1
Tomi Tomlin flooredher little red Acura two-door, testing the boundaries of its 4-cylinder engine as she sped back toward the mansion of her employer, multi-millionaire international businessman LuisDespasco.
“Oh my God, Tomi, how could you have forgotten your passport?” her friend Carrie said over the Bluetooth connection. She couldn’t blame Carrie for sounding annoyed. She was supposed to be sitting at the airport gate with her, preparing to board theirflight.
“I specifically put my passport on the entry table, so I wouldn’t forget,” shereplied.
“But youdid.”
“Rafael came to give me Cowie to keep me safe on my trip.” When Luis’s three-year-old son, a mini mimic of his father, had shown up in the living room clutching his favorite stuffed animal with tears in his baby brown eyes, she’d almost canceled her trip on thespot.
“And you forgot everything but that little boy,” Carrie said with a long sigh. “Which is why I haven’t gotten to see my best friend in almost a month. What happened to our Club Hoppin’ Wednesdays? And Tippin’ Thursdays? And Freaking Fun Fridays? I missyou.”
Tomi winced, but couldn’t argue. Rafael had her wrapped around his tiny tan finger. They’d both lost their mothers in childbirth, and there was no denying she saw herself in him. “I know. I miss you too. I promise, we will party every day and night in Mexico. I couldn’t help it though. He was so worried I’d go on vacation and not comeback.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but you’re not the kid’s mother. You’re his nanny. Once he hits the age for boarding school, you probably won’t see himagain.”
A giant fist grabbed her chest and squeezed. “I know that,” she said, a little harsher than she’dintended.
The speaker at the airport sounded through Carrie’s phone, “Attention guests. We are now boarding first class for flight 277 from Dallas toCozumel.”
Well, shit. She’d been running anyway, and now she was sure to miss theplane.
“And Luis is waaaayyyy too old foryou.”
“Now you’re just being gross. I have no interest in him like that. He’s my boss, that’s it.” Sure, he could be Antonio Banderas’s twin, but he didn’t make her heart do the bootyshake.
Not like ColeFury.
She ignored the traitorous thought. She’d run from Cole a decade ago. In all likelihood, he barely rememberedher.
Carrie continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “Not that I wouldn’t be all for you dating the guy, I mean, he’s freaking loaded and hot. But it would mean you’d finally moved onpast—”
“Don’t say his name,” Tomi bitout.
“Fine. I won’t say his name, but only if you promise me you’ll hook up with a hot Latino when we’re on vacation.” Suddenly, Tomi wished she’d never confided in her best friend aboutCole.
“Carrie!”
“Now boarding Group A for Cozumel.” There was literally no way she was going to make it, but she pressed on the gas pedal anyway. At least she’d reached the two-mile long private drive. Why the hell was the gate open? Luis never left the gateopen.
“What? You haven’t dated anyone since him and I’m sick of watching my best friend pine away over a man who doesn’t even remember sheexisted.”
Tomi sucked in a breath at the sharp jab. “You think I’m that pathetic? I get laid whenever and wherever I want. You know this.” Did she think Tomi was like some old spinster longing for a lostlove?
It wasn’t like she hadn’t tried to move on; she’d gone out. She’d gotten horizontal plenty of times, and some of the guys had even been suitable for her particular…needs. “What about Damien? He was prettygood.”
“The daddy Dom from Club Tiger? Puh-leaze, he was just a boy pretending to be a Dom. You knew it the second you agreed to sub forhim.”
“He wasn’t that bad.” Until he took her home to his mother’s basementapartment.
“Uh-huh. Okay. Whatever, I’m just tired of watching you flirt with men you’re not interested in. I just want you to be happy. Havefun.”
“Now boarding Groups B and C forCozumel.”
“I am happy. I’m living life the way I want.” Pretending to have a family because you don’t have one of your own. “And I might not have overlooked my passport if we hadn’t gone to the club last night and stayed out until they shut the placedown.”
“But we had fun, right?” Carriesaid.
