2. Chapter 2 Zoe
Chapter 2: Zoe
T he new cruise liner, Infinity Voyager, had gone all out on its sail away party. I trailed behind Caleb, trying not to stare at the tattoos peeking out from under his shirt sleeves. When did he get those? The last time I'd seen him shirtless was... well, best not to think about that now.
We joined the queue for drinks, and I immediately regretted my choice of flats. Even in heels, I barely reached Caleb's shoulder. Now, the top of my head was level with his chest, giving me an unfortunate view of his perfectly defined pectorals through his thin t-shirt.
"What's your poison, shortcake?" Caleb's voice rumbled above me.
I bristled at the nickname. "I'm not that short."
He chuckled, the sound sending an unwelcome tingle down my spine. "You're right. You're more of a fun-size."
"Keep it up, and I'll aim for your kneecaps," I threatened, but there was no real heat behind it. It was hard to stay mad at Caleb when he grinned like that.
"I'll take my chances," he said, then turned to the bartender. "Two pi?a coladas, please."
I raised an eyebrow. "Bold of you to assume I want a pi?a colada."
"You always want a pi?a colada," Caleb countered. "Remember your and Jake’s 21st birthday?"
I groaned. "I was hoping you'd forgotten about that."
"Never," he grinned. "It's not every day you see someone try to limbo under a table while singing 'If You Like Pi?a Coladas' at the top of their lungs."
"In my defense, I was very drunk and someone dared me," I muttered, accepting the frosty glass he handed me.
"And who was that someone?" Caleb asked innocently.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're evil."
He just laughed, steering me towards the railing with a hand on the small of my back. The casual touch sent sparks shooting across my skin, and I took a large gulp of my drink to distract myself.
We found a spot at the railing, and I leaned out, enjoying the salty breeze on my face. Caleb stood close behind me, his presence warm and solid. I was acutely aware of every inch of space between us.
"So," he said, his breath tickling my ear. "Ten days at sea. Any big plans?"
I turned to face him, immediately regretting it when I realized how close we were. I had to crane my neck to meet his eyes. "Oh, you know. Sunbathing, swimming, maybe some shuffleboard if I'm feeling wild."
Caleb's lips quirked. "Shuffleboard? Living dangerously, I see."
"Hey, those cues can be lethal in the wrong hands," I defended.
"I'll be sure to wear protective gear," he teased. His eyes roamed over my face, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in their depths. But then Jake appeared, slinging an arm around each of us, and the moment shattered.
"There you are!" Jake exclaimed. "Come on, they have a DJ set up near the Aqua Pool bar. "
I groaned. "Hard pass. I’ll find somewhere more relaxing thanks."
"Don't be a party pooper, Zo," Jake whined. "Caleb, back me up here."
Caleb held up his hands. "Leave me out of this. I've seen what happens when you try to force Zoe to dance."
I shot him a grateful look, which he returned with a wink that made my stomach flip.
Jake pouted. "Fine, be boring. I'm going to find someone who appreciates my moves."
As he disappeared into the crowd, I turned back to the railing, hoping the cool air would calm the flush I could feel creeping up my neck.
Caleb leaned on the railing next to me, our arms almost touching. "So, shuffleboard aside, what made you book this cruise?"
I shrugged, tracing patterns in the condensation on my glass. "Needed a change of scenery, I guess. Work's been intense, so when Jake suggested a luxury cruise as a getaway, I jumped at the chance."
"Trouble in paradise? I thought you loved your job."
"I do," I sighed. "It's just a lot sometimes. Deadlines, difficult clients. You know how it is."
Caleb nodded. "Yeah, I get that. Is that why you've been so scarce lately?"
I tensed. Had he noticed my attempts to avoid him? "What do you mean?"
He shrugged, but I could see the hurt in his eyes. "It's just we used to hang out all the time, you know? Movie nights, game days. Now I barely see you outside of group stuff with Jake."
Guilt gnawed at me. I hadn't realized he'd noticed my gradual withdrawal. "I didn't mean to. I've just been busy."
Caleb studied me for a long moment. "Is that all it is?"
My heart raced. Did he know? Had I been that obvious? "What else would it be?" I asked, aiming for casual and missing by a mile.
He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a loud cheer as the ship's horn blasted, signaling our departure.
Saved by the horn. I'd never been so grateful for a loud noise in my life.
As the ship began to move, the energy on deck heightened. People cheered and waved to the crowd on the dock. Caleb and I stood in comfortable silence, watching the shoreline slowly recede.
"Hey," he said suddenly. "Remember that summer we all went to the lake? When we were, what, sixteen?"
I smiled at the memory. "Yeah, of course. Why?"
"Remember how scared you were to jump off the cliff into the water?"
I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't scared. I was being sensible. That jump was dangerous."
Caleb grinned. "Right. That's why you stood at the edge for twenty minutes, psyching yourself up."
"I was assessing the trajectory and water depth," I protested weakly.
"Uh-huh. And I suppose the way you were shaking was just excitement?"
I elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up. We can't all be adrenaline junkies like you."
His expression softened. "You know what I remember most about that day?"
I shook my head, curious.
"The look on your face when you finally jumped. You were terrified, but you did it anyway. And when you came up out of the water..." He trailed off, his eyes distant. "You looked so alive. So free."
My breath caught in my throat. The intensity in his gaze made my knees weak.
"I've always admired that about you," he continued softly. "Your courage. The way you face your fears head-on."
I swallowed hard. "I'm not always brave," I admitted.
Caleb's hand found mine on the railing, his thumb tracing circles on my skin. "You're braver than you think."
The moment stretched between us, charged with unspoken words. I found myself leaning towards him, drawn by some invisible force.
And then a wave crashed against the side of the ship, spraying us with salty mist. We jumped apart, the spell broken.
I laughed nervously, wiping water from my face. "Maybe we should head inside. I think I've had enough sea spray for one day."
Caleb nodded, running a hand through his damp hair. The motion lifted his shirt slightly, revealing a tattooed hip bone that made my mouth go dry.
We made our way back inside, navigating through the crowded corridors. The narrow hallways forced us close together, and I was hyperaware of every accidental brush of his arm against mine.
"So," Caleb said as we approached our cabin. "Any dinner plans?"
I shook my head. "Not really. I thought I'd check out the Cabernet bar, maybe find a quiet corner to read."
He raised an eyebrow. "On your first night of vacation? Come on, live a little. Jake and I are trying out the steakhouse. Join us?"
The thought of an entire dinner watching Jake and Caleb bro out while I pined silently was not appealing. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass.”
Disappointment flashed across Caleb's face, but he quickly masked it. "Alright. Raincheck, then?"
I nodded, relieved. "Definitely. You guys have fun."
As I fumbled with my key card, Caleb leaned against the wall, watching me. "You know," he said casually, "if I didn't know better, I'd think you were avoiding me."
I froze. "What? No, of course not. Why would I avoid you?"
He shrugged, but his eyes were intent on my face. "I don't know. That's what I'm trying to figure out."
The lock finally clicked, and I pushed the door open, desperate for escape. "Well, no avoiding happening here. Just tired. You know how it is."
Caleb straightened, taking a step towards me. "Zoe"
I backed into the room. "Have a good dinner. I'll see you tomorrow."
Before he could respond, I closed the door, leaning against it with a shaky sigh.
What was I doing? This was Caleb. My brother's best friend. The guy who'd seen me through braces, bad haircuts, and my awkward goth phase. When did things get so complicated?
I flopped onto the bed, burying my face in a pillow. This vacation was supposed to help me relax and forget about my real life, not make it worse. But being around Caleb, seeing the way he looked at me it was stirring up feelings I'd worked hard to bury.
Groaning, I hauled myself off the bed and headed for the shower. Maybe the hot water would clear my head.
As I stood under the spray, I tried to sort through my jumbled thoughts. I'd been half in love with Caleb for as long as I could remember. But he'd never shown any interest beyond friendship. And even if he had, was it risking upsetting Jake? They often say that twins feel each other’s emotions, but if that were true, then Jake would already know how I felt about his best friend.
I stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in a huge luxurious fluffy white towel. As I wiped steam from the mirror, I stared at my reflection. My hair was a mess of wet curls, my cheeks flushed from the heat.
What did Caleb see when he looked at me? His best friend's sister? A girl he'd known forever? Or something more. The memory of his hand on mine, his intense gaze as he called me brave, sent a shiver through me.
I shook my head, trying to clear it. This was ridiculous. I was on a luxury cruise ship, surrounded by beautiful scenery and endless entertainment. I should be out there, having fun, not hiding in my cabin obsessing over Caleb.
Decision made, I threw on a sundress and sandals, determined to enjoy my evening. I'd go to the cabernet bar, find a nice spot to watch the sunset, maybe even check out one of the shows.
But as I opened my door, I came face to face with Caleb, his hand raised to knock.
We stared at each other, both caught off guard.
"I thought you had dinner plans," I managed.
Caleb shrugged, looking sheepish. "I told Jake I wasn't feeling well. Zo, we need to talk."
My heart raced. This was it. The moment I'd been dreading and longing for in equal measure.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped back, gesturing for him to enter my room.
"Okay," I said, closing the door behind him. "Let's talk."
Maybe fate had finally intervened and it was time to tell him the truth.