Three Reasons to Say Yes Read online

  “I’m not that straight,” Kate argued.

  “You’re engaged to a six-foot-two engineer who watches ESPN all day and you’ve never dated a woman,” Mo said. “The fact that you’re not that straight isn’t going to help our case here.”

  “All I’m saying is that it’s been a long time since she’s been on a date. Just because I’m marrying Ethan doesn’t mean I can’t help her get a date.”

  “And all I’m saying is that she should listen to someone who actually dates women.”

  “Enough, you two.” Julia held up her hand. “I’m on vacation. I don’t want to think about dating.”

  “Why not?” Kate and Mo asked simultaneously.

  “You needed some time after Sheryl, but it’s been, what, six months?” Mo glanced to Kate for confirmation.

  “Over a year. They broke up last January,” Kate said. “Unless there’s someone we don’t know about.”

  “You know I’d tell you.” Julia sighed. Since her ex had dumped her, she hadn’t wanted to think about dating anyone again. But it wasn’t because of a broken heart. “I suck at dating.”

  “Practice makes perfect,” Mo said.

  Julia nearly argued that she needed more than practice. She needed a whole semester of classes. But then she’d have to admit to her friends that she was terrible in bed. That was the other reason she’d started seeing the shrink.

  Mo continued, “I think you’d be happier if you started looking around a little—that’s all.”

  “Can we go back to thinking about palm trees and sunny beaches?” She sucked on the candy cane, avoiding Kate’s and Mo’s gazes.

  Kate sighed and closed her magazine. “Sounds good to me.” She pulled a black silk eye mask on, adjusted her neck pillow and then settled back in her seat. “Wake me when we’re in Hawaii.”

  Julia avoided looking over at Mo, certain that she still wanted to talk, and instead stared out the window. Streaks of white passed below the wings and the distant blue ocean seemed cold and lonely. Maybe her friends were right. She could try dating again…

  Her chair bumped forward and she overheard the whispered scold that followed. It took all her restraint to not peek between the seats. Another look at that butch mom was not what she needed. Finally she popped in her earbuds, picked out her favorite Pink song, and turned up the volume.

  Chapter Two

  “I’m sweating already,” Mo complained, handing her suitcase over to the shuttle driver.

  “Get used to it,” Julia said. “The weather forecast is in the eighties all week. Good riddance, Winter.”

  Julia had pulled her thick black hair into a ponytail, stripped off her long-sleeve shirt and stowed her jacket in her carry-on bag. Now in a spaghetti strap tank top, sandals, and a loose skirt, she was decidedly comfortable. Her plan to wear next to nothing for the rest of the trip was looking good.

  She climbed onto the shuttle and headed for the empty back row. After the long flight, the thought of stretching out on the bench was tempting. Mo took the seat in the front row next to Kate, who was already applying sunscreen.

  “Don’t you think it’s a little early for sunscreen? We’ve got an hour drive to the resort,” Mo said.

  “I burn in a walk across a parking lot,” Kate said. “Knowing me, I’ll get scorched sitting by this window.”

  Mo chuckled and offered to switch seats, but Kate argued that she didn’t want to put Mo at risk. Predictably, she then launched in on a skin cancer spiel. Kate’s job was to raise money for cancer research, and she was a walking doomsday report on anything cancer-related. Mo, usually optimistic and ready to chance fate, didn’t challenge Kate on this one topic. She’d lost her dad two years after college to what she still called the Big C, as if not wanting to name the thing that had too much power already.

  Outwardly, Kate and Mo were opposites. Kate had a petite, slender build with long blond hair and skin so pale you could see her veins at her temples. Mo was several inches taller with an athlete’s physique, dark brown skin, and black curls clipped short against her head. They were both gorgeous, people always said, but so different. And yet in some ways they couldn’t be more alike.

  Kate leaned over the edge of her seat to look back at Julia. “What about you? Need sunscreen back there? We could go on for days about the high risk Irish-Americans have for skin cancer.”

  “I’m only half Irish.”

  “Being half Chinese isn’t going to save your skin,” Mo argued.

  Kate pitched the sunscreen over the empty rows between them. “And I know how you feel about freckles.”

  Julia stuck out her tongue. She’d always liked freckles—on other people. Whenever she spent time in the sun and the freckles popped across her cheeks, she heard her mom urging her to wear a sunhat. Her father was the redhead, although now entirely bald, and she blamed his genes for the freckles.

  “Mom, look! It’s the woman from the plane who needed my vomit bag!”

  Julia started at the voice, nearly gouging her eye as she hurried to rub in the sunscreen. Bryn, light-up sneakers and all, was half dragging and half leading her mom directly toward her spot in the back row. Her sister, who still looked mostly asleep, brought up the rear.

  “Remember me?” Bryn shouted.

  “Light-up shoes. How could I forget?” Julia wasn’t sure if her stomach was buzzing with butterflies at the sight of the butch mom swinging suitcases onto the top luggage rack and now clearly fitting into the category of single with kids, or if her motion sickness was returning.

  “Did you throw up?”

  “Not yet.”

  “The candy cane worked.” Bryn smiled. “I knew it would.” She plopped down in the open seat next to Julia while her quiet twin took the seat by the window. Julia met the gaze of their mom for only long enough to feel a rush at the realization that she’d been checking her out. Then she reminded her body that she wasn’t interested in dating anyone—not even an attractive butch who was giving her way too much eye contact. But damn…

  “Hello again.” The mom motioned to the remaining open seats. “Is it okay if we share this row with you?”

  “Yeah—definitely.” Way too excited. Turn it down a notch. Julia cleared her throat. “So, you’re staying at the Sea Breeze Resort too?”

  “Yep.”

  Of course that was where they were staying. The shuttle only went to the one resort. Julia knew she should quit talking before she managed to embarrass herself anymore. Still, what were the chances that they’d be staying at the same place? Kate’s words repeated in her head: “Maybe this is fate.” Or maybe it was only dumb luck…Two rows in front of her she spotted Mo, who’d turned halfway around in her seat to make a kissy face. Later she’d be laughing out loud.

  “I’m Reed.”

  “Julia.” She stuck out her hand.

  Reed had a strong grip, but her hand was decidedly feminine with smooth skin and shapely fingers. She met Julia’s eyes and smiled. Realizing that she was still holding on to Reed’s hand, Julia let go and tried to think of something to say to lessen the awkwardness. Who shook hands on an airport shuttle bus? What was wrong with her?

  “Apparently I’m not in vacation mode yet. At work I’m always shaking hands with everyone.” She mimed shaking hands with invisible people all around her and Bryn giggled. Thanks, kid.

  “No problem. Takes a while to get out of work mode.” Reed set her carry-on bag down and then took the empty seat next to Julia. “What do you do at work?”

  “I’m in software.” Julia hadn’t meant to bring up work. In fact, the last thing she wanted to talk about was her job. But because Reed seemed to be waiting for her to say more, she added: “I’m a customer success manager—hence the hand shaking.”

  “Customer success? Is that like customer service?” Reed wondered.

  Before Julia could answer, Bryn cut in with: “Mom, when are you going to introduce us?”

  “You could introduce yourself, sweetie.” At Bryn’s cro
ssed arms, Reed pointed to each girl: “Bryn—who you may have noticed never sits still—and Carly. Carly’s my thinker. You won’t hear much from her.”

  “I sit still sometimes,” Bryn argued. “But it’s hard because I’m four and a half. I’m the older twin. That’s why I have more energy.”

  “Older by five minutes,” Reed clarified.

  Carly, the younger-by-five-minutes twin, was an inch or two shorter and frail looking. She was also clearly the introvert, glancing at Julia under long blond eyelashes and then quickly turning back to the window. Julia didn’t blame her. The scene outside was beautiful—palm trees, flowers, and green everywhere—and they hadn’t left the airport yet.

  “Carly, what do you see out there?” Reed said.

  “There’s a little yellow bird in that tree with all the flowers.” Carly’s voice was a fraction above a whisper.

  “Where?” Bryn said, climbing over her sister to squish her nose against the window. “I don’t see it.”

  “You’re looking too hard. He’s right over there.” Carly pointed at the branch where a small yellow songbird was perched. “Even the trees look happy here.”

  “I think so too,” Reed said. “Bryn, sit down. The shuttle driver is ready to leave.”

  When Bryn didn’t move and Carly started to whine about not having enough space, Reed reached across Julia’s lap to pull Bryn back into her seat. “Bottom in your seat and hands to yourself.” She met Julia’s eyes. “Sorry about the reach.”

  Julia didn’t have time to say that it wasn’t a problem. She was still tingling from the contact of Reed’s arm against her shoulder when Bryn slid into her lap. She tried to hide her surprise.

  “Bryn, what are you doing?” Reed asked.

  “Why do you think the trees are happy here?” Bryn asked Julia.

  “Maybe because they haven’t met winter,” Carly guessed quietly.

  “Bryn, get off Julia’s lap and into your own seat. Now.”

  Grudgingly, Bryn finally looked over at Reed. She mumbled, “I was going to,” as she slid off Julia’s lap into her seat. A moment later, she’d popped off the seat. She turned to Julia and said, “Do you know that it’s always warm in Hawaii? And if you live here, you don’t need mittens—or a scarf. Or even a jacket!”

  “Crazy, huh?” She smiled at Bryn’s enthusiasm. Kid energy wasn’t something she was used to and Bryn had it in spades. “I think you’re supposed to be sitting down.”

  “Oh, right.” Bryn smiled and the dimples were back. She dropped into the seat. “I’ll try to stay in one spot, but I’ve got lots of energy.”

  Reed sighed.

  Julia glanced over at her, wondering how she managed two kids alone. At least one of them seemed sane. “How long are you all staying?”

  Before Reed could answer, Bryn said: “One week. That’s this many days.” She held up seven fingers, working hard to not let another finger slip loose.

  Reed only smiled when Julia looked between her and Bryn. Maybe this was how it always went. Having kids interrupt every conversation was cute at first but would get old quick—not that she was entertaining the idea of dating Reed.

  “Are all three of you here together?” Reed motioned to the row where Kate and Mo were sitting.

  “Yeah. We were roommates in college and we always talked about going on a vacation together…Kate’s getting married this summer so we decided it was now or never.”

  “Life ends when you get married?”

  “That’s what I’ve heard,” Julia said.

  Reed laughed and Julia was all too aware of the responding heat in her body. It seemed like an eternity since she’d flirted with someone and by some miracle, she wasn’t blowing it.

  “A vacation with friends sounds amazing,” Reed was saying. “I wish I’d kept in touch with my college friends.”

  “I’m lucky to have Mo and Kate. Mo’s our social committee. She drags us out to have fun against our will. But it’s always worth it.” Mo and Kate shared a two-bedroom flat in San Francisco while she’d moved across the bay to be closer to work. Julia still met up with them nearly every weekend however.

  “Mom, when are we going to be at the ocean?” Bryn whined. “I want to swim.”

  “Soon. Look out the window and tell me if you can find a pink flower.”

  “Over there,” Bryn said, jabbing her finger in the direction of a bush covered in bright pink blossoms.

  “How about a yellow sign?”

  The shuttle driver settled into the driver’s seat and soon they were bustling down the highway and past fields of lava rock. Reed kept up with the color game, distracting Bryn and Carly, while Julia snuck sideways glances at her.

  She guessed that Reed was in her mid-thirties—maybe a few years older than her. Her warm laugh matched her easy smile but the rest of her was easy to appreciate as well. Kate was right—even her calves were worth noticing.

  Being in close quarters made it difficult to ignore her body’s response to Reed, but worse than that, Julia found herself wishing they could have a long conversation. Maybe Reed’s dark blue eyes and those glasses were to blame or maybe there was some deeper connection. Or maybe I’m just horny. As soon as she had that thought, she nearly laughed out loud. Since when had she been so attracted to anyone that she’d even used the word horny?

  When Bryn popped out of her seat again and Reed had to lean past Julia once more to pull her back into her seat, their knees bumped together. It was an innocent touch, but the feel of Reed’s skin against hers sent a flare up to her brain. Finally fate had sent her someone nearly perfect. She wasn’t sure if she was glad that Reed’s kids threw a wrench in the possibility of dating or if she was disappointed.

  * * *

  A wide stretch of grass and a handful of palm trees separated the condo’s lanai from a set of black-bottomed pools with fountains and cascading waterfalls. Beyond this was a winding path down to the beach.

  At least a hundred condos all shared the same pool area, but it hadn’t taken Julia long to figure out which one belonged to Reed. Within minutes of arriving, Reed’s kids had decorated their lanai with beach towels and blow-up pool toys. Towels were strategically hung to create a sort of cave that the girls took turns hiding in and then calling for Reed, only to shriek and laugh when she came out to find them. Reed played the game a half-dozen times before setting to cutting up a pineapple on the patio table. The girls clamored for her attention even more then and every few slices she’d pause to chase one back into the cave.

  When she’d finished cutting up the pineapple, Reed handed out slices and then sat down on one of the patio chairs. She kicked up her feet, gazing out at the view, and then suddenly she was looking right at Julia.

  Cheeks burning, Julia dropped her eyes to the pages of her paperback and reread the opening paragraph with her pulse thumping in her ears. She hated being caught staring. Hopefully, Reed was too far away to notice her embarrassment, but she’d seemed to sense that Julia had been watching her.

  “How’s the book?”

  Julia jumped at Kate’s voice. “Uh, good. Great, I think.”

  Kate craned her head to see the page number and then raised an eyebrow. “You know you’ve been reading for an hour. That must be an amazing first page.”

  “It’s possible I’ve been distracted.” Julia nodded in the direction of Reed’s lanai, feeling a measure of relief at admitting her past hour’s obsession.

  Kate laughed. “Now that makes sense. Well, Mo and I are going to the pool. You should join us. You’ll be able to spy on her better there.”

  Mo pushed open the screen door behind Kate. She was wearing a pair of flowery board shorts and a black sports bra-style swimsuit top. A wide-brimmed sunhat with a bright Hawaiian print band around the base completed her outfit. The hat was perfect for her, even if it challenged her usual butch image.

  “Where’d you get that?”

  “The resort store. Like it?” Mo pulled a matching hat from behind her
back. “I bought three, but Kate won’t wear hers. She thinks it makes her look gay.”

  “I didn’t say that,” Kate argued, swatting Mo’s shoulder. In a serious tone, she met Julia’s eyes and said: “You know I’d never say something like that.”

  “Because she can’t say the word ‘gay.’” Mo grinned and continued, “This place has everything. We can walk to the ocean, play tennis, golf…”

  “Since when do you golf? And I can say the word ‘gay.’ Gay. Gay. Gay.” Kate had her hands on her hips in open challenge.

  “I love it when you talk dirty,” Mo said. She winked and stuck out her tongue. “Too bad I know you’re a tease.”

  “Mo!” Kate swatted her again.

  Julia couldn’t help laughing. This argument between Kate and Mo was old, but still funny. Mo was convinced Kate was a closet case and Kate was convinced Mo wanted everyone to be gay.

  “I could golf if I wanted to,” Mo argued. “But I probably won’t make it past the pool bar. Speaking of, it’s time for piña coladas.” She walked over to the chaise lounge and balanced the second hat on Julia’s head. “You can bring the book that we both know you aren’t reading. But if you keep staring at that mom from the plane I’m gonna have to run a background check on her.”

  “Don’t you dare.” Julia didn’t need to know more about Reed. She was having a hard enough time ignoring her as it was. Fortunately she knew Mo wasn’t serious about the background check, but she worked in Internet security and had a knack for tracking down dirt.

  “My best friend—who hasn’t had a girlfriend in over a year and almost never pays attention to women who are interested in her—has a crush. I think it’s my job to sniff around a little.”

  “I don’t have a crush. I’m enjoying a good view.” Julia’s dating history paled in comparison to Mo’s. High school had passed without any offers and she’d been too unsure of herself back then to ask anyone out. College came without much more success although she did manage to have her first kiss before she turned twenty-one. Still, in her entire dating life, she’d only slept with a total of two women and one guy. Mo had someone new every six months. “It doesn’t matter if she has a police record. I’m only looking—not dating.”