One More Time

“I think if we don’t get out of here right now, we never will,” Rhett said.

“Then come on, big boy. Time to go get us some wings.”

Ana whistled at me the moment I walked into the bar. She came over and hugged me, complimenting me on my outfit. She couldn’t believe I had put it together myself, and even Tommy was staring a bit in awe. I saw Rhett elbow him in the side, deflecting Tommy’s eyes long enough for Rhett to give him a look.

“Down boys,” I said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“This place has the best wings,” Tommy said. “And all these beer pairings for whatever flavor you want your wings tossed in.”

“Sounds like my kind of place,” Ana said.

“Since when is this your kind of place?” I asked.

“Since Tommy introduced it to me last week,” she said.

“Are the wings as good as he says they are?” I asked.

“I can vouch for them, yes,” Rhett said.

“So, I’m the only one here who hasn’t eaten their wings yet?”

“Yes,” all three of them said.

“You know, I never would’ve thought this cruise would’ve brought us all together like this,” Ana said.

“When I was walking off the ship that last day, I was determined to try and put it all behind me,” I said.

“I guess that cruise did us more good than bad,” Rhett said.

“I’d say so,” Tommy said as he eyed Ana up and down.

“I know that look. Let me eat first. We can take the party back to your place after,” she said.

“My place? I figured we could go back to yours,” Tommy said.

“Are you guys really fighting over where you’re going to have sex tonight?” I asked.

“Did you really just ask that question?” Rhett asked.

“It’s a valid one. I don’t want to listen to them debate what surface is more durable for Ana’s ass all night,” I said.

“Right now, it’s Tommy’s kitchen counter,” Ana said.

“We learned the hard way with hers,” Tommy said.

I threw my head back and laughed as the waitress came to take our orders. We all ordered the beer pairings recommended for our flavors and sank into an easy flow of

conversation. As I looked around the table, taking in how this cruise had somehow brought all of us together, I smiled. I allowed myself to fall silent as I took in the moment, allowing my mind time to soak it up. I wanted to remember as much of it as I could. I wanted to remember how happy I was in this moment, how perfect everything seemed and how things somehow turned out for the better.

“You okay over there?” Tommy asked.

“You’ve been pretty quiet,” Ana said.

“Do you need anything?” Rhett asked.

“I’m just thinking,” I said. “About that last night on the cruise. I spent the entire time crying with Ana and wishing I’d never gone, but it somehow turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. Despite everything with Luke and what happened on Curaçao, I’m shocked to say I wouldn’t take any of it back.”

The four of us held up our beer bottles and clinked them together as our wings were set in front of us.