This Could Be Us (Skyland, #2)(129)
He turns me around so my back is to him as he massages shampoo into the shorn waves and curls rioting around my ears and neck.
“You miss it?” I ask, twisting my head to peer up at him. “My hair?”
“You look beautiful either way.” He kisses my nape. “And it was for a good cause.”
I bend my head so he can rinse the suds from my hair and body.
“Lupe and Deja were so proud when we took our hair in to donate. Thank God Cora is in remission.” I breathe out my relief. “It was touch and go there for a minute. I know better than anyone that it could have gone another way. So glad she pulled through. It made cutting our hair feel like such a moment of triumph.”
“Wasn’t that one of your most viewed posts when you shared it?”
“Yeah, and I loved that the girls really got to see the impact of it, to see how people all over the world responded to what they did. Those girls are amazing.”
“You and Yasmen are amazing. You’ve raised great young women.”
“Speaking of which,” I say, reaching for the towels neatly folded nearby. “We need to call home today. I have a few things I need to do first.”
He takes one of the towels and dries my hair with brisk swipes and strokes. “We’re on vacation.”
“Technically I’m working, babe,” I remind him. “This hotel wants at least a little content in exchange for flying me here and putting me and my fine ass plus one up in this luxurious villa.”
“I know. Proud of you. This is impressive. They only brought huge creators for this campaign. Really cool you’re one of them.”
“And will you let me include a few shots of you?” I tip up onto my toes. “Please? My followers want to meet the amazing man who won my heart.”
He rolls his eyes but nods reluctantly. He is not a guy who flaunts his private life, and I respect that, but I have a community that is a huge part of my career and life. These women walked with me, as I walked with so many of them, through my #datingmyselfchallenge journey. The response to seeing me find someone has been overwhelmingly positive. They’ve seen cropped shots of Judah and me holding hands on our first real date when I wore the black dress for him. They’ve seen carefully curated footage that provided glimpses of him and are constantly asking for a boyfriend “reveal.”
Once we’re both dry and in our robes, we order breakfast, planning the day as we dig into the fried eggs with olives and soft cheese. I scoop up honey and butter and oil with the msemen bread. We pluck grapes and pomegranate from the selection of fruit.
“You want to call the girls?” he asks, glancing at his watch. “It’s early afternoon.”
“I think I’ll wait a little. They’ve been working at the bookstore during the day while they’re staying with Lola. Best summer job ever.”
“I bet they’re having the time of their lives.”
“They are.” I stretch my legs out and wriggle my toes, still feeling languid from exhaustion, little sleep, and multiple orgasms. “They love Olive, of course.”
“Things getting serious with her and Lola?”
My grin is wide and immediate. Seeing my sister get her happily ever after is as rewarding as getting my own. “They are. I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear wedding bells soon. They’ve known each other forever, and starting the business together in Austin has only made them closer.”
My good humor sours as I recall the last conversation with my sister.
“Lola told me she overheard the girls talking about Edward.” I bite my lip and run an impatient hand through my hair. “Ever since I told them about the baby and Amber, something’s shifted.”
“What do you mean?” Judah plucks a grape from the bowl and sips his orange juice.
“For Lupe, I think it was like the last straw. She’s the oldest, so she understands the most and had a lot less tolerance for her dad’s bullshit. Inez and Lottie had some hero worship left, though it was really damaged. Knowing he was cheating was bad enough, but having a baby with another woman?”
I tug on my bottom lip, the worry creeping in over how my girls are processing the latest revelations about their trifling father.
“Sol, there’s something I need to tell you,” Judah says, leaning forward.
The sudden solemnity of his voice, in his eyes, snares my full attention.
“What?” I ask, gripping the collar of my robe at my neck. “It’s about the girls?”
“No.” He holds out his arms. “Come here.”
I stand, my heart in my throat as I wait to know what put that look on his face. He pulls me down to his lap and sits back, releasing an extended exhalation. I lean into his chest, curling my legs under me on his knees, and tip my head back to study his face. “Just tell me.”
“Edward is gone.”
The news punches me in the chest, and shock paralyzes me for a second before a slew of questions flood my mind and spew from my mouth.
“Gone? What do you mean, gone? Gone where? How can he—”
“Left the country.” Judah angles a careful look at me from under straight, dark brows. “After you told me your suspicions there might be more money we hadn’t found, I dug some and did uncover another trail. I’ve been keeping very tight tabs on him. If he sneezed, I knew about it.”