In the elevator, I leaned into him, his arm coming around my shoulder, automatically pulling me into his side.
“I promised the girls I’d link when I got back,” I said. “I’m going to drop the bags and head out.”
He looked down at me. “You just got home.”
“I'll be gone for like two hours.” I patted his chest. “You’ll survive.”
His mouth curved.
“I’ll take Malice.”
“No need, go be with your girls.”
“Okay, I’m taking Coco,” I smiled up at him, but my going out without security was suspicious. “I need to drive my new car.”
He kissed my forehead as the doors opened. “Call me if you need me. I may be out when you come in.”
“Back to reality,” I said, already wheeling my carry-on toward the bedroom.
Thirty minutes later, I was pulling up to Santori. I spotted the girls as soon as I walked in. They were already in our usual spot, wine on the table, laughing about something before I even made it through the door.
“Damn, y’all couldn’t wait for me?”
They jumped up anyway, all three of us tangled in a hug that had no business being that enthusiastic, considering they’d just seen me four days ago on a beach in Turks watching me get married.
“Girl, sit down.” Rebecca pulled me into the booth. “We ordered your usual.”
“How was the rest of the trip?” Yaslynn asked, already leaning forward.
“Perfect.” I picked up my wine glass. “Every single day.”
“Every single day or every single night?” Rebecca raised her eyebrow.
“Both.”
They screamed. I laughed and shrugged.
We settled into conversation after getting over our giggling. They wanted to know about the villa, about the last few days, about what it felt like waking up married for real. I told them what I could. I couldn’t tell them everything. Couldn’t tell them about Karyn becoming a memory on that island. I couldn’t tell them about the agents interrupting our dinner or approaching me. Some parts of this life were mine to carry alone, and I was making peace with that one day at a time.
“Okay, but what's next?” Yaslynn asked, swirling her drink. “You're married, you got the ring, you got the man.”
“The penthouse,” Rebecca added.
“The car,” Yaslynn continued.
“The choker?—”
“Okay.” I held up my hand, laughing.
“Babies?” they said together.
I opened my mouth and closed it. Smiled into my glass.
“One thing at a time.”
“That's a yes,” Rebecca said.
“That’s a not yet. Y'all know me, I just go with the flow.”
