The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 96

The black SUV pulled out of the airport terminal.

Diego sat behind the wheel, chattering non-stop as he drove. "This is the absolute closest port to Antarctica. Pretty much every tourist heading down there has to catch a boat from here. Oh, by the way, the hotel we booked is the best in town, but don't expect the Ritz... It's clean, has hot water, and the beds are comfy, so just bear with it. You guys can fight off the jet lag first, and we'll board the ship early the day after tomorrow."

He glanced at Sloane through the rearview mirror. "By the way, do you get seasick? We're crossing the Drake Passage, aka the Devil's Strait. When the waves get rough, people literally puke their guts out. I've got meds if you need them. Just let me know."

Sloane smiled faintly. "I should be fine. Coming from an athletic background, my balance is pretty good."

"Good to hear!" Diego spun the steering wheel. "But I'll still keep some meds on standby. Better safe than sorry! My biggest virtue is how attentive I am. My second biggest is my good looks, and my third is my cooking—I'll whip something up for you guys on the ship and make it taste like a five-star meal!"

Josh finally spoke up, his tone dry. "Just focus on the road."

"You got it, boss!"

Diego hit the gas, and the car merged onto the coastal highway.

Outside the window, the water stretched out in a slate-blue expanse. A few seabirds circled low over the surface, and the distant silhouettes of snow-capped mountains peeked through the clouds. It looked like a painting.

"That's Tierra del Fuego," Diego pointed out. "Further south is Cape Horn. Past the cape is the Drake Passage, and then—Antarctica. Your final destination."

For exactly one second, his tone actually sounded serious.

But immediately after, his usual hyperactive self returned.

"But we're chilling in town for two days first! I know this place like the back of my hand. Grew up here. My dad is from the States, and my mom is a local. They actually met on a ship—my dad came down for a research expedition, and my mom was working as a stewardess. One thing led to another, and boom. Believe it or not, my mom said the waves were absolutely brutal that day. Everyone on board was violently ill, but my dad was just standing on the deck watching the ocean, looking as cool as a movie star. Turns out, he wasn't immune to seasickness. He was just so dizzy he forgot to throw up."

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