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“It’s gorgeous.”
She makes a sound that’s a combination of squeal and groan. “I wish I was there.”
“I wish you were, too. This would be more fun with you. We could sit out by the pool and sip fruity drinks together.”
“Promise me you won’t spend all week on your laptop.”
“I—uh—promise.” Even as I say it, I have to swallow down anxiety. What if I do spend all week on my laptop? I’m certainly not off to a good start. I already opened it once during the shuttle ride.
I lift my chin and squint into the sunlight. A streak of dark green water shimmers between palm and coconut trees. That must be the saltwater lagoon I drooled over when I checked the resort website. A dolphin jumps out of the water, and delight stirs in me, edging out some stress.
This work thing isn’t that bad. I’ll get through it and then: me time.
Alexis is right. I need to take advantage of this week away. I could really use a reset. My life has gotten into a real rut lately. The long hours at my computer are catching up to me, and Devina seems intent on making my life miserable.
“Bet your mom is missing you,” Alexis offers. “Has she texted you already to tell you to wear sunblock and take your vitamins?”
“Six texts thus far.”
“Six is too many.”
“You know she has boundary issues. It doesn’t help that a few weeks ago, I made up an imaginary boyfriend, so she’d stop harping on me about my single status. She kept saying how Hawaii was such a romantic destination, and it was such a pity I’d be here on my own. I got so tired of it.”
Alexis barks out a sharp laugh. “Wait, back up. You what?”
“Don’t make me confess again, please. I know it’s pathetic, but I had to, Lex. She was killing me with her comments about how the sunsets would be wasted if I wasn’t here with a guy. Her efforts at setting me up ramped up significantly. I think she suggested every single guy in Windsor between twenty-five and forty. Do you know she tried to set me up with the butcher at Speedy Grocers? The one who always winks at women and calls them ‘Sugar Boots?’”
“Ew! Steve? He’s a total sleaze!”
“I know. Believe me, this was my best option.”
She laughs again. “You are something else. You know your relationship with your mom is totally unhealthy, right? Normal women don’t make up fictitious boyfriends to please their mothers.”
“When have I ever claimed normalcy? Never. I know my life is weird.”
“At least you own it. Okay, name? Age? Occupation?”
“Matt Monroe. I told her he was thirty-five and owned a shoe store. We met a few months ago when I traveled to Rhode Island, and we’ve been seeing each other long-distance since. He’s thrilled I invited him along on this romantic island getaway.”
“You are absolutely ridiculous.”
“I know.”
“Well, have fun with that. You have quite the week ahead. You’ll kick off the good times by catering to your witchy manager and then help Mr. Matt Monroe figure out which sandals he should wear to dinner. I bet he packed a bunch since he owns that shoe store and all.”
“Oh, he’s an over-packer. I told him, ‘Honey, you don’t need multiple pairs of leather thong flip-flops for one week away.’ But he brought the black, the brown, and the tan ones.”
“That Matt…” She sighs in that way that lets me know she’s going into advice-giver mode. “All kidding aside, Hazel, you need to stop bending over backward for your mom. When are you going to tell her you’re a grown adult? You’ve got to live your life, and her constant meddling isn’t healthy. She treats you like you’re still her baby. You’re thirty. You could have babies of your own.”
I could.
But I don’t.
“I’m working on it,” I say as I enter the resort lobby. “Not the baby-making. I mean, the mom issues.”
The ceilings in the lobby are high. A flash of magenta flits over my head.
Oh my gosh… There are parrots in the rafters here. And a few majestic peacocks, tails fanned out, parading around the seating area.
