A/N: To everyone reading this story, thanks. To Chelsietx, bee-327, ClarisseMarie, and Mari for taking time to leave wonderful reviews and words of support for me. Thank you, I appreciate you so so much! Please do keep them coming.
I will be staying for the time being, but unfortunately it's not promised. I'm going to see how it goes.
But here's the next chapter for you :) Enjoy.
"Hello hello," Diego smiled from where he was stood in the stern on the yacht and extended his arms out at his sides as Juana, Pedro, Joseph and Clarisse all made their way along the dock together. "We wasn't expecting you all just yet?"
"I told you that we would be here about this time when we spoke this morning," Juana smiled as she and the others all stopped beside Diego's yacht and watched as he made his way down to the swim platform to greet them and help them across.
"Oh my apologies, I must've forgotten," Diego said and placing one hand on the rail at the end of the platform, he extended his other hand out to his sister-in-law. "Anyway, come aboard. We have lots planned for us today."
"We hope you do," Juana smiled as she took hold of her brother-in-laws hand for support and carefully stepped onto the platform in front of him. "Thank you," she said, reaching up to kiss his cheek before she moved to stand at the other end of the platform and watched as her husband stepped onto the platform.
"You're welcome," Diego smiled, extending his hand out to Pedro and shaking his hand.
"You have a lovely yacht, Diego," Clarisse smiled, her gaze roaming the length of the yacht as Diego turned to her standing on the dock. "Very big and spacious, and I love the name too, My Valentina." She said with a smile and looked to her husband standing beside her as he placed his free hand on her back. His other hand holding the beach bag with all their stuff in.
"Only the best, of course," Diego chucked as Clarisse looked back at him, and Juana and Pedro made their way up the steps to the stern.
"I imagine it must drum up quite a lot of business?" Clarisse smiled as Juana and Pedro stood looking over the back of the yacht at them.
"Oh it does, of course," he smiled and extended his hand out to her, to help her carefully step onto the platform in front of him. "We cater for up to fifty people, taking them out during the day for snorkelling, or in the evenings to party as the sunsets."
"Sounds like it can get busy," she smiled and reached her hand up onto his shoulder as he leant forward, so they could kiss each others cheeks, as Joseph carefully followed her onto the platform. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Diego smiled as he extended his hand out to Joseph, standing close behind Clarisse. "Now, welcome to you both."
"Thank you for inviting us," Joseph smiled as they shook hands.
"It was our pleasure," Diego smiled and pulled his hand back. "Please feel free to make yourself at home while on board."
"Thanks," Joseph smiled and put his hand back on Clarisse's back.
"I know we talked about it the other night, but remind me, is this business connected to the bar? Or is it a separate business?" Clarisse asked and watched as Diego turned his attention back to her while slipping his hands in his shorts pockets.
"It's connected," Diego nodded, "we get a lot of business through the bar, birthdays, hen and stag parties, even wedding receptions too. But they are more popular for sunset evenings."
Nodding, Clarisse smiled. "So with the bar and My Valentina, business is booming for you then."
"Oh it is, so much so that I've roped in this wonderful man here to come back later in the year for several weeks to help me set up new security," Diego said as he nodded towards Joseph.
"Oh, have you now," Clarisse said and half smirked as she turned to her husband now standing to her side. "That's the first I have heard of it," she teased as Pedro and Juana glanced to one another from where they were stood up on the stern before looking back down at them.
"Ah, I'm sorry," Diego said as he looked to Joseph. "I thought you would have discussed it with Clarisse by now?"
"To be honest, it completely slipped my mind," Joseph said as he looked from Diego to Clarisse.
"In that case, my apologies. I didn't mean to drop a bombshell," Diego said, somewhat sombrely, and watched as Clarisse looked back at him.
"It's okay, honestly," Clarisse smiled. "But tell me, when is this meant to be happening?"
"I'm looking at late October, early November," Diego said, nodding slightly. "Just in time for the Christmas period."
"And for how long?" Clarisse asked.
"About three to four weeks, five max," Diego said and averted his gaze to Joseph.
"Oh that's not so bad," Clarisse said and turned back to her husband. "I know if it goes over three weeks it'll be the longest time we have ever spent time apart, and I'll miss you of course, but at least you'll be back for all the Christmas festivities back home."
"I will miss you too, of course," Joseph said as he studied Clarisse's face, "but you could always join me out here. We could find a place to rent for the duration of our stay and turn it into an extended birthday break for not only your birthday but mine too."
"Oh, that does sound lovely, but I'll need to think about it, especially with everything that happens back home around that time," Clarisse said quietly. "You know that."
"I do, of course," Joseph nodded and smiled as Clarisse reached her hand up to cup his cheek.
"But, I will give it some thought, I promise," she whispered and watched as he raised his hand up to take hold of her hand cupping his cheek before turning his head, to kiss the inside of her wrist.
"Thank you," Joseph whispered and leant closer to give her a quick kiss as Diego smirked up at Juana and Pedro. All of them thinking the same thing. Because it wasn't only Clarisse that had changed since they married. It was Joseph, too. And it felt odd to them seeing him this way. So madly in love and showing public displays of affection in front of them.
"So, is he still okay to come out and help me?" Diego asked a moment later and watched as both Joseph and Clarisse turned their heads to look back at him.
"Oh, absolutely, yes, of course," Clarisse nodded and turned back to him with a smile. Her hand, holding onto her husbands hand, now going to rest against her back. "I have no problem with him coming to help you and your business."
"Oh thank god," Diego exclaimed in relief and they all laughed as Joseph stepped closer to Clarisse's side and kissed the top of her shoulder before they made their way up the steps to join Juana and Pedro up on the stern.
"You're brave, Clarisse," Juana said as she turned to her husband and snuggled close to him while wrapping her arms around his waist and briefly rested her head against his chest before lifting her head to look up into his eyes. "I don't think I'd be able to stand Pedi being away from me for that long."
"It will be hard being apart, of course, but he's gotta do what he's gotta do," Clarisse nodded and turned her head to look over her shoulder at her husband standing to her side, his hand back on her back, "and I gotta do what I gotta do. But I'll certainly be counting down the days until we are reunited, that's for sure. Just like we have done whenever we have been apart in the last four plus years."
"I will be too," Joseph said, flashing her his gorgeous smile before leaning closer to her as she raised her hand up, brushing the top of her fingers under his chin. "And what a reunion it will me, especially since now we are married," he whispered in her ear and smiled cheekily as a breath hitched in her throat at the meaning of his words.
"Ahh, you're here," Vee exclaimed happily as she came up from below deck and walked over to greet them all. "Hello everyone, have you been here long?"
"No, only a few minutes," Juana smiled as she turned to her sister and gave her a hug.
Smiling, Vee pulled back from Juana and turned to Joseph and Clarisse. "I'm so glad that you came," she said and stepped closer, first giving Clarisse a hug, then her brother.
"We wouldn't have missed it for the world," Joseph smiled as they pulled apart and turned to the others. "Especially Clarisse, she has always wanted to go snorkelling."
"Oh my goodness, have you never been before?" Vee asked in surprise.
"No, my sons have, but I never have," Clarisse said with a shake of her head.
"You're going to love it, so much so that I bet you will want to go again," Vee smiled. "I have been so so many times over the years. It's actually one of my favourite things to do."
"Well I can't wait," Clarisse smiled.
"So Vee, what's the plan for the afternoon?" Juana smiled as Vee looked over at her.
"Well, we are going to take the boat out to the most beautiful spot, do a bit of snorkelling and swimming, work up a bit of an appetite," Vee smiled as she clasped her hands together in front of her. "Then we will sit down to dinner, followed by drinks, some feel good music, and chat a bit before watching the sunset and heading back."
"Sounds like it's going to be a great day," Clarisse smiled.
"Of course it will be, it's going to be the best day," Vee smiled and gestured towards the steps that she came up on earlier. "If you and Joseph would like to follow me, I'll give you a tour of the yacht and show you where you can get changed before we set sail."
"Thank you," Clarisse smiled as she looked at Joseph standing beside her before they both began to follow Vee slowly across the stern towards the steps leading below deck.
"Now, Clarisse, you are okay with Spanish dishes, aren't you?" Vee asked as she glanced back at them following her.
"Oh yes, I love them," Clarisse smiled and glanced to Joseph once again. "All thanks to your brother for getting me to try some of his own cooked dishes over the years, of course," she said, and they both smiled.
"Oh that's good, because I have prepared several Spanish dishes for us to enjoy so hopefully you would have tried at least one of them then," Vee smiled and turned to them as they came to a stop.
"If you have cooked my favourite, pollo al ajillo, then yes, she would have most certainly tried that one," Joseph smiled and put his free hand onto Clarisse's back. "Because now, thanks to me, that's her favourite too."
"Oh yes, I love that dish," Clarisse smiled at him then at Vee.
"Well, it's a good job that's one of the dishes that I made then, isn't it?" Vee smirked, and all three of them laughed as they began making their way below deck.
"Using abuela's recipe?" Joseph asked.
"Of course," Vee smirked over her shoulder at them. "It's the only recipe I use for that dish now."
"Buena buena," Joseph smirked.
"That was absolutely delicious, Vee. Thank you," Clarisse smiled later that afternoon as she lifted her napkin from her lap and put it down on her now empty plate on the table in front of her with one hand while picking up her glass of wine with her other hand.
"You're welcome," Vee smiled at her then at her brother as Clarisse took a sip of her drink. "What about you, dear brother? Did you enjoy it too? Was it up to your standards?" She laughed.
"Yes, it was rather lovely," Joseph smiled as he turned in his seat a little towards Clarisse and sat back against the backrest of the chair. "It wasn't as delicious as I make it, but still it was lovely," he teased and smirked across the table at his sister as she sat shaking her head with a laugh.
"Oh Joseph, leave your sister alone," Clarisse said while setting her glass back down on the table before turning to her husband and placing her hand down on the top of his thigh, "I, for one, thought it was rather delicious."
"Oh, it was delicious of course I quite agree, but she knows I'm only messing," Joseph smirked and rested his arm along the back of Clarisse's chair while looking at her then back across the table at his sister before lifting his beer bottle up to his mouth and taking a swig of it.
"They are like this all the time, Clarisse, all three of them are forever teasing each other over something or other," Diego smiled as everyone looked at him sitting at the head of the table. "I'm just surprised that it's taken them this long to start today."
"Ah, well, that's only because José is trying to be on his best behaviour today," Vee teased and took a sip of her drink as Clarisse turned her head to look back at her husband with a smile. A moment of contemplation between them.
"Anyway, Clarisse, did you enjoy snorkelling today?" Diego asked as everyone looked at him.
"Oh I did, very much so," Clarisse smiled and sat back in her chair. Her hand still down on her husbands thigh. "It was one of the best experiences, I'm so glad that I finally got to do it after all these years."
"I'm glad you did too. It's such a special experience to have," Vee smiled as everyone looked to her. "And I think Diego got some great pictures of it too."
"Yes, you'll have to send us copies of them," Joseph smiled and took another swig of his beer before putting his bottle back down on the table.
"We will, most definitely," Vee nodded.
"Hopefully the one of you both swimming alongside the sea turtle will come out okay," Diego said and took a sip of his drink.
"Oh yes, that would be most wonderful if it did," Clarisse smiled.
"We will have to put that on the mantlepiece if it does," Joseph smiled, "talking of pictures, did Isabella send you the ones that she took on her phone of us at the bar the other night?" He asked.
"Oh she did, yes," Vee nodded, "she got some really lovely pictures of us all that night."
"My favourite was the one of you both, Clarisse, you were sitting in José's lap, and you had the russelliana in your hair," Juana smiled. "You both looked so content, relaxed, and happy."
"And don't forget, a little tipsy too," Vee said, and everyone laughed, "no, honestly, you weren't that bad, but yes, I agree with Juana. That was a lovely photo. It would look nice framed."
"Yes it would, I agree," Juana smiled and picked up her glass of wine while looking across the table at her brother as he nodded slowly. His mind a million miles away. "I'm really looking forward to seeing the sunset this evening," she said and took a sip of her drink.
"Oh me too," Clarisse smiled, giving Joseph's thigh a little squeeze as he turned his head to look at her and smiled. "I love sunsets."
"Has my brother taken you down to the beach near you yet to see the sunset from there?" Juana asked as she set her glass back down on the table and looked back up at Clarisse and her brother.
"Yes actually he has," Clarisse nodded with a smile. "We have gone down there the past two nights."
"Oh good, you managed to tear yourself away from the bedroom long enough José to show her how beautiful the sunsets are here," Juana smirked and watched as both Clarisse and Joseph glanced to one another before everyone started laughing.
"Leave them alone, Juana. They are newlyweds and are on honeymoon. They are allowed to spend as much time as they wish in the bedroom," Vee smirked mischievously as Joseph reached his hand out in front of him for his bottle of beer on the table before smiling at Clarisse. "Anyway, I'm going to get all these plates down and sorted so that we can have dessert."
"I'll give you a hand," Diego smiled as he and Vee both got to their feet and started gathering up everyone's plates and cutlery.
"Do you need any help?" Joseph asked as he put his beer bottle back down on the table and got to his feet.
"Absolutely not," Vee smiled at her brother. "Diego and I have got this."