Page 42

“Kelsey could work from here,” Isabella said. “We both work from home.”

“Then you could move here, too,” Riley said.

Isabella shook her head. “My boys are in North Carolina.”

“They won’t always be there,” Riley said. “Maybe this is an option for both of you to think about.”

Kelsey looked at Isabella and widened her eyes. “That’s another angle we could explore in our monthly trips. People who work from home could vacation for longer here.”

“I hope you two aren’t always working,” Riley said.

Isabella chuckled. “We’re not, but this is a big deal to us and we want to make you even more successful.”

Riley chuckled. “More business is always nice, but to keep our laid-back charm we don’t need too many people. However, you two will always have a place here.”

“Thank you,” Kelsey said, putting her arm around Isabella’s shoulder.

Isabella grinned at her and they sipped their beers. Kelsey wasn’t sure why, but she’d found herself reaching to put an arm around Isabella or squeezing her hand at different times during the day. She blamed the fact that it was Christmas Day and when she’d first seen Isabella this morning she was upset, but Kelsey felt closer and closer to Isabella the more time they spent together.

Kelsey followed Riley and Isabella through the back door to the patio.

“Babe, you might want to tell Kelsey that living and working here is a little different than vacationing here,” Riley said, sitting down next to Alex.

“I don’t know about that,” Alex said. “You still get to hang out in the most beautiful place on our planet. The weather is nice most of the time. You can swim and walk along the beach every day, plus get your work done.”

“You’re really selling it, Alex.” Isabella chuckled.

“Isabella and I were talking earlier about the things you do on vacation that you might not do in your everyday life,” Kelsey said.

“Yeah, these are escapes from your everyday life and once you get back home, it’s back to the real world,” Isabella said.

“What you’re saying is that you can’t be on vacation all the time, but I think you can bring this kind of escape into your everyday life. Alex stayed and look what she got,” Liz said, smiling at Alex and Riley.

“I stayed and look what I got,” Riley said, nuzzling Alex’s neck and kissing her on the cheek.

“That is all very tempting,” Isabella said. “But it would be at least ten years before I could make the big escape to live here since my boys are younger. You all had your kids when you were kids.”

Kelsey chuckled. “That doesn’t mean once they're grown they don’t still need you.”

“Yeah, but they can need you while you live in the Virgin Islands.” Carmen grinned.

Kelsey looked around the table at this group of women. She was pretty sure they had all come from different walks of life but had become friends in this magical place.

Kelsey tried to picture what it would be like to live here. She’d fit right in with this group. They had already welcomed her and Isabella. But when she thought about it, the idea of being here without Isabella didn’t feel right. Kelsey chuckled when she thought: we’re a couple.

Isabella leaned over. “What’s funny?” she asked quietly while Liz told a story at the other end of the table.

Kelsey smiled. “I was trying to imagine living here. It wouldn’t be the same without you, Bella, so I guess I’ll have to wait until you’re ready.”

“What a nice thing to say,” Isabella said. “But we’ll see about that. You may be sick of me by the end of the year.”

“No way,” Kelsey said. “We’re a couple.”

Isabella chuckled and smiled at Kelsey. That was the winning smile that Kelsey was used to seeing and beginning to love.

“Hey, I have a Christmas present for you when we get back to our bungalows,” Isabella said quietly.

Kelsey’s eyes widened in surprise. “You do? You didn’t buy something from the gift shop this morning, did you?”