She pauses, hand hovering midair with a crumb stuck to her fingertip. “What—like a vacation?”
She says the wordvacationlike it’s a foreign word she’s only heard spoken in movies.
“Exactly.” I sit up straighter, excited about this topic. “A real one. No clipboards, no color-coded calendars.”
She drops her hand, brushing crumbs into a napkin with a frown. “Where would I even go?”
“Anywhere,” I suggest. “Somewhere warm, with a beach. Cocktails. Sunburns. Cabana boys who can carry your luggage and emotional baggage.”
She gives me a wry look. “I have a lot of that.”
Don’t we both? “Exactly. You needtwocabana boys.”
She snorts, but I can see the wheels turning. Annabelle has always been the planner, the one who keeps everyone else’s life in order while hers stays on the back burner. Tim was another project she thought she could fix. And now?
She’s running on empty.
I can see it in her eyes.
Annabelle huffs out a laugh. “I wouldn’t know how to relax.”
“That’s exactly why you need to go.” I lean forward, resting my chin on my hand. “Seriously. When was the last time you did something for yourself? Not for the town. Not for your brides. Something for you.”
Annabelle’s mouth opens, but nothing comes out. Her shoulders sag. “I don’t remember.”
“Babes, I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just want you to consider being selfish for a second.” I pause. “Maybe I’ll book a trip for both of us.”
Her eyes widen. “Seriously?”
“Dead serious. You, me, cocktails with little umbrellas. We can sit on a beach, complain about men. Eat, drink, have a fling.”
Annabelle’s smile softens. “Amazing.”
I grin. “We’ll wear floppy hats that sayVacation Mode. I’ll read a romance novel and pretend to be shocked by the smut. It’ll be great.”
We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, the noise of the café buzzing softly around us. I watch her relax and know the cogs in her mind have begun spinning.
Perfect. She needs a break.
I can help her plan one.
“So what do you have going on today?” She changes the subject on me. “Doesn’t Harris leave tomorrow?”
I nod. “He does.” Swallow. “He’s got a team meeting tomorrow about defense strategy or something?” I have no idea what anything is called. A football fan I am not ...
“And that’s it? The two of you are done? Lucy—you can’t tell me that whatever is going on between you and Harris is ... I don’t know, a onetime thing. You’ve been glowing since you met him. And I meanactualglowing. It’s so irritating.”
My heart does this weird little flip. “It was fun,” I admit. “He’s hot, great in bed. Funny—”
Annabelle makes a gagging noise.
I ignore it. “Andhe’s leaving tomorrow. He wasalwaysgoing to leave.”
She watches me for a long moment. Taps her fingernails on her coffee mug. “So that’s it? No deep feelings, no regrets? Just a fun adventure?”
Iwantto nod.
Instead, I pick up my coffee and take a slow sip, stalling for an answer.
