Our room was similar to the last one we had. Only this one was nicer. And given how nice our last room was, that made this one downright elegant. The rooms were larger and both bedrooms had stunning ocean-views, along with a private patio with a hot tub. We also had access to a private VIP club and restaurant, which I'd already planned to avoid like the plague. Too many people, too many complicated situations, and too much drama.
Lila, on the other hand, insisted we try it.
“It's a restaurant too,” she said, showing me the menu, “And it's all-inclusive, Josie. Look at the delightful meals they have listed—scallops in white-wine sauce, swordfish—I'm getting hungry just looking at the pictures in the menu.”
Free food was hard to pass up, especially food I'd normally not get to enjoy in my everyday life. Begrudgingly, and with a heart that was rocketing inside me, I let Lila and Jason drag me out to the VIP lounge for dinner.
“This place is fancy,” I muttered, admiring the crystal chandelier that hung from the middle of the room.
The restaurant was dimly lit, giving it a more intimate and cozy atmosphere. While most of the clubs on the ship were wild and filled with drunken debauchery, this one had a dress code. Meaning, we were all three dressed in black tie attire.
The black dress I'd had on the night I first met Gavin at that club on board the ship was all that I had. I felt incredibly self-conscious when I looked in the mirror and saw the way it hugged my tummy a little too tightly, showing off my tiny, but steadily growing, baby bump. Lila insisted it wasn't noticeable, but I could tell. It looked as if I'd had one too many tacos or drank a lot of beer. Or both.
Lila, as always, looked fantastic in her black dress, hugging her lithe frame and showing off her perfectly flat, non-pregnant belly. Jason walked alongside her, and I followed behind a few steps, feeling very much like the third wheel. “Nice, isn't it?” Lila cooed, looking around with wide eyes.
“Very nice,” I said.
I focused on the menu and tried to make heads or tails of some of the things I was reading. Lila and Jason both ordered cocktails, and when the waitress looked over at me, I gave her a small smile.
“I'll just have a water, please,” I said.
“Drinks are included on the house” the waitress said.
“I'll still take a water.” I said sternly. “But, thank you anyway.”
The waitress didn't argue with me again, instead, turning on her heel and going on her to get our drinks.
Lila and Jason were getting rather cozy, kissing each other as I tried to stare at something else, anything else but the couple getting down at our table. My eyes landed on a man sitting at the bar, facing in my direction.
Our eyes locked on to one another's, and suddenly, I felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. I felt like I couldn't breathe as I recognized that chiseled jaw and dark eyes. He smiled at me.
“Oh no,” I muttered, looking away as quickly as I could.
“What?” Lila asked.
“Over there,” I whispered. “It's Gavin.”
I briefly considered ducking underneath the table, but knew he'd already seen me. And doing something like that would only draw more attention to me—something I desperately wanted to avoid. Instead of diving beneath the table, I quickly got to my feet and rushed off toward the ladies’ room. Lila tried to follow me, but I turned and gave her a small smile.
“I'll be right back,” even though I wasn't sure I actually would be.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I locked myself inside the bathroom stall. Maybe I could feign sickness and sneak back to the room. Maybe I could order room service instead, I thought. That sounded like a great idea and the more I thought about it, the more appealing it became.
With a plan firmly fixed in my mind, I finally brought myself to take a deep breath and exit the stall. I sent Lila and quick text, claiming that I wasn't feeling all that well and that I was going back to the room to go to bed. I knew she'd see right through it. But then, maybe she'd also appreciate a little alone time with her boyfriend. I just needed to get out of there and do everything in my power to avoid Gavin.
Just seeing him again sent shivers down my spine and a flutter through my heart—not to mention through my more intimate parts. Seeing him brought back so many memories, all of them good.
My insides tightened as I remembered the way he'd made me feel that night—the way it felt to have him inside me, and his lips on mine. God, it had been amazing, and I wasn't sure any man would ever live up to him. But, considering the fact that I was pregnant, I wouldn't be getting another chance. Not with Gavin, and likely not with anyone for a good, long while. My child would have to come first.
I opened the bathroom door and slipped out, my eyes on the entrance of the restaurant. Because I was so distracted with trying to keep out of Gavin's line of sight, I wasn't watching where I was headed and ran smack dab into someone—a tall, firm body that smelled eerily familiar.
As soon as the musky scent hit my nose, I knew. I knew I was in trouble even before my eyes moved up to his face.
“There you are,” Gavin said. “Wow, it's so good to see you again, Josie.”
He remembered me. He actually remembered me. I was convinced that I'd been nothing more than a one-night thing and that he'd have forgotten me long before the ship pulled out of port for its next run. Clearly, I'd been wrong. I swallowed hard, and tried to smile, knowing it probably looked as fake as it felt on my face.
“Hi, Gavin,” I said. “What a surprise.”