Page 35 of See You Next Month

Carmen laughed. “Won’t that be a fun time.” She pulled into the resort. “Okay, I’ll text you tomorrow when I know what time we’re leaving. Do you need anything?”

“I think all I need is a shower and dinner,” Isabella said.

“That’s all I need,” Kelsey said. “Thank you again, Carmen.”

“I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

Kelsey waited for Isabella to come around the car, then they walked back to their bungalows together. “What would you think of ordering room service and having dinner on one of our decks?”

“We could shower and not have to dress for dinner,” Isabella said.

“Exactly,” Kelsey replied. “I know we can wear anything to dinner, but wouldn’t it be nice to throw on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt?” She glanced at Isabella. “You do have something casual in one of your suitcases, don’t you?” Kelsey couldn’t resist teasing Isabella just a little.

“Ha ha,” Isabella said, knocking her shoulder into Kelsey’s. “You’d be surprised to see what I packed.”

Kelsey chuckled. “No I wouldn’t.”

Isabella laughed with her as they reached their bungalows. “I’ll be over in a little while.”

Kelsey went inside and took her clothes off and stepped into the shower. It felt glorious to get the sand and sweat off her body. She couldn’t keep from thinking about the day as she washed her hair. Her thoughts drifted to dancing with Isabella at Peaches. Kelsey remembered Isabella telling her she wanted to dance with her again and an idea of a little Christmas gift Kelsey could give her began to take shape in her head.

After she’d finished showering and got dressed, she was surprised to hear her phone ring. It was probably Isabella, she thought with a smile.

“Hi, Mom!” Emma’s excited voice echoed through the room as Kelsey put her on speaker.

“Hi, Em.” Kelsey chuckled. “You sound like you’re having a good time.”

“Oh, Mom, you wouldn’t believe it, but I have a confession to make,” Emma said then paused.

“Okay…” Kelsey’s voice trailed off.

“I miss you,” Emma admitted. “I didn’t think it would be a big deal not having Christmas with you and Dana, but it is.”

“Oh, well, honey, there’s not much I can do about it from the Virgin Islands,” Kelsey said. If she were in Denver, Kelsey could at least offer to fly her home.

“It’s okay, Mom. I just wanted you to know and I’m happy to hear your voice,” Emma said.

“Hey, how would you feel about coming to the Virgin Islands for spring break?”

“What! Are you kidding? With who?” Emma said excitedly.

“With me and your sister and some of your friends,” Kelsey said.

“That would be amazing! You would do that?”

Kelsey quickly explained about the monthly trips she and Isabella were planning to do for the resort.

“Wow, that’s incredible,” Emma said.

“You and Dana will have to come back sometime during the summer for a family vacation,” Kelsey said. “Can you do that?”

Emma’s laughter rang around the room and Kelsey felt her heart swell with love. “Let’s see, vacation in the Virgin Islands for spring break and then again this summer? Yeah, Mom. I can do that.”

Kelsey heard a quiet knock on the glass of her back door and saw Isabella standing there smiling. She let her in and mouthed that she was talking to Emma.

“You sound really happy, Mom, not like when I call you at home,” Emma said.

Kelsey furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

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