Page 17 of Paxton

Monroe drags her fingers over the table, shaking her head at me. “Thisisthe best table you can get,” she says, rounding it and stopping before me. “But...you didn't have to do this. I'm okay with traveling?—”

“I know you are,” I quickly say. “I just wanted you to have the option to not have to commute if you didn't want to. I know hauling that travel table around isn't the easiest, and now you can have a dedicated space to focus on your private clients if you want to.”

Her lips part. “I seriously don't know how I'm ever going to repay you for any of this.”

I furrow my brow. “You know you never have to pay me back,” I say. “I'm a saver. I like spending money on you. Especially if it supports you.” I tilt my head. “Is it…okay?”

“It’sperfect.” Her smile is bright, and she throws her arms around me, hugging me close.

I fold my arms around her back, tucking my chin over her shoulder, relishing the way she fits against me.

“Speaking of,” I say after she pulls away and starts examining the lotions on the cabinet across the room. “You know that trip I mentioned a few weeks ago?”

“Yeah,” she says. “You said you were going to the Maldives, right?” she asks, putting down a bottle of lotion she picked up.

“Yeah, that's right,” I say, nerves tangling in my throat. “I rented a bungalow,” I continue. “It's got a couple rooms. I wanted to know if you…could come with me? It's two weeks from now, so hopefully that's enough time for you to get a week off?”

Monroe laughs, the sound loud and boisterous in the quiet room. “Yes, please sweep me away from the reality of this world to the freakingMaldives.”

My eyes widen slightly, and I tilt my head, looking at her with utter confusion.

Her laughter dies, a crinkle forming between her brows that’s adorable as hell.

“Wait?” she asks. “Are you serious? You're not joking?”

I chuckle softly, running my fingers through my hair and shrugging. “I'm serious.”

“You want go to the Maldives…with me?”

I take a step closer to her. “We’ve traveled together a million times,” I say. “Our moms carted us on family vacations every year. Why wouldn’t I want to go on a trip with you?”

“Yeah,” she says. “That's true…but it was…all of us.” She worries her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Did you not want to go on a trip that’s just the two of us?” I ask, my chest tight.

“No, of course, I want to,” she says, and relief uncoils inside me. “I just…it’s theMaldives. I could easily take the time off,” she continues, then shakes her head. “But Paxton, what about expenses? I have some fun money saved but notbungalowfun money.”

“I've got it covered,” I assure her, wondering why she’d even worry about something like that. “And I don't expect anything in return.”

“I can't take advantage of you like that,” she says.

“Monroe, you're my best friend. I’ve been lucky enough to make a good living from a career I love. If I want to splurge and go on a trip with you, it's okay. If it makes you feel better, you can buy me dinner.”

“The Maldives?” she asks, her eyes lighting up with an excited look.

“The Maldives,” I repeat.

She jumps up and down a little, a squeal escaping her lips as she claps before she throws her arms around me again. I catch her easily, my eyes closing briefly.

“This is going to be so much fun,” she says, pulling away and heading toward the open doorway. “I have to pack. No. I have to find a new swimsuit. Oh my gosh, I haven't been on a trip since we were seventeen and our parents took us to the Grand Canyon. This is going to be so much more fun!” She's speaking in a too-fast rush before she pauses, her smile deepening. “I know how I can repay you.”

“You don’t have?—”

“Please?” she cuts me off.

“Fine,” I relent. “How?”

She motions to the table. “Let’s test this out.”

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