by Claire Adams
“Where are your clubs, Marissa?” Eloise asked with a frown.
“Oh, I don’t play,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I’ve never been very good.”
“What will you do then?” Eloise asked.
“Josie and I are happy to sit and read,” Marissa said with a shrug. “Right, Josie?”
Josie nodded and pulled a book out of her backpack. She and Marissa settled into the backseat of the cart while Eloise looked on with a furrowed brow.
“Come on,” Stan said. “Let’s get started. Ladies first.”
Eloise ambled up to the tee and slowly prepared to take her shot. The first few holes progressed uneventfully. Stan popped a couple beers out of his cooler and Eloise sipped her wine from a plastic cup. Marissa politely declined a drink and instead focused all her attention on Josie. I found myself watching them more often than the course.
“Pay attention,” Stan said. “Dirk! Man, it’s your turn.”
I shook my head and hurried up to the tee. After I took my shot, I turned back around to see Stan staring at me with a wicked grin on his face.
“What?” I asked sharply.
“You have it bad.” He shook his head and laughed. “You can’t stop staring at her for more than five seconds.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.
“He’s right,” Eloise said from behind me. “I’ve been watching you. You’re quite smitten with her, aren’t you?”
“We’re happy,” I said simply. I didn’t want to deny it, otherwise they might get suspicious. According to my well-rehearsed lie, Marissa and I had supposedly been dating for a while. “She’s great with Josie, which is the most important thing.”
“They seem very close,” Eloise said. “How long have you two been together exactly?”
“A couple months,” I said automatically. “But, she only met Josie a few days ago.”
“Really?” Stan asked, raising his eyebrows.
“I wanted to make sure things were real first,” I said. “Besides, I couldn’t exactly bring them both on this trip without introducing them first.”
“Well, for someone who only just met your daughter,” Eloise said, “Marissa is awfully comfortable taking up a motherly role.”
“She’s not mothering,” I said defensively. “They’re just getting to know each other.”
“Well, she’s lovely.” Stan slapped my shoulder. “I’m glad we’re finally getting to meet one of your girls. You kept all the others tucked away.”
“Me, too,” Eloise said. “I was beginning to wonder if you were making them up.”
Her tone was joking, but the look in her eyes was not. She considered my face closely, as if she were searching for some sign of dishonesty. I just smiled and led the way back to the golf cart, wiping my sweaty palms on my shorts.
When my eyes fell on Marissa and Josie, my stomach lurched. Marissa was sitting with her arm wrapped tightly around Josie’s shoulders, reading her a book. Josie’s head was resting on Marissa’s chest, her eyes focused intently on the pages.
I wondered if Eloise, who was wrong about so much, was right about how close Marissa and Josie already were.
Chapter Fourteen
Marissa
A week into the trip, I was torn between happiness and misery. Being with Josie and Dirk was amazing. Josie was whip-smart for her age and always so sweet. Dirk and I had become more comfortable with each other, talking about any and everything whenever we had a moment of downtime. If it wasn’t for Dirk’s business associates, I would have been nothing but thrilled to be there.
Stanley and Eloise were just the tip of the iceberg. When another couple, Jim and Tina, arrived at the resort, things became even more interesting. Tina was almost as annoying as Eloise. The only difference between the two was that Tina found Josie to be delightful. She doted over her almost as much as I did. It was refreshing, but also slightly irritating.
Tina often treated Josie like a baby, instead of the little girl she was. She expected Josie to be a babbling toddler when she was anything but. She talked down to Josie, using a condescendingly sweet tone that made my blood boil. Still, it was a nice change from Eloise’s wrinkled nose and nasty comments.
The seven of us met at the hotel restaurant one evening. It was fun and lively for the first hour. Dirk, Stan, and Jim sat together to discuss business while the ladies and I conferred about asinine things. I tried to pull Josie into the conversation, but neither Eloise nor Tina allowed it. They raised their voices whenever Josie spoke.
Tina said, “Marissa, you must join our book club when we get back to the city. I can tell you would get a lot out of it.”
“I’m not sure I would have the time,” I said honestly. “My studies take up most of my attention.”
“Studies?” she asked with a frown.
“Didn’t Dirk tell you?” Eloise asked her. “Marissa is still in school. She’s studying to be a child therapist.”
“Psychologist,” I said automatically. Eloise smiled as if to say the distinction wasn’t important.
“That’s very interesting!” Tina’s bright red lips broke into a smile that we all knew was fake. “Now I understand why you’re so good with Josie!”
“She makes it easy.” I reached over to smooth out Josie’s hair. She smiled at me shyly, but didn’t speak.
“I’m sure she does,” Tina cooed. “Little Josie is just the sweetest thing, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Eloise said. “Marissa is quite the child whisperer. I’m certain Josie wouldn’t be half as well behaved if it weren’t for Marissa here.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said. There was more I wanted to say — things that would shut Eloise up for good — but I held my tongue.
“Still,” Tina said. “I know you’re very busy, but you should really consider joining the book club. It’s just so much fun.”
I knew Tina meant well, but I found her to be vapid and uninteresting. Her husband Jim was the kind of man I hated to be around. His eyes were always wandering, looking at any woman who walked his way. Tina smiled and pretended not to notice, but it was impossible not to. They were the stereotypical business couple, and I hated it.
It was people like Jim and Tina, and Stan and Eloise that infuriated me the most. Their entire lives were centered around their wealth. Money was first and foremost their priority. It was hard to imagine someone as well-spoken and sweet as Dirk spending time with them.
After dinner that night, Dirk put Josie to bed before joining me outside on the patio. This had become our little ritual. He would put Josie to sleep with a book and a hug, then the two of us would sit outside and talk. Sometimes we talked about my life, sometimes his. He told me stories about Amelia, opening up more each time her name was mentioned. I could tell it was hard for him to talk about his wife, but it seemed to be getting easier for him.
That night, the conversation centered around his friends. I tried to remain tactful, but my honest side reared its head without my permission.
“I just don’t understand what you see in any of them,” I said with a shake of my head. “Tina and Eloise are shallow. They have very few real thoughts in their heads. And my God, could Jim stop checking out every woman who walks by? It’s disgusting.”
Dirk laughed. “You’re right, I know. They’re awful.”
“Then, why do you spend time with them?” I asked curiously.
“Stan and I have been best friends for a long time,” he said with a shrug. “I know he seems horrible on the surface, but deep down, he is a good man. He loves Eloise, and in fifteen years, he’s never once strayed from their marriage. He isn’t the best dad in the world. Even he will tell you that. But, he loves his kids. He tries.”
“And Jim?”
“Jim is just a dick,” Dirk said honestly with a shrug. I laughed loudly, quickly stifling it so I wouldn’t wake Josie. “I don’t know why Tina stays with him.”
“I actually like Tina,” I said
, surprising even myself. “I mean, we aren’t going to be besties anytime soon, but she’s alright. She’s nice to Josie.”
“She is.” he nodded. “She’s a sweet woman, which makes it so much worse when I know how Jim treats her.”
“Why don’t you say something?”
“That’s just not how things are done in our world, you know?” he said sadly. “Jim and I work together. Our businesses are very connected. Severing ties personally would only lead to severing ties professionally. That’s not a risk I can take.”
I just nodded. The truth was, Dirk’s words disappointed me. I wanted to think nothing but good things about the man I’d been spending all my time with. He was kind and sweet, gentle and caring. Still, his preoccupation with business kept me at a distance. It constantly reminded me that this thing between us was nothing more than another business deal.
“You must think I’m just like them,” Dirk said softly. I looked up at him quickly. His eyes were focused on the ocean, watching the waves crash against the sand.
“No.” I sighed. “I know you aren’t like them, which just makes it even more confusing.”
“Amelia hated Jim,” he said, with a laugh. “But, she did love Stan and Eloise. She fit into this world seamlessly. Sometimes I wonder how she made it look so easy.”
“She did it for you,” I said, without thinking.
“What?” Dirk looked at me, confused.
“I can’t really know,” I said. “Obviously, I didn’t know her. But if I had to guess, I would say she did it for you. Because it’s what you needed.”
Dirk looked back out at the ocean and sighed. I recognized the look in his eyes. It was the look he always got when he thought about Amelia. The pain and longing were evident. He still missed her so much. It broke my heart to see, but I knew it was good for him to talk about it. He’d spent two years burying his emotions. Now, for the first time, he was really letting himself feel them.
“Thank you for putting up with all this,” he said with a soft chuckle. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m paying you enough.”
“Are you kidding?” I laughed. “I’m getting paid to play at a California resort. What more could I ask for?”
“A break from the vapid and shallow?” he teased.
“I get a break every time I spend time with you or Josie,” I said. “Plus, Shawn has been a huge help.”
“That’s because he has a crush on you,” Dirk said.
I just rolled my eyes and looked out at the beach. Shawn was the concierge at the resort. We met him during our second day. After Donald’s misstep when we checked in, thinking I was the nanny, the staff made sure to keep me happy. Shawn stepped up quickly, introducing himself and making sure our bungalow was always stocked with everything we could need. He even made sure to sneak Josie extra chocolates for her pillow.
In exchange for me not being upset at Donald, Shawn also gave us the heads up about all the kid-friendly activities in the area.
“Speaking of Shawn,” I said. “He told me about this arcade down the street. They're having a big event tomorrow evening. I thought I would take Josie while you do cocktail hour with the guys?”
Dirk frowned for a second, clearly thinking about my offer.
“No,” he said firmly. “I’d like to come, too. I’ll blow off cocktails tomorrow night.”
“You will?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Don’t sound so surprised,” he said. “I can be fun sometimes. I’m not all business, all the time.”
“That’s good to know.”
***
The arcade was only about a block away from the resort. Dirk and I took Josie just after dinner. The second we rounded the corner, her eyes lit up with excitement. She practically pulled our arms off trying to rush inside the arcade.
Dirk loaded us all up with coins, and we went crazy with all the games. Josie and I played air hockey and shot hoops at the basketball games. Dirk held her up to give her an easier shot, making her laugh when she beat me. We raced to the car games, and Josie struggled to steer while I pressed the gas pedals. The smile didn’t leave her face all night.
When we finally made our way outside to ride go-carts and bumper boats, she was already starting to yawn.
“Are you ready to go home?” Dirk asked her as we took our spot in line.
“No!” she said, her eyes flying open. “Not yet! I want to ride the boats!”
“Okay.” He laughed.
We all climbed into boats, Josie riding with Dirk first and then with me. We bumped and rode around the water, laughing and squealing each time we bumped into each other. We were all soaked through by the time we climbed back onto solid ground.
“That was so much fun!” Josie said. Within seconds, she was stifling another yawn.
“Alright,” Dirk said firmly. “I think it’s time to get back to the bungalow.”
“Already?” she whined.
“Maybe we can come back another day,” I said quickly. “Trust me, the boats aren’t going anywhere.” Josie agreed and let Dirk carry her back to the resort. She was asleep on his shoulder within seconds.
“Thank you for suggesting that,” he said softly to me as we stepped into the lobby. “She had a blast.”
“There you guys are,” Shawn said with a wide smile as we passed his desk. “How was the arcade?”
“Amazing,” I said. “She really enjoyed it.”
“I’m so glad.” He smiled brightly at me, his green eyes searching my face. Dirk cleared his throat pointedly, drawing his attention away from me.
“We should get her to bed,” Dirk said firmly.
I nodded and said goodbye to Shawn. He waved, but not before making sure I knew he would be around all night if I needed anything.
“I told you,” Dirk said as we walked away.
“What?”
“He has a crush on you,” Dirk said.
“He’s just doing his job,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You’re just paranoid.”
Dirk shrugged and pushed open the door to our room. We stepped inside, and he quickly went to lay Josie down in bed. When we returned, he motioned toward the patio. I followed him outside, ready for our nightly talk.
Chapter Fifteen
Dirk
Despite my defense of Stanley, he began to prove me wrong the very next night. I joined him and Jim for cocktails at the resort bar. Within minutes, Jim’s wandering eye seemed to spread to Stan. He was watching our waitress with a hungry expression, his eyes traveling over her body.
“What are you doing?” I hissed when Jim wasn’t paying attention.
“What?” he asked innocently. “It’s just looking, Dirk. I’m not hurting anyone.”
“Your wife might disagree with you,” I said sharply.
Jim, who had just tuned back in, shook his head at me with a chuckle.
“Still the same old Dirk,” he said. “Amelia had you by the balls when she was alive, and now Marissa is the same.”
“You’re a dick,” I said, without thinking. Luckily, Jim just laughed and took a long swallow from his glass. I felt my blood pressure rise as he, too, turned his attention to our waitress.
“Besides,” he said. “Stan couldn’t get her if he wanted to. That girl is half his age and ten times better looking than Eloise.”
“That sounds like a challenge,” Stan said.
“Well, maybe it is,” Jim said excitedly. “How much are you willing to bet?”
I sat back in my chair while they considered how much the waitress was worth. My instinct was to get up from the table and leave, but I knew that would have been professional suicide. Still, watching Stan sink to Jim’s level was almost more than I could take.
“Are you seriously about to cheat on Eloise?” I demanded when Jim got up to use the bathroom.
“You need to relax,” Stan said. “It’s a fucking joke, Dirk. Calm down.”
“It’s disgusting,” I said with a snap. “You’ve never acted like this before. What t
he hell has gotten into you?”
“I need Jim to sign off on this deal,” he hissed. “If I play along with him, entertain him for the next couple nights, he’ll be more likely to agree. Alright?”
I just rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair again. I wanted nothing more than to escape from the table and disappear into my bungalow. Josie and Marissa were having a movie night. They ordered room service, and I knew they would be cuddled up together in pajamas, ready for a relaxing night in. When Jim returned to the table, I couldn’t help but zone out, wondering what the girls were watching. Whatever it was, I was sure it would have been more fun than my night.
Despite my anger and frustration, I managed to participate in the conversation. Jim finally allowed the topic to shift away from the waitress. We talked about business and our latest golf game. We exchanged good-natured jabs and laughed with ease. The evening was finally looking up until our waitress brought over the check.
“Thank you, beautiful,” Jim said. He grinned, and I felt my stomach clench. I knew what was coming.
“You gentlemen have a wonderful night,” the waitress said politely.
She turned to leave, but Jim stood up quickly to block her way. He stood there for a few seconds, not speaking. I watched as the waitress grew more and more uncomfortable.
“Jim,” I said loudly. “She has other tables to attend to.”
“I just want to ask her something,” he said with a shrug. He turned to the waitress and grinned again. “You see my friend there?”
The waitress followed Jim’s finger, her eyes falling on Stan. He shifted in his seat, clearly nervous. I knew he never expected the joke to go this far.
“I see him,” the waitress said. Her voice was guarded.
“Would you fuck him?” Jim asked.
“Excuse me?” Her eyes flew wide with shock.
“Jim,” I said, louder this time. “Back off.”