“We were together for seven before we got engaged.”
“Yes, but our love was meant to be,” I said, giving him a smile.
Tristan laughed. “It was,” he nodded, kissing my hand.
“Emma called yesterday,” I told him.
“What’s she up to?”
“She’s taking the world by storm, as we expected,” I smiled. “She’s almost done with her doctorate, which means she’s going to be a licensed therapist soon.”
“Who would have thought,” he said, shaking his head.
We were interrupted suddenly when a tall man in shorts and a bright Hawaiian shirt walked up to us. On his heels was a thin, tall woman in a swimsuit and a chic wrap-around sarong. He was one of Tristan’s investors. I had met him and his wife five years ago at another resort dinner party, and we had become good friends since then. Every year they made it a point of holidaying at the resort for at least three nights.
“Tristan, my boy,” he said, in his booming voice. “What a nice surprise to run into you here.”
“Darren,” Tristan said, standing up to shake his hand. “I was told you had arrived. I’m sorry I couldn’t meet you sooner.”
“Think nothing of it,” he replied. “We know you’re busy.”
“Molly, dear,” Joanna said, coming forward to give me a hug. “Look at you; you’re about ready to pop.”
I laughed. “Not quite yet,” I said. “We still have a little time left.”
“I remember when I had Bridget and Brendan,” she said fondly. “I was so stressed out about everything that I never remembered to enjoy myself. Remember to sit back and savor this experience, it goes by so fast.”
“I will,” I promised. “How are the kids?”
“Oh, they’re not kids anymore,” Darren laughed. “Bridget’s in her sophomore year and Brendan is graduating high school next year.”
Joanna reached over and touched my stomach. “I hope you don’t mind,” she said, realizing late that I might be one of those women that preferred not to have my stomach stroked.
“I don’t,” I smiled.
“Do you know what you’re having?” she asked.
“It’s a boy,” I said happily.
“Ha!” Darren said, in his booming voice. “Congratulations, a little tyke to take over the business, huh?”
“Wow, that’s a lot of pressure on my unborn son,” I said, as Tristan laughed.
“We’ll see,” he said. “It all depends on what he wants to do.”
“Have you settled on a name?” Johanna asked.
“Not yet,” I said. “We agree on one name and then the next day one of us falls out of love with it and we’re back to square one.”
“We had the same thing with our first one,” Darren nodded. “Picking names is impossible. But don’t worry, the right name will just fall into your lap when the time is right. For us, it was in the hospital after Joanna had delivered. We just looked at her, and she looked like a Bridget.”
“I’m assuming you’re having the baby here, Molly?” Joanna asked.
“Definitely,” I said. “That was never a question.”
“How lovely, to be born in Hawaii…in a five-star resort, no less,” Joanna said. “This is one lucky child.”
“I’ll have my work cut out for me,” I smiled. “Keeping him humble and grounded.”