Page 26 of See You Next Month

“Let’s go down this way,” Isabella said, walking along the sand past a few other people who had their things spread out on the beach.

“No wonder they call it Honeymoon Beach. Wouldn’t this be a great place to begin your honeymoon?” Kelsey said, letting the backpack slide down her shoulders.

Isabella took a large towel out of the backpack and spread it on the sand near one of the leaning palm trees. Kelsey helped her set up their area and reached into the lunch bag for two bottles of water. She handed one to Isabella and smiled.

“What do you want to do first?” Kelsey asked, taking a drink.

“Can we sit and just enjoy this for a while?” Isabella asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Absolutely.” Kelsey sat down on her side of the towel.

Isabella shimmied out of her shorts and took her shirt off then sat next to Kelsey.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Kelsey said once Isabella was settled. “Don’t you think this would be a great place to honeymoon?”

“Oh, I didn’t know it was a question. Yes, this is another slice of paradise.” Isabella nodded, gazing at their surroundings.

“Where did you go on your honeymoon?” Kelsey asked. “Did you go to a beach?”

“No, we went to Las Vegas. Neither one of us had been and there was a lot to do,” Isabella said flatly. “It wasn’t the greatest trip.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“What about you? Have you ever thought about where you’d go on your honeymoon?”

“I’ve never even thought about it,” Kelsey said.

“Oh, come on. Surely you dreamed of a wedding and a honeymoon at some time or another,” Isabella said.

Kelsey sighed. “People in love have dreams like that.”

Isabella looked over at Kelsey. “Are you saying you’ve never been in love?”

“Hmm, I had a girlfriend in college. I loved her, but I’m not sure we were in love. At least we weren’t in love enough to have a life together after graduation. We were in different places in our lives, I guess. I was ready to start my career and have kids, but she wasn’t.”

“And there hasn’t been anyone since then?”

Kelsey looked over at Isabella and gave her a sad smile. “I’ve dated several women, but honestly most of the time it led to a date or two and then sex. After a few of those kinds of—you can’t even call them relationships—I thought, what’s the use.” Kelsey looked back over the water. “I’m not one to have casual sex. It’s not for me.”

Isabella ran her hand over Kelsey’s back. “I’m not surprised, Kels. I bet you’re an attentive partner and that your love language is doing nice things for the woman you love.”

Kelsey looked over at her and furrowed her brow. “My love language?”

“There are like five love languages and one is doing things. I think it’s called acts of service.”

“Why do you think that’s me?”

“Because,” Isabella said.

“Because?” Kelsey watched Isabella as she looked away.

“Because you’ve done nice things for me. Like helping me with my luggage and other things. You probably don’t even notice you’re doing it,” Isabella said.

“What about you? What’s your love language?”

“For me, it’s quality time. When I care about someone, I love spending time with them,” Isabella said.

“What are the others?”

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