“Very nice,” Lucas agreed.
Susie looked at them, her brow furrowing. “I wanted to apologize again about the kayaking. Don’t worry. Tomorrow’s activities will be fun and won’t involve any unscheduled swims.”
Lucas’s heart sank at the idea of more activities. All he wanted to do was sit on the loveseat and read news about Omegron, even though every article and social media post made his stomach ache and his head spin. The last thing he wanted to do was a bunch of “fun” vacation activities with Kendra.
“Maybe we could cool it on the activities a little?” he suggested to Susie. Her face fell, and then she shook her head.
“No, no. Don’t worry! I’ll find activities you both like.” And she hurried off again. Lucas glanced at Kendra.
“She really likes to disappear at the wrong moment, doesn’t she?”
Kendra gave a small smile. “She does. I think she really wants us to have a good time, and she’s going to make it happen, even if it means ignoring everything we say.”
Lucas chuckled. “I wonder what’s in store for us tomorrow.”
“Something terrible.” They smiled at each other for a moment. Then Kendra looked away, and Lucas remembered that theyweren’t becoming friends or anything like that. He turned his head, too.
The waiter came back to take away their empty plates. “Was everything to your liking?”
They both nodded and thanked him.
“Can I get you dessert?”
“No, that’s all right,” Lucas said. “We’re both feeling tired.” Kendra looked a little disappointed, but she didn’t contradict him. All he wanted was to get out of the restaurant, where it felt like everyone was looking at them. It was probably nothing, but Lucas couldn’t help wondering if they knew about Omegron or if they doubted his “relationship” with Kendra.
“Have a nice evening,” the waiter said. He headed off with their plates and, by unspoken agreement, Lucas and Kendra quickly got up and left the restaurant. Only when they got upstairs did Lucas realize his mistake. He’d escaped from the prying eyes of the other guests, but now he and Kendra were faced with the prospect of an evening alone together — and only one bed.
“I’ll be on the balcony,” he said quickly, grabbing his phone. If Kendra replied, he didn’t hear it, because he was already outside with the door closed. The last thing he wanted was to sit with her for some kind of heart-to-heart — or, more likely, more fighting.
Lucas spent the next three hours reading and rereading articles about Omegron, then typing and deleting messages to various members of his staff asking for more information. He knew he needed to keep his distance, but it was torturous.
His only distraction from the news was the thought of Kendra in the room somewhere, getting ready for bed. He stayed out as lateas he could, hoping she’d have gone to sleep by the time he went back in. Finally, he slipped inside and went to brush his teeth and put on a pair of boxers and a T-shirt as pajamas.
Kendra was already in bed on her side of the pillow wall, but she wasn’t asleep. She was reading something on an e-reader, her hair fanned on the pillow, her eyelids fluttering. When Lucas climbed into bed, though, she sat up a little, looking more awake.
Lucas had no idea how to handle this. Should he make conversation with her? Ignore her? Just grab a pillow and try to sleep on the floor? No options sounded right.
“Good night,” Kendra said, putting down her e-reader.
“Good night,” Lucas replied quickly. They both reached to turn off their bedside lamps and settled into the darkness. Though they were separated by the wall of pillows, Lucas was deeply aware that Kendra was beside him. He could hear her soft breathing and feel when she turned over or adjusted the blankets.
Lucas had shared beds with women before — his usual mode of dating was one-night stands with women who didn’t expect anything from him but one night of fun — but not like this. He lay awake for a long time, staring at the dark ceiling overhead. Eventually, Kendra’s breathing slowed into the deep ocean rhythm of sleep. A while after that, Lucas’s eyes drifted shut, and he, too, fell asleep.
CHAPTER 10
KENDRA
“You’re both going to love this!” Susie beamed at them. Somehow, even at eight in the morning, she was full of energy. She’d come to Kendra and Lucas’s breakfast table to tell them about the day’s plans, and she was practically bouncing on her toes. “El Arco is one of the best landmarks in Cabo. And I have a private boat for you!”
This time, Kendra didn’t even try to argue. She nodded and speared a piece of cantaloupe with her fork. Susie was going to drag them out on another boat whether they wanted to go or not. Kendra could only hope that this boat wouldn’t be as likely to capsize.
“Have you been to El Arco before?” Lucas asked as Susie sashayed off, looking pleased with herself.
“Nope.” Kendra speared another piece of cantaloupe. “This is my first time in Cabo. How about you?”
“I haven’t done much of the touristy stuff, but I have been to Cabo a few times. I own a vacation house down here.”
Kendra’s eyes widened and she looked up at Lucas. “You do?”
