Chapter: The Note

One of the things I have always enjoyed about traveling is that you never know who you're going to meet. Cruises have a way of bringing complete strangers together. Conversations start over a drink, at the pool, or while waiting for an excursion, and before you know it, you've spent hours talking with people you had never seen before.

One afternoon we were relaxing around the pool, just enjoying the day. We were laughing, telling stories, and bullshitting with a few other passengers. One gentleman in particular ended up spending quite a bit of time talking with me. We covered just about every subject imaginable. He was easygoing, friendly, and the conversation flowed naturally.

At the time, my wife was stretched out on the upper deck overlooking the pool, soaking up the Caribbean sun. She looked incredible, but I don't think he had any idea she was with me.

Eventually the other couples drifted off to get ready for dinner, and Rae climbed down and joined me in the pool. The moment she walked toward us, I noticed his expression change. His eyes practically fell out of his head.

He recovered quickly and played it cool, introducing himself and continuing the conversation as if nothing had happened. I don't think he realized until that moment that the beautiful blonde walking toward us was actually my wife.

We didn't think much more about it.

The following day our ship docked in St. Martin. The other couple we had been spending time with decided to remain aboard, while Rae and I headed for the beach.

It was one of those perfect Caribbean afternoons.

A few cold beers.

Warm turquoise water.

Soft sand beneath our feet.

Nothing but sunshine and the sound of the waves.

My wife  wore a bright yellow bikini that turned heads everywhere we went. She looked absolutely stunning.

Late in the afternoon we started making our way back toward the shuttle that would return us to the ship. As we approached one of the beachside patio bars, there he was again, walking directly toward us.

The odds of running into each other again seemed almost unbelievable.

He immediately recognized us, smiled, and asked how our day had been.

We chatted for a moment, and when he learned we were heading back to the ship, he smiled and said,

"Before you go... let me buy you both a beer."

That sounded like a pretty good idea.

So we sat down together at the tiki bar, enjoyed another round, and continued talking. The conversation was relaxed, easy, and effortless. The chemistry between all three of us was obvious.

Eventually it was time to leave.

We shook hands, thanked him for the drinks, and started walking back toward the shuttle.

As we walked, I glanced over at my wife.

"I think he's single," I said.

She smiled.

"I think he finds you very attractive."

She looked back at me with that familiar expression I knew so well.

"Want me to see if he'd like to play?"

Without hesitation she answered.

"Yes."

I stopped for a moment, pulled out a small piece of paper, and wrote a short note.

My wife finds you attractive. Cabin 223. 10:00 PM tonight.

I handed the note to my wife to read.

She smiled.

"Perfect."

I told her to wait where she was while I jogged back toward the tiki bar.

He was still there, finishing his beer.

Walking up beside him, I smiled.

"I've never done anything quite like this before," I said, "but I think it could be a lot of fun."

He looked at me with a puzzled expression as I handed him the folded note.

I stayed just long enough for him to unfold it and read.

His eyes moved across the paper.

Then he slowly looked back up at me.

Without hesitation, he smiled.

"I'll be there."

That was all that needed to be said.

After dinner we returned to our cabin.

The anticipation in the room was unmistakable.

My wife  began getting ready for the evening, taking her time as she always did. There was excitement in the air—not just because of what might happen, but because neither of us knew exactly how the night would unfold.

We exchanged smiles every so often, both fully aware that in just a little while, there would be another knock on the door and another story waiting to be written.

At precisely 10:00 p.m., three soft knocks echoed through the cabin.

Cruise ship fun.