“Hey, baby. I got your text that you arrived safely, but I wanted to hear your voice.”
“Miss me already?” I tease, and he lets out a self-deprecating chuckle.
“I know you’re thirty-six, but you’ll always be my baby girl. Is everything okay there?” I hear the worry in his voice and know he’s picturing himself in the place of Paul Bouvier’s after his daughter disappeared and was never heard from again.
“Great. It’s very nice. They have location markers on all the paths, so if I feel unsafe, I can just call security from my phone and tell them I’m at marker 2-A or whatever. Then they’ll be there in a jiffy. So you don’t need to worry about me.”
“Okay,” he sighs. “Sorry if I’m being overbearing.”
“You’re not,” I assure him before pivoting the conversation. “This place is so beautiful and relaxing. I think I’ll get a lot of writing done here.”
“Good, sweetie. I loved your last book, by the way. Chapter eight was hot.”
Yes, my dad reads my books. And yes, it was awkward at first but I’m used to it now.
“Thanks, Dad. You should put that technique into practice sometime. Have you had any dates lately?”
He chuckles. “Naw. Maybe you could write a book about a woman who falls for a fifty-something mechanic who always has grease stains on his shirt. You know, to inspire me.”
I laugh. “I’ll do it. I think Ms. Mijares’s daughter is single now. She’s really pretty… a little younger than you, but if she can cook like her mother, you’d be in for a treat.”
“I’ll think about it.” It’s his standard answer and means no.
“If we’re still both single by the time I turn forty, I think we should move in together and rescue a horde of cats.”
I can hear the smile in his voice. “Sounds good to me. Oh, and can you send Isaac a message? I talked to him earlier, and he was worried about you too.”
“Will do,” I assure him. My dad and stepdad get along swimmingly for two men who both married the same woman.
“Do me a favor and pay attention to your surroundings while you’re there. You tend to walk around with your head in the clouds.”
He’s not wrong, and I smile into the phone. “I promise. And I’ll check in with you tomorrow, okay?”
“All right, baby. Love you so much.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
As soon as I hang up, a knock sounds at my door. I open it to a squatty man in the Pineapple Island Resort uniform of a short-sleeved khaki shirt and matching shorts.
“I have your room service order, Ms. McNamara.” He holds up a covered tray.
“Thank you. Just let me grab my purse—”
“No tips, ma’am. Everything is included here at Pineapple Island Resort.”
“Oh, right. Thank you.”
He hands over the food and nods politely before offering me a departing wave. I take the tray to the small kitchenette and remove the top. I’m greeted by the sight of plush strawberries, fat purple and green grapes, a variety of cheeses, and of course, loads of juicy pineapple slices. A small container of gourmet crackers rests on the side.
After eating my fill, I notice a basket of goodies on the coffee table in the small sitting room. The furniture is made up of brightly colored cushions and soft-gray wood, and I take a seat on the couch.
A small card readingWelcome to Pineapple Island Resort and Spais propped against the wicker basket, and I slide it into my purse. I always keep something from every trip I go on. Whether it’s a small notepad from a hotel I’m staying in or the name tag from a book signing, I like to have a small memento to remember where I’ve been. I plan to add this pretty card with the embossed pineapple logo to my collection.
Sorting through the contents of the basket, I find snacks, bottled water, wine, and a small box. I open the box to find a pretty bracelet with a pineapple charm on it. “How cute!” I say aloud, sliding the jewelry onto my left wrist and admiring the way it glints in the overhead light.
Digging deeper in the basket, I come across a handful of condoms in various colors and flavors as well as a bottle of lube and… a lemon? I pick up the last item and turn it over in my hand. It’s velvety soft and has a button on the side. When I press it and the device vibrates to life, I realize it’s one of those clit sucking toys.
Okay, Pineapple Island Resort. I see your kinky ass.
