Page 68 of See You Next Month

“I think that’s it,” Kelsey said. “I’m glad Carmen changed next month’s trip from Valentine’s Day to the month of love.”

“Yeah, I like the idea of keeping our trips to about the same week every month. Coming back for Valentine’s Day would’ve been too soon,” Isabella said.

“Does it make it easier for the boys’ schedule?” Kelsey asked.

Isabella nodded. “Yeah, they’re back and forth between mine and Spencer’s house a lot as it is, but this makes it easier for me to schedule with Spencer.”

“The boys will be happy to see you today,” Kelsey said.

“Yeah, I miss the little terrors.”

Kelsey laughed. “They’re not terrors.”

“That’s because you talk to them on the phone when they want something.”

“What do they want from me?” Kelsey asked.

“They are always asking about you and the girls. They want to know when we all get to go on vacation together.”

“I’m looking forward to that, too.”

“Are you sure you want to spend several days with two little kids? You’ve already raised yours,” Isabella said.

“That doesn’t matter. I suspect the boys are excited to spend time with Dana and Emma. They’ll have someone to play with,” Kelsey said.

Isabella chuckled. “I think we’re fun to play with.”

Kelsey smiled. “Do you think we could figure out a way to see Liz, Riley, and Alex more than just once each trip?”

“Oh, so that’s where you want to play,” Isabella said, wiggling her eyebrows at Kelsey.

“Ha ha,” Kelsey deadpanned. “It’s not that. If we were coming here on our own?—”

“We’d be over there all the time,” Isabella said, finishing her sentence.

“Yeah, we would.”

Isabella tapped on her keyboard once again and closed her laptop just as the flight attendant asked her to put it away to prepare for landing.

Kelsey gazed at Isabella and frowned. “It’s back to our everyday lives.”

“Yeah. I know every trip won’t be the same, but some things will. I’m walking you to your gate and waiting until you board your flight,” Isabella said.

Kelsey grinned. “Okay. I’ll send you a picture of me when I get to my seat.”

“And you’ll call me when you get home,” Isabella added.

Kelsey nodded. Things between them were back to their casual playful ways since their dance last night. They’d had a meeting with Carmen that morning to go over the highs and lows of the trip. Kelsey and Isabella had each given her their concerns about next month’s trip and how they wanted to portray the resort as well as the islands.

They had come to an agreement to wait until the week after Valentine’s Day for the next trip. Carmen was very pleased with the first trip and the buzz Isabella and Kelsey had created so far.

Kelsey had begun to feel a cloud of melancholy descend over her the closer they got to Charlotte. She remembered feeling much the same the last time they’d done this. It surprised her in that she knew she’d be seeing Isabella again in a matter of weeks. They would talk and text just as they had the last month.

She was supposed to be feeling relieved to have the opportunity to put some space between them until she could figure out these feelings that kept getting stronger. But that was far from what she was feeling or wanted to do.

Kelsey reached over and squeezed Isabella’s hand. “I’ll miss you,” she said quietly.

Isabella looked over at her and smiled. “I know.”

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