I stared down at the brochure on top, reading the side I hadn’t paid any attention to before.
Isla del Amor —
Where your paradise is our destination
Brad and Laura,
You have been nominated to take part in an exclusive, all-expenses-paid trip to the brand-new Isla del Amor on June 10th through the 16th.
At our island of love, you will enjoy a six-night stay in one of our private paradise huts, just steps away from the ocean. During the day, spend your time getting pampered, enjoying lavish cuisine crafted by our world-renowned chef, relaxing on the beach, and much more!
This trip is all-inclusive and 100% free.
The only thing we will ask is that you provide a review detailing your time on our island for future guests when we are open to the public.
Prepare to disconnect from your everyday life, reconnect with your partner, and enjoy yourselves like you never have before.
We request your response by June 3rd, so that we may fill your spots should you choose not to attend.
We hope to see you soon!
Amor,
Your Isla del Amor Team
At the bottom, there was an email address and phone number where you could reserve your spot. I read through the message again. Brad was right; it did sound like there wouldn’t be a catch…but there had to be, right? It wasn’t like we couldn’t have used a vacation. Between work and the kids, the chance to reconnect with my husband was incredibly tempting, but could we afford the time off from our busy schedules? And what would we do with the girls? There was also a very big part of me that still worried this was a scam of some sort. It just didn’t make sense. Who ever heard of a completely free vacation?
Besides that, I read the first line again… Even if it was real, who had nominated us?
Chapter Two
Nick
“Good morning, handsome.” I felt her hands snake around me, rousing me from sleep. I inhaled sharply, stretching my arms as I looked over my shoulder.
“Good morning,” I said through a stretch, reaching up to kiss her lips. She remained on top of me as I rolled over, her blonde hair hanging down over my chest. “What are you doing up so early?”
She grinned, but it fell short of her eyes. “I’ve been up for a while. I wanted to get my meditation in before we left. Did you forget?”
“Forget?” I rubbed an eye with my fist. She was most beautiful like this, in the few quiet moments we shared each morning—no makeup, fresh skin, messy hair. I took in the sight of her before shaking my head. “Of course I didn’t forget.”
“Do you even know what I’m talking about?”
“If I said I did, would you believe me?”
She groaned, sitting up. “We’re supposed to have cake tasting at Le Crème.”
I glanced over at the clock, grasping her hand where it rested on my chest. “I thought that was Monday?”
“You asked me to reschedule for today so you didn’t have to miss work,” she said, twisting a piece of her hair around her finger.
I sighed. She was right, of course, and it had only just slipped my mind. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” I pushed myself up so I was propped on my stack of pillows. “I didn’t forget, I swear. I was just half asleep.”
She looked unconvinced but didn’t argue. “I’m going to take Winston out for his walk,” she said, shaking her head playfully. “I want you up and getting ready.”
I mock-saluted her. “As you wish.”
With that, she was up off the bed. She pulled on her black bike shorts and a loose-fitting pink T-shirt before tossing her hair up into a sleek ponytail. I watched her cross the room toward our bathroom and heard the water running as she brushed her teeth and spritzed perfume—she was the only woman I knew who wore perfume to work out.
She reentered the room, staring me down. “You should be up…”
I sat up, throwing the covers off my legs. “I’m going to get a shower now. Give me twenty minutes, and I’m all yours.”
Her smile warmed. “I’m counting on it.”
With that, she grabbed the rhinestone leash off the top of her tall, white dresser and marched out the door, the small, white fuzzball of a dog at her feet.
As I climbed in the shower, letting the hot water wake me up, I tried to focus on the task at hand. We needed to pick out a cake, I still needed to name a best man—it wasn’t easy when your best friend was a woman.
At that, I thought of Laura. If I asked her, I knew she’d do it for me. Like I’d done for her. She’d be my best woman—I’d have to come up with a better name—like I’d been her man of honor if I asked, but I desperately didn’t want to ask.
I’d been avoiding it for weeks now, trying to convince myself that asking one of my brothers to do it would be easier. Not likely. One was deployed, and there was no guarantee he’d make it back for the big day at all, let alone for the tux fittings or whatever else was required of my best man. The other, Danny, was an ass who I’d just as soon not invite at all. The fact that we hadn’t spoken in over ten years and he lived just a few miles away did little to assure me he’d be up for the job.
Twenty minutes later, I’d stepped out of the shower, drying my face and hair, when I heard quick footsteps rushing my way. I opened the bathroom door, worried something was wrong, and stared as Megan rushed in, Winston in one hand, his pink leash hanging on the ground, and a white envelope in the other. Her grin was unbearably chipper.
“What—”
“I can’t believe you did this!” she cried, interrupting me.
“What did I do?” I
