Oliver missed Ben’s touch and wished he hadn’t taken his hand back. “What was I thinking when I decided to binge drink the night before the cruise? I’m an idiot.”
“I don’t think so,” Ben said. “Sure, it was out of character, but it was random and exciting. I had a great time last night. It’s not every day that we get to let loose and have fun. Now I’m looking forward to the cruise even more — I’m going to show you a great time.”
“Really?” Oliver asked. He couldn’t stop himself from letting out an aww. It was a mystery why Ben was still single; he was so charming and sweet, definitely the kind of guy he could take to meet his parents. His previous boyfriends had all been obnoxious or walked around with inflated egos. They’d all had had high-powered jobs, and most of them were happy to boast about their income or their connections.
“Do you know what’s on the itinerary?” Ben asked.
“If I recall, Erica did say that there’s a cocktail party planned for tonight. But aside from that, I don’t know.” Oliver sipped his water. “That’s when you’ll probably be introduced to the family.”
Oliver hoped that Harry wouldn’t get drunk at the cocktail party, or make a nuisance of himself. But he knew his uncle too well.
His thoughts were interrupted when the flight attendant arrived to take Ben’s order.
“I’m looking forward to the cocktail party,” Ben said. “And we’ll get to chill out in the pool and I’ll finally get to swim with you.”
Ben was referring to the numerous times he’d arranged to go swimming with Oliver, but every time Oliver ended up canceling at the last minute. Oliver usually used working as an excuse, but the reality was that he was too embarrassed about his body. He loved swimming, but ever since starting his new job, he’d let himself go and had grown a little overweight. But recently, he’d started to get back into shape.
Even though Oliver started to work out after work to get fit, he still felt intimidated whenever he thought about going swimming with Ben. There was no escaping the fact that Ben had honed his physical conditioning to perfection.
“I’m a bit out of practice when it comes to swimming,” Oliver laughed nervously. “God, it’s been so long that I might look silly. So, if I’m splashing around like a madman, don’t laugh. Okay?”
“You know I won’t laugh,” Ben said. “I’ll be with you if you need me to hold you. What do you say?”
“Sounds good to me,” Oliver said. “As for the rest of the schedule, Erica knows that some family members can only stand each other for so long, so I’m sure there are a few gaps where we can be away from each other. Trust me, after meeting the family, you’ll need a break too.”
“We’ll have to see,” Ben smiled, wryly. “I was looking at things to do in Grand Cayman and there’s a place called the Crystal Caves. I do hope it’s on the itinerary. It looks really romantic.”
“Oh, you are the perfect boyfriend,” Oliver grinned, half-joking, half-serious. “Even if it’s not on the itinerary, I’m sure I can convince Erica and Brendan to come along with us on the tour. We could go together as couples.”
“I read that it’s a romantic spot,” Ben said. “It’ll be perfect.”
Oliver knew Ben was being playful, but it didn’t stop him from feeling good. They were going to have lots of fun on the cruise.
The flight attendant brought Ben his food with a glass of soda and promptly left after she served him. Ben insisted Oliver try some of his salad, but he refused.
“I’m really not hungry,” Oliver said. “I’m going to try and get another nap in before we land.”
At that moment Ben turned to him and grinned. Raising his glass, he cleared his throat. “To Erica’s wedding.”
Oliver held up his bottle. “And to us.”
The weather was wonderful. Oliver expected the heat to be intense, so he was surprised at the pleasant tropical breeze. Ben flagged down a taxi when they left the airport, and the driver was nice enough to help them with their luggage. He was very friendly and talkative.
The driver’s name was Trevor; he’d lived in Miami his entire life, and according to him, there was no better place on the planet.
“Feeling better? How’s your head?” Ben asked a few minutes into the drive. He touched Oliver’s forehead. “You look much better.”
“I feel better,” Oliver said. He gingerly took a sip of the Coke that he bought inside the airport.
“You know Coke is not a good hangover cure, right?”
“I know, I know,” Oliver said. “But I need the sugar and caffeine if I’m going to feel energized enough to handle my family meeting my new boyfriend.”
“Right. I might need a sip in that case.” Ben took the can from Oliver and drank some of it. He took a few gulps, and the motion of him tilting his head, revealing his long throat and jawline, caught Oliver’s attention. The feeling of arousal at the sight of his friend drinking a can of Coke left Ben unsure whether he should be concerned or amused.
Trevor began to tell them about the best places to go to have a great night out. “Club Boi is a nice spot. I’m sure you’ll love it. The music is great, and it’s an amazing dance spot if you’re up for having fun.”
“Sounds interesting,” Ben said. “Tell me more.”
Oliver was surprised that Ben seemed genuinely interested, but then he wondered if Ben actually knew the taxi driver probably only suggested the club because he thought they were a gay couple.
“I’d say that it’s the best club in SoBe! Whenever I’ve taken my boyfriend there, we’ve always had a great time. I think the two of you would have a blast. My boyfriend can’t get enough of the place.”
“Maybe we could check it out on our way back, we won’t have time now since we’ll only have a few hours before the boat leaves,” Ben said. He turned to Oliver. “What do you think?”
“I think that Trevor is under the impression that we’re a gay couple,” Oliver whispered. He was surprised that Ben hadn’t noticed how Trevor talked to them. It was obvious to Oliver that Trevor thought they were a couple, and it gave him a fuzzy feeling in his stomach.
Ben leaned into Oliver and whispered, “Well, he’s not wrong, is he?”
Oliver gulped. There was something really hot about Ben’s voice at that moment, and Oliver’s insides felt like a furnace. He turned to face Trevor.
“I’ve heard about that place, and there’s no way I’m going to let him around there,” Oliver said. He nudged Ben and pouted, playfully.
“Hey, why not?” Ben asked in a mock expression of disappointment.
“The place is a mantrap. I wouldn’t be able to take my eyes off you for a second.”
“He’s not lying. I had the same fears as you before I went,” Trevor chimed in. “But the music and vibe are great!”
“It can’t hurt to check it out, I guess,” Oliver relented with a sigh. Ben knew him well enough to know that he wasn’t being serious. Still, Oliver was enjoying his role as a boyfriend — even acting threatened by the possibility of other guys hitting on Ben was alien, but strangely exciting.
“Maybe The Lounge might be more of your thing. It’s a place where you can chill and have a few drinks. Nice clientele and atmosphere, and you’ll love the food.” Trevor eyed Oliver in the rearview mirror. “Do you like crab cakes?”
“I love them,” Oliver confessed. “Maybe we could check it out. What do you say?”
“It does sound more like our style,” Ben said. “Let’s hope we have time to check it out when we get back. It sounds romantic.”
“It is. I’ve only been there once, but I should take my boyfriend there more often. Everything about it is classy. He always says we’re still living like students and that’s why we still find ourselves at places like Club Boi.”
“If it’s something you enjoy, then there should be no reason to give it up,” Ben said. He told Trevor how he and Oliver still played Mario Kart and collected comic books. Some of the best times they had together w
as when they played hours of a multiplayer game involving laughing their asses off when the other player got shot or pushed off a cliff.
Oliver smiled to himself and stared out of the window. Ben seemed to have the conversation well in hand. He was also playing the part of the boyfriend really well. Oliver wondered what Ben would be like if he were actually gay. He would have probably been out and proud in college, just as Oliver had been. But unlike Oliver, Ben would have been the sought-after gay guy on campus. He was a cool guy who could spark a conversation with anyone.
There were times when Oliver felt guarded about appearing like the stereotypical gay guy, and even though he knew Ben liked him the way he was, Oliver sometimes found himself holding back. Ben’s manner was so fluid and relaxed as he talked to Trevor about gay clubs in Miami and Trevor’s boyfriend it made Oliver feel at ease. There was a subtle shift in his friendship with Ben, barely noticeable, but significant all the same.
“I’m going to have to love you and let you go,” Trevor sang. He pulled up to the port area and Oliver looked at the large building, knowing that his family was already waiting inside. He couldn’t help but feel a mixture of excitement and dread at the possibility of seeing them and introducing Ben to them as his boyfriend.
“The Royal Caribbean Cruise, here we come,” Ben said. “We’ll be departing for the Cayman Islands really soon.”
“Six o’clock, to be precise. Just under two hours,” Oliver added. “Plenty of time for you to get to meet my family.”
“There’s no need for that look of doom-and-gloom. It’ll be all right. Trust me.” Ben turned back and gave Oliver a reassuring smile. Then he turned to Trevor. “We’ll be sure to check out the Miami club scene if we have time when we get back.”
“You never know, maybe I’ll see the two of you around when you’re back in Miami,” Trevor said. “I hope you have a good time on your honeymoon.”
The taxi sped off before Oliver could explain that they weren’t married and that they were attending his sister’s wedding and honeymoon.
Oliver and Ben made their way to the gangplank where a crowd of people gathered. Oliver shouldered his satchel and pulled his rolling bag. As they got closer to the crowd of people, he recognized a few of the faces.
“Oh boy. I can see my uncle Harry,” Oliver said. He nodded in the direction of his uncle who wore a Hawaiian shirt. “I just hope he’s sober.”
“The guy wearing the Hawaiian shirt, you mean?” Ben asked. “Cool. He doesn’t look so scary.”
Oliver realized he was nervous. The crawling feeling of dread in his chest started, and he stopped.
“You say that now.” Oliver smiled. “Let’s just hope he hasn’t been drinking already.”
“If he says anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, I’ll step in,” Ben said.
“Ooh, you’ll come to my rescue? I do like the sound of that. Just remember to stay in character. Okay?”
“Sure. But I don’t need to be in character to have your back,” Ben said. “You ready?”
“I need the bathroom first,” Oliver said. He rushed into the building for the bathroom and when he found it, he placed his luggage against a wall and turned to Ben. “I’ll be a second.”
“Okay. I’ll wait out here.”
Oliver disappeared into the bathroom, shut the door and looked in the mirror. He didn’t look too bad, considering that he’d just got over his hangover. He stared at his reflection. Don’t be so tense.
When he stepped out of the bathroom, he heard a voice that made him freeze, and he immediately scanned about the crowd of people milling around to locate the speaker. He knew his uncle was close by. His voice carried a hint of a drawl.
“Erica looks wonderful, as always!” shouted the voice.
“You all ready to go?” Ben asked.
“Yeah, sure,” Oliver said. He took hold of his luggage and he looked around for the exit when his eyes landed on his uncle Harry, wild curly mane, shirt unbuttoned, a patch of chest hair exposed.
Seeing his uncle walking towards them while speaking on his phone, Oliver couldn’t stop the wave of tension that went through his body. There he was again at every family gathering being the target for Harry’s terrible jokes, jabs, and gay innuendos, hearing his parents rush to his defense whenever his uncle remarked that he was pretending to be gay just to be the center of attention. Most people would expect Oliver to be pleased that his parents defended him, but not Oliver, because he always heard the doubt in their voice whenever they told Harry that Oliver was just waiting for the right guy to come along. But sometimes his mom would tell him “we have a friend whose son is also gay… and single.” That was all she would say. Erica called this sort of snide comment, ‘Minnesota nice.’ It was being nice and snotty at the same time.
Oliver suspected they secretly agreed with Harry. He believed they, like most of his family, thought Erica was winning in life and that Oliver was pretending to be gay to feel more special.
“Isn’t that your uncle?” Ben asked.
“Yeah, that’s him,” Oliver said as they watched him walk towards the bathroom. He wasn’t quite sure if Harry had already seen him and just simply chose to ignore him. But when they made eye contact, Harry narrowed his eyes before flashing a leering grin. He said something into the phone before hanging up and taking several steps towards them.
Oliver’s stomach planned a revolt, and he no longer noticed the weight of his shoulder satchel or rolling bag. He began to anticipate what smart-assed remark Harry was going to hurl his way.
“Oliver, you made it on time I see, and you brought a friend,” Harry said, looking at Ben.
“Harry, meet Ben, Ben—Harry. Ben’s my…” Oliver began, but couldn’t seem to get the words out of his mouth. “He’s my…”
“I’m Oliver’s boyfriend. Nice to meet you, Harry.” Ben extended his hand, and Harry shook it. “I’m looking forward to finally meeting the whole family.”
“Great!” Harry said, but the muscles in his face contorted briefly, as if he’d chugged a gallon of sour milk. He turned to Oliver. “Everybody is already here; I’ll catch you guys up.” He turned to walk away, but not before giving Ben one last look.
That was when Oliver noticed the look on Harry’s face. It expressed disbelief. Was it that he hadn’t expected Oliver to have a boyfriend, or that his boyfriend would be such a catch? Oliver didn’t know. He knew Ben was attractive, but never truly appreciated how much Ben stood out until they were in public together and he caught people checking him out.
Ben offered his hand, and Oliver, feeling slightly self-conscious about his own clammy palms, took a moment to take hold of it.
“Harry behaved pretty normally,” Oliver said. “Are you ready to meet the rest of the family?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Ben said. “You know, I’ve been thinking. Will your parents be okay with me being a gym instructor? I mean, wouldn’t it be better if we made something up, something they’re less likely to frown about?”
“Are you getting nervous now?” Oliver asked. “You can pick whatever you’ll think might sound impressive enough for them, but to me, being a gym instructor is way hotter than a doctor or lawyer.”
“Thanks.” Ben grinned.
As soon as they got to the gangplank, Oliver spotted his mom, dad, and sister in the small crowd. Oliver smiled sincerely as Erica waved him over.
“You just made it,” Erica said. “I was worried you were going to be late.”
“Not a chance,” Oliver enthused. “You know I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
“Oh, come here.” Erica opened her arms.
He closed his eyes as his sister wrapped her arms around him, and luxuriated in the warmth of her embrace. It was nice to go from the warmth of Ben to the warmth of Erica; both his sister and best friend cared for him so much.
He took a good look at her when they released each other. She looked great. Better than great. Happy. It was all he needed to s
ee for his anxiety to melt away from his heart. This was his twin sister’s wedding, and it was going to be one of the happiest moments of her life.
“You look great,” Oliver said. He took a step back to look at her. She wore a long blue dress and sandals. Brendan stood next to her with their luggage, smiling and looking at Erica as if he were seeing her for the first time all over again.
“A minute later and Erica would’ve sent a search party out for you,” Brendan said. He held his hand out and Oliver took it. “I’m glad that you showed.”
“It’s always great to see you, Brendan,” Oliver said. He was very fond of his wife’s fiancé, who was incredibly good looking, warm, charming and basically everything he wanted for Erica. “And there was no need to worry, I would have made it, even if it meant swimming.”
“Oliver, we almost gave up hope that you were coming! We’re just getting ready to board.” Oliver’s mom hugged him, kissed him and then stepped back to take a look at him. She wiped her lipstick off his cheek. “You don’t look well. Are you sick?”
“Stop smothering the boy,” said Oliver’s father, who watched resignedly as she fussed over him. He stepped forward and hugged Oliver. “How are you, son?”
“I’m fine, Dad,” Oliver said. “I’m just a little tired, Mom; there’s no need to worry.”
“Ohh, who is this?” Erica interrupted, nodding to Ben. “Is this him?”
Oliver turned and saw that Ben was almost blushing as all eyes fell on him. He looked away almost immediately, and Oliver smiled as he recognized this behavior, as he’d seen it so many times. Just being in Erica’s presence made guys become shyer or even tongue-tied. Erica was attractive enough to make guys want to do things out of character. She was also comfortable in her own skin, awesome, funny and totally approachable, which made guys even more interested in her.
“This is Ben.” Oliver took Ben’s hand. “Ben, I’d like you to meet Erica, Brendan, her fiancé, and my mom and dad.”
“Congratulations!” Ben said. “The two of you must be really excited to get hitched.”
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