Page 5

The shuttle stopped, and there was a flurry of movement as everyone scrambled to get off. Heather fussed with her purse and phone, and I had a feeling that she was trying to stall until I was off the shuttle. But I wasn’t going to let her avoid me that easily.

Right or wrong, I felt a spark with this woman. She was too young and probably too sweet for an asshole like me, but I’d never felt a pull like this before, and I wasn’t noble enough to talk myself out of acting on this attraction.

I stood, but instead of walking down the aisle, I stepped back and gestured for Heather to go ahead of me. There wasn’t much room, so there was no way for her to get past without brushing against my body. I was about a foot taller, and the curve of her breast sliding along my stomach sent a shudder through me.

Then, she was walking down the aisle, and I found myself scrambling to catch up. Stepping out of the shuttle and into the bright sunshine, I quickly spotted her grabbing her pink suitcase from the storage area at the back of the bus.

“Heather, wait,” I said, moving to stand in front of her. “I was thinking… maybe we could get a drink together sometime this week.”

She hesitated, and I understood why. She thought I was a married man suggesting that we fool around behind my wife’s back.

“I need to explain something about Audrey…” I started, but at that moment, my ex-wife’s voice rang out loudly.

“There’s my husband now! Grey, come meet Debra and Charles!”

Clenching my jaw, I glanced over to the curb where Audrey was standing in front of the resort. I didn’t see Christine with her, but she was standing with a couple that I didn’t recognize. They were probably people she met here at the resort over the last couple of days. Audrey was always good at charming strangers.

A little too good, in my opinion. Especially men.

I looked back at Heather to find that she was backing away while looking at me in disgust. “While I appreciate your help avoiding that creep on the shuttle, I’m not the type to fuck a married man. So, thanks but no thanks.”

Heather spun on her heel and stormed away, weaving through the crowd with an impressive speed for someone who was dragging a wheeled suitcase behind her.

There were a ton of people crowded around the shuttles, but I took a step after her, intending to catch up and correct her about my relationship with Audrey. Before I could get far, someone else stepped into my path with a bright smile on her face.

“Dad! You’re finally here.”

Christine threw her arms around me, and I froze for a moment, my mind completely shifting gears. Yes, I wanted to pursue Heather, but my daughter was the reason I was here. The only reason I agreed to go on a vacation with my ex was because it allowed me to spend time with my daughter.

And she was excited to see me. At sixteen years old, she didn’t often greet me this way, and I couldn’t walk away from her to chase after a woman I just met. So, I returned Christine’s hug as I glanced over her shoulder in the direction that Heather had taken off. I glimpsed a flash of her pink-streaked hair and then, she was gone.

Chapter Three: Heather

“Isn’t this place amazing!” My sister, Angela, spread her arms wide as she walked out into the sunshine. She was always larger than life with her gestures and loud proclamations. I’d gotten used to it long ago. I was the calmer twin, and that was one of the biggest differences between us, even though we looked identical.

Her voice carried, drawing attention from several people who were swimming in the pool or floating on the lazy river that wound around the perimeter of what the resort called the Oasis, the outdoor water area—as opposed to the two separate indoor pools. Nearby, there was a tiki bar, surrounded by small metal tables, and lounge chairs were scattered all over the place.

I could see the ocean from here, and the beach was probably less than fifty feet away, so I didn’t really see the point in hanging out at the pool, but this was where Angela was heading when I found her after check-in, and I decided to follow her.

“I love it here already,” Angela continued, leading me to a cabana with white curtains on three sides. Inside, the bride was sitting with a fruity drink in her hand.

Leanne was one of Angela’s best friends in high school, along with Jess, the maid of honor. The three of them were always close and on the cheerleading team together.

I wasn’t a part of that group, but Leanne and Jess were nice to me anyway. I might have been considered a nerd back then, but I was still Angela’s sister, and despite our differences, we’d always had a great relationship. As Angela’s best friends, they respected that.

Still, I didn’t expect Leanne to invite me to spend the week on the island to celebrate her wedding. Most of the guests wouldn’t arrive until Friday or Saturday for the ceremony. Only the wedding party and family members were here for the week-long celebration.

And me, since Leanne insisted that I should come.

Maybe it was because Angela talked her into it, knowing that I’d been under a lot of stress lately and could use a tropical island vacation. Or maybe Leanne was just that thoughtful. I didn’t know, but as I pulled in a deep breath of briny air and settled onto a cushioned lounge chair, I felt appreciation for her. Being here was just what I needed.

“Heather, welcome to paradise,” Leanne said with a bright smile. She looked just as happy as I would expect from a woman about to marry the love of her life. “I’m sorry you missed the wine tasting earlier. We just got back.”

“Heather’s never been a big fan of wine,” Angela said with a careless wave of her hand.

“That’s true,” I agreed. “I prefer mixed drinks. Maybe Fireball shots if I feel like being a little wild.”

Leanne laughed. “Well, you’ll have plenty of opportunity for that this week.”