Or, I will be.

I reached out to put my hand on his thigh, and he caught it with his and squeezed it. He only let go when we approached the next bend in the road because he needed two hands for the sharp turn. I looked out, watching the changeable coastline and then when we turned inland, the sugar plantations.

I was falling hard for the sexy American boy—again.

Chapter 16

We arrived back at the resort around 4:00pm, which gave us just enough time to shower away the grime from our adventures, have a snooze, eat a light dinner—room service that time—then shower again before we got ready to go out. We also managed to fit in our very first quickie, a milestone in any couple’s relationship—even though we weren’t technically a couple.

We were meeting Siobhan in the lobby at nine so we could ride to the party together, but I had been worried about how we’d get back to the resort after the party. Not being able to find a taxi was always a risk when you went out on New Year’s Eve, so I was relieved when the concierge gave us a special number to call—one of the (many) services that came with Josh’s Marriott status.

I couldn’t help being impressed, and maybe a little envious, that a perk of Josh’s job as a travelling software consultant was qualifying for the highest status of an international hotel chain. Whereas, I was a schoolteacher. The biggest perk I got was free instant coffee in the staffroom—and it was Nescafé.

I got dressed for the party in the bathroom so I could surprise Josh with the dress, specifically me in the dress. It was perfect for a warm, tropical New Year’s Eve, so I hadn’t hesitated to pack it. As I stepped into it, it did occur to me that I’d only worn it with James and Josh. It was this odd thread between them, but I tried not to think about that, or James, as I strapped on the sandals I’d bought in London.

Lindsey had lent me one of her clutches in a metallic bronze, and some bangles and earrings in the same colour, to round out the outfit. My hair had miraculously dried into near-perfect curls, so I left it down. A “down-do” was rare for me, and I sprayed so much humidity-resistant hairspray on my curls, I nearly needed a gas mask—but I wasn’t taking any chances. I waved a hand in front of my face to clear the air. The price we pay for beauty.

Once I was dressed, I checked my makeup one last time—still perfect. I had gone with a bold fuchsia lip, lashings of mascara, and a dusting of bronzer. Finally, I stood in front of the full-length mirror to see how the whole look came together.

I looked hot, if I did say so myself, and I was ready for the big reveal. If Josh wasn’t in love with me yet, he would be when I opened the door. Except that when I opened the bathroom door, he wasn’t there. The room was empty.