Page 9 of A Win-Win Situation

Kill me now.

I feel my face flush as his gaze practically drills a hole through me, and I struggle to find the right words to reply.

"I-I'm so sorry," I stammer. "I didn't mean to stare, I just got lost in my thoughts."

He continues to study me, his expression unreadable, but before I can embarrass myself any further, I hear Adeline and Sophie call my name. I turn toward them, relieved by the distraction, and see them waving for me to come over. I look back to him to apologize again, but he’s gone. The only thingleft of him is the smell of his woodsy cologne—intoxicating and causing my thoughts to run wild.

I take a deep breath, hoping to memorize the smell, before I quickly make my way toward my friends.

"What's up?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

"We're all checked in," Adeline says with a grin. "Let the adventure begin."

Apparently, the person Sophie "knows"helped her book notjusta hotel room—we have a damn suite the size of my apartment. And that isn't even the best part.

The view . . .that’sthe best part.

We have the most breathtaking view of the beach from our balcony. I can hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore and smell the salt in the air.

And in this moment, I realize, I’m so incredibly grateful for this—the three of us, on this beautiful trip, in this luxurious suite; it’s like a dream come true.

The sitting area connected to the balcony is adorned with tasteful decorations in a neoclassical style that adds to the French Riviera charm. The bathroom is equally impressive, with a massive tub, a separate shower, and premium toiletries we will absolutely be stealing.

My breath gets caught in my throat as I see the large bedroom connected to the sitting area. The room is bathed in a soft, warm glow from the glittering chandelier hanging overhead—thousands of diamonds dancing together. My eyes are immediately drawn to the large, king-size bed that sits in the center of the room, its sheets a crisp, soft white that appears lustrous in the glow streaming in through the windows. Mythoughts immediately go to the handsome man I saw in the lobby and how perfect it would be to snuggle up with him as we looked out the French balcony after a night off?—

Nope. Nope. Nope.

"That's my bed." Adeline brings me back to reality. She’s pointing to the smaller, twin-size bed situated off to the side of the room.

"It's great that you made that choice all by yourself, Addie, because neither myself, nor Leora would actually want to share a bed with you," Sophie says with a hint of sarcasm.

"Heeey! It's becauseIcan't sleep next to another person," Adeline fires back. I can't help but laugh, knowing that Adeline's excuse is far from the truth. She's a notorious blanket hog who moves around a lot in her sleep. You’ll get kicked at least once or twice during the night. Her choosing the smaller bed is a win for Sophie and I.

"Whatever helps you get through the night, darling." I chuckle, already picturing a peaceful night's sleep in the bed.

After we’ve settled our luggage in the room, our growling stomachs lead us to search for something to eat. To our pleasant surprise, we stumble upon a gorgeous restaurant located on the Promenade des Anglais. The atmosphere is relaxing and carefree, with the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore in the background. It’s the perfect setting to let go of all our worries and simply enjoy the moment—or at least try to.

"Are you ready to order?" the waitress asks with a lovely French accent.

"I think I want to try the steak tartare," Sophie says, scanning the menu.

"You know that's raw meat?" Adeline asks, scrunching her nose.

"Yes, Addie. Of course, I know. Why do you have that look on your face? You eat raw meat too," she replies with a laugh, looking excited to try something new.

"Kibbeh Nayyehis more than just raw meat, and you love it!" she snaps back. You don’t come between Addie and her Meze; I learned that the hard way.

"I'll have the Caesar salad."

"Me too," Adeline says with a grin.

"And we'll have three Pepsi Max, s'il vous plaît," I finish, trying out my rusty French on the waitress, who smiles and jots down our order.

After we finish eating, the three of us settle back into our lounge chairs, enjoying the sound of the ocean, which is like music to my ears. It feels as though I’ve had a smile plastered on my face since we landed, although it’s hard not to when you’re surrounded by the beauty of this part of the world. I close my eyes for a second to let the warmth of the sun soak into my skin. The gentle breeze carries the salty scent of the ocean, making me feel alive.

When I open my eyes, I’m met by two pairs of eyes looking at each other with smirks, which can only mean that they’re planning something.

"What?" I ask, looking back and forth between them.

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