But Jacob hadn’t wanted to go with the Kids’ Club employees, and Clark and Anthony had both declared themselves too old for the family activities. Tony had thrown his lot in with them. Why are we here, he’d asked, i
f not to spend time together as a family?
And then she’d killed him.
But not really.
So it had been a long weekend of buffet dinners, and burgers and fries for lunch. A vacation spent watching Tony toss a Nerf football in the pool with the boys, or listening to him chew out some poor underling on his cell phone while she tried to keep the kids entertained by herself.
For Amber, it was just like being at home, except more difficult, with Caleb’s wedding in the middle and the blossoming romance of Katie and Sean on display.
Three sexless, exhausting days that had been the furthest possible thing from a vacation.
And still, she couldn’t accept that she deserved what he was offering.
“But you’ve got work,” she said. “And the flight—I can’t leave you with the boys. Who will pick them up from school? Or do the laundry? And somebody’s got to get the dog from the kennel and take her to obedience training tomorrow, because I already think she’s going to be backsliding, considering the way they spoil her. I think—”
“Your mom and Jamila said they would handle it. I’m sure they can take care of the dog, too.”
“I don’t know, Tony. This kind of spur-of-the-moment stuff …”
“Makes you crazy. Yeah, I know. You never say yes to anything like this. I bought you that spa gift certificate, and you left it in the kitchen drawer for four years. So I’m not even going to ask. I’m just telling you, you’re staying here. I’ll change your ticket to Friday and let you know when you have to get on the plane.”
He pulled her toward the back of the van, where he unloaded her suitcase and set it on the curb. Amber watched him. Mute. Stunned.
She wanted to clutch his arm.
Don’t leave me here. I don’t know how to be alone anymore.
I want you to stay with me. I want you to want to stay.
I want everything to be different.
Tony leaned down and kissed her.
It wasn’t a perfunctory kiss or a sex kiss. Not a kiss like Sean and Katie’s, either.
It was a very Tony kiss, forceful and direct and unexpected. Bewildering, the way it pushed heat right down through her, right out here where anyone could see.
It was exactly what she needed.
“Okay,” she said, when she’d caught her breath.
Tony smiled. “We’ll miss you. I’ll explain to the boys. All you need to do is wave as we drive away.”
“Won’t that—”
“It’ll be fine, bun.” For one long second, he cupped her face in his hand and looked in her eyes. For one long second, she felt like she still knew him, and he still knew her.
“Have fun,” he said.
And then he climbed into the van and left her standing there with her suitcase.
No kids. No husband. No family.
Just Paradise, for a few more days.
CHAPTER TWO