Page 88 of Ship Happens

Owen sits there, legs crossed as he stares at Jacob’s outstretched finger.

Every single alarm in Owen’s head is going off, telling him that there’s only one way this ends. Poorly.

But he doesn’t care. He doesn’t want to think about the consequences, not right now.

For once, he knows exactly what he wants.

So he reaches out, wrapping his pinky around Jacob’s and locking their thumbs together. “Pinky promise.”

“So, if you weren’t at breakfast,” Kaitlyn starts to ask, leaning over the empty plates that decorate their table at the buffet, her hair almost falling into a puddle of maple syrup, “where were you?”

“I was at water aerobics,” Owen lies quickly, grateful that he took the time to think of a lie as he plotted his way back to his and Kevin’s room.

“Water aerobics?” Kaitlyn eyes him.

“It’s good for my joints.” Owen shrugs. It’s not even a bad lie; he probably should’ve signed up for a class instead of letting a two-hundred-pound man sleep on top of him. He can’t help himself from meeting Jacob’s gaze further down the table as he chews on a slice of pineapple speared on a fork.

“Where’d you sleep?” Kaitlyn continues the interrogation.

“On the couch,” Owen replies, hoping that he’s making the right amount of eye contact. Then he starts to think that he’s making too much. And now he’s overthinking it. “I passed out, and I guess I just stayed there.”

“Hey, Kaitlyn,” Jacob interjects. “Are you gonna eat those?”

“Huh?” Kaitlyn eyes the bowl of buttery grits in front of her, mostly untouched. “Oh, yeah. I guess not. Go for it.”

“So, what do we have on the agenda today?” Owen switches subjects quickly, praying that she doesn’t notice. “Anything fun in Juneau?”

“Well, I wanted to do this hiking trail, but that might be too much for you,” Abigail says, sipping her coffee.

“Yeah.” Owen feels his cheeks flush when Jacob’s foot taps against his under the table. “But you guys should go. I can find plenty in town to entertain me.”

“Noooo . . . We wouldn’t dare go on a hike without you.” Kaitlyn says the words like she’s pleading with Owen to raise a stink about not getting to go.

“Nah, I’m okay,” Owen promises, just to torture his best friend a little further.

Owen’s sure he’d have an amazing time if he sat himself down at a picnic table near the water and just watched the world pass by for a while with his sketchbook and his headphones. The port that the boat pulled into offers the perfect view of Juneau from across the bay, this idyllic pocket of a town situated under the snowy peaks of the mountains, the base surrounded by a verdant green forest.

After a quick trip back to the room to get ready for the day, the group disembarks with droves of other passengers. Abigail’s focus darts between her phone and the line of buses and shuttles that are waiting. “We’re looking for the bus that’ll take us to the Mount Roberts trail . . .”

“Over there, I think?” Kevin points.

“Four and a half miles?” Kaitlyn whines under her breath, turning to Owen as she eyes the map that Abigail shared with her. “Did I do something to piss her off?”

“Probably all the hair you leave in the drain,” Owen whispers, leaning in closer. Thankfully he doesn’t need to rely on his cane much today, packing it with him mostly as a precaution.

“Hey, some of that hair is blond.” Kaitlyn pokes Owen in the chest.

“Yeah, but if Abigail tried to do this to me, it’d be ableist,” Owen remarks sarcastically.

“Hmm . . .” Kaitlyn pretends to think. “Could I swing the homophobic angle?”

Owen shrugs, sarcasm still obvious in his tone. “Maybe? Could be tough, being married to her and all.”

Kaitlyn snorts, which only draws Abigail’s attention toward them. “Hey, enough from you two! Help me find the bus.”

“It’s right behind you, baby.” Kaitlyn motions obviously.

Abigail turns, reading Mount Roberts Trail painted on the side. “Oh, well . . . I guess we’re where we need to be.”