I nodded. “Yep. Love it. Nothing else works for me.”
“Same,” he said. “You’d think they’d have it here. It has to be one of the most popular brands in the world.”
“If notthemostpopular.”
Nora stared at me, dumbfounded, then turned back to the man. “If you like, I can arrange for a shuttle to take you into town to buy some.”
“Sure,” the man said, looking over at me. “You wanna come with? Load up on some Banana Boat?”
“Thanks, but I have some back in my room.” I glanced at my watch. “And I’ve got a thing right now. Good luck though. I hope you find it.”
With that, I hurried off, feeling like a complete idiot.Nice going, Theo. Very smooth.
So, now I’m sitting on my balcony watching happy couples stroll along holding hands in the gentle evening breeze. I’m restless and bored and keenly aware of how alone I am this evening, which I suppose is what happens when one is most likely in love but hasn’t been able to tell the person he’s in love with. The thought of an entire evening on my own feels like more than I can handle.
Markos is out with the crew, Nora has probably gone home, and I havenodesire to find out what Carolina is up to, on account of not wanting to confuse her. It’s getting harder and harder to pretend I don’t know where she sees things going between us. We’re at this awkward moment where I know but she doesn’t know that I know for sure, so I can continue acting as though I have no idea. Hopefully this lasts until we return home, so we won’t be only one floor away from each other after I let her down.
The best-case scenario would be that something happens between Nora and mebeforeCarolina makes her move. That way Carolina can save face, and she and I can go on as we always have, as old family friends.
Okay, that’s it. I need to think of some sort of witty text to send Nora. Something irresistible and enticing. Hmm… nothing is coming to mind. I’m totally blank. I typeAny chance you feel like playing cards? I need to win back my reputation.
Terrible. Delete.
What happened to me? I swear I used to have game.
There’s a knock at the door, and my first thought is Nora before I realize it’s probably Markos, who seems to have decided he doesn’t need to bring a key anymore because his boring big brother stays in his room all the time.
But it could be Nora.
I get up and hurry across the room, checking my breath (pretty good) and putting on a big smile. But when I yank the door open, Carolina is standing in front of me in a bathrobe, holding two champagne flutes and a bottle.
So, not Nora at all. If disappointment could be measured the way earthquakes are, it would register 9.9 on the Richter scale.
She glides past me. “I thought I’d find you here.”
Holding the door open, I say, “You were right.”
She turns and gives me what I’m sure she thinks is a seductive smile. “I usually am.”
“Carolina, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be in my room at this hour. We’re trying to set a good example, and you showing up with a bottle of champagne doesn’t exactly suggest we’re walking the talk.”
She sets the glasses on the nightstand next to my bed. “Nobody is here. They’re all out at the pool with Markos. He organized some sort of volleyball tournament. Or water polo. Something.” Popping the cork, she laughs as the liquid erupts like a volcano onto the tile floor.
Sighing, I go to the en suite to get a towel so I can mop up the mess. In the process, the door slams shut, leaving us in the exact situation I don’t want to be in and she does. When I return, her robe is on the bed, and she’s stripped down to her bra and panties. The flutes have been filled and are waiting for us, and she has her hands on her hips and a smile on her face. “Leave it. The maid can get it tomorrow.”
Averting my eyes, I continue with my mission, tossing the towel on the floor and pushing it around with my foot to soak up the liquid.
“You’re not going to leave me standing here like this, are you, Theo?”
Plucking the towel off the floor, I say, “No, I’m not. I’m going to ask you to please put your robe back on and go back to your room.”
Carolina blinks. “I don’t understand. Why would you want me to do that? No one has to know.”
I let out a sigh, then rub the spot between my eyebrows. “Look, Carolina, you’re a beautiful woman and a wonderful friend, but—”
“Yes, I am, which is why there shouldn’t be a but. Only a yes, let’s do this.” She steps towards me and puts her hands on my chest. “Think of it, Theo. You and I are the perfect power couple. You want this. I want this. It’s going to happen, whether it happens tonight or in the future, so why not tonight?”
I take her hands off me and hold them, stepping back to make space between us. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t going to happen. Not tonight, not ever. I don’t think of you that way.”
