.”

  A waitress comes by to take our drink order. Milo asks for a beer, while I order wine.

  The casino is most definitely not included in the cruise package, so I insert a credit card to buy tokens and start pressing the buttons as I feel the rolling of the ship despite my fervent desire to ignore it. Despite my excitement to be playing slots for the first time since I lost my mom, the queasiness is getting worse, and the wine doesn’t help.

  “Are you okay?” Milo asks.

  “I feel a little sick.”

  “Do you want to go back to the cabin?”

  “Not yet.” I force a smile for him even as my stomach roils. “I’m feeling lucky.”

  “Me, too,” he says with a warm smile. “I’ve never felt as lucky as I have today, in fact.”

  “Today has been a very good day.”

  “I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it. You deserve to be happy.”

  “So do you.”

  “I’m extremely happy any time you’re around.”

  I stare at him for so long, I nearly forget about the slot machine until an attendant comes by to ask if I’m done with the machine.

  “Oh, sorry. No, not yet.” I tear my gaze off my handsome companion and go back to pushing the buttons and watching the results, waiting for the right combination to come together to make this day completely perfect. After buying fifty dollars’ worth of tokens, I’m nearly tapped out when a row of sevens gives me a thousand credits. The clanging of the machine brings back so many sweet memories with my mom that my eyes fill with tears.

  I decide to cash out for now and use the new credits another time.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, sorry. Brings back a lot of memories. My mom won all the time.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “Once in a while, but not like she did.”

  I take the receipt for the tokens from the machine and take hold of the hand Milo offers me. “It was fun to do this again. Thanks for indulging me.”

  “My pleasure.”

  As we leave the casino, the floor rolls under us again, and I grasp Milo’s jacket to keep from toppling over. My head is buzzing with a weird sensation that’s new to me, and my stomach is so upset, I fear I might puke in the hallway.

  “Let’s go back to our room and get some air on the balcony,” he says. “That might help.”

  I’m not so sure, but I take his word for it and let him lead the way back to our room. “I never thought to bring meds for seasickness. I didn’t think I’d need them.”

  “I’ll run to the ship’s store and see what they have.”

  I’m so thankful for his calming presence as I feel worse by the second. It’s so strange because the ship is barely moving, or so it seems, but you can’t tell me that by the way my body is reacting.

  In our room, Milo leads me straight to the balcony and throws open the doors to fresh, cool air that’s an immediate relief. I take deep, greedy breaths, hoping the air will soothe me.

  “Better?” he asks.

  “A little. Thanks.”

  “I’m going to the store. I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  While he’s gone, I close my eyes and focus on breathing as I feel the ship moving through the choppy seas. Why didn’t I think to bring something for seasickness, just in case? Isn’t the Caribbean supposed to be calm? Are we even in the Caribbean yet? I have no clue, but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting to feel so sick.

  Thank goodness I’m with Milo, who’s caring and considerate, whereas Jared would’ve been annoyed to have to tend to me when there was booze to drink and poker to play. Once again, I’m left stunned by the hindsight that keeps appearing where he’s concerned. Why in the hell did I ever agree to marry a man like him?

  In the year since he abruptly ended our relationship, I’ve come back around to one thought time and again—if my parents hadn’t died, I never would’ve given Jared the time of day, let alone pledged to spend my life with him. There it is. The ugly truth. I was so screwed up after losing them and giving years of my life to my ungrateful brothers that I nearly made a very big mistake while trying to fill the void.

  I shudder with revulsion, as much from my thoughts of him as from the seasickness. I hate to think that it took meeting Milo and experiencing his kind of sweetness to realize that Jared was so wrong for me, it’s laughable. I would’ve been miserable married to him. How could I not have seen that? I’m still struggling with that question as much as I am with the nausea that’s getting worse despite the fresh air.

  Ugh, am I actually going to vomit?

  I no sooner have that thought than my stomach surges and answers the question definitively. I’m up and running for the bathroom before I even decide I need to move quickly. I’m leaning over the toilet, expelling everything I’ve consumed all day, when Milo returns. It takes all the strength I have to close the bathroom door.

  “Are you all right?” he asks from outside.

  “Nope.”

  “Let me in. I want to help you.”

  “There’s nothing sexier than seeing someone puke.”

  “You’ll always be sexy to me, no matter what.”

  “Milo…”

  He opens the door just in time to pull my hair back as another round of vomiting has me moaning from the embarrassment as much as the discomfort.

  “You’ll never want to have sex with me again after this,” I whisper.

  “I’ll always want to have sex with you, so cut that out.” He wipes a cold washcloth over my face and mouth that feels heavenly. “Do you think it’s over?”

  “For now, maybe.”

  He helps me up and puts toothpaste on my toothbrush, standing behind me in case I get wobbly. Then he helps me change into a T-shirt and boxers before helping me into bed.

  “I’m sorry I ruined our first night at sea—and our first date.”

  Sitting on the side of the bed, he smooths the hair back from my face. “You haven’t ruined anything. This is the best first date I’ve ever been on, and I hope…”

  “What? What do you hope?”

  He leans in to kiss my cheek. “That maybe this was my last first date.”

  * * *

  MILO

  She’s sick all night. Nothing seems to help, even the seasickness medicine I got for her at the ship’s store. I’m starting to worry it’s more than seasickness when she finally falls asleep around five a.m. I snuggle up to her and close my eyes, exhausted from seeing her through such violent illness.

  I’m so accustomed to strong, capable Gianna that it’s distressing to see her so sick. But I’m glad I could care for her the way she cared for me when I was in the hospital.

  With an arm around her so I’ll know if she gets up again, I close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep. I awaken hours later to sun streaming in through the balcony door we left open overnight.

  Gianna is lying on her back, looking up at the ceiling.

  “How’re you feeling?”

  “Better.”

  “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  She looks over at me. “You were a trouper last night. Thank you for taking such good care of me.”

  “I was glad to return the favor, but I never want you to be sick like that again.”

  “This might be our first and last cruise.”

  “Fine by me.”

  “What time is it?” she asks.

  “Twelve thirty.”

  “We missed the excursion to Nassau.”

  “Oh well. You wouldn’t have felt up to that anyway. How do you feel about room service and movies today?”

  “I feel very good about that.” She takes my hand and cradles it between both of hers. “I also feel very good about you and this.”

  “I do, too. I feel very, very, very good about us.”

  “This is crazy, right? I mean, what are we even doing on a cruise ship together?”

  * * *

  GIANNA

  His smile is a thing of beauty. “It’s the best story ever, and if you ask me, we’re both exactly where we belong with the person we were meant to be with.”

  While I tend to agree with him, not that long ago I thought Jared was that person for me.

  Milo presses his finger on the spot between my brows. “Why the confused look?”

  “I’m having the hardest time understanding what the hell I was doing with Jared. Everything you say and do is the opposite of what he would’ve said or done. He would’ve been so annoyed by me getting sick and ruining his good time. Why did I put up with that?”

  “My Nona likes to say that people come into our lives for a reason, but they’re not always meant to stay forever. Maybe he came along to show you what you don’t want.”

  “That’s possible, but how do you explain the fact that I was going to marry him? I’m really wrestling with that question. If he hadn’t canceled the wedding, he’d be here instead of you, and that just feels so wrong.”

  “Do you believe that almost everything happens for a reason?”

  “I used to until my parents died suddenly, and I couldn’t find any good reason for that. I’ve had a crisis of faith ever since that. I used to go to church every week with my parents, but I haven’t stepped foot in church since their funeral.”

  “That’s understandable.”

  “I’m mad with God after He took them from us,” I whisper, as I’m afraid to say it loud enough for God to hear me.

  “I don’t blame you. I’d be mad if I were you, too.”

  “You don’t think I’m awful for being mad with Him?”

  “Not at all.” He caresses my cheek and slides his fingers through my hair. “I think you’re amazing for holding up so well during such a tragedy and stepping up for your brothers.”

  “I did what anyone would do for their family, even if it sucked.”

  “Someday, when they’re much older than they are now, they’ll appreciate what you did for them and the sacrifices you made.”

  “You really think so?”

  “I do. They’re too young now to understand what you saved them from in foster care.”

  “I never could’ve let that happen to them. I didn’t even know, until after my parents died, that they’d appointed me the boys’ guardian if anything happened to them. I mean, why would they tell me that? They didn’t expect anything to happen.”