Page 128 of Champagne Fizz

“You must be exhausted from your flight! Are you thirsty? Do you need a drink?” I ramble. “Why don’t I take you to the bar for a refreshment while the resort—”

“It’s the middle of the afternoon,” Mrs. Voss snips. “You may enjoy cocktails mid-day likethat womanConnor is dating, but I’ll have none of it.”

That woman, huh? I have a dislike for Arie myself, but dang!

I sneak a look through the suitcases to see Connor in the lobby with Ned. Oh man, this just became a Voss family reunion.

“Bathroom!” I announce, and Mrs. Voss flinches again. “It was a long flight,” I continue. “Why don’t you use the powder room while I figure out your accommodations. How does that sound?” I wave a hand toward the ladies’ room which conveniently is right next to the entrance. If I’m lucky Connor and Ned will stay facing the opposite direction for long enough that she can disappear out of sight.

“Actually, I do need to use the loo,” Mrs. Voss says, surprising me. And why did she call the bathroom the loo? She isn’t even British. Maybe it’s some uber-rich status thing.

“Yes!” I exclaim too eagerly. “This way.”

I start escorting Mrs. Voss to the restroom, strategically putting myself in the view of the lobby, and hopefully blocking any ability to see her sons. Of course, in my pink suit, I’m a giant bubble-gum target just asking to be spotted. Some days I wonder if my fashion sense isn’t actually a curse.

“I don’t need a chaperone!” Mrs. Voss snaps, and I stop in my tracks.

“No, of course not,” I say. “Your perfectly capable of going pee by—” I catch myself. “Of going to the, uh, restroom all on—” I stop talking, wanting to punch myself for being so awkward, and honestly, it looks like Mrs. Voss wouldn’t mind taking a swing as well. “I’ll be right here waiting when you’re done.”

Mrs. Voss glares at me like I should be institutionalized.

“Or by the front desk,” I say, motioning over my shoulder, only to realize that’s in Ned and Connor’s direction. Mrs. Voss moves to look that way, but I scoot in front of her view.

Yup, I’m acting like I should be in a straitjacket (or two).

She narrows her eyes and I plaster on my biggest smile, trying to act like everything is normal and this is how I always act. I’d prefer her to think I’m crazy than turn her head three-inches to the right where she can see Ned.

“Have fun!” I say cheerily, to which she scowls. How exactly she’s supposed tohave funin the restroom, I don’t know. I just stand my ground. And thankfully Mrs. Voss walks into the ladies’ room grumbling under her breath. She definitely thinks I’m a clown.

The second she’s behind the bathroom door, I sprint for Connor and Ned.

“Kendall!” Ned says cheerfully, giving me a nod as I approach.

“Kendall?” Connor asks, his eyes full of questions:Shouldn’t I be at the airport getting his mom?“What are you doinghere?”

“I’m sure she’s ironing out all the last-minute kinks before the wedding,” Ned says like that should be obvious.

“Exactly,” I say to Connor. “Last-minute kinks. You know, those happy little surprises that show up unannounced.” I lay on the smile as I give Connor the side eye that Momma Voss is only seconds away from ruining everything. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” I ask Ned. “Olivia warned me that you’re a workaholic. She said you’d probably still be thumbing through your case load even on the morning of the wedding.”

“True,” Ned confirms. “But this guy”—he motions to his brother—“convinced me to take the next few days off and check into the Atlantis early.”

“Oh, did he?” I give a fake smile to Connor. “How wonderful that you’ll be at the Atlantis for the next three days.”

“It’s where the wedding is,” Connor says dryly.

“Of course, it’s where the wedding is,” I repeat back to him, trying to communicate that that might be the same reason his mother is also about the check in.

“Is something wrong?” Ned asks, giving me a frown. That’s the lawyer in him, ready to sniff out the truth.

“No, of course not!” I say, taking Ned’s elbow and effectively turning him so his back is faced towards the ladies’ room. At least this way I’ll have a head’s up when the tsunami of Mrs. Voss starts heading in our direction. “I love that you decided to take a few days off. That’s smart. It’ll allow you to feel refreshed for the wedding. Is Olivia joining you?”

“Not tonight,” Connor jets in, hooking an arm around his brother’s neck. “The bachelor party is tonight. Then it’s back to room 3037 for post-stripper shenanigans.” Connor waves Ned’s key card at me as if to sayMake sure our mother is as far from this room as possible.

“How fun,” I say, taking his meaning.

“There will be no post-stripper shenanigans!” Ned grumbles. “I don’t even want bachelor party stripper shenanigans.”

“Not going to happen.” Connor shakes his head. “Mason is throwing this thing, and he’s made it his life purpose to show you as many boobs that aren’t Olivia’s before your wedding. It’s tiki themed and everything.”

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