Sam had circled from the hall through the living room and back to the hallway. Now she stopped pacing and brushed off her tears. What if Terri was done? She didn’t want to consider that possibility, but it was there all the same.

  “I get it if you can’t give me another chance. But if you get this when you’re in Houston, can you call me? I’m going to look up flights. And I know it doesn’t make sense to fly down for only a few days, but I want to see you. I need to make things right…” Sam stalled. “I know this sounds cheesy, but if I have a chance with you still, I’ll do anything.”

  Chapter Twenty-five

  On either end of the smooth, white, sandy beach was dark green jungle. The only other thing in sight was the ocean—turquoise water stretching as far as the horizon. Terri adjusted the angle of the umbrella, leaned back on her towel, and tried to soak in the view along with the sun on her legs.

  The resort excelled on what the website had promised. Relaxation. But all that relaxing only let her mind wander to Sam whenever it wanted. At the moment, she had the excuse of the surfers. An afternoon breeze had brought high waves and a half dozen surfers were out on the water trying to catch a ride. Most were tourists from the resort, and if they managed to stand up at all, the ocean quickly tossed them. So of course she wondered how Sam would fare. Then she wondered what the whole day would have been like if Sam had joined her like she’d wanted to.

  Four days had passed since their conversation in the airport, and she still wasn’t sure what her next move should be. She’d listened to Sam’s message twice in Houston, then twice more when she’d landed in San Jose. But she hadn’t called her back. She knew they needed to talk, but she wasn’t sure what to say.

  On the long bumpy ride out to the coast, she’d decided that she didn’t blame Sam for pulling back. Her timing was crap, but she understood. And she wasn’t upset anymore. In fact she felt guilt more than anything else—guilt that she’d held Sam at arm’s length, exactly like she’d said on her message, when all she’d wanted to do was pull her closer. But she couldn’t get past the question of how they could make it work, especially if Sam’s first move was to run rather than to talk through a problem.

  Terri pulled her knees up to her chin and rested her head. The beach vacation should have been paradise, but everything was marred with what-ifs. What if she’d said yes and Sam had come? What if she’d never kissed Sam? She’d wanted everything they’d done together, but if she’d never made the trip to Santa Cruz, maybe she could have easily forgotten about her. Now nothing about her was easy.

  That morning Terri had gone on a hike to a waterfall—the trail cutting deep through the thick of the jungle—and stopped at a lookout, only to think of Sam. Butterflies as big as her hand and brilliant blue flitted close enough to touch while howler monkeys called to each other and toucans soared above. She wondered what Sam would notice and what she would take a picture of. And instead of enjoying it all, she’d stood there trying to ignore a gnawing loneliness.

  What if Sam was the one? After being married twice, she couldn’t believe she’d even ask that question. This wasn’t her first solo vacation, and yet it was the first time she’d truly wanted someone to be with her. And not just anyone. She wanted Sam.

  Tomorrow she was set to take another bumpy jeep ride inland to see the volcano and then the cloud forest. But all she wanted to do was be transported to Sam’s doorstep. A huge wave came up and the surfers disappeared from view. She stood up, suddenly worrying that they’d be swept out, but then a moment later the wave crested and she spotted them again. She let out the breath she was holding and looked behind her at the resort. The nagging sensation that she was in the wrong place was growing stronger. If she skipped the volcano and the cloud forest, could she call this enough vacation?

  * * *

  Once she’d made the decision, the pieces came together quickly. Suddenly she was in Houston five days early. Compared to the calm of the remote beach where she’d thought this all through, Bush International was a jarring wake-up call. She hadn’t even talked to Sam yet. All she could do was trust that Sam hadn’t changed her mind.

  “Sorry for the hold. How can I help you?”

  Terri smiled at the professional sound of her sister’s voice. She’d never called her at work and never asked for a favor, but she couldn’t show up at Sam’s door. They needed a neutral space. A little hotel in San Francisco might be perfect. “Do you have any rooms for tonight?”

  “Tonight? Let me check… We have one left.”

  “Great. I’ll take it.”

  There was a short pause and then, “Is this who I think it is?”

  “Hi, Kells.”

  Kelly’s hoot made Terri’s smile widen.

  “I thought I recognized the number, but then I told myself I was imagining it. Aren’t you supposed to be in Costa Rica?”

  “I decided to come back early.”

  Kelly hmmed. “This has to be about a woman. No way would you cut a vacation short for a guy.”

  Terri laughed. “You know me too well.”

  “I want the full story, but let’s get you set up with this room first.”

  After the details were solidified, Terri hung up with Kelly, promising to tell her more later, and then debated the text she wanted to send to Sam. She decided to send the link to the restaurant from the hotel’s website and then added a quick note:

  Any chance you could do dinner at seven? Would love to see you.

  After a moment of indecision, she hit send.

  A minute ticked by without a response and then another. Terri knew there was a possibility Sam would have other plans. A photo shoot even. When she was about to toss her phone in her purse, the screen blinked with a new message.

  Sam: I’ll be there.

  Terri’s heart pounded in her chest. All the questions rattling round in her mind raised their hand at once. For now, she had to accept that she’d see Sam tonight. Everything else would have to wait.

  “You’re really here!” Kelly came out from behind the reception desk and gave Terri a bear hug. “I can’t believe my big sis came to see my hotel!”

  “I should have come sooner.” San Francisco wasn’t even that far away from Sacramento. She simply hadn’t made the time for a visit.

  “Uh-uh. No feeling guilty—I see those wheels of yours turning. We both know you’re too damn busy to breathe let alone come to a random hotel where your little sister works. I’m excited to have you here. That’s all. I promise. Now, give me a minute to get you checked in. And then we’ll talk about why you’re here.” Kelly spun back to the reception desk. “It’s not the best room. If you’d given me a little warning I would have set you up in the suite with the skyline view.”

  “Next time.” This time she wasn’t here for any view. But seeing how happy Kelly was, she was glad she’d thought of coming at all. “We should pop in on each other more.”

  “We should.” Kelly looked up from the screen and grinned. “You totally made my night. And we’re all set.” She held up a card key and then knocked on a door behind the reception desk. “Hey, Andre. My sister’s here. You’re on.”

  Andre opened the door and leaned back on his chair. “Hi, Kelly’s sister. Wow. Holy red hair Batman. You two have the same DNA or something?”

  “Very funny.” Kelly stuck out her tongue at Andre and then turned to Terri. “Ignore him. He’s nice to look at but…” She turned to wink at Andre. “We’re still on for skeeball tomorrow, right?”

  “’Cause I’m nice to look at?”

  “That and I like skeeball.”

  Terri had to laugh. Fortunately, Andre did as well.

  “Follow me, sis.”

  It wasn’t the first time someone had commented on the family resemblance. Bianca had dark brown hair that was straight as could be, but Kelly and Terri had the same red curls, and side by side, there was no doubting they were sisters.

  As soon as they were out of the lobby, Terri said, “So is Andre the new boyfriend?”

  “One of them.” Kelly smiled. “You’re not the only one who stays busy.”

  Terri laughed. “I guess not. Does he know he’s not the only one?”

  “Yes…but he also knows I like him better than the other one.”

  “Then why keep two?”

  Kelly shrugged. “Variety?”

  “I think I’m too old for variety.”

  “Some days I am too. But I’m not sure I’m ready to propose to Andre.” She pointed out a painting of a dark blue triangle on the wall. “We’ve got a deal with one of the galleries in town and have some of their art on display. This one’s called ‘The Other Night.’ I’ve stared at it for about an hour and still have no clue what the artist was thinking.”

  Terri smiled when Kelly looked back at her. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Me too.” Kelly slipped her arm around Terri’s waist. “But now you know where to find me.”

  As they walked, Kelly explained that the hotel had two dozen rooms—which was a good thing if one wanted a quiet upscale place to stay in a prime spot in the city, but a challenge in the busy season when they were always turning away guests. She also pointed out a few other paintings and then some of the new decor. Terri could feel Kelly’s pride, and she wished again that she’d taken the time to drop in on her sooner. The short tour ended when they reached her room.

  “Here it is.” Kelly walked in, turned around, and then looked back at Terri. “What do you think?”

  “It’s nice.” Maybe too nice. Definitely romantic. “Now all I have to do is not freak out.”

  Kelly flopped on the bed. “Okay. Spill. I want the whole story.”

  Terri set her purse on the table by the door and wheeled in her carry-on. The room wasn’t big and there was only one bed. For some reason she hadn’t even considered the sleeping part, but clearly they weren’t going to simply have dinner and go their separate ways. But she wasn’t sure it was a good idea for them to have sex. Even if they planned on sleeping on opposite sides, what were the chances they’d keep their hands to themselves?

  “You are going to tell me, right? I mean, you left your vacation early for this chick. It’s gotta be serious.” Kelly arched an eyebrow. “Or someone screwed up. You or her?”

  Nothing got past Kelly. Terri sighed. “A little of both. But I don’t think I’m up for telling you all the details.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I can’t have that conversation with my little sister.”

  “Ooh, was it a sex problem?”

  Terri rolled her eyes.

  “You do realize I’m thirty-one, right? I’ve probably had more partners than you.”

  “I’m aware of that possibility.” She also was well aware that Kelly was the same age as Sam—and there was a good chance that Sam had more experience than she did as well. “Unless there’s a medical reason I need to know, I really don’t want to hear about your sex life. Do you honestly want to hear about mine?”

  Kelly bopped her head from side to side. “Depends. How cute is she?”

  Terri sank down on the bed. “I lose my train of thought when she walks in the room. And, no. Sex isn’t a problem. She’s almost too good.”

  “Mm. Yeah. I want to hear more.”

  How was it possible that Sam was the same age as her little sister? “Too bad. I’m not telling you.”

  “What kind of sister are you?” Kelly teased. “Okay, at least tell me you have a plan. You left your vacation for this woman. That’s all I know. Does she need to do something to fix things or is it all on you?”

  “I think it needs to be a joint effort but maybe mostly me. I blamed her, but…that wasn’t fair.”

  Kelly nodded. “Do you love her?”

  The answer was waiting on the tip of her tongue, but Terri didn’t say it. Had she really fallen in love despite everything? She closed her mouth and swallowed, wondering how she could be so overcome by one word.

  “Speechless, huh? That answers that. Does she love you back?”

  Terri lifted her shoulders. She thought she knew, but what if she was wrong? What if she was only a good time for Sam? And yet every time they’d had sex, Sam had held her afterwards and the tenderness in her touch was undeniable. Sam focused on her like no one else was around, like nothing else mattered. Even in the stream of texts they’d exchanged, Terri had worried Sam was too attracted to her. Worried. No wonder Sam had pulled back. Meanwhile Terri had focused on the sex and pretended she wasn’t falling for her.

  Kelly touched Terri’s hand. “You don’t need to have it all figured out tonight. When does she get here?”

  Terri glanced at the clock by the bedside. “She’ll be here at seven.”

  “In twenty minutes?” The urgency in Kelly’s voice was endearing. “Are you going to change?”

  Terri glanced down at her travel clothes. She was wearing a comfy knit shirt and loose pants—perfect for travelling but not what she wanted to be wearing on a date. Although she wasn’t sure tonight qualified as a date. “I’d love to shower…I hadn’t really thought about clothes. I packed one dress, but it’s probably wrinkled.”

  “I’m a whiz with the iron.” Kelly pointed to the carry-on. “In there?”

  “You don’t mind?”

  “Are you kidding? For the first time I’m helping my big sis. Do you know how many times you’ve helped me?” Kelly motioned to the bathroom. “Go shower. We don’t have time to argue.”

  Kelly distracted Terri from thinking about seeing Sam by keeping up a running monologue about her relationship woes not only during her shower but as she was toweling off and changing into the dress. Andre sounded like a keeper, and Terri told her as much, but the other beau had plenty of good attributes as well. Only when her cell phone buzzed with a text did Terri feel a twinge of nerves.

  She glanced at the screen and took a steadying breath. “She found a parking spot.”

  “Where are you meeting her? Here at the hotel? Did you already pick a place for dinner? ’Cause I can totally give you recommendations. You’re going to let me meet her, right?”

  “Hold your horses.” Terri typed out a quick response: Meet you in the hotel lobby.

  She set down her phone and considered Kelly’s request. She didn’t want to tell her no, but she was already anxious.

  “Please let me at least say hi. I promise I won’t say or do anything to make you regret it. Please?” Kelly batted her eyelashes. It was a classic Kelly move, and Terri knew there was no point fighting those eyelashes.

  “Okay, but only a quick hello.”

  “Thanks!” Kelly squeezed Terri’s arm. “You know, this is the first time I’m meeting someone you’re seeing before you’re marrying them. By the way, your dress is perfect. Not too fancy—you don’t want to seem like you’re trying too hard—but sexy enough to get her attention. I wish I had your boobs.”

  Terri grinned when Kelly tried to squeeze her own breasts to make more cleavage. “You’re gorgeous and you know it. Now stop fondling yourself, goofball. Did you really not meet Kayla before we went to the courthouse?”

  “No. You didn’t even think about the fact that I might want to judge who my sister was marrying before it happened.” She pursed her lips in a mock petulant look. “And since you and David didn’t have an official wedding either, it wasn’t until that Christmas that I met him.”

  “I’ve made a lot of mistakes.” Terri laughed when Kelly gave her an “I could have told you that” look. “Does it make it any better if I say that this is honestly the first person I’ve slept with that’s worth introducing?”

  “Now that I understand.”

  “But I don’t know about the relationship part. We seem to be really good at sex and not much else.” She glanced at the bed and imagined Sam pushing back the covers. “I was thinking we could come back here after dinner to talk, but I don’t know if that’s a good idea. There’s a chance we won’t do much talking.”

  “I knew you and I were related.” Kelly handed Terri her purse. “Come on. I want to be introduced to the woman that’s got my tight-ass sister all hot and bothered.”

  “Hot and bothered” was one way of putting it.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  “That’s your girlfriend?” Kelly whispered. “Damn. I might be gay after all.”

  “Don’t even think about stealing her,” Terri said under her breath. Her pulse had started racing as soon as they stepped out of the elevator, and when she spotted Sam, chatting with Andre at the reception desk and looking perfectly handsome in a dark gray suit, her heart jumped up to her throat.

  “Too late. Already thinking about it.” Kelly grinned when Terri shot her a look.

  Kelly was as straight as could be, but anyone could appreciate an attractive woman. Especially one in an expensive suit that looked like it had been made for her. God, Sam was gorgeous.

  Sam pulled her hands out of her pockets and straightened up. Her tentative smile carried all the uncertainty Terri had felt over the last week. She didn’t know where things stood. Neither did Terri.

  Kelly walked right up and stuck out her hand. “Hi. I’m Kelly.”

  “I’m Sam.” Sam clasped her hand. “Nice to meet you. Terri’s told me about you.”

  “She’s told me about you too.” Kelly raised a knowing eyebrow, and Terri cringed. Hopefully Sam wouldn’t guess what Kelly was thinking.

  “You’ve got a nice hotel,” Sam said. “The location’s perfect.”

  “But a pain in the ass to find parking near,” Andre added.

  “True.” Sam met Terri’s gaze. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Likewise.”

  “You look amazing.”

  “So do you.” Terri wanted to take away the uncertainty in Sam’s eyes, but there were no magic words to say. They had to figure out their next step together.