He laughs. “Yes. Definitely. Sometimes I get queasy too. Do you want to go on a big boat?”
I hesitate before saying, “Do you mean like a big cruise ship?”
“Oh no. Not at all. There are far too many people on those ships. Some of them even have kids. I’m good, thanks. Besides, they have predetermined destinations. I kind of want to just explore and see what we find.”
I can’t tell if maybe he’s just saying he doesn’t want to go on a big cruise because he knows I won’t like all the people, or if he really feels that way. I’m going to have to figure out how to see the difference between when he doesn’t actually want to do something or if he doesn’t want to do it because he knows it’ll make my anxiety peak.
“I’m thinking a big-ish boat so it’s not constantly rocking in a way that’s ridiculously noticeable, but not so big that it’s a waste of space for just us.”
“Do you know how to operate a boat?”
“Not at all,” he says, laughing. “It’ll have to be a boat with a captain and maybe a small crew. If that’s okay.”
“It’s perfect.”
“Really?” Hugo leans on his elbow again to look at me. This time with a huge, beaming smile. “You want to do this with me?”
I nod. “Yes.”
His excitement practically radiates off him in waves. “Awesome.” His mouth comes down on mine and he kisses me deeply before laying back down again. “What kinds of places do you want to see?”
“Historical places. Like where the pirates supposedly buried treasure. Some caves, maybe? Oh, and ruins!”
“Maybe we can rent a pirate boat!” he exclaims.
I laugh. “That would be awesome.”
“We can learn to sail with them. And maybe climb up to that bird lookout thing. What’s it called?”
“Uh… it’s on the tip of my tongue but I can’t remember.”
“We’d be giving up a lot of luxuries, though. Like a proper kitchen and probably plumbing.”
“Which is more important to you?” I ask.
He sighs. “You know what? We can totally do both. I haven’t committed to much this summer. Just to see my family for a bit. So, we can spend a week on a pirate boat and then go cruise around in style.”
“Pirate experience and spoiled guy experience.”
Hugo laughs. “Exactly. But to be fair, pirates were rich, too. Just because they stole their wealth doesn’t mean they were any less spoiled.”
“That’s fair.”
We spend the rest of the night talking about this summer. The adventures Hugo wants to go on. Visiting his family. The couple commitments he’s made for hockey and with his agent. All of which he wants me by his side. He wants me to experience everything with me.
He falls asleep just as the sun begins to come up and a bright orange glow settles around the room. We’re curled up funny with his arm between my legs, curling around me and keeping me wrapped against him with his face in my chest. I run my fingers through his hair as he sleeps, my eyes heavy as I watch the first rays of the morning touch us.
“I love you,” I whisper.
Hugo sighs in his sleep.
Chapter Thirty-One
HUGO
We spentall day together yesterday. Mostly, we spent it in bed. Not necessarily doing anything sexy, but just because we could. We didn’t need to be anywhere so we didn’t leave my house. It was the absolute best way to spend the first day of a new year.
However, on January 2, we head to Torin’s apartment because we need to feed his fish. He lets me feed them. I learn how to thaw the frozen chunks of seaweed, phytoplankton, and small fish pieces while the fish head thaws in warm tank water. It’s apparently important that we always thaw everything in tank water because using anything else could shock the entire system and kill the fish.
