“Hi… Oh my God, you look like a teenager,” Lia said, getting up from the impossible pose with ease and hugging the little girl tight. “How old are you now? Fourteen?”

“Nine and three-quarters.”

“Nine and a half,” Wes corrected. “Hey, Sarah,” he said, sounding slightly awkward as he walked past her for his own hug with Lia.

Looking at him that morning in his jeans and paint-splattered old T-shirt, she wished she could wrap her arms around him. Was it her imagination or did he look even better that day? His hair was gelled and he was definitely wearing cologne.

Great, so he’d decided to torture her even more by looking and smelling amazing.

“You guys are here early,” Lia said.

Wes nodded. “This one woke up at six a.m. demanding to come see you. I was barely able to hold her off until a decent time.”

The little girl still had her arms around Lia. “It was actually five thirty.”

Lia laughed, and Sarah looked around. That genuine sound must have come from someone else. She hadn’t seen a relaxed, un-put-on version of the other woman until now.

“Well, I was up that early for a morning run and some follow-up emails with clients in New York, so next time, come as early as you want,” Lia said.

“You’re on vacation. You’re supposed to sleep in, take a break,” Wes said.

“Sleep in? Wouldn’t that be a treat?”

Watching the interaction, Sarah blinked. Where was the obnoxious Lia who was driving her wild? Holding Marissa’s hand and smiling at Wes, she was almost unrecognizable. The square of her shoulders had disappeared, and her face looked relaxed. Happy. Real happy.

“Well, Sarah’s been working hard, too,” Wes said. “She’s breathing new life into this place.” His gaze met Sarah’s, and the tension in the air had to be obvious to everyone. It was impossible to look at him and not remember the kiss. The way he’d tasted, the scent of his cologne, the way he’d backed her up against the wet wall…

Her breath caught in her chest and she just mumbled something she didn’t even understand.

Yeah, things were totally going to go back to normal between them.

Lia glanced back and forth between them as though she caught a vibe of her own, then turned her attention to Marissa. “Hey, what do you say we head down to the beach while your dad works?”

“Yes…I mean, can I, Dad?”

“Of course. Thanks, Lia.” He glanced at her. “Hey, why not invite Sarah to join you?”

Was he trying to get rid of her? She wasn’t going to intrude on Lia and Marissa’s time together, but she would grant him time to work alone. She needed an escape as well.

“Actually, I’m about to head out,” she said. She was now, anyway.