Jake could barely contain his excitement as he stood on the cruise ship deck, holding his girlfriend Gaby’s hand while the other hand clutched Mochi’s leash. The salty ocean breeze whipped through their hair as the massive ship slowly pulled away from the dock. The Bahamas. Fourteen whole days. Just the two of them…and their fluffy, spoiled dog.

“I still can’t believe they let us bring Mochi,” Jake said, glancing down at the little white dog who was proudly wearing a life jacket shaped like a shark. “He literally got more attention than either of us at check-in.”

Gaby laughed and adjusted her sunglasses, her curls bouncing as she turned to Jake. “That’s because he’s iconic. He’s the moment. Look at him.”

Mochi barked as if in agreement, his tail wagging furiously as he sniffed around the deck.

They made their way to their cabin—a luxury suite with a balcony overlooking the endless blue sea. Gaby immediately tossed her bag on the bed and opened the balcony door to let the warm air in.

Jake dropped his backpack and flopped onto the bed. “This is gonna be the best two weeks ever. No homework. No classes. Just good food, ocean views, and my two favorite people.”

Gaby raised a brow. “People?”

Jake sat up and pointed at Mochi, who was already curled up on the fluffy white rug like he owned the place. “He has more personality than most people, don’t lie.”

That night, they strolled the upper deck under a sky full of stars. Gaby had her arm looped through Jake’s, while Mochi trotted in front of them in his little LED collar. They tried every dessert on the buffet. They took selfies with the ocean as their backdrop. They even signed up for a couples’ trivia night, which they totally dominated (thanks to Gaby’s random knowledge of sea creatures and Jake’s obsession with movies).

Halfway through the trip, Jake leaned on the railing beside Gaby and looked out at the moonlit sea. “You know,” he said quietly, “I’d be happy doing nothing for the rest of my life if it was just with you and Mochi on a boat like this.”

Gaby smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Good, because I’m not letting either of you go.”