Page 33 of See You Next Month

“I did, too.”

They gazed out at the water as St. Thomas got closer and closer.

“Were you able to help Riley with the website?”

“Yeah, I made a few changes and I hope it helps them.”

“Do you think they’ll become a client?”

Kelsey nodded. “Yep, and I think they want your expertise as well.”

“I’d love to help them.”

Kelsey couldn’t help but lean into Isabella. She liked the closeness and neither of them seemed to mind. Why was being with Bella so easy, she wondered. There wasn’t the awkwardness she felt when meeting new people.

“Liz is rather direct, isn’t she?” Kelsey said.

Isabella chuckled. “Yeah, she is. She definitely knows people. Maybe she’s psychic.”

“What did you talk about while I was working with Riley?”

“Oh, she just kept saying to come back before we leave and spend time with them,” Isabella said.

“I’d like that, would you?”

“I’ve never felt a place feel so familiar like Peaches did. It was like we were all friends when we first stepped through the front door.”

“I know. Liz said people like it there. I can understand why.”

Kelsey took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She had never connected with another person the way she had with Isabella. It didn’t make sense to her. While they were at Peaches, the lines between friendship and something more had begun to blur. The last thing she wanted to do was make Isabella uncomfortable. But Isabella was the one who embraced everything. When Liz thought they were together, it hadn’t seemed to bother Isabella in the least, but Kelsey’s heart had sped up and her mouth went dry.

She thought back to when they’d started to spread their things out on Honeymoon Beach. When Isabella took her shorts and shirt off, Kelsey had to look away in fear of being caught staring. It had been too long since she’d thought of another woman that way. She certainly didn’t want to ruin things with Isabella when their friendship was just getting started. Plus, they had a job to do for Coral Bay and Kelsey wasn’t about to mess that up.

“Hey, are you all right?” Isabella asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You keep sighing and taking deep breaths,” Isabella said.

I’ve got to get a hold of myself. “Have you talked to your boys?”

“Uh, yes. I talked to them last night after dinner. They’re having a grand time in New York,” Isabella said with a less than enthusiastic tone.

“I’m looking forward to meeting them when we do the family vacation,” Kelsey said. She thought talking about their families would deter these thoughts running through her head until she could get back to her bungalow and sort them all out. She was sure it was just being at the bar with other gay women that had caused it.

“I can’t wait to meet your girls. We’re going to have so much fun with them and their friends,” Isabella said.

“They are going to love you,” Kelsey said with a smile. “Dana is spontaneous like you. Who knows what we’ll get into.”

Isabella laughed. “It will all be good, Kels. You know that.”

Kelsey smiled. God, I hope so.

“Hey, is that Carmen?” Isabella said, looking at the shore where they were about to dock.

“It is,” Kelsey replied. “I wonder why she’s here.”

They both waved at her and went down the steps to the lower deck to exit the ferry.

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