Check in was quick and easy. Cio’s parents and his brother were spending a lot of money and the hotel was treating them like top of the line VIPs. Cio could feel Richard’s eyes on him as they checked in and the staff’s behavior changed from nonchalance to over the top brown nosing. Cio let him put the all-inclusive band around his wrist and waited while Richard got his.

“Is the name Flores one I should have recognized sooner?” Richard asked as they made their way through the hotel.

Cio shrugged. “Maybe, if you’re into classical music?” Richard stared at him so he continued. “Mi abuelo,” He cleared his throat, “My grandpa, I mean, is a pretty well known pianist. I mean, the reason we’re being treated so well is because of all the money my family is dropping on this wedding, not because of his piano skills.”

“Your grandfather is a pianist and your brother plays a cello?”

“Yep. And Ames was pretty good at the bassoon. She wanted to follow that line professionally as well, but things happened.”

“Three kids?”

“And a shit baby daddy.”

Richard made a soft laughing sound. They were outside now and walking across the sand. “Your family doesn’t seem to be struggling for money.” He nodded toward the reserved bungalows. “Why didn’t they help her after she got pregnant?”

They climbed the steps to the small bungalow. “There are always strings with things like that. If she would have gotten an abortion, they would’ve cut her out. If she would have had Georgie and not stayed with George Sr. then they would have cut her out.” He opened the door with his keycard. “She got pregnant in high school and she wasn’t prepared to try and make it on her own. Not that our parents don’t love us. They just held expectations that we were supposed to meet. So she married and had a baby. Then she had two more.”

Richard let the subject drop as the stepped inside. The inside of the bungalow was nice. Light colored wood floors with kitchen cabinets that matched. Some colored rugs brightened the living area and pale blue curtain fluttered in the opened windows. Then entire back wall was windows and a sliding glass door opened to a small covered porch. There was a thin strip of beach between the porch and the ocean.

“This is a nice place.” Richard echoed Cio’s thoughts. “Fan of the ocean?”

“Fan of staying where my feet can still touch the bottom. More of a fan of relaxing in the sand.” Richard’s smile caused small butterflies to kick up a fuss in Cio’s stomach.

“I used to surf. I haven’t been to the beach in years though.”

They moved to check out the first bedroom. “Why not?” It was a nice enough room. Two windows facing north were opened to let the breeze in. A small closet had it’s door cracked open. A queen sized bed with a pale blue comforter sat in the middle. It was the kind of room you didn’t expect to spend a lot of time in, not when the beach was literally steps away. Cio glanced over at Richard when he realized he hadn’t answered yet.

Richard’s smile was tight, forced. “My wife loved the beach. It just never felt right to come without her.”

The butterflies were gone. Now Cio felt like an ass. He didn’t know what to say.

“Don’t look at me like that Cio. It’s been eleven years. I’m not going to… whatever it is you’re thinking is going on right now.”

Cio held up a hand in defeat. “All right.”

“Besides, she’d be pissed at me if she knew I hadn’t been here in years.”

Cio hesitated. He wanted to know more, but pushing for information about a man’s dead wife didn’t seem… right. Richard wasn’t acting upset though, he was unpacking his clothes and hanging things up. He did glance down to the empty ring finger though. “Why didn’t you wear your ring? I wouldn’t have minded if you wanted to keep it on.”

Richard paused in his packing. “I never wear it new places. I lost my first wedding band the second week I had it at the beach. The second I left behind in three separate hotels over two months, so Lucy refused to let me take it anywhere without her that wasn’t work. I’ve never broken the habit of leaving it at home.”

Cio found that kind of adorable and it answered how he didn’t notice the ring back in college. 

“When’s Amelia getting in?” Richard glanced over then rolled his eyes. “Better get unpacked, Cio. Your family spent too much money for you to show up in wrinkled clothes.”

“Are you channeling my parents right now?” Richard huffed softly and turned his back again. “Ames will be in this evening. I think she said she gets off at six, so it’ll probably be around seven or eight.”

“I’m surprised your brother is ok with that.”

“Nah, today’s the buffer day. Tell everyone to get here today and it gives them time to relax and unwind before the ceremony. Especially with as many people coming in from out of country as we have.”

“So there’s nothing planned then? We’re free to do whatever we want to do?”

“Yup. And all-inclusive so we can go check out the main part of the resort as well if you want.” Cio paused. “We don’t have to do things together. If you want to go alone then that’s obviously fine as well.”

Richard finished hanging his stuff up. “Of course, we’re going to do things together, Cio. Don’t be ridiculous.”

Warmth spread through Cio at Richard’s instant denial of wanting to split up. “All right. What’re you wanting to do then? Because I was thinking of staying away from as many people as possible and ordering room service for lunch and dinner… and maybe breakfast, but I can’t see Ames letting us get away with that.”

“No?”

Cio mimicked Amelia’s voice. “Cio, they flew up from Mexico, you have to talk to them. Cio, just don’t tell them you’re gay and things will be fine. Cio, my advice sucks and you should never listen to it.”

“Why do I feel as though that last line wasn’t really her.”

Cio grinned at him. “So I’ll place an order for room service and we can hide out for as long as possible?”

“Sounds good.”

Cio ordered room service from the landline in the living room. Richard came out of the room. He’d changed into a dark pair of swim trunks and a thin white button up. Cio’s mouth went dry. Richard looked good.

“It’ll be an hour. Plenty of time for ah, the sun.”

Richard’s lip twitched up in amusement. Cio fought the embarrassed flush that threatened to take over his face. “Yes, I guess there is. I’ll head out and let you get ready.”

Cio watched him walk out the sliding glass door and pause once he got to the sand. He tilted his head back and let the sun hit his face. Cio looked away.