The besties talked while Aspen ate her breakfast. She cleared the plate and wanted to go back to sleep, but Lance came back with a gift bag and instructed her to get ready for the day. To Aspen’s surprise and happiness, Lance had gotten her a new dress with the shoes and jewelry to match. The colorful dress was giving island vibes. After handling her morning hygiene, showering, and moisturizing her body, Aspen melted into the dress. The expensive fabric felt amazing against her skin, and it was beyond comfortable.
Ten minutes after she was finished getting herself together, Lance’s team came in to do her hair and makeup. Aspen triedprying information out of them, but they held the secret in. The last time Lance went out his way like this for her was their first anniversary. They’d been together for three years, and she hadn’t received such special treatment since, only for his appearances.
“Oh, wow. Y’all hooked me up,” Aspen admitted, staring in the mirror. Her makeup was minimal, but it brought out her syrupy eyes and pregnancy glow. The ringlets in her hair were big, hanging down her back, with the front pinned out of her face to show off the yellow gold diamonds in her ears and on her neck.
“Damn, Aspen. You look pretty as hell,” Lance complimented, walking up behind her and lacing his arms around her waist. His hands went to her belly, and one of the twins kicked.
“Are you saying hello to your daddy?” Aspen giggled. She turned around and draped her arms on Lance’s shoulder. “I would kiss you, but I don’t want to mess up my lip gloss.”
“And I don’t want it on my lips.”
“Are you going to tell me what all this is for?”
“That would ruin the surprise, baby. You ready to ride out?”
Aspen nodded, and Lance led her downstairs to the front where his driver was waiting for them. The drive to their destination, Lance’s undivided attention was on Aspen, and she felt as if she was dreaming. One-on-one time had been lacking in their relationship. She’d been feeling so lonely, so the smile she wore felt like a permanent attachment on her face. They gave one another updates on their lives, and Aspen couldn’t believe how much they’d missed out on.
A private jet caught Aspen’s eye as the vehicle slowed down. Her brows lowered. Looking back and forth between Lance and the jet, Aspen tried coming up with her own conclusion as to what was going on.
“Uh, are we about to go to one of your shows or something?” Aspen asked.
Lance turned his body toward Aspen’s, cupped her face, and gently kissed her lips. “Nah. This is all about us, baby. I know I haven’t been as present as I should have been, and I gotta apologize for that. I’ve just been so focused on my goals that I didn’t realize how it was affecting you, so I figured we could get away for a little without the distractions of the world.”
“Are you serious?”
“Doesn’t it look like it?” Lance chuckled and palmed her stomach. “We need this before they get here.”
Aspen giggled. “You’re right. I know it’s going to get hectic once they come, but I’m excited. Are you?”
It didn’t sit well with Aspen how Lance tried distracting her with another kiss. He failed to answer her question and got out with his hands out. She shrugged it off but made sure to keep it in the forefront of her mental.
The jet was filled with everything they would need for the flight. It didn’t take long for sleep to find Aspen after they were safely in the sky. By the time she woke up, they were landing. A sharp gasp parted her lips at the sight of beautiful, clear waters and sand off in the distance. She glanced over her shoulder at Lance, who was deep in his phone with a scowl etched on his handsome face. His fingers were moving at lightning speed. Whoever he was texting had his attention, so Aspen soundlessly enjoyed the view and waited for whatever their trip would bring.
“Oh, Lance. This place is so beautiful.” Aspen gushed as they walked hand in hand to their villa.
The vibe on the island instantly changed Aspen’s mood. They stepped off the private jet and were greeted by their driver, who handed them glasses of champagne and sparkling grape juice. A tour of the island was given as they headed to their destination, and Aspen couldn’t get over how stunning the place was.
Huge palm trees.
White sand.
Clear, blue waters.
Beautiful green forests.
They were far away from home, and Aspen planned on enjoying every second of it.
“Isn’t it?” Lance agreed, kissing the back of her hand. “This is exactly what I needed.”
“Youneeded?”
“Don’t get me wrong, baby. I know it’s what we needed, but personally, I need it too. I’ve been overworking and stressed. This is going to be the perfect remedy for us and me.” He nudged Aspen with his elbow. “You can’t tell me you haven’t been stressed with working and nursing school too.”
Aspen sighed and nodded. “I have.”
“Exactly. So, selfishly, this can be good for you too.”
In a way, Aspen could see Lance’s point, but it still bothered her a bit. It made her feel he did everything on a whim for himself more than them. Either way, she would find ways to heal herself and become stress free, even if it wasn’t for them.
