He smiled as Bella shook her head.
“Well, yes, that would be nice.But it’d be nice to go on a vacation like Nanna talked about.”
“Wow,” Gen murmured.“I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, you gotta admire a woman who knows what she wants.”
Minnie shook her head, but he caught the tiny smile on her face.
“You know, Bella, I could look into that.I think your mom could do with a break for a bit.And I’m sure your grandma would agree.”
“I hope you’re not asking me to come,” Minnie said, frowning.
“You could probably do with a break too, I’m sure.But that’s up to you, whether you’d like a vacay or would rather work,” he teased.
“Hmph.”
He took Gen’s hand in his and gently squeezed.“But would you like to get away for a while?Relax on the beach.Sleep, read, eat, repeat.”
“It sounds like heaven.”
“I’m pretty sure heaven will be even better.”He smiled.And maybe if they had some time away together, there would be a chance to talk about how to find assurance about life and death, and heaven.“Please?”
“With you?”she whispered.
He had to tread carefully.He didn’t want her—or anyone else here—thinking that it was time away for a dirty weekend.Nope, separate rooms, in different wings, and no room for temptation.“With me, with Bella, and your mom, if she’s interested.”
“And Nanna and Poppy?”Bella asked.
He shrugged.“That’s up to you.And your mom.Because she’s the one who really needs a break, isn’t she?”
“Yeah.”Bella turned to Gen.“Go on, Mom.Say yes.I want to have a vacation, and you need one too.You’ve been so tired.Like, forever.”
“Bella, you really shouldn’t ask for things like this.”
“But Dad was offering, Mom.I wasn’t demanding.Really, I wasn’t.”
He squeezed Gen’s hand again.“She’s right.I’m offering.I want to.And I’d love to spend more time with Bella.”Especially away from all the stress and machinations Gen faced here.
Gen studied him for a long moment.“You really have a vacation home on Bainbridge Island?”
“Yes.”Although he was pretty sure it was booked solid throughout the summer, but he’d pay double or even triple for any existing bookings to vacate to ensure they could get a week or two.
Because he wanted—needed—time with Gen and Bella.And he knew that Gen and Bella needed time out too.
CHAPTER24
Gen closed her eyes, smiling as she drifted into her second nap of the day.Was it crazy for her to be loving it here?Mom thought so, even though she had deigned to visit a couple of times in the past seven days, even staying overnight on one occasion.Mom hadn’t stopped exclaiming about the place, with its timber accents and large windows opening up to the beach, the living room with a feature stone fireplace taking up an entire wall.Gen hadn’t stopped enjoying the sense of ease and calm and quiet the manicured gardens provided, gardens that included a hot tub she’d checked out nearly every day.Or loving her king-size bed in one of the many oversized rooms decorated in Scandi vibes that made her feel relaxed in the first time in forever.
Because this, staying here at Kyle’s vacation home, felt like a dream.Like maybe she was Cinderella, here with the handsome prince.Even if the handsome prince still made no moves to prove he wanted to kiss her.Not like he had before.
Still, she sensed his interest, and could see the way he showed his care and concern, checking constantly that she had enough to eat, was getting enough sleep, was finally relaxing.And she was.These long days of nothing to do seemed to be recalibrating her soul into an ease that she had never really known.Maybe that’s what an excess of sleep did.But unlike the slug sleep of before, when she’d cocooned herself from the world in bed, trying to ignore all the demands of life, she now felt more assured.Kyle paying some of her bills had definitely helped.
But more than that, it felt like in him she had a partner with whom to face the world.Not that they were partners in any romantic sense, but still.Knowing he stood beside her, especially when it came to matters with Bella, really made a difference.And the fact he was willing to support her in going against what Gen’s own mom might say was freeing too.He was even willing to take the heat for her, for suggestions that Gen herself had made, such as agreeing that maybe one day they could look at having a dog.
“But who would care for it?”Mom had demanded.
“I would,” Bella had said.“Don’t you think it would make me more responsible?”
