Pippa leaned in close to me.“I bet ten bucks that wasn’t an accident.”
I didn’t take the bet.
I was pretty sure she was right.
ChapterFour
Pippa, Jordy, Ezra, and I returned to our suites after dinner.
“I think we’re going to go out dancing tonight,” Pippa said as Jordy unlocked their door.“You and Ezra should join us.”
“No, you and Jordy go and enjoy yourselves,” I told her.“I think Ezra and I are just going to go watch the sunset from the back deck, then maybe take a walk later on tonight.Just decompress a little bit after the full day of travel.”
“That sounds nice too,” Pippa told me, “but a whole week without JayJay and J.P.?Jordy and I are going to enjoy every second of it.Besides, my man’s got some nice hip action on the dance floor.”She grinned and pinched his butt.
Jordy gave her a look that was full of heat.“Not just on the dance floor,” he said.
“TMI,” I told them with a laugh.“Well, you two do you.If we get a wild hair, we’ll join you at the club later tonight.”
After Pippa and Jordy entered their room, I knocked on Gilly’s door.I was surprised when she answered.
“Hey,” I said.“I just wanted to check on you, see how you were doing.”
“I’m feeling a lot better,” she said.“Scott ordered me some chicken noodle soup, and I was able to keep it down.So, yay — progress.”
“Oh, good.That’s really good news.Ezra and I are getting ready to clean up and go watch the sunset out on the back deck.Maybe take a walk later on if you guys want to join us.”
“I’m not sure I’m up for a walk on this big moving ship tonight,” she admitted.“But we’ll happily watch the sunset with you guys.”
I gave Gilly a quick hug.“See you on the balcony.”
We were lucky that our rooms were facing west on our way to Cozumel.It meant we had a front-row seat to the gorgeous sunset.
I flossed, brushed my teeth, and changed into less formal, stretchy, wide-leg pants and a cotton scoop-neck shirt.Ezra put on a pair of cargo shorts and a pale-yellow t-shirt.His legs were nicely muscled, but they hadn’t seen the sun since August.They were so, so white.
“Nice mayonnaise legs,” I teased.
“You like them?”He turned his ankle out like a model showing off a new shoe.“I hear they’re all the rage with the Gen Zs.”
“I’m sure Mason, Ari, and Marco would have something to say about it.”I snickered.
Mason, Ari, and Marco were all in college now, living their best lives.Mason, Ezra’s son, was still doing fantastic at the University of Missouri.He finished his bachelor’s in biomedical science and had already started the master’s program for Biomedical Research.He’d applied for a Teacher Assistant job in the department and got it, which meant his tuition was paid, and he received a stipend every semester for teaching two biology classes to first-year students.
Gilly’s twins were doing terrific as well.Marco, who’d been playing baseball at a local community college, had gotten scouted by Central University.He was offered a full-ride scholarship to play for two more years there.He talked it over with Gilly, and within a few days, he was signing the paperwork.Ari was killing it at Sanderson Institute of Technology, and she was already being courted by several big tech companies, along with NASA.
Watching Ezra’s son and my godchildren turn into amazing adults was so much fun.
“Let’s not ask them and say we did,” Ezra said.“I’m not sure my ego can take their shade.”
“Probably for the best.”I rose up on my toes and kissed him.“Let’s go see if the show is worth the price of admission.”
It definitely was.
We sat in the chairs on the balcony, holding hands, feet propped up on the rail.The water below shimmered, reflecting the tangerine and vermillion streaks that painted the sky.The ocean looked like it had been dipped in molten gold, rippling with every gentle wave.
When it was over, I felt like I’d taken a Valium.
“That was so beautiful.”The tension in my neck and back had magically disappeared.The ocean was a prescription I hadn’t known I needed.“I haven’t been this relaxed in years.”
