Page 9 of See You Next Month

Kelsey turned to Isabella and laughed. “No! You probably didn’t notice, but I haven’t seen any single gay women roaming around the resort. So, I don’t see a fling in my future.”

“Oh, you’re gay,” Isabella said quietly, narrowing her eyes.

“Yes, I am. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. I wondered when you said you hadn’t found a partner.” Isabella smiled and couldn’t quite believe Kelsey didn’t at least have a girlfriend. They may have just met, but Isabella could tell Kelsey was a nice person. Her dark brown hair was thick and curls fell at her shoulders. Then there were her eyes. Isabella had noticed at dinner they were hazel, a light brown, but she had a feeling they might look green or blue depending on what she was wearing.

“Maybe someday.” Kelsey shrugged.

They began walking again and Isabella saw the bungalows coming into view. “It really is nice out tonight. Thanks again for having dinner with me.”

“I had a great time. Thanks for taking a walk with me, especially after our server thought we were a couple,” Kelsey replied.

“It didn’t bother me.”

“It seemed to.”

“Not at all. It’s just funny to me how we assume things about people just by looking at them and who they are with,” Isabella explained.

“Do you mean how I thought you were staying for weeks when I saw your luggage?” Kelsey said, amused.

“Or how I thought after seeing you with one bag and your small purse that maybe you could teach me a few things about letting go,” Isabella said.

“Letting go?”

“Yeah, maybe I don’t need all this stuff, just a few things will do,” Isabella said. She was hoping that instead of sulking about Christmas without her boys, maybe this could be a kind of reset for her life. Being a divorced mom was not going so well.

“Hmm, that may be true, but I don’t know what all you have. Maybe you need everything,” Kelsey said. “We’re all different people.”

Isabella nodded. “But we all learn from each other, too.”

“I’m sure there are a few things you could teach me as well,” Kelsey replied.

Isabella stopped and smiled. “You’re just being nice again.”

Kelsey chuckled. “You don’t know that. I tried conch and I probably wouldn’t have ordered it if we hadn’t shared that platter.”

“You’re welcome, then.” Isabella grinned.

Kelsey smiled as they neared the bungalows. “I think this is where I’m staying.”

“You think? You don’t know?”

“It’s dark and I haven’t seen it from the beach,” Kelsey explained.

“I may be staying right next door.” Isabella chuckled, looking at the row of bungalows. “Since we’re both here alone, would you want to do something together tomorrow afternoon? I mean, we are a couple now.”

Kelsey laughed. “Sure. I have a meeting in the morning but I’m free after that.”

“You’re not just here for Christmas at the beach then. Okay, well, I have to work in the morning, so…”

“So I’m not the only one working. Will you give me your phone number, so I can text you?” Kelsey asked, pulling out her phone.

“Of course.” Isabella took the phone and entered her number then sent herself a text. “There you go.”

Kelsey looked at her phone and chuckled. “You put your name in as Bella.”

“That’s what you call me.” Isabella shrugged. “Look,” she said, showing Kelsey her phone.

---