NYE in The Cayman Islands (The Chicago Boys)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

TATE

“ W hat do you mean Las Vegas was a dumb idea, Bella? I thought it was perfect. I still think I should have booked it.” She thinks I’m joking, but it would have been a cool trip.

“I’m not spending my time away from the kids, stuck in a room with no windows, the air smoky and with the noise of all those machines. The sound reminds me of those damn computer games you play with Jessie and Dominic. If I hear one more noise that sounds like Mario Kart, I think I will lose my mind. So, if you had chosen that, you would’ve been going on your own,” Bella yells from the kitchen while she is getting dinner ready for the kids.

Millie is sitting in her baby rocker in front of me, smiling and gooing and ga-ga-ing at me as I try to keep her distracted and happy so it’s one less thing Bella has to juggle tonight.

I knew from the moment Dominic was born and we had two boys that there was no way we weren’t going to be trying again for a girl. My wife tried to tell herself that she could be happy without a girl, but there was a big part of her lost connection to her mother that would only ever be healed through the bond with her own daughter. While Jessie is wild like me, Dom is more placid, and it gave us false hope that we could cope with a third child and still both work our crazy jobs as doctors. I had my doubts, but who was I to argue with my wife. And to be honest, she is like Super Woman, so I secretly knew that she would handle anything life throws at us.

The moment she found out she was pregnant again was such a relief. We had been trying for a while, and it hadn’t happened as easily as it did with the boys. Dom was only three months old when Bella declared that she wanted to try again. I almost choked on my coffee that morning, but her reasoning was sound. For her and her career as a pediatrician, the time when the babies are the littlest is the hardest for her to juggle everything. So, if she already had one baby, why not two at once, and then it wasn’t dragging out the hard stage for her.

Things didn’t quite work the way we planned, but let’s just say New Year’s Eve in Aspen last year worked like a dream.

I almost feared for the safety of our gynecologist Allison Fontain—who is Grayson’s associate because it just felt weird to have your brother be your obstetrician. The day we had our appointment, which was basically both of us quickly stopping off in her office at the hospital when all had a spare five minutes, she looked at us both and we knew she had the gender result back from the blood test. We had both said we would be happy either way, but I have never wished for something so hard in all my life.

Hearing it was a girl shocked me at first, because when you want something so desperately, you are also preparing yourself for the heartbreak. Or more that I was preparing for Bella’s sadness. But the moment the words left her mouth, Bella fell into my arms crying and laughing uncontrollably. She had finally gotten her heart’s greatest desire. She didn’t love the boys any less and is the most amazing mother to them all, but the day Millie was born, it was like Bella finally felt complete, even if she did come six weeks early. In a rush, just like her mother.

I was worried we wouldn’t make it to New Year’s Eve this year, but Millie is now four and a half months old, and Bella’s father Milton and his wife Annie are insisting we go. Even though it will be their wedding anniversary, they want to be with their grandkids on that night in what has now become a bit of a tradition for us all. We have a night nanny coming in to help them out because my boys wear me out, so I can imagine what they will do to their grandparents who are nearly seventy years old.

“Well, I wouldn’t have been in Vegas on my own, it would have just turned into a boys’ trip surrounded by Vegas show girls.” I duck my head down behind the couch as I wait for something to be thrown at me, but instead, I just hear her voice from behind me.

“Boys, Daddy wants to play wrestling.” I hear cheers coming from their bedroom, followed by the patter of their feet running toward me.

“You wicked woman,” I curse her as I get attacked from both sides, while trying to protect Millie from her brothers landing on her. Bella knew this was a punishment far greater than a wet tea towel being thrown at the back of my head from the kitchen. “You will pay for this later tonight.” I look at her with a smile, now standing with Jessie over my shoulder and Dominic in my other arm, both kicking and screaming with joy as I tickle them.

“You love it.” She’s laughing as she dishes up the chicken schnitzel and vegetables on the kids’ plates.

“Just like you will love your punishment later too, Tink.” Winking at her, I then proceed to be the tickle monster who kidnaps the kids and puts them in the dinner dungeon where they must eat everything on their plate to gain their freedom from the evil queen of the table, Mommy.

“I can’t believe we are getting on the plane this morning for our New Year’s getaway. This time last year we were a family of four and now we are five.” Bella zips up her suitcase where she has packed way too much, but who am I to argue that she doesn’t need half of it.

“We can do plenty of practicing to see if we can make it six after this year’s trip.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her from across the room where I’ve been waiting to take her suitcase to the car.

“That would be a bit awkward to explain since you had your vasectomy as soon as Millie was born. So, whose baby would it be, you idiot?”

“Oh, there would be no baby, I just wanted to make sure we got to the practicing bit. I might be a brain surgeon, but I’m still a doctor and understand how the human body makes babies, you know.” I’m just leaning against the door frame waiting for her reaction.

“I have been telling people all week how I’m looking forward to a few days away without the kids, but I forgot I’m still taking one with me. Seriously, some days I wonder how we even let you into the hospital, let alone touch people’s brains.” Walking past me, she kisses me on the cheek with that glint in her eyes she gets when she thinks her joke is better than mine. “Grab the bag, will you, dear.”

As she walks past me, I look over my shoulder to see her tight ass swaying just that little bit more exaggerated than normal, just for me.

Oh, I can’t wait to see that same ass in a bikini later today.

Even though we joke about it, leaving the kids was always going to be hard, especially Millie because she is so little. Not that she would know, and the boys were just so excited about being with their cousins and having their grandparents there, they didn’t care we were leaving them. Bella sheds a few tears in the car, but they soon disappear as we pull up to Mason and Paige’s private jet. It’s still so surreal that we can be flown wherever we want to go by my best friend.

Initially we talked about taking two nights away this year, now that the kids were getting older, but then Millie arrived and that squashed that idea. So instead, we are flying out at six am this morning so we can get a full day there and will fly home late tomorrow afternoon.

The snow on the ground is thick this morning, and as I’m walking up the stairs into the plane, deliberately turning up late to make sure we were last, I can’t help but smile at my plans for everyone to leave the cold behind for a couple of days.

“Here is the man of the hour, late as usual,” Lex declares, sitting back in his seat already sipping on a coffee, only because it’s too early for a beer.

“See, if I’m the one organizing this year, then I can set my own time. I am, in fact, three minutes early for my five forty-five am arrival time.” Bella and I do the rounds of kissing and hugging everyone.

“You told us five thirty, asshole.” Gray gives me the look of death for getting him out of bed so early.

“Yep, because I wanted to make my grand entrance. That’s how I roll.” Slapping him on the back, I take a seat, and everyone is laughing at how annoyed both Lex and Gray are.

“Good for you, I crawled into bed at two am after an emergency delivery of a little boy who decided he wasn’t waiting until I got back from my trip. So that fifteen minutes would have been appreciated,” Gray grumbles as he sits back in his seat, smelling his coffee as he sips it and sighs. “You’re just lucky this plane has strong coffee, otherwise I might be a grumpy gyno this morning.”

“I’m sure it’s no different to every morning, hey, Tilly?” Mason laughs as he comes out of the cockpit.

“Says the man who was the eternal grumpy shit until he met Paige. We are thankful every day since she turned up,” Gray replies.

“I just love her for her jet.” Mason winks at Paige, and we all hold up our coffees, cheering Paige as she laughs, and Mason pulls her in for a side hug and leans down to kiss her on the top of her head.

“Okay, speaking of jets, where is this one heading today?” Lex asks the question on everyone’s lips.

Looking toward Mason, he nods to me that he is ready for us to depart.

“Damn, I hate that it’s time to finally tell you. I have loved torturing you all for months.”

“Does that mean I get a break from your torture after today too?” Bella is looking at me with that sparkle in her eyes that tells me she is over leaving the kids and is ready to enjoy our time away.

“I’m pretty sure you signed a piece of paper that gave me permission to be your pain in the ass for the rest of our lives.” Leaning down, I give her a big, exaggerated smooch on the lips.

“Why didn’t someone warn me what he was like?” She giggles.

“We did,” they all cry out at the same time.

Standing up straight again, I flip them all the bird. “Maybe I won’t tell you then, you can all suffer for a few more hours.”

“You do know my husband is the pilot, right? I do have ways of making him talk.” Paige taps her nails on the arm of her chair like she is thinking of what she is going to do.

“No, that breaks the strict no-mile-high-club rule when we all fly together.” I wave my finger at her like a child.

“Ah, I am the pilot, pretty sure I’ll be busy flying the plane,” Mason says, chuckling and winking at Paige at the same time.

“I’ve seen you multitask before,” Paige counters his argument.

“Okay, that’s the end of this discussion. I really don’t want to know what my sister and her husband have done on this plane. Now, Tate, pretty please can you tell me where you are taking us?” Mia bats her eyelids at me, using the sweet innocent voice she has.

“Not fair, Mia, you know I can’t say no to you.” Everyone groans at me, but they’re also waiting for the answer.

“Well, Las Vegas…” I didn’t get the rest of the sentence out and the guys all start cheering and fist-bumping each other. “Hang on. It was my first choice, but my beautiful stick-in-the-mud wife vetoed that choice, threatening divorce.” And this time all the ladies are hive-fiving each other.

“Thank God. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have seen any of you the whole time we were away. Hmmm, actually, there could be merit in that idea. Save that for a later date,” Tilly says, laughing with the girls.

“You know I hate the cold, and we have spent the last two in the snow, so this year we are off to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands.” Mason passes me the flower leis that I had him stash on the plane earlier.

Walking around, I put one on each of them.

“Now drink up those coffees because once we are in the air, the mimosas will be served, and we can start shedding off the winter woolies.”

“I knew it. You were always going to chase the sun.” Lex smiles at me. “And I’m sure you have a jam-packed day of adventure planned for us all.”

I laugh out loud. “Oh, you have no idea what’s in store for you. Time to let your hair down, Mr. Serious.” Ruffling his hair, I take my seat and look at Mason.

“Ready when you are, Captain White.” I salute him, and he can’t help but laugh.

“I always knew Tate’s year would be painful,” Mason mumbles as he kisses Paige before heading back to the cabin, and we all start strapping into our seats.

“Keep me safe, baby,” Paige calls after him, to which he replies, “Always.”

And even though I know they are playing around, it’s something Mason takes very seriously with not only Paige and his family, but with all of us extended framily. He is the protector of the group, and we all love him for it.

Thinking through all the bookings I have arranged for after we land, I know that today is going to be a very long day, but one we will never forget. If we are going to end this year together, let’s do it with a bang.

Looking around, I listen to the girls already talking about leaving the kids, which ones cried, how many were still asleep when they left, and of course, the hassles of just trying to organize to leave them for a few days. I’ll give them an hour before the worry about the kids will be forgotten, and they will be relaxing into just enjoying each other’s company.

As it should be.

ARABELLA

I didn’t have the heart to tell Tate that I already knew where we were off to for New Year’s Eve this year.

Just after Millie was born, he took away my laptop, iPad, and phone for a few days so I would rest once we were home. With her arriving so early, I wasn’t prepared to be away from the office just yet, and he knew I would continue to work. I mean, a bit hypocritical coming from the workaholic that is my husband. But anyway, when I was up feeding Millie one night, and he was exhausted from a long day of surgery and was snoring like a champion, I may have snuck into his office and opened his computer to just quickly log into the hospital to check on my patients. I had a four-year-old who had come in with a heart problem and I wanted to see what they had found in the tests.

The moment I moved the mouse to bring the computer to life, there was the email open confirming some of the bookings he had made earlier in the year. Part of me was so glad because I hate surprises, but the other part of me felt guilty because it would ruin his hard work, not to mention that I had gone against his doctor’s orders of resting and not working. So instead, I just kept my mouth shut and acted as surprised as everyone else.

What it did do was give me time to find a bikini that hid all the stretch marks that are still all over my stomach. I love my kids and am so grateful every single day that I have them and they are healthy, but man, what they do to your body is crazy. In my chaotic world there is no time for the gym or to eat super clean. I’m lucky to get sleep and be able to turn up to work wearing clean clothes most days. Although I’m currently on leave, I’m doing consulting from home on any cases that my interns or the doctor who is covering my patients need help with. In other words, I’m a control freak and can’t be away from the hospital completely.

I must admit, trying to find a bikini in Chicago in the middle of winter was a challenge, but I finally managed it. It’s not skimpy like I would have worn pre-children, but it covers all the important parts, including all the marks, but still manages to make me feel like a woman.

Put me in a doctor’s coat and hang a stethoscope around my neck and I have all the confidence in the world, but I have never been a woman who puts herself out there. Tate has helped me feel loved and to find the place in this world I feel I fit, and I love him for it, but I still will never be out there trying to gain attention.

The flight was perfect as usual. When we have our own private pilot, he is going to make sure that the flight is as smooth as possible and that we arrive safely. The moment he walks out of the cockpit is when the party finally begins.

We have flown into Grand Cayman which is the main island and where Tate has booked us a hotel. He had two cars pick us up from the airport, and I’m glad he reminded us to strip off a few layers of clothes on the plane, because the moment we stepped onto the tarmac, the air was beautiful and warm, the sun was shining, and all the doom and gloom of winter in Chicago was gone from our minds.

The moment we pulled up to the front of The Ritz Carlton which sits next to Seven Mile Beach and stepped out of the car, I could smell the ocean. Tate and I spent our honeymoon in Australia, and we absolutely loved the beaches there but haven’t had time to take a proper vacation since then where we could swim in the ocean.

“We are actually staying in the residences, and we each have our own. I’ll get us checked in.” Tate takes control which is actually really hot to watch. Normally he is the joker of the group and not the organized one, he leaves that to the others, but I know he is taking this trip quite seriously. Not that he will admit that to anyone, but he doesn’t want to mess this up and have them talking about it for years to come.

All our bags have been brought in by the bellhops and we’re waiting for instructions.

This resort looks like the epitome of luxury but in a coastal theme, with soft creams, blues, and greens. It’s very calming, and I can feel the tension in my shoulders dropping already.

“Okay, here are your keys, and before you make comments when you get to your residences that they are too big and we could have all shared one, you’re right. But we all deserve some space and alone time with our spouses. Wouldn’t you all agree?” Tate hands the keys to the guys, and I can’t help but giggle.

I rise up on my toes and whisper in his ear, “That’s the politest way I’ve ever heard you describe that you want loud, wild sex with your wife.” The little smack on my backside and wicked grin from Tate tells me I’m spot-on.

The guys all just nod and get instructions on which way to head to their residences. Thankfully, we are all next door to each other which makes things easier.

As we get to the juncture on the path where we all need to separate, Tate gets everyone’s attention.

“Okay, you have fifteen minutes to get changed. Read the itinerary that will be on the table in your rooms. I don’t want to hear any complaints or questioning it. Just be ready and meet back in the lobby.” He has his official tour guide voice on now, and I can see everyone looking around at each other.

“Should we be worried?” Lex asks. He’s the most cautious of the guys, and he has those wrinkles across his forehead.

“It’s Tate, of course we should be.” Gray slaps him on the back and starts heading off to their place.

“Let’s move, people. Tick-tock, time is a-wasting.” Taking my hand, we start moving toward the door of residence 505 that is ours for the night. We walk through the front door and into the living room that has full-length windows and glass doors that head out onto a balcony. The doors are open, and the curtains are blowing gently in the breeze, the sound of the waves wafting in.

“Oh, Tate, this is stunning. I could just curl up on the chairs out there and snooze, listening to the crashing waves all day. With you being my waiter and bringing me drinks.” It’s like the sound of the ocean is a soothing melody.

I feel him step up behind me after he tipped the bellboy, who has delivered our bags.

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he rests his head on my shoulder.

“There will be time for that, but not just yet. I know you need a bit of a timeout, but we have some fun planned first. Let’s get changed, I’m determined not to be late.” Letting me go, I can tell the child in him is in the house, and we need to get that hyperactivity out of him first. I’m like Lex and afraid to ask what we are doing. When I look on the table, there isn’t an itinerary for me.

“Umm, excuse me, where’s my list of activities?” I call out as I follow him to what looks like the master bedroom. I wish I could explore, but apparently, there is no time for that.

“There was no way I was emailing your personal itinerary to anyone. Yours is right here.” A devilish grin widens on his face as he hands over an envelope.

Pulling it out, I scan down the activities that are all things that don’t surprise me. Stand-up paddleboards, pedal boats, and pickleball. Oh God, that’s not going to end well with these competitive idiots. A cruise on a yacht—oh, that sounds more my style.

Dinner and fireworks for midnight, yep.

Then my eyes nearly pop out of my head when I see the list of what he intends on doing to me after everyone leaves us after midnight.

I can feel the blush on my cheeks.

“Tate McIntyre!” I call to him in the bathroom where he is getting changed.

“What, Tink?” He walks toward me with the biggest smile on his face, looking very pleased with himself. “Would you like to add something to the list?”

“Add something.” I roll my eyes at him, but on the inside, I’m excited for a night alone with no kids. “I’ll be lucky if I can walk tomorrow after this,” I say, flapping the piece of paper in the air at him.

“Oh, you’ll be lucky, alright.” Walking past me, he smacks me on the ass. “Now get that perfect little ass into your bikini so we can get moving.”

Standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, I make sure everything looks okay. Part of me still feels like I need to hide my body. This resort we are at is where the rich and famous come to play, and with all their nips and tucks and glamourous looks, I know I’m going to feel out of place.

I don’t know why I’m feeling this way. It hasn’t really hit me this hard before, but after Millie was born, my hormones haven’t been kind to me. I have tried to push aside the negative thoughts, the exhaustion and the self-consciousness, but it doesn’t seem to be going away. I haven’t spoken to anyone about it, not even Tate, and I’m very good at appearing fine. I’m sure I’ll shake it soon, I just need to keep pushing through.

Pulling on the linen shirt that is long enough to be a dress, I take a deep breath and head out to where Tate is pacing, waiting for me.

“I just can’t get used to you being the one who is panicking about being on time to get anywhere. Normally it’s me yelling at you.” Pushing him in the chest with my finger as I walk past him, I grab my phone and the beach bag that he has packed us.

“Have you got the sunscreen?” I ask as I start to rummage in the bag.

“Obviously, and hats, and yes to the towels.” He scowls at me for doubting him, but it’s the mother in me, and I’m not used to the fact that the roles seem to have been swapped today.

“Wow, where did this responsible adult come from?” I laugh as we head out the door, and he’s complaining behind me that I should trust he has everything under control for the next few days.

Paige laughs as we make our way down to the water to pick up our stand-up paddleboards. “We should have guessed that Tate would plan an action-packed getaway. I don’t know how you cope with his hyperactivity, Bella.”

“He’s not the problem, it’s the genes he passed on to his children that are the problem. When he has too much energy to burn, I just send him to hang out with your husbands. But the kids are another completely different problem. Although I guess leaving Tate unsupervised can also be a problem.” I laugh as the boys are already walking out into the ocean and all us girls are still standing on the edge.

“He does know how uncoordinated I am, right?” Mia looks terrified. These boards are big, and she is so tiny.

“Okay, let’s make a plan. We head out there and try to stand up a few times, maybe paddle for ten minutes, and then we just leave them to it, and we sneak back to the sand and relax in our cabana on the beach.” Tilly looks at us all like she is worried we won’t agree.

“I’m in.” Paige high-fives her.

“Me too, I’ll order the cocktails,” I say, laughing with them all.

“Like you think I won’t be the first to fall off, so count me in.” Mia gently places her toes in the water, and we all start trying to juggle our boards and head out into the waves. “I swear to God if Lex plans anything like this next year, he will be sleeping on his own.” She’s still grumbling as we start getting out into the deeper water. It’s not like there are huge waves, but it’s just the rocking of the ocean and the fact that water is not stable that is going to make this interesting for all us non-sporting people.

I don’t want Tate to be upset that we aren’t trying, so I hang in until I’m the last woman out here. The boys, although attentive, I can see they are longing to just paddle off and enjoy themselves.

“I’m going to head in and rest too, babe. Go have fun with the boys,” I call out to Tate as I drop into the water beside the board.

“No, you’re doing so well, Tink. Paddle out with us, it’ll be fun.” For him maybe, not for me. I can see he is pleading with his eyes, but I just want to get back onto the beach where no one is looking at me.

“I don’t want to show you up in front of your friends with how much better I am than you. So go, have fun, and I’ll spend some gossip time with the girls.” I start to wade back into shore.

“Keep kidding yourself that you are way better than me, we all know I’m awesome at these things.” We both laugh, and inside my head, I knew that if I threw competition into the reason for why I was leaving, he would be happy to prove to the boys that what I said was wrong.

Flopping down onto the day bed after I had wrapped a towel around myself, the waiter appears beside me with a tray full of mojitos.

“Now this is what vacation should be about; cocktails by the ocean while watching our hot husbands out there doing their man thing.” Paige takes her drink and raises it for the rest of us. “Cheers to another year of being together for a couple of days, minus the kids.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Tilly smiles as we all clink our glasses and settle in for the next hour while they float around out there trying to impress each other.

“Do you think they will ever grow up?” Mia asks quietly, breaking as all from our own thoughts.

We look at each and say at the same time, “Nahhhhh!” The laughter rings out from all of us, and I’m starting to realize how much I have needed this weekend. And this time, it’s not about alone time with Tate.

I need my girls!

And maybe now is the right time to open up to them how I’ve been struggling.

Surely, I’m not alone in these feelings.

“Hey, can I ask you guys something?” My words are a little uncertain, but I’ve started now, so I need to keep going.