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“How could he be honest about that? You’ve been with his brother for ten years.”
I exhale sharply, irritated. “You’re making this into something it isn’t. I was so happy and I wanted to share it with you.”
A pause, and then, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I think Ben’s a great guy and I’m so happy you’re happy. You deserve that.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t let them being brothers complicate things, okay? You’re smart. If your intuition tells you to be with Ben, be with him. Don’t let anyone ruin it for you.”
I gaze at the little tiki hut bar down the beach, where I’ve had many a pina colada on this trip. I could go for one right now, in fact.
“My intuition told me it was a good idea to be with Owen,” I remind her.
“Fuck him. So you trusted him and he didn’t deserve it. Don’t let it make you bitter.”
I get up from the bench I’m sitting on. “So how are you? Anything new to report?”
“I brought chicken and dumplings over for your mom and Andrew and Val yesterday and your mom looked good.”
“You did?”
“Of course. I told you I’ve got you. I’m going over there tomorrow for a couple of hours so Andrew and Val can get lunch and run some errands.”
Just thinking of Claire sitting with my mom makes me homesick. Our time in Maui is almost over, and as amazing as it’s been, I can’t wait to get home.
“I love you,” I tell my best friend.
“Love you back. Now go enjoy Ben. If I can’t have him, I’m really glad you can. Don’t you dare feel an ounce of anything but good.”
“I couldn’t if I tried. I haven’t stopped smiling since yesterday morning.”
She sighs dreamily. “When you saw that sexy bikini he bought you, did estrogen just come leaking out of every pore?”
“Pretty much.” I laugh. “I’ve never been...an initiator of sex. Ever. But I have been here, because...I don’t even know why. He just brings it out of me.”
“He brings it out by putting it in,” Claire cracks. “I’ll be here all week, folks.”
Laughing lightly, I say, “Get back to your stir fry. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
We say our goodbyes and I see that Ben texted me from the hotel’s Italian restaurant. Since we blew off our ambassadors’ event today—an afternoon cruise on a yachtand spent the day in our room in bed, we haven’t eaten much. I can’t wait to fill up on bread and pasta.
When I get there, he’s waiting at a table, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts. My heart warms as soon as I lay eyes on him. I kiss his cheek and sit down across from him.
“I asked the server to bring us a pitcher of water,” he says. “I think I’m dehydrated.”
We’ve had room service delivering water bottles, but after our sexathon, I feel the same way.
“Sounds like a good idea,” I say. “I caught up with Claire. She saw my mom yesterday and said she looked good.”
“That’s great.”
The server arrives with bread, a pina colada for me, a bottled Corona for Ben and a pitcher of water. We dive into the bread without commentary for a couple of minutes and I only stop when my phone dings with a new text.
Mom: Owen’s phone doesn’t seem to be working. Tell him thank you for me. The flowers are stunning and the card means the world to me. I love you both.
A photo pops up after the text, showing my mom smiling in her recliner, a blanket tucked around her and a massive, brightly-colored tropical floral arrangement on the end table next to her chair.
I look up from the phone to Ben. “Did you send my mom flowers?”
“I did. Did she say how they look? I had to have them flown in from Chicago because it’s a bitch to find tropical flowers in Madison.”
I swallow against the lump in my throat and bring the picture up on my phone to show him. He nods with appreciation.
“They did a good job. I’m glad she liked them.”
“What did the card say?”
He looks down at his plate for a second, suddenly shy. “She mentioned the card?”
“She said it meant the world to her.” I don’t know if it’s just his kindness or if maybe a little bit of missing my mom is a factor, but when I blink a few tears spill over. “What did it say?”
He meets my eyes across the table. “I thanked her for raising such an amazing daughter who completes me in a way no one else ever could.”
Claire’s theory from our phone call comes floating back through my mind as I wipe away my tears. Was Ben just playing his Owen role to perfection, or was there some truth to what he said?
