3
Xan
We walk into the dining room and are shown to our table where a man and a woman, both in their late forties and dressed in nice casual wear, are already seated. I’m still feeling a little shaky after our conversation, though I have no idea why since nothing was really said and nothing is any different. Except it feels like something is. Morgan seems to notice because as I scoot my chair in, he walks behind me and rubs a comforting hand along my shoulders. I look up at him and he winks at me as he sits to my left. Ever the extrovert, Morgan turns to our table companions. “Hi. I’m Morgan, and this is Xan.“
I smile and give them a small wave.
The woman’s smile is instantaneous and seems genuine, if a bit intense. “Hello! I’m Nancy, and this is my husband Scott. We’re from Minneapolis. Where are you from?”
This kind of small talk is painful. Most people think since I opened a service-related business, I must be an extrovert and love talking to people. While I can do it, I would rather not. Thankfully, I can sit back and let Morgan take over most of this conversation. He loves talking to people. And he’s so good at it. People respond positively to his golden retriever energy, and it’s one of the many things I love about him.
“Xan and I are from Salem, Oregon.“
Before he can get into full conversation mode, the server brings us menus and takes our drink orders. Morgan glances around, wide-eyed and excited. “This is our first time on a cruise. It’s so pretty in here.”
Nancy laughs and puts her hand over Scott’s. “This is our”—she bites her lip, squinting like she’s doing math, then looks at Scott—“twelfth cruise?”
“That sounds about right.“
Scott turns his hand over and they lace their fingers together. “We’ve been to Alaska, all through the Med, we’ve done quite a few Caribbean cruises out of Florida, and last year we went down under to Australia and New Zealand for our thirtieth wedding anniversary.”
Morgan’s eyes widen. “That one sounds amazing! I’d love to do that.”
Nancy presses a hand to her chest. “It was an incredible experience. I’m so glad we went for a milestone event, but life’s too short to put things off. You two shouldn’t wait for your thirtieth wedding anniversary to go somewhere spectacular.”
My brain stutters over the comment as I realize she thinks we’re together. Like together, together. I’m about to clear up the misunderstanding, but Morgan is already nodding. “That’s really smart, and I definitely agree with you.“
He turns to me and squeezes my shoulder. “I was so glad that Xan agreed to this trip. It’s already been amazing and we’ve only been out of port for a few hours.”
“So, Morgan, what do you do for work?“
As Scott steers the conversation to other topics, it becomes harder to find a way to clarify that Morgan and I aren’t a couple without derailing the conversation. I finally give it up as a lost cause. We didn’t say we were together, and if an opportunity comes up to clarify the point, I will.
The rest of dinner passes quickly, with Morgan carrying a lot of our side of the conversation. I can see he’s worked his charm on Nancy and Scott, who listen to his stories and laugh at all the right places. Eventually, Nancy and Scott excuse themselves to take one more stroll around the deck before bed. Both sound like a great idea. “Should we do the same?”
Morgan nods. “Yeah. It’s early, but today’s been busy and I’m ready to park myself in one place and have a little quiet time.”
“Stroll first?”
He nods and stands, pushing his chair back. “Sounds good.”
There are loads of people on a cruise, but during our lap around the ship, we still manage to find a quiet area near the bow. We stop and watch the lights reflect off the water. I’m not sure what it is about water, but it’s as mesmerizing as staring into a fire. Maybe the vastness or power reminds my subconscious that there are greater forces in the world, and there’s no need for tension. Without thinking about it, I relax my shoulders and breathe easier than I have in a while. “It’s so beautiful.”
“It really is.“
Music drifts over the water, probably from someone’s cell phone. I glance to our left and can just make out a couple slow dancing, their bodies pressed close, wrapped in shadows. The opening lyrics of “Make You Feel My Love” hit me like a blow to the chest. I suck in a breath and glance at Morgan as if he’d know how close to home the lyrics hit. Thankfully, he’s blissfully oblivious to my panic.
With his eyes closed, he sways to the music, humming softly with the tune. God, he’s beautiful with his blond hair billowing in the night breeze, and a gentle smile on his lips. Maybe it’s the song, or the romantic setting. Maybe it’s just Morgan. I’ve never been able to resist him, even when he’s not trying to be irresistible. He just is. Maybe I’m tired of fighting my attraction. Whatever the reason, I turn to him and lean in. “Dance with me.”