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Especially not while I was suddenly thrown back to the park. How Will had been flying Jack around like an airplane, the most comfortable and happy I’d seen him before everything happened between us.

My insides felt like they’d been hollowed out. I swallowed.Not now.

I was determined not to think about Will.

“Welcome to the Rolling Hills Resort,” the woman at the desk said as the couple ahead of us strode off. “I’m Cassandra.”

She was attractive, maybe my age or a couple years older, with blonde hair slicked back and wearing an expensive-looking suit. Everyone else working the desk wore matching uniforms, while this woman looked like she belonged in a Manhattan boardroom. A glance at her name tag said she was the General Manager.

The woman—Cassandra—saw where my eyes had gone.

“We’re a little short staffed right now,” she explained. There was a flash of something in her face—frustration? Exhaustion? “But I’m thrilled to help you myself.”

She must be related to Eli, too. Now I prayed Reese wouldn’t notice.

Luckily it didn’t seem like she would—she was craning her neck around, looking more obvious rather than less. I knew she was looking for Eli.

As Cassandra entered our information into the computer, I glanced around too, only I forced my mind not to veer back to Will. There was a restaurant here I couldn’t wait to check out. A little research told me it had been reviewed in international guides and publications, that the chef had been imported from France, and they carried wines I didn’t know still existed.

Will probably knew them all. He was a small-town boy with big city sensibilities. This would be the perfect place for him.

Damn it.

What was that he said?

I startled. Joe. I hadn’t heard him since that day. I almost expected to see him shimmering in the glimmering sunlight on the waterfall feature.

Was he wrong?

I swallowed.

“Mich!” Reese was saying my name. “Michelle!” She poked me hard in the arm.

“I’m sorry?”

Cassandra was looking at me curiously. “I’ll need to know your license plate…”

As I gave her the information she needed, I kept looking back to the waterfall, but there was nothing there except trickling water.

* * *

Our room was justas gorgeous as the lobby, if a tiny bit less grand. And, as I peered a little closer, except for the furniture, a little dated, too, though they’d done a good job of making everything look as polished as possible. I imagined this side of the building was still waiting for its renos.

“I still can’t believe we got the full package,” Reese said, still looking slightly shocked. As the woman at the desk had handed us our cards, she’d noted the room came with a full deluxe resort package—activities, meals, and access to the spas included. As in multiple spas. My jaw had dropped when she handed us the brochure. I hadn’t looked at the spa pages on the website earlier, but I saw now the whole lower floor of the building was a series of interconnected saunas modeled after a hot spring found in caves in Scandinavia.

As if that wasn’t enough, a bottle of champagne that sat in an ice bucket in the center of the room with a welcome card attached. I handed the card to my sister.

She read it, her lips pursing.

She’d done a good job of expunging Eli from her system over the past few weeks, but I could tell but the way her face tightened that whatever was in the card wasn’t a good thing. That despite the star treatment, he wasn’t begging for her to come back.

“You were right,” she said, tossing the card in the trash. “He’s trying to absolve himself for dumping me.”

“Then I guess we better take full advantage,” I said. “Or do you still want to hang out in here?”

Reese lifted her chin and smiled, though the echo of pain was still there. “Not a chance.”

Seven hours later,I was more relaxed than I think I’ve ever been in my life. The spas had been incredible, and later, after we’d gone back up to the room, I’d even taken a nap, which I don’t think I’d done since the girls were babies and Mom would force me to. Now, while Reese was in the bathroom, I stood before the closet, holding out a cocktail dress I’d thrown into my bag at the last minute. I thought it might stay there, but Reese, apparently fully rejuvenated, had come around full circle and decided we needed to go down to the restaurant for dinner. “It’s New Years,” she’d said. “And I’m done hiding.”