Jim quipped as he headed into the kitchen, “Yeah, preferably someone tall, handsome, and just your size.” They both laughed and I joined in as well. “Just bring us something from the cruise.” Paul hugged him again before sitting back on the sofa. Both Jim and Paul were approaching 70 and neither of them drove, so I stopped by regularly to take them shopping and to help with things they couldn’t do anymore. “I haven’t gotten your gifts yet.” It was only the first week of December and I had just stopped over to see if they wanted to go shopping. “Thank you so much.” I hugged both of them, unable to believe their generosity. Their apartment was decorated to the max with a huge tree and lights galore. “If you check the ticket, you’ll see that we got you your own cabin so you can have some fun.” We laughed together, joked together, and we loved each other. I spent holidays, birthdays, both theirs and mine, with them. They still lived in the same apartment while I had moved to another part of the city, but I could never leave them behind. I met Jim and Paul years ago when I got my first job and my first apartment. These two men were as close to a family as I had, hell they were the understanding parents I never had. So you’re all set, you leave in 5 days.” I was hugged to within an inch of my life… and it felt good. Jim started gushing again, “We already called your boss and arranged for the time off from work. I looked down at the ticket in my hand, unable to believe my eyes, “Thank you, but…” I had so many questions. Paul held back, he was always the more reserved of the two, but even he was excited, “You’ve helped us so much this year, we just wanted to say thank you.” “We know we agreed that we wouldn’t go overboard, but we just couldn’t help it.” Jim gushed with excitement as he pulled me into a hug. “It’s a cruise!!” Jim and Paul squealed together as I opened the envelope they’d handed me as my Christmas gift. Things don't turn out quite as he planned, but sometimes Santa knows best and two out of three ain't bad.
Excerpt: When Henry Gilmore is given a private stateroom on a gay cruise for a Christmas present, he has visions of cute party boys, hunky muscle gods, and breaking his run of bad luck when it comes to love.
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