"To Joey!" everyone toasted, raising their glasses.

  "To Joey!" I echoed, feeling a surge of gratitude and joy.

  But Addison's smile was tight, her eyes distant. She moved closer to me, her voice low and edged with frustration. "I thought you were going to stick to water tonight."

  "It's just one glass," I said, trying to keep my tone light. "It's my birthday."

  She sighed, but the tension between us didn't let up. With her jaw still tight and her brow wrinkled with frustration, Addison huffed, "Yeah. Okay. It's fine."

  "Addison, come on," I replied, my annoyance bubbling up. I knew she wasn't comfortable being around alcohol. Knowing that, I cut back my drinking to almost nothing. I'd done a lot of things to make sure that she was comfortable, including on my birthday when she could have been doing more to make sure I was doing okay and having a good time.

  "I'm not trying to rain on your parade or anything," Addison mumbled.

  I took a deep breath, trying to reign in my irritation. "It's fine. Let's just try to have a good time, okay?"

  "Yeah," Addison said in a curt tone that was hard to ignore. This was not how I expected this night to go.

  Amber and Dana appeared beside me, "Come on, birthday girl!"

  "Yea! The night is young!" Amber cheered, her voice barely audible over the pulsating beat of the music.

  I stole a glance at Addison, hoping to see her joining in the festivities, but she remained at the table, her expression strained. Despite her efforts to mask her feelings, I could sense her unease lingering beneath the surface. I opened my mouth to protest but stopped.

  Addison noticed me staring at her. She flashed a strained smile and held one of her thumbs up, okaying me to leave. It was clear she was still upset, but I decided to give her some space. Maybe a little time apart would help her cool off and let me enjoy the celebration.

  Ignoring the gnawing worry in my chest, I allowed myself to be swept away by Amber and Dana. Their enthusiasm was infectious and so was the energy on the dancefloor.

  The music seemed louder and everyone's movements intensified. I closed my eyes, threw my hands up, and moved my hips, leaning into the good time and drowning out the thoughts of tension and doubt. It was my birthday, after all. I wanted to enjoy it as much as possible.

  Another champagne bottle, adorned with glittering sparklers lit up the club, eliciting cheers from the crowd. I was surprised as the bottle girls moved closer to where we were and stopped. Amber seized the bottle, "Happy birthday again, mate. Thanks for letting us celebrate with you."

  "Thank you," I smiled wide.

  "You've been a hell of a friend to me this summer and I appreciate it more than you'll ever know."

  "Yeah, you're such a sweetheart, Joey. We love you so much," Morgan said, throwing her arm over my shoulder. She'd been drinking more than me. I could smell the liquor on her breath as she leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek.

  "Cheers to Joey!"

  "Watch out, everyone!" Amber shouted, shaking the champagne bottle with gusto before popping the cork. The champagne erupted in a fountain of bubbles, drenching us in a cascade of effervescence. I couldn't help but laugh along with the others, the cool liquid tingling against my skin.

  For a moment, I allowed myself to lose track of everything else, surrendering to the intoxicating atmosphere of the party. The other members of the cast twirled me around, and I danced with abandon, the weight of earlier tension lifting from my shoulders. It felt good to let go, to immerse myself in the joy of the moment.

  Yet, even in the midst of the revelry, I couldn't shake the nagging worry about Addison. I turned back to the table where she'd been sitting and she wasn't there. My eyes scanned the crowd, looking for her.

  "I'll be right back," I told the others when I spotted her stepping out onto the back patio with Vena.

  As I made my way outside, a chill swept over me, both from the cool night air and the apprehension gnawing at my insides. Addison stood with Vena, her posture rigid and her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The faint glow of the party lights illuminated her features, revealing a storm of emotions brewing beneath the surface.

  "What's wrong?" I asked, my voice laced with concern as I approached them.

  Addison's gaze flickered to me, her eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and hurt. "What's wrong? Are you serious? All the drinking, Joey. What's that about?"

  "I'm not," I said defensively. Her tone had caught me off guard. I knew she wasn't all that happy about this party, but she honestly sounded so disgusted with me. The issue was I hadn't done anything.

  "You wreak of it," Addison said with a grimace.

  "Yeah because I'm covered in it. Amber was fooling around and sprayed me with a bottle. I've only had the one glass from earlier."

  Addison's eyes narrowed, her skepticism evident. "And what about Morgan? She was all over you, Joey. She kissed you!"

  "What?" I blinked, taken aback by the sudden accusation. "Addison, come on. Morgan's drunk. She wasn't thinking. It was just a harmless peck on the cheek."

  "Is this the type of behavior I have to look forward to?" Addison's voice wavered with a mixture of hurt and anger. "You getting drunk and letting your friends cross boundaries?"

  "No, it's not like that," I insisted, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "I've been trying to make sure you're comfortable all night. I've barely had anything to drink, and I'm constantly thinking about you. I don't want you to feel this way."

  "Well, I do," Addison said, her voice tight with suppressed emotions as she folded her arms across her chest.

  My heart sank at her response, the weight of her disappointment heavy upon me. I reached out tentatively, wanting to bridge the growing distance between us, but she pulled away, her expression closed off and distant.

  "I knew this was a bad idea," I groaned, massaging my temples.

  "Yet, you went along with it anyway," Addison rolled her eyes.

  "Because it's my birthday and I wanted to have a good time," I said, feeling my frustrations bubble to the surface. "That is not an unreasonable request. It's my birthday."

  Addison's bottom lip trembled and tears sat in the corner of her eyes, "I hope you do, Joey. It's your birthday. Do what you want. Don't let me get in the way of it."

  And with that Addison turned to walk away. My jaw hit the floor as I watched her. I wanted to enjoy my birthday. Why did she think I'd be able to do that if she wasn't here with me?

  This wasn't how the night was supposed to go. I had hoped for a celebration filled with joy, love, and togetherness, but instead, it was slipping through my fingers. Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched Addison walk away, her figure retreating into the shadows outside.

  "Addison, wait!" I called out, my voice breaking. She didn't stop, and panic surged within me. I couldn't let her go like this. Not without trying to make things right. I chased after her, my heart pounding in my chest, tears streaming down my face.

  "Addison, please," I pleaded, catching up to her. She turned around, and I saw the hurt etched deeply in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I really am. This night... it's not what I wanted if it means losing you."

  She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Joey, I don't want to be that person who ruins your fun. But seeing you with Morgan, seeing you drink..."

  Her voice broke off, and she looked away, the pain in her eyes almost too much to bear. I stepped closer, reaching out to gently touch her arm.

  "Addison, I understand where you're coming from. I really do. But we need to find a way to meet in the middle. Both of us have to be willing to compromise."

  She sniffled, her eyes meeting mine with a mixture of hope and hesitation. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean, I’ll do my best to limit my drinking and make sure you feel secure. But you have to trust me and give me the benefit of the doubt when I’m around other people. We both need to work on this," I explained, my heart aching to make her understand.

  Addison hesitated, then slowly nodded. "I know you're right. It's just... it's hard sometimes. You know the things I've been through."

  "And you know what I've had to deal with," I said as a counterargument. "We've both been hurt before. That's why we promised each other that this would be different. I want this to be different that's why I've been working so hard to make sure you're okay tonight. Every time I do, though, it seems like you're moving the goal post and that's not fair."

  Addison wiped the stream of tears from her eyes, but they kept pouring down. I hated seeing her that way. Stepping forward and eliminating the gap between us, I moved to wipe them away. Emotions were high, but that didn't change how much I cared about her.

  "I'll keep fighting for us. I swear that I will. But only if that's what you actually want, Addison. Because if you don't want this and you don't think you'll ever be able to trust me then I don't know if we'll ever be able to make it work."

  "I don't want to lose you," Addison mumbled. "This is just hard. Harder than I thought it would be."

  "I don't want to lose you, either. And I know it is, but it's worth it, right?"

  She looked up at me, her eyes red from all the crying and she nodded in agreement. That was all I needed to know. I pulled her into a tight hug. Addison clung to me. Her body trembled slightly as she let out a shaky breath. "Thank you for not giving up on us."

  "Never," I promised, holding her tightly. "We're worth fighting for."

  We stayed like that for a moment, the world around us fading into the background. Eventually, she pulled back, wiping her tears and giving me a small, genuine smile.

  "Let's go back inside," Addison said, her voice still a bit shaky. "I don't want to ruin your birthday."

  "You didn't ruin anything," I assured her, taking her hand. "We'll go back inside, but not yet. I just want to be out here with you for a little while longer."

  Addison smiled a tender warmth in her eyes. "Okay, Joey. Just us."

  We stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, the cool night air a soothing contrast to the emotional storm we'd just weathered. I leaned in and kissed her gently, our lips meeting in a tender embrace that spoke volumes of our love and commitment to each other. It was a kiss filled with promises, a vow to overcome our insecurities and rebuild our trust.

  "I love you, Addison," I whispered against her lips.

  "I love you too, Joey," she replied, her voice full of conviction. "We'll get through this. Together."

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  ADDISON

  The days on the island had flown by faster than I ever could have imagined. Our time here was almost over, and the thought of leaving this little paradise behind left me with a heavy heart. The memories we'd created were etched into my mind, but the impending departure cast a shadow over my happiness.

  I watched Joey from a distance as she laughed with our friends, her joy infectious. It was moments like these that I treasured the most. Seeing her so carefree and happy, I couldn't help but smile. But beneath the surface, there was a sense of melancholy that I couldn't shake.

  Our romance had blossomed beautifully over the past weeks. We had navigated through insecurities and misunderstandings, emerging stronger and more united. But now, as our time on the island drew to a close, the uncertainty of the future weighed heavily on me.

  Joey caught my eye and waved me over, her smile radiant. I forced a smile in return and made my way to her, trying to push away the lingering sadness. She reached out and pulled me into a warm embrace, her laughter ringing in my ears.

  "Hey, what are you thinking about?" Joey asked, her voice soft and full of concern.

  "Just... how much I'm going to miss this place," I replied, not wanting to dampen her spirits with my worries.

  She looked at me with those piercing eyes that always seemed to see right through me. "It's not just the island, is it?"

  I sighed, shaking my head. "No, it's not. I'm going to miss us, Joey. The way we are here, away from everything else. Things will be different when we leave."

  The last few days, I'd spent a lot of time thinking and worrying and stressing about our relationship and how it might change once we left the island. We were going to have to be long-distance for a little while, at least until Joey tied up loose ends. Just the thought of not being able to see her and kiss her every day like I'd gotten used to doing was heartbreaking.

  And that was only the beginning. There were bound to be a million different challenges thrown our way. The stress of everyday life was much harder than what we'd experienced on our little island oasis.

  Joey seemed to sense my unease. She pulled me close to her and planted a soft kiss in the middle of my forehead, "Different doesn't have to be a bad thing, you know?"

  "It could be, though. There's a lot we still have to figure out."

  "Yeah," Joey nodded, wrapping her arms around me a little tighter. "We'll figure it out, though. Whatever happens next, we'll face it together."

  "I know," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But it's still hard to think about leaving all of this behind."

  Joey kissed my forehead, her touch gentle and reassuring. "I know we only have a few days left. So, I wanted to make the most of them and create more memories to take with us. I planned a little surprise for you on the beach."

  With a prideful smile on her face, Joey extended her hand. I took it, of course, completely excited at the idea of a surprise. Despite my fears and uncertainties, she had gone above and beyond to plan this romantic final moment. I couldn't help but be impressed at the depth of Joey's love and thoughtfulness.

  "All these surprises, I'm going to start expecting them," I teased as we walked the sandy path toward the beach, the setting sun cast a gold glow around us.

  "That's okay," Joey smiled. "I already have a few stateside surprises in store. Probably will be a little easier to pull off since I won't have to rely on the kindness of the production assistants."

  "What do you have planned already," I asked, my brows jumping up with curiosity.

  "You'll see eventually. One surprise at a time," Joey said, pointing ahead of us.

  As we neared the designated spot on the beach, the scene that unfolded before me took my breath away. Joey had set up a nighttime picnic with an array of candles flickering softly in the gentle breeze, casting a warm and intimate glow. A cozy blanket was spread out on the sand, adorned with all my favorite snacks, a bottle of sparkling water, and a neatly folded letter addressed to me.

  Tears welled up in my eyes as I took in the romantic setup. Joey had thought of everything, creating a moment that was perfect and uniquely ours. I swallowed down the emotions the best I could, but struggled to speak, "Joey, this is... incredible."

  She guided me to the blanket and we sat down together. Joey handed me the letter, her eyes full of anticipation and affection. I took a deep breath and opened it, the handwritten words blurring slightly through my tears.

  "Addison, from the moment I met you, I knew you were someone special. These past few weeks on the island have only deepened my love and appreciation for you. We've laughed, we've cried, and we've faced our fears together."

  "As we prepare to leave this paradise and return to our everyday lives, I want you to know that my feelings for you are stronger than ever. I know that life will throw challenges our way, and the distance might test us in ways we can't predict. But I promise that I will always fight for us. I will always choose you. No matter where life takes us, you will always have my heart. This island has been a beautiful chapter in our story, but I believe the best is yet to come. Together, we can build a future full of love, trust, and endless possibilities."

  By the time I finished reading, tears were streaming down my face. I looked up at Joey, who was watching me with a mixture of hope and love. I could barely speak, overwhelmed by the depth of her words and the sincerity in her eyes.

  "I don't know what to say," I choked out, wiping at my tears.

  "You don't have to say anything," Joey replied softly, taking my hand in hers. "Just know that I'm here, and I believe in us."

  As we sat there on the beach, the warmth of our bodies close, I could feel her subtly shifting towards me. My heart pounded in my chest, matching the rhythm of the waves that lazily lapped at the shore. Our hands were intertwined, and I noticed how every detail of her was becoming more apparent to me. Her fingers, delicate yet strong, casually wrapped themselves around mine. It was intoxicating.

  She turned slightly to face me, her dark eyes glimmering under the moonlight. Their intensity was palpable, a spellbinding mix of desire and need. Leaning closer to me, she whispered something into my ear. The words were muffled by the crashing waves and rustling palm leaves, but their message came through loud and clear: It was an invitation to take this night from romantic to downright erotic.

  "I want you," she said again, louder this time. Her voice was sultry, thick with lust that seeped into each word. My pulse quickened at her confession; my mind raced with titillating thoughts - images of what would transpire between us tonight.

  Moving closer together on the blanket, our lips met again in a far more heated kiss than before. This wasn't cautious or tentative - no, it was pure passion wrapped in adrenaline and heightened senses. A dance where every slide of lips and play of tongues sent shockwaves throughout my body.

  Joey's hands wandered down my side, tracing a path that left molten trails upon my skin. Every touch ignited sparks within me, a burning desire that begged for more of her tantalizing touch. She teased the hemline of my shirt with deft fingers, making me shudder at the barest contact against my waist.

  I groaned when Joey dared to go further up my shirt, her hand cupped one of my breasts through the fabric of my bra, sending a rush of heat coursing through me. I let out a sharp gasp of pleasure, arching into her touch as she gently kneaded and teased.

  Undeterred by my sudden breathlessness, Joey wove her other hand into my hair while her lips found mine again. As our tongues danced, she unhooked my bra with practiced ease, eliciting another soft moan from me. Our bodies were flush against each other - the dividing line between where one ended and the other began was blurred in the most delicious ways.

 

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