The two boys left out of the back door with Jayden excitedly skipping toward the sand. I watched them for a while, smiling at the way Jayden dived into the sand and began trying to form castles. Seeing the two of them together was cute and it made my heart ache for my deepest desire: a family, a real family with Spencer and Jayden together. I’d spent so long hoping for it and now that the possibility was here, I was so scared something was going to go wrong.
Yet, the two of them seemed to be getting on like a house on fire. They were playing together in the sand and Jayden didn’t seem shy or scared around Spencer, despite him being a practical stranger! I felt like I needed to take my mind off of things for a little bit, so I took a leaf out of my mom’s book and I began investigating the villa. I headed for the bedroom that Spencer had said I could have.
When I walked in this time, I took more of an interest in it. There was a huge four poster bed with soft, silk sheets in a dusky pink color. I smiled and dragged my fingers along the material, enjoying how it felt against my skin. I noticed there were complimentary luxury toiletries in a little gift box on the nightstand and I dug through them. There were bubble baths and bath bombs and even an expensive designer perfume from Chanel. I couldn’t believe all these things were here for me. I knew Spencer must have arranged it and the thought warmed my heart.
Once I was finished looking through my gifts, I headed toward the window and opened the opulent cream curtains to reveal the most beautiful sight of the Hawaiian coastline. The beach was empty except for Spencer and Jayden who were now wading out into the ocean together. Both of their feet were bare as they dipped their toes into the warm sea. Jayden was clutching his hand tight to Spencer’s and the sight made my heart soar.
I sighed. Perhaps, this could be my life now, I thought to myself and allowed myself to indulge in the dream for just a moment before I headed to the kitchen of the villa where my mom was sat. She was nursing a glass of sparkling water and reading a brochure outlining all of the activities and events happening in the resort.
“Anything exciting in there, Mom?” I asked with a smile as I sat down on one of the stools next to her.
My mom let out a long exhale and then placed the brochure down on the kitchen island. “I… I don’t know. I can hardly wrap my head around all of this. Things have been such a crazy whirlwind ever since Spencer blew back into town.”
I nodded. Boy, if only Mom knew just how true that was. “It sure has been crazy, Mom, but it’s also been nice, hasn’t it?” I said with a shrug. “He brought us to Hawaii and I imagine that seeing an old friend is fun too, right?”
“Yeah, that’s true. The last time I saw Spencer it was ten years ago at the last reunion,” she said. “And even before then, I hadn’t seen him since high school. But he’s still the same old Spencer. Even money doesn’t seem to change him.”
Talking about Spencer had my interest peaked. I leaned forward and began circling my finger into a swirling pattern on the marble of the counter top. “Speaking of high school, what was your relationship with Spencer like?” I asked, trying to keep my voice as steady and even as possible. I didn’t want my mom to suspect I was fishing for information.
“It was hardly a relationship to be honest, Rylee,” my mom began, “we only went out for exactly one week in sophomore year before we realized we weren’t well-suited to one another.” She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “Besides, I was only dating Spencer because I wanted to make your dad jealous. He’d broken up with me the week before and I was heartbroken and determined to get back at him. It was all rather foolish.”
My mom sighed and then reached out to touch my hand. I held hers in mine firmly and smiled over at her. “You know what it’s like to be young and naïve, Rylee. But anyway, we ended up as good friends and even though I didn’t want to be with him, I still think Spencer is a great guy who would make a woman really happy if he ever did settle down.”
I glanced at her and tried to tell if she was hinting at anything, but her face gave nothing away. I doubted she knew anything about Spencer and I, but I still felt on edge about the whole thing. Even so, I couldn’t help but pry.