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Harper: If we’re voting, I vote for a Becca/John vacay hookup.

Me: He just flirts. For God’s sake, his girlfriend was here less than twenty-four hours ago.

Presley: She didn’t last long.

No. No, she didn’t.

Then a message pops up from Corbin.

Corbin: Are you going on the catamaran today or will being on the ocean make you sick?

Me: Definitely going. What time?

Corbin: Eleven. Do you want to get breakfast with me, Oakley, Presley and Flynn?

Me: Appreciate the invite, but I’ve already eaten. See you at eleven.

John sends me a message, privately.

John: Morning sunshine.

I feel as warm and fuzzy as I did last night. John’s thoughtfulness. Pretty sure Dennis would have gone to bed and went to work without checking on me.

Me: Morning, savior.

John: Calling me God already? It’s a little early for that title.

Me: There’s the John I know and love.

Dots bounce. Quit bouncing. Bounce again.

John: See you soon.

Do I text back? I decide to leave it be and wonder how he’ll greet me in person.

I open my laptop, drink more coconut water, and take a bite of the banana. There are a few disagreements between siblings over a large estate. I’m representing the youngest son, and my paralegal set a date for the week after I return from vacation. After sending the necessary documents to the judge to review prior to the hearing, I go through my email. My pet peeve is having thousands of emails in my inbox, so I move anything I need to keep to folders.

With that crossed off my list, I shower and notice my stomach feels bloated, so I put on a sporty bikini today. The top is almost like a sport bra. It’s coral with white scalloped trim,wide straps that tie around my neck, and the bottoms are high-waisted, covering up most of my belly.

Instead of riding a golf cart to the lobby, I walk. I’m used to walking to work, everywhere actually. I even walk to Corbin’s games most of the time. My face warms when I see John standing with a bunch of the guys in a Property of the Dallas Rattlers t-shirt and the shorter style swim trunks. Damn, his thighs are massive.

“There she is. How are you?” my brother asks.

“I feel better than I have in years. It’s amazing what a little dancing will do for your mood.”

Reed says, “Love your hat.”

The guys laugh. “You sound like a girl.”

“Well, I do love her Kentucky Stallions hockey hat. It’s a good reminder of where we all came from. Now, where are the rest of the girls?”

“In the girls group text, Brooke said that Lettie had an emergency with her bathing suit, so she was changing. Presley and Harper went to the open-air market on property to buy hats.”

John presses a bottle of water to his lips, then asks, “How was your breakfast?”

The mere question sends tingles through my body. “It was perfect. Thank you.”

“If you were too sick to come, who would I tease?” He pulls me into his side like you would a friend, and now I’m left wondering whether John has given up on me. I wouldn’t blame him. Maybe he’s just a flirty friend.