MAYBE THIS TIME | JENLISA

23

Jennie took another lap around the top deck, stretching her legs and hoping to clear her mind. She and Lisa had had an incredible day, but she'd been unable to reach her since they'd boarded separately. At first, she'd assumed Lisa might have started her evening shift early, but when she stopped by the restaurant bar she was supposed to be covering that night, she was told Lisa's shift had been picked up by someone else.

She figured she must have gotten the dates switched, but when she checked the text Lisa had sent this morning, she realized she wasn't wrong. Lisa wasn't working there that night like she was supposed to be, and she wasn't returning any of her messages, either.

Jennie increased her pace, hoping the briskness of her walk would give her clarity. They'd had a good day, right? She couldn't remember a more fun day at the beach with anyone, ever. And they'd kept it mostly light, playful touches and kisses, aside from that not so PG interaction in the cabana, but it had been great. Granted, it was their first time together without having to sneak around or work around Lisa's schedule, but she'd thought it had been a good day.

Her anxiety set in as she wondered if maybe she'd chased Lisa off. Maybe she'd come on too strong. Jennie had initiated that conversation about continuing to talk with Lisa after the trip, and Lisa seemed to be agreeable to it, but maybe she'd rushed it a bit? They still had a few days left...God, did she fuck this up? She totally did, didn't she?

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she nearly dropped it overboard in her clumsy rush to see if Lisa was messaging her.

She frowned when she realized it wasn't a message from Lisa, but one from Irene.

It just said, Call me. Please.

Not a chance, she thought as she slipped the phone back into her pocket. She stopped walking and leaned against the railing, looking out at the receding view of Curaçao as the ship moved on to its next destination. They were too far to hear the music from the port, but Jennie could still see the dancing lights of the restaurants and bars along the beaches. The weather had been mild today, warm but not windy. But as the lanterns and lights swayed and the breeze picked up around her, she realized the tide had turned, and with it, the weather had changed as well. She hoped that wasn't true for what was happening between her and Lisa.

She'd run into Barb and Marlene on the walk here earlier but had declined their invitation to dinner. She cited fatigue, but the truth was, she didn't want to be out of her room or tied to an engagement she couldn't back out of the moment Lisa messaged her. But after waiting in her room without any word, she got restless. So she decided to walk. And she wasn't sure how much time had gone by, but she'd have guessed a considerable amount.

But the more she thought about it, she was tired, so maybe it would be better to just head back to her room and wait it out there. She'd see Lisa in the morning regardless, right? She'd get her answers then.

She pushed off the railing and made the long walk back to her room, keeping an eye out for her favorite bartender but not being surprised when she didn't see her. She keyed into her room and flicked on the cabin lights, moving slowly with a fatigue and anxiety that she hadn't had before. Something felt off about this. Why hadn't Lisa contacted her?

She stepped into her space and noticed something was different. The room had been cleaned. The sheets were changed and the bed made and some sort of towel animal sat at the end. The roses Irene had sent were starting to wilt. She'd neglected them in a way she wouldn't have if she'd been home, or if they were from someone else. They sagged in a way that she felt very familiar, since her elation from earlier seemed to dwindle by the moment.

She sat at the edge of her bed, looking out to the dark balcony, and sighed. Reaching for her phone to double-check her messages again, she bumped into the towel animal and something caught her eye.