Once little Jayden had retrieved his toy, the four of us all headed for the coast where boats were waiting to give us a tour around the island. It was organized by locals who told us all about the different types of native fish we saw swimming beneath us in the water. Jayden was transfixed and wouldn’t stop whispering ‘Wow!’ over and over again.
Meanwhile, I sidled up next to Rylee on the bench and surreptitiously dipped my hand behind her to settle on her lower back. Rylee gave me a furtive sideways glance from under her eyelashes and I smiled back at her. Yes, the trip was the most fun I’d had in a very long time.
Once we finished up the boat tour, the four of us headed toward the beach where Rylee and Robin enjoyed some time to spend sunbathing and reading. Jayden was still his excitable little self, so I tried to tire him out chasing him around on the sand and then by taking him swimming out in the ocean. I helped him inflate his armbands and his swim ring much to his excitement.
All too soon, however, Jayden’s eyes were drooping and he kept yawning. I brought him back onto the beach and laid him down on a towel on the sand before draping a blanket over him. As I looked down at his sleeping face, I couldn’t imagine a more angelic sight than my own child slumbering. I was loath to leave him, but something else had been on my mind all day. Sure, my plan for Hawaii had been to spend time with Jayden, but I also wanted to take the opportunity to woo Rylee a little more.
“Jayden’s sleeping,” I said as I approached Rylee and pointed down at our son. “I just need to head back into the resort for something, I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay, Spencer,” Rylee replied with a nod as she looked up from her book. “Thanks again for taking care of him.”
“It’s my pleasure,” I told her sincerely. The two of us shared a look and for a moment, I thought that was what it felt like to share the weight of being a parent. The two of us were not only looking after Jayden but each other as well. I’d never been more certain how much I wanted Rylee than in that moment.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” I said with one last smile before I took off toward the resort.
I knew exactly what I was looking for when I entered the shopping area. My eyes looked over the various expensive stores from Dolce & Gabbana to Tom Ford, but neither of those had what I was looking for. That was when my eyes settled on the large Tiffany & Co. sign at the end of the shopping strip. I smiled and walked past the plush, comfortable chairs in the lobby to make my way for it.
As soon as I entered the Tiffany store, I was astounded by the array of sparkling diamonds they had on display. I just knew they would be perfect for what I wanted, so I headed straight for the counter. Just as I was about to raise a hand to flag down an attendant, I heard my name being called from somewhere behind me.
“Oh, Spencer!” came Alexa’s nasal voice.
I turned with a smile that I hoped covered up the irritation I felt at being interrupted. “Oh, hi Alexa,” I greeted, “What a surprise to see you here.”
She walked straight toward me with a sensual swing of her hips and a look of delight on her face. “Where are those dear, old friends of yours?” she asked.
“Oh, they’re down on the beach enjoying the sun,” I explained.
Alexa slipped her arm through mine then and looked over into jewelry case. “Oh, aren’t these just magnificent, Spencer?” she crooned, her free hand touching the glass of the cabinet. “I bet a rich man like you could purchase the entire store and not feel a single dent in your wallet,” she commented, never taking her eyes off the exquisite diamonds as the light made them glint and sparkle.
With a roll of my eyes, I tried to step away from Alexa and gain some distance, but instead of taking the hint, Alexa just held on tighter. I closed my eyes and sighed. I had been looking forward to taking my time and finding something perfect for Rylee, but now, I had to deal with this gold-digging nuisance!
“They certainly have a great collection, but I’m not sure the collection displayed here is entirely my style,” I lied, pulling my arm away from hers. “Have you looked over at the sapphires around there?” I asked her, pointing to another glass cabinet in the far corner displaying a number of pink and blue diamonds.