“Desperate? You haven’t looked at the RSVP list have you?”
“Nope,” I said.
“Then how did you know Chanel was going to be there?”
“I didn’t, but thanks for confirming that little tidbit. That’s sure to make this trip a fucking blast.”
“Dick. Anyway, Lauren’s fucking hot now, a bit thin, but I can work with that. Long as I can suckle on those nipples of hers, I can make do with everything else.”
“You're a mess,” I said.
“And you should be one. You’re in the prime of your life. You’re a fucking SEAL. You’ve got muscles I wish I had, and you’ve got that brooding stare that makes women want to fix you. You’ll be drowning in pussy, if not from our high school class, then from the exotic women we’ll be meeting on this cruise, on these islands. Man, get your head in the game. It’s time to get your shit together.”
I chuckled and shook my head as the bartender brought us another round of drinks.
“Retired, SEAL.”
“In all realness, man, I’m glad you’re home for good. This only seeing you when you’re stateside shit was getting old,” Tommy said.
“You glad to have the dream team back together?” I asked.
“Yep. And I’m ready to take this dream team on this cruise. It’s gonna be amazing, even though you’re already trying to shit on it.”
“I’m not trying to do anything. I’m just thinking.”
“Since when did you start thinking?” he asked.
“Since I realized I was an adult?”
“That’s bullshit. This cruise isn’t supposed to have us acting like adults, only indulging in adult whims.”
“Despite what you think, I am excited about it. Got my shit packed and everything,” I said.
“We riding separately, or
we taking my car?”
“Why can’t we take my car?” I asked.
“Because you’re a shit driver. Remember what happened the last time?”
“What? You don’t like the way I drive my cars?”
“You drive them like they’re tanks. I’d like to live to see this cruise. I really wanna know what Emma’s pussy tastes like,” he said.
“Fine. Fine. We’ll take your car. But you’re paying for dinner,” I said with a grin.
“See? There’s the Rhett I’ve been looking for. Good to have you back, brother.”
“Good to be back,” I said.
I was nervous about this trip. I hadn’t even seen Chanel since that night, much less spoken to her. What took place that night was a train wreck. She came prepared for the night of her life, and I broke her damn heart. Hell, I trampled it and left it out on the gutter. I’d replayed that night over and over in my head for years to come, and I still couldn’t come up with a logical explanation for how I ended up under that girl.
I’d held Chanel close all night long. I’d danced with her, and kissed her all night long. I’d planned to take her to that room my brother had rented for us, open that bottle of champagne, and make love to her like she deserved, instead of the sloppy fuck in the back of my car we’d had the week before.
Apparently, sloppy fucks in the back of a car, were my specialty. But with Chanel, it was special. No one else could ever compare.
I’d tried so many times over the years to figure out what had happened. Had I been so careless and drunk to know who I was with at that moment? Had I sabotaged us, and broken us both in the process in some misguided attempt to let her go?