Page 66 of The Layover

I followed her into the living room, where Harmony and Alana were waiting. Harmony was in a pink dress with a poofy skirt—her princess dress. Alana was dressed more simply, but just as elegantly in pressed slacks and a light sweater.

How was Daria teasing me about her age when her oldest was already carrying herself like an adult? Would that be Eloise in nine years?

Whoa. Pump the brakes there, me. Watching Daria’s girls grow up was as close to parenthood and wishing they’d stay young a little longer as I wanted to get.

“Are you going to tell me now what the plan is for tonight?” I asked as we headed out.

Daria shook head. “Nope.”

“I’m going to find out when we get there.”

“You’re right. You are,” Daria said.

Brooke and Adam joined us in the resort lobby, and I asked the concierge to call us two cabs. We weren’t all going to fit in one.

They never stop watching you. Daria’s words echoed in my mind. That was Adam with Brooke. He gave her his full and undivided attention, and the best way I could think of to describe the way he watched her was unending worship.

Not what I had. Not what I’d ever wanted. That meant a kind of commitment that I’d sworn I’d never get sucked into again. Not after Curtis.

So why did it sound so tempting tonight? Why was I almost as green as my dress with envy, watching Brooke with Adam?

Because I was in an I’m old kind of contemplative mood. Daria was right about one thing—I needed to snap out of this.

We grabbed our rides, and Daria gave our driver a name I didn’t know. A short while later we pulled up in front of a stucco building that was covered with vines and flowers. We stepped under an awning of terracotta tiles, to find Diego, Raul, and Eloise waiting for us.

The three of them were the perfect little family. And it made my heart ache.

But I wasn’t going to lose myself in thoughts like that.

After a round of greetings, Raul said we should follow him. As we did exactly that, Daria leaned in closer to me. “If you love it, this was all my idea, and if you don’t, he insisted on arranging everything.” She spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.

Raul glanced back at us with a smirk. “It was really nothing. The least we could do for our favorite project manager.”

We stepped through a set of double doors and onto a back patio, and I stalled as I tried to take it all in. It was like stepping into another world. One of green, and classic-but-hidden architecture, and was that the sound of a stream?

“Fake stars.” Harmony pointed up. “Pretty.”

Sure enough, strands of lights ran above our heads, providing most of the illumination. The space looked big enough for multiple parties, but there was just a single long table for ten in the middle of it all.

It was beautiful.

“The family who owns the place has a long history with Raul’s family,” Diego said. “He called in a favor or three.”

For me. He’d arranged this for me. What was I supposed to do with that?

“Come see the water.” Eloise grabbed Harmony’s hand and tugged her toward a pond sitting at the edge of the clearing.

“Stay in sight,” Daria and Diego called at the same time.

I was so glad I didn’t have to worry about things like that.

No, really, I was.

A young man barely older than Alana came around to take our drink orders, and she was instantly prim and smiling and not bored. Daria did stop her from ordering the wine though, regardless of the waiter’s insistence that it’s okay here. No one will mind.

Nope, I didn’t envy parenthood at all.

The antipasto arrived shortly after our drinks, despite us not having ordered. Raul told us the entire evening was taken care of, at the chef’s insistence, but promised I would love it.

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