Page 7 of Where She Belongs (A Different Kind of Love #3)
FOUR
Our phones start buzzing in unison five minutes after leaving the airport. One notification, then another, and another, until it sounds like we’re conducting a very poorly tuned orchestra.
“You might want to silence those,” Tristy says, biting back a grin as she tucks her own phone away. “It’s about to get worse. Much worse.”
Andrea shoots me a questioning look, but before either of us can ask what’s happening, my screen lights up with a preview of Tristy’s latest Instagram post—the airport family shot with Andrea tucked against my side, her head fitting perfectly under my chin.
When your mom’s gorgeous doctor bestie turns out to be her secret boyfriend!!! Living for this plot twist! #WeddingWeek #MayDecemberRomance #CoupleGoals
For the next minute, our phones continue vibrating until I turn off notifications. Andrea can’t find her Setting fast enough so she hands me her phone and I do it for her.
Who knew going viral would end up being on my Bingo card this year but it is what it is.
When I suggested I be Andrea’s plus-one, this development wasn’t on the agenda. But I’d underestimated Tristy’s popularity.
Finally giving in, I open my Instagram to assess the damage.
OMG your mom is stunning! Asian don’t raisin is real!!
Younger guy, successful doctor, totally hot... Get it Dr. Martin!
Your mom deserves this after everything! Team Andrea!
My DMs are even worse:
Courtney
Three months? THREE MONTHS? We broke up four months ago you lying piece of shit. Was she the reason? Is this why you never wanted to get serious? Too busy chasing after women old enough to be your?—
Nope, I don’t need to read any further.
Three messages pop up from my sister:
EXCUSE ME???
Mama is freaking out that you didn’t tell her
Since when do you date women over 35??? What happened to ‘keeping it casual’???
A phone call from my father comes right then but I let it go to voicemail. A minute later, his transcribed message appears on my screen:
Gabriel Alejandro Vasquez, you call me back right now. What is this about you dating Dr. Martin??? The woman is 40+! Divorced! With a grown daughter! What are you thinking?
I stare at the phone, something hot and defensive rising in my chest. Because of course that’s what he’d focus on—Andrea’s age, her divorce, her grown daughter. Not her brilliance, not how she built a clinic from nothing, not how she’s respected throughout New Mexico’s medical community.
Well, he’s in for a surprise because whatever this pretense is between us, I won’t let my father’s prejudices taint it.
Beside me, Andrea is staring at her own phone with a mix of horror and fascination.
“How bad is it?” I ask.
She wordlessly turns her screen toward me. It’s her clinic’s internal messaging system:
Dr. Ramit
Girl, you’re giving me hope! But please tell me you made him wait until the divorce was final
Dr. Kim
Finally! The way he kept visiting your office during last month’s board meeting makes so much sense now.
“Oh God.” Andrea drops her head onto my shoulder, which probably isn’t helping our case. “The board meeting? What visits?”
“Maybe it was all those times I brought you coffee and those chocolates for the staff,” I suggest, trying to lighten the mood, acutely aware that Simon is watching us. “Very romantic.”
She smacks my arm but doesn’t move away. “This is serious, Gabe. People actually believe I’m some sort of cougar who seduced you.”
“Maybe I seduced you,” I wiggle my eyebrows at her, earning another smack. “Ever think of that?”
Her phone buzzes again. This time it’s her mother:
Why am I finding out about you and Gabe from Facebook? Isn’t he too young for you?! Call me NOW.
“I can’t believe she already knows.” The panic in her voice is real now as she whispers in my ear, “How are we going to explain this when the wedding’s over?”
“Let’s worry about that later. Right now, we just need to convince everyone we’re madly in love.”
“Right.” She nods, but her voice wavers. “Just act natural.”
“Exactly.” I press a kiss to her temple, feeling her sharp intake of breath. “Natural.”
As the limo turns onto the resort’s torch-lit drive, Andrea tenses against me. Through the windshield, I can see camera crews positioning themselves for the perfect arrival shot. Because of course this moment needs to be documented for millions of strangers to dissect and discuss.
“Hey,” I whisper, low enough that only she can hear. “Everything will be fine.”
As the door opens, letting in a rush of warm tropical air and the murmur of waiting cameras, Tristy and Tyler step out first and I follow right behind them.
I turn, extending my hand to help Andrea out of the limo.
The torchlight catches in her dark hair, highlighting the subtle silver strands she’s stopped trying to hide.
She emerges with the quiet dignity that’s become her trademark, though I feel the slight tremor in her fingers as they meet mine.
If we thought playing pretend was going to be a piece of cake, we sure weren’t prepared for the reality of it.
“This way,” I murmur, keeping her close as we follow Tristy toward the lobby. Behind us, I hear Simon’s voice rise above the general murmur—something about his upcoming appearance on national TV to discuss his latest book.
I didn’t even know he’d published anything. But it’s classic Simon, always working the room, always making sure he’s the center of attention.
“How can he promote himself at his daughter’s wedding?” Andrea seethes, her steps faltering slightly but I tighten my hold on her waist.
“Eyes forward,” I whisper. “He’s not worth it.”
As the camera shutters click rapidly behind us—no doubt capturing Simon and Kitty’s practiced poses—I keep my focus on the woman beside me as we make our way to the front desk.
I don’t even care if this protectiveness I feel over her is part of the charade.
All I know is that it’s real. As friends, it’s always been real.
“Welcome,” the desk clerk says, her practiced smile brightening as she recognizes Tristy. “We have your Executive Suite ready, Dr. Martin.” She taps at her keyboard. “And Dr. Vasquez, I see you also have a reservation for an Ocean View King...”
“Which we won’t be needing,” I cut in smoothly. “I’ll be staying in the Executive Suite with Dr. Martin.”
“Oh?” The clerk glances between our reservations. “Let me just cancel that for you?—”
“Interesting,” Simon interrupts, materializing beside us with Kitty in tow. “Why would you book a separate room if you were planning to stay with Andrea?”
I feel Andrea tense against me, but her response is immediate and natural. “Because someone,” she turns to me with a playful swat to my chest, “insisted on keeping his backup room ‘just in case’ I changed my mind about sharing.”
“You know me,” I add, pulling her closer. “Always like to have a Plan B in case you come to your senses about dating a younger man.”
“As if I’d kick you out now,” Andrea says, and there’s something in her voice that makes my heart skip. “Though I probably should, considering you didn’t cancel that reservation earlier like I asked.”
“When did you ask him that?” Simon presses, his eyes narrowing.
“Last week, over dinner,” Andrea replies without missing a beat. “But Gabe here thinks I’m still too used to having the bed all to myself.”
I shrug, playing along. “Can you blame me? You steal all the blankets.”
The clerk giggles, clearly entertained by our exchange. “That’s so cute! Let me cancel that other room for you, Dr. Vasquez. No cancellation fee, of course.”
“Funny,” Simon says, his voice carrying that economics professor tone he used to use in faculty meetings. “If you’ve been dating for three months, why wait until now to cancel your room? Unless...” He lets the implication hang in the air.
“Unless what, Simon?” I keep my voice light but my arm tightens around Andrea. “Unless we’re lying? Is that what you’re suggesting?”
“I just find it interesting that someone supposedly in a committed relationship would keep a separate room reservation until the last minute.” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Almost like it was a very recent... arrangement.”
“Or maybe,” Andrea cuts in, her voice steady despite the tension I feel in her shoulders, “some of us learned the hard way not to trust too quickly. Though I guess you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?”
That shuts him up, though I notice Kitty suddenly becoming very interested in her phone.
“Your suite is in the North Tower, top floor,” the clerk says, handing over our key cards. “The views are absolutely spectacular, especially at sunset.”
“We should get settled,” Andrea says, tugging me toward the elevators. “Long flight.”
“Very long,” I agree, letting my thumb brush over her knuckles. “And someone promised me we’d finally try out that oversized tub.”
The last thing I see before the elevator doors close is Simon’s face turning an interesting shade of purple.
“I did not promise any such thing,” Andrea hisses once we’re alone, though her eyes are dancing with suppressed laughter.
“No,” I admit, grinning. “But his face was worth it.”
She shakes her head, but doesn’t pull her hand from mine. “You’re terrible.”
“That’s not what you said last week over dinner,” I tease, then dodge her swat. “The dinner we supposedly had where you asked me to cancel my room? Keep up with our story, Dr. Martin.”
“I hate you,” she mutters, but she’s smiling.
“No you don’t,” I say. “You love me, remember? At least for the next four days.”
The moment Andrea and I walk into the suite, I understand why Simon would want to claim it as his own.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame a postcard-perfect view of the Hawaiian coastline, where tiki torches flicker like stars along the beach path below.
The waves beyond catch the last rays of sunset, turning the Pacific into liquid gold.
“Oh wow,” Andrea murmurs as she stands by the windows. “Look, Gabe.”