Before they’d gone two steps, Bryn said, “I’m building sand castles with Julia. You can build them with Mom.” When Carly started to argue, Bryn reached over and grabbed her sand-covered cheese stick. In one quick move, she managed to hurl it into the water.

  Crying burst out again and Reed caught Bryn’s shoulder to spin her around. She took Bryn’s cheese stick, and said, “I know you want to spend special time with Julia. So do I. But we’re all building sand castles together.”

  When Reed tossed the second cheese stick into the water, more crying ensued. It was several tearful minutes before everyone was chewing quietly on apples and salami slices, and fortunately, Reed didn’t leave Julia alone with the kids after all. Once they’d settled down to eat, Reed dealt with the sunscreen too. She glanced over at Julia as she applied the lotion to Bryn’s cheeks and said, “You should have seen them at three. This is way better.”

  “I thought two was the hard year.”

  “I’m waiting for the easy year,” Reed said. “Bryn Mawr, stop wiggling or this is gonna end up in your eyes.”

  Bryn squeezed her eyes tight at that but kept wiggling.

  “Bryn Mawr, like the college?”

  “Yep. We’re all named after colleges.” Reed pointed to Carly and said, “I went to Carleton for undergrad. My parents met at Reed. And my grandmother used to teach at Bryn Mawr. Grandma was a spitfire like Bryn.”

  “I’m not a spitfire,” Bryn argued. “What is that anyway?”

  “Someone with a lot of attitude. And sometimes remembering how amazing Grandma was keeps me from pulling out my hair when you are acting, well, like you.”

  “Like a spitfire?”

  “Like Bryn.” Reed grinned at the stinky face Bryn made in response. “There’s a story behind all of the other names in the family too. My sister was named after Claremont McKenna College—my mom’s alma mater. My brothers got Wellesley, Macalester, and Davidson—Wells, Mac, and David, for short.”

  “Can we build sand castles now?” Bryn pleaded.

  “Yes. If you promise to be good for the three minutes it takes me to run and grab the buckets.”

  “You better go fast,” Bryn said, crossing her arms.

  Reed sighed and kissed the top of Bryn’s head. “I’ll be fast.”

  They spent the next half hour digging trenches and making mounds of sand. Once the base was done, Julia and Carly worked on decorating the front of the castle with shells while Bryn and Reed fortified the rear to withstand the assault of a dragon that was due any minute. Nearly every time Julia looked up, she caught Reed’s eyes on her and more than once Bryn complained that Reed needed to pay better attention.

  The sun beat down, but a breeze kept the sweat off her neck and Julia felt a swell of happiness. She sat back on her heels and looked over the results of their work. It took some imagination to see a castle, even with the moat and the drawbridge.

  “You okay?”

  Julia met Reed’s eyes. “I’m great.” Nothing about the day was what she’d expected when she’d daydreamed about the trip to Hawaii. But it was perfect.

  Ten seconds later, Bryn stood up and said, “I hate sand castles.” She marched over to the section of moat Carly was digging and dumped the contents of her bucket. Reed sighed as Carly stood up, fists curled.

  “I think it’s time to get in the water. Who wants to get wet?”

  “Me!” Carly and Bryn screamed. They pushed and shoved their way over to the life jackets and then fought to be first to get strapped in.

  Reed peeled off her T-shirt, revealing a black bikini top, and Julia couldn’t help but stare. Fortunately, Reed didn’t notice. She’d jogged over to where Carly and Bryn were arguing, picked one kid up in each arm, and started toward the water.

  Soon Bryn and Carly were laughing and splashing Reed. The sibling argument was forgotten over their desire to soak their mom. Julia stretched out on the sand to watch them play. She hadn’t thought to bring her suit, but she wasn’t sure her ankle was ready to hold her up against the waves anyway. Plus, she didn’t mind taking a quiet break from the kids.

  The warm breeze pushed puffy clouds overhead, and every so often one of the waves would crash hard enough to send up a cool spray of water. Julia got out her camera and snapped shots of the water and then a few of Carly and Bryn chasing after the foamy break. More than once, she angled her lens on Reed. Between the bikini and the black-and-white board shorts that hugged her butt, Reed was breathtaking. Julia gave up the pretense of watching the surf and focused on Reed. Kate was right—Reed had nice calves. But that wasn’t where the nice ended.

  After a handful of shots, Julia eyed the images on her screen. She felt a wrench in her stomach. Reed’s profile as she glanced back at Julia was perfect. So were the sinewy muscles of her back and the curve of her butt. But in less than a week, Reed would be gone from her life, and she didn’t need a memory card full of pictures to remind her of something that couldn’t be. Her finger hovered over the delete button.

  Finally she decided she’d send the pictures to Reed. She’d ask for her email later. The truth was, she wanted an excuse to keep the image. If nothing more happened, she wanted to hold on to the memory of their afternoon and of everything that had been said and left unsaid.

  Chapter Seven

  “I was about to call search and rescue,” Mo said, shifting on the couch. “Do you know what time it is?”

  “Almost eight.” Julia dropped her purse on the coffee table and went to pour herself a glass of water. Unbelievably, she’d survived ten hours with two kids. And what was more, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a better day. But that was mostly Reed’s fault. “You knew I was going to be gone all day.”

  “You’ve got a sprained ankle and we hardly know this person,” Mo argued. “Aren’t you supposed to be lying on your back with your foot up?”

  “Mo, you’re worse than my mom. Give Jules a break. She’s allowed to go on a date.” Kate held up the knife she was using to slice pineapple. “But you should let this woman know that I’m a skilled knife thrower and if she breaks your heart…”

  “I wasn’t on a date.”

  “Right.” Kate raised her eyebrows. “Which is why you look like you’re glowing…How were the waterfalls?”

  “Beautiful.” Julia did feel like she was glowing, but she wasn’t ready to share all the details. She went to her room, snagged a towel and her bathing suit, and then came back to the living room. “How was surfing?”

  “Wait, are you leaving again?”

  “Relax, Mo. I’m going for a swim. I was in a car all day.” She was not going to admit that she was hoping to catch Reed after the swim. Reed had mentioned that after she got the kids in bed in each night, she’d been spending her evenings alone out on the lanai. She hadn’t made it sound lonely—more as if it was her own quiet time to refuel. Julia didn’t want to intrude, but something in Reed’s voice made her think that she might want company for a change. There was a risk to seeing Reed tonight however.

  “Did you guys stand up on your boards?”

  “You should have seen Mo ripping it on the waves,” Kate said. “She’s a natural.”

  “Unfortunately, now I can’t move. Every muscle in my body is in lactic acid overload.”

  Kate scrunched her nose. “That’s attractive.” She filled a bowl with pineapple slices and set it in front of Mo. “You’ll feel better after you eat.”

  “I’ll feel better after I sleep,” Mo argued.

  “Pineapple first. The pizza should be here any minute. And I promised you a massage after you saved my butt in that big wave.”

  “You would have been fine even if I wasn’t there.”

  “I thought it was the end.” Kate shook her head. “When that big wave tossed me…I think I’m taking a break from the ocean for a few days.”

  “Thanks for saving her life, Mo. Maybe you two could do something safe tomorrow like sunbathe? I’d like to go home with the same two friends I came with.” Julia snagged a slice of pineapple. “See you guys.”

  “Wait a minute. I want the real scoop on your day,” Mo said. “I don’t want to hear about waterfalls. I want to hear about the date part.”

  “I wasn’t on a date,” Julia argued, heading for the door.

  “You can’t leave without telling us the details.”

  Julia looked back over her shoulder and waved at Mo before she slipped outside. Mo’s voice followed her for several yards down the path. Then it was the music from the distant pool bar she heard, laughing voices from folks gathered around one of the barbecues, and finally the sprinklers. She passed Reed’s condo, slowing her steps long enough to steal a quick look. The lights were dimmed in the living room, but all the shades were up and she could see through the sliding glass door right into the kitchen.

  The kids were sitting at the table, an open box of Cheerios and a gallon of milk between them. Bryn had a bowl balanced on her head and Carly was peeling a banana. Bedtime snack. Julia felt a surge of longing to join them. She’d said good night only twenty minutes earlier, getting hugs from both Carly and Bryn, and yet she missed them already. Reed crossed the living room to close the open sliding glass door and Julia ducked her head and hurried down the path.

  It wasn’t embarrassment at being seen—she could have called out to Reed and waved. But she’d felt suddenly exposed. And unsteady. The emotions that had come in unsettling waves all afternoon were hard enough to classify. She didn’t want to try to explain herself to anyone else. Three days ago she would have laughed at the thought that she’d want to tuck two kids into bed and then wrap her arms around their mom.

  She changed in the locker room and then went out to the pool. The first few laps were full of images of waterfalls. Then all she could think of was Reed. After a half hour in the pool, she got out and showered.

  Julia took her time drying off. The locker room was nearly empty and quietly comfortable with potted palms everywhere, a wicker patio sofa, and several chairs set up in lieu of benches. She sat down on one of the benches and set to combing out her tangles. Her ankle was starting to ache and she knew she ought to ice it, but she wasn’t ready to go back to the condo. The thought of going to Reed’s instead was both tempting and terrifying. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, wishing she had no fear of sex—if only for one night. God, the things she wanted to do with Reed. And the things she wanted Reed to do to her…

  The locker room door swung open and a resort employee entered. She smiled at Julia and then said, “How was the pool?”

  “Lovely.”

  “It’s a perfect night for a swim. The moon’s almost full.”

  Julia agreed. The woman went to one of the locker bays. She quickly changed out of her blue resort polo shirt and khaki shorts and into a slim-fitting dark pink tank top and flowered skirt. She was strikingly pretty with an olive complexion and long dark brown hair that framed her face.

  “Basically the whole day has been perfect,” Julia said, more to herself than the woman, who was focused on touching up her makeup.

  “Welcome to paradise.” The woman smiled at Julia in the mirror’s reflection. “When I first saw you, I thought you were this girl I went to school with. You and Kalea could be sisters.”

  Julia had been mistaken for someone else many times. Mostly it was annoying, but this time it was strangely nice…What had always made her different seemed common here. For once she looked like a local.

  “You and your partner have the cutest kids,” the woman said, interrupting Julia’s thoughts. “I was watching the four of you play in the kiddie pool yesterday. Adorable. All of you. How long have you been together?”

  “Oh, we’re not together. We met a few days ago—on the plane ride here.”

  “You’re joking. A few days ago?” The woman turned around to squint at Julia. “Huh. Go figure. But you’re into women, right? Do you like her?”

  Julia nodded, thankful she didn’t have to admit out loud how much she liked Reed.

  “Well, in case she hasn’t told you, the feeling’s mutual.” She spun back to the mirror and finished with her lipstick. “She was giving you some long looks yesterday.”

  “Maybe, but she’s not interested in dating. She’s got the two kids and she’s busy…”

  “So don’t date.” The woman raised her eyebrow. “My girlfriend would kill me if she heard me say that. She doesn’t believe in having sex unless you’re in love. We’ve agreed to disagree.” She laughed and closed her locker. “If you’re looking for something to get your mind off her, there’s a band playing over at the bar. The crowd at that place is always straight, but the music’s good.”

  “Thanks for the tip.”

  “Sure thing. See you around.” She smiled and swung her purse over her shoulder along with the tote.

  By the time Julia left the locker room, the sky had darkened to a deep indigo. The full moon, still low in the sky, competed with a sea of stars, and music from the bar carried down the path between the condo buildings. Her steps slowed when she reached the lawn outside Reed’s condo, as if her body was in charge of where she went. The lights were off and she couldn’t make any distinct shapes out of the shadows. She took out her cell phone, debating if Reed would think she was coming on too strong if she texted tonight and then she spotted several messages she’d missed. Three were from Mo, wanting Julia to spill the beans on her day. But the most recent text was from Reed.

  I know I’m probably breaking some more dating rules, but I can’t stop thinking about you. Am I crazy if I want to see you tonight?

  Julia stared at the words. Thank God she wasn’t alone in this. She swallowed back a rush of emotion. Maybe in Hawaii she could do this—maybe she could have sex without thinking so much that she ruined it all. Maybe she could be normal.

  Since we haven’t gone on a date yet, I don’t think you’re breaking any rules.

  Reed took a moment to respond: Good. Want to come over for a drink?

  Julia’s finger hesitated over the letters. If she went over now, she had one thing on her mind. To say this was unlike her was the understatement of the year. But she could simply have a drink and leave if her old anxieties returned. Or maybe she should go home to Mo and Kate before disaster struck.

  The urge to be close to Reed was making her feel insane. Worst-case scenario, the same issues that always came up would strike as soon as they got into the bedroom—she’d choke and they’d have to stop before things got started. She’d admit she was terrible in bed and then apologize for leading Reed on. Then in the next few days they’d probably run into each other over and over again at the resort and everything would be awkward.

  Julia started to type that she’d promised to hang out with her friends that evening, but before she pressed the send button, she deleted the sentence. She hadn’t promised anything. Kate and Mo were probably watching a show and planning on an early night. They had both looked exhausted. She didn’t want an early night and her therapist’s voice sounded in her mind. She’d say that Reed was an opportunity. Reed was much more than that, however, and if she screwed this up…

  But if she went home, she’d never know what might have happened. Reed was asking and her body was begging her to say yes.

  Maybe they could stop at kissing. With all of her past lovers, her cold feet didn’t come up until after they got past that. Then her brain took over and the sex that followed was an abysmal failure. She had no clue what the cause might be, she only knew she wanted it to stop. Her therapist was convinced there must be some underlying reason, but if so she had no clue what the cause might be. Emily had guessed that the problem was they had been friends first and her body couldn’t make the leap to more. But there was no explaining what happened over and over again with Sheryl. Julia would want the intimacy and she’d even start things most of the time, but then she pulled back. She didn’t blame Sheryl for getting upset.

  If it was a lack of desire for more than cuddling with her exes, that couldn’t be the case with Reed. Desire for her was there in spades. She’d been fantasizing about kissing her, undressing her, feeling Reed’s body on hers and actually being fucked, for the past two days. Whatever was different this time, one thing was clear—her body was responding in a way it never had before.

  Before she could second-guess herself again, she hastily typed: I’d love to. When?

  Reed’s response was immediate: Now?

  You caught me on my way back from the pool. My hair’s wet and I’m in a wraparound.Julia stared at the text wondering if she’d said too much.

  Not sure what a wraparound is but your hair looks great wet. There was a pause and then Reed added: I probably shouldn’t have admitted that last part.

  Julia smiled. If Reed was trying to win her over with charming honesty, it was working. A light switched on in Reed’s living room and Julia’s heart jumped to her throat. It was ridiculous to be nervous considering she’d already spent the day with Reed and yet she was. She willed her feet to move, telling herself she could stop at one kiss…

  But she’d been coming on strong all afternoon and Reed might be expecting more. Hell, her own body was expecting more. If Reed was as much of a top as she’d said, maybe Julia could let her be in charge. She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. This was part of what got her into trouble in bed. She overthought everything. Tonight she wanted a break from thinking.

  Reed stepped out onto the lanai, her profile outlined by the living room light behind her. She had a pitcher in one hand and two glasses in the other and she struggled to close the screen door. As soon as she turned, she took one step and stubbed her toe on the cooler she’d left outside. Hopping on one foot and cussing, she bumped into a tower of pool noodles and splashed some of the contents of the pitcher. Julia couldn’t help smiling. Thankfully Reed wasn’t as smooth as she looked.

  Weaving between the pool noodles that were now spilled across the lanai, the inflated dolphin and shark, and a pile of snorkel gear and bathing suits, Reed finally reached the table. When she’d set down the pitcher, she adjusted her glasses and looked up. “Oh, hey. You’re here,” She bit her lip, looking down at the mess around her feet. “How long have you been standing there?”