Page 18 of Special Delivery

“I don’t think it works that way, Dad,” I say, but he’s already continuing to speak.

“Last night, Kim and I were talking. We really don’t like how things ended yesterday, but we can’t blame you for not knowing what to think about her if you know nothing about her. So, we came to an idea.”

I grip the wheel tighter, knowing him and his extravagant ideas. After the last divorce, he had an idea to go live with the monks in Southeast Asia for three months. He came back after a week, and he spent most of that time on layover flights. Still, another one of his extravagant ideas was to buy both Jordan and me a house in Fig Bay so this could really go either way.

“We’ll go on a vacation for the holidays.”

A relieved breath escapes me, realizing it’s a reasonable idea. One that doesn’t affect me in the least. “That’s great, Dad. I hope you enjoy yourselves.”

“We? I don’t mean Kim and me. I mean all of us. Jordan, Emma, you, Kim, Ryan, and I. As a family.”

Here it is. Roger Simms’ extravagant idea. After all, a vacation with only him and his fiancée is far too normal for him to suggest.

“I booked us suites at a resort in the Bahamas. We’re leaving next Monday,” he continues.

I let out a quiet scoff. “What do you mean, Dad? We have jobs, lives. We can’t just go to the Bahamas simply because you booked the suites.” Explaining grown-up things to fully-grown adults is fucking exhausting.

“Paige, sweetie. You work from home. I made sure the resort has good internet connection. You bring your laptop, and you can work from there. Besides, a change of scenery might do you good.”

“What about my plants? I can’t just leave them.”

“I’m sure your neighbor wouldn’t mind taking care of them for a few days.”

One hand travels to the bridge of my nose, the other planted firmly on the wheel. “Sure, that’s me, but what about the others?”

“Well,” he says as he releases a deep laugh, “Kim just retired. Jordan and Emma work for me, and I say they deserve some vacation days. They can also bring their laptops to do work while we’re there if they’re so inclined. I’m not sure what’s the holdup. You love to travel.”

I did love to travel. Once upon a time, it was my favorite thing to do—my goal in life. All I wanted was to travel and write about the places I visited. But I grew out of it. My arguments steadily depleting, I wrack my brain to find a crack in his plan.

“I don’t think Ryan can just take a week off.” That makes him pause for a second, and I release the bridge of my nose, the corners of my lips hooking.

“I’m sure he’ll do his best. Besides, it’s Labor Day weekend, so it will only be three or four days off.”

I don’t think Ryan will be jumping for joy at the idea, but it’s best he finds that out on his own. “I guess I could use a vacation.”

It’s a chicken move. I’m sure Ryan will say no, meaning I’ll get to be the good guy who wanted to go along with his idea, and Ryan will be the party-pooper. A fool-proof plan, right?

CHAPTER NINE

Ryan

“He suggested what?” Parker exclaims, drying his hair with a towel, dressed only in his boxers.

A clean pair of workout shorts hangs off my hips as I dig through my locker for a shirt. We just finished another grueling padel session, but at least we’ve won this time.

“He’s taking us all on vacation. A fancy resort in the Bahamas. As a family.” I slip the t-shirt over my head, my nose scrunching at the word.

Other than the fact that six grown-ass adults can hardly become anything resembling a family within a week, the word disgusts me when used to describe Paige. I’m attracted to her, for fuck’s sake. She’s not my family.

“I don’t get it,” Wes says. “Why would you go?” He puts his glasses back onto his face before zipping his backpack.

I let out a long sigh, dropping onto the bench to slip on my shoes. “I wasn’t going to at first. It’s an insane idea. I don’t trust Roger’s daughters to be nice to Mom, though. I can’t leave her alone with no one to fend for her.”

Wes nods seriously, like he knows exactly what I mean. My initial reaction when Mom suggested it was less than thrilled. Matter of fact, I’m pretty sure my first question was if Roger was having a stroke. She shot me a glare, and I lifted both of my arms in the air. She then explained how the opinion of his daughters is very important to Roger, and to her. The last thing she’d want was to get in between them, and she thinks that if they get to know her, their opinions would change.

I’d love to be as optimistic as her. After all, who wouldn’t love my mother? Then I remembered the snide comment Paige had made about her being a gold-digger, and the hair on the back of my neck rose.

“I’ll go,” was out of my mouth before I could stop it. She beamed with joy, making me feel better about my inevitably stupid decision.