Authors: Jala Summers
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #United States, #African American, #Romance, #Contemporary
Love's Call
By
Jala Summers
Copyright ©2015
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design by
Fantasia Frog Designs
Kyle pushed open the cabin door and entered the suite. It was much more spacious than he'd anticipated, and he was glad. He'd heard one too many nightmare stories about cruise ship rooms being cramped, with barely enough room to even turn around.
He walked past the queen bed which faced a seating area furnished with two armchairs and a sofa. A vase of freshly cut red roses sat on the table in the center of the seating area, filling the room with a pleasant, fragrant aroma.
He placed his bags on one of the armchairs and pulled open the sliding door that overlooked the balcony. He was so glad he’d decided to splurge so that he could enjoy one of the cruise line’s balcony suites. He’d done so because he didn’t intend to leave this cruise with any horror stories of his own to share. And, he’d wanted a room with a view.
The only view now, however, was of the expansive cruise terminal of the Galveston cruise port. As he stood on the balcony, he felt the stifling Texas heat envelop him and studied the boarding passengers. He scanned the sea of faces--some young, some more mature. Men and women alike, scurried around, assisted by the smiling shore-side staff. Some passengers had even started mingling with each other before they’d even reached the ship.
Wouldn’t expect anything less on a Sexy, Grown Singles Cruise,
Kyle thought, chuckling at the idea of it. He still didn’t know how he’d allowed his friends to talk him into taking this trip. Lloyd Flores and Duane Thomas had insisted that Kyle join them on the first ever
Sexy, Grown Singles Cruise,
pioneered by a local radio personality, Branson Brice.
Kyle’s single status had become official six months ago, after a nasty separation and divorce from his ex-wife, Shaila. And this wasn’t the first time they’d tried to get him into the dating scene.
It was barely a few weeks after his separation from Shaila, before Lloyd and Duane were taking him out with them to the clubs and bars of which they were frequent patrons. “You have to get back out there,” Lloyd had told him, when he saw Kyle’s face as he looked around at the club to which they’d taken him that night.
The dating scene had never been his thing, even when he was single. And that was most likely why he hadn’t remained single for long and had married in his mid-twenties.
Duane, the perpetual player of their group, was the pushiest one about getting him out into that world again. “There are way too many women out here available, ready and willing, just looking for dudes like you, like us,” he patted Kyle’s back. “You get out there, you’ll see. You’ll have your pick of them.”
Eventually, Kyle had warmed up to the idea of being a bachelor again. He’d gone out on several dates and had even been intimate with a few of the women.
Duane acted like the proud mentor when he’d told Kyle, “See, you’re finally getting it. What’d I tell you? That monogamy thing isn’t going to get you anywhere. We see how well that worked out with Shaila.”
Shaila was still a sore subject for Kyle. After catching her in an affair with his former friend, Craig, he still had not been able to fully accept that it had really happened to him. When they’d separated, the last he’d heard was that she and Craig had moved in together.
Both Lloyd and Duane had agreed that seeing as many women as possible would be the only way that he could actually get over Shaila. He’d never told them, but even after numerous dates and scores of women, and the passage of six months, their theory was dead wrong. He still didn’t feel “over” Shaila. Even though he wanted to hate her for what she’d done, he knew that he still loved her.
And he’d never tell anyone, but there were a few nights he was even tempted to call her, just to hear her voice again.
The nights with one woman after another only seemed to make it worse for him. He’d had enough of the meaningless sex. He missed making love to a woman he actually loved and cared about, and with whom he shared a connection.
He realized that was what he missed most about having Shaila in his life. But even he knew that if he were honest with himself, he had to admit that he’d lost that connection with Shaila long before he’d found out about her affair.
He’d yet to find a woman who truly interested him. Every woman he met seemed so much like the one before her, and none of them could keep his attention long enough to make him want to see them again the morning after a night of steamy, hot sex. That’s all it had become--just empty sex.
And although he didn’t get the same fulfillment out of dating around that Lloyd and Duane did, he’d still agreed to come on the
Sexy, Grown Singles Cruise
, simply as a celebration of the finality of his marriage to Shaila.
He was embarking on a new chapter, and maybe something like this could be what he needed to symbolize his new freedom and new life. But he had little intention of finding more than a few more partners to share the night with on the seven day cruise.
As his eyes searched the sea of potential prospects, he was drawn to two women making their way up the ramp that led to the ship. He watched them lug their baggage up behind them and he found the ticked off expression on the face of the woman bringing up the rear quite amusing.
Her chatty friend moved quickly in front of her, as excited as the rest of the boarding passengers. But the one in the back struggled behind her and looked as if she would have turned and run the other way if given the opportunity. He shook his head, smiling, as he moved away from the window.
A knock on his door shook him out of his thoughts and he went to open it to see Duane and Lloyd on the other side. He stepped aside and they entered his room.
They looked around, admiring his cabin. “Oh, you got a nice one,” Lloyd said as he walked straight toward the balcony and through the open sliding door. He leaned over the railing to look down at the passersby.
Duane plopped down on the couch and put his feet up. You picked a good one, man. Now this is the perfect place to bring all the ladies. You can have a different woman for each night. Hey, maybe two or three a night.”
Lloyd and Duane had also each paid a premium to get single rooms so that neither would have to share with another person, but neither of their rooms were as luxurious or large as Kyle’s.
Lloyd took a seat in one of the armchairs and Kyle sat down on the queen bed.
“Yeah, but I doubt Kyle’s going to even get any use out of it. At least not for that,” Lloyd teased.
“Aw, yeah, I forgot who we’re talking about,” Duane shook his head. “That’s just a waste. Please don’t tell me you’re going to waste this huge ass room by doing nothing in it.”
Kyle shrugged. “Look, I’m just here for a good time. If that happens, cool. If not, hey...”
“Uh-uh. There’s too much selection here for it
not
to happen. There’s no excuse,” Duane said, “You just gotta be careful, though.”
Kyle was confused. “Careful about what?”
Lloyd answered for him. “With this many women in one place, it’s like open season.
But,
you gotta be careful and make sure your lines don’t cross. Make sure they don’t find out about each other,
unless
they’re open for that.”
“
And
, don’t get with a crazy,” Duane added. “You gotta watch out for the crazy ones. ‘Cause it’s a big ship, but it’s not
that
big. You don’t need a nutcase chasing you all around this boat.”
Kyle burst out into laughter, amused at how his friends had their game down to a science.
Liana Harris cursed under her breath as she struggled to lug her heavy baggage. It was just her luck that the pull-out handle had bent and would not lift, preventing her from rolling the bag up the ramp. She was not in the mood to carry her luggage around in the scorching Texas heat on one of the hottest days the state had seen that summer.
She wanted to kick herself for allowing Alyssa to guilt her into accompanying her on yet another excursion, because she hadn’t wanted her friend to end up traveling alone.
***
Alyssa had pulled out all the stops when she’d pleaded, “Come on, Lia. You’re going to let me go on a singles cruise alone?”
Lia nodded her head, “Um...yes. That’s why it’s called a
singles
cruise, right? So, I’m sure you won’t be the only loner there.” Liana burst out in laughter, amused by her own joke.
Alyssa didn’t find it quite as funny. She crossed her arms over her chest. “So you’d have me rooming with whatever other weird woman that they’ll assign as my roommate?”
“Why can’t you get a single room?”
“It’s too expensive to get a single. I don’t want to spend that kind of money on this.”
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t go then.”
“Oh Lia...please.” Alyssa was turning on the dramatics and moved toward her friend with her hands held up in front of her in a praying gesture, as she begged Liana.
This wasn’t the first time that Alyssa wanted to take a girls’ trip out to some new locale. And somehow, every time the “girls’ trip” seemed to morph into a “Let’s find Alyssa’s future husband” trip.
Alyssa was a hopeless romantic, who always seemed to be in a relationship, but somehow always happened to be single when the time for one of her getaways came along. And all she ended up doing on those getaways was look for a new man to hook up with in hopes of finally finding lasting love.
But this year
, Liana told herself,
is my
last
year doing this
.
Liana couldn’t understand her friend’s thinking. She’d thought that by now after several failed attempts at love, Alyssa would’ve gotten the hint. But she never did and was forever in love with love.
Liana wasn’t a serial monogamist like her friend. She’d always played it safe when it came to the game of love, but even more so after the end of her last relationship with Brian. She had been ready to marry Brian after nearly two years of being with him. But Liana eventually discovered that marriage was nowhere in the picture for Brian since, unbeknownst to her, he’d already had a wife. After that, she had decided that she was done with everything that had anything to with love.
And that was why it had been so do difficult for Alyssa to convince Liana to go along with her on the singles cruise.
***
Relief washed over Liana when they finally reached their cabin door. Alyssa pushed it open and Liana followed her into the room. Liana’s face was the picture of disgust as her eyes surveyed the room.
She was grateful that they had lucked out and didn't end up with a room with bunk beds, because she wasn't thrilled about climbing up a ladder and flashing her undies to Alyssa every night. Even still, the practically one-foot wide distance between their twin beds didn't seem particularly appealing either.
Liana had left the duty of making all arrangements, including room reservations, up to Alyssa, and was now starting to regret that decision.
Liana glared at Alyssa. Alyssa laughed at the daggers Liana shot at her with her eyes. "It's not that bad, really," she said, "Here, I'll let you pick your bed."
"You owe me, big time," Liana hissed out as she moved toward the bed furthest from the restroom.
She dropped her suitcase down on the bed and plopped down next to it. This was going to be a long trip.
“Don’t make that face,” Alyssa said as she watched Liana look over the room again, a frown on her face. Alyssa took a seat opposite her on the other bed. “You’ll like it, I promise. Just stay open minded, and it’ll be fun.”
Liana was skeptical. “How many times have I heard you say that?”
“Well this time, actually do it, and it’ll be true.” She rose from the bed, “Now come on. Let’s take a look around the ship.”
Liana shook her head. Alyssa was beyond excited and her positivity was getting on Liana’s last nerve, already. She was going to make sure that next time Alyssa found another friend to accompany her on her little excursions.
