16. Xavier
I was smiling in my sleep.
I knew this because I woke up still smiling, my face half-buried in Kim's hair, her body warm and soft against mine. The morning light filtered through the curtains, painting everything gold, and for a long moment, I just lay there, breathing her in.
What a wonderful life I had.
How the hell did I get so lucky? Me. Xavier Dubois.
The family screw-up, the man who'd spent nearly thirty years avoiding anything that resembled responsibility or commitment.
And somehow, I'd found her. Somehow she was here, in my arms, wearing my shirt, trusting me with things she'd never trusted anyone with before.
I didn't deserve her. I knew that. But I would damn well spend the rest of my life earning it.
"Why are you holding my mommy?"
My eyes snapped open.
Zoe stood at the edge of the bed, her stuffed elephant tucked under one arm. Her dark hair was tangled from sleep, her pajamas rumpled, and her expression suggested she was prepared to interrogate me until she got satisfactory answers.
I glanced down at Kim. Still asleep, her breathing slow and even, her face peaceful.
Thank God she was a heavy sleeper. I pressed a finger to my lips, then carefully—so carefully—extricated myself from the tangle of limbs and sheets.
Kim stirred but didn't wake, rolling into the warm spot I'd left behind.
I guided Zoe out of the room and closed the door behind us.
"Okay," I whispered, crouching down to her level. "Here's the thing. Your mommy was cold last night. Very cold. So I was just... warming her up."
Zoe considered this. "Like a blanket?"
"Exactly like a blanket."
"But you're not a blanket. You're Xavier."
"I'm a very warm Xavier. Excellent heat retention. It's a gift."
She didn't look entirely convinced, but she was also five and easily distracted. "Can we have breakfast? I'm hungry."
"Absolutely. What do you want?"
"Pancakes. With chocolate chips. And whipped cream. And sprinkles."
"Sprinkles it is."
I raided the villa's kitchen, finding enough supplies to approximate Zoe's request. While she sat at the counter, swinging her legs and chattering about the starfish she'd seen with Evie, I pulled out my phone and texted Sebastian.
I need a favor.
The response came almost immediately.
No.
You don't even know what it is yet.
I don't need to. The answer is no.
I want to do something special for Kim. What does your amazing hotel have to offer?
A long pause. Then:
Call someone else.
Nope. You owe me, Sebastian. I'm collecting now.
Another pause, longer this time. I could practically feel his irritation radiating through the phone.
Damn it. Fine. I'll set something up. Give me an hour.
You're the best brother I have.
I'm your only brother.
Details.
I slid the phone back in my pocket and returned my attention to Zoe's pancakes. By the time Kim emerged from the bedroom, sleep-rumpled and gorgeous in my oversized shirt, breakfast was ready, and Zoe was on her second helping.
"Morning," Kim said, her voice still husky. Her eyes found mine, and something warm passed between us. "You made breakfast?"
"I make an excellent pancake. It's one of my many hidden talents."
"Mommy!" Zoe waved her fork, flinging a bit of whipped cream onto the counter. "Xavier was your blanket last night! Because you were cold!"
Kim's cheeks flushed pink. "Is that so?"
"That is absolutely so." I handed her a cup of coffee, letting my fingers brush hers. "You were very cold. Practically hypothermic. It was a medical emergency."
"A medical emergency."
"I saved your life, really."
She took a sip of coffee, hiding her smile behind the rim. "My hero."
An hour later, Evie appeared at our door, looking slightly nervous but determined.
"My dad said you needed someone to watch Zoe?" She glanced at the little girl, who immediately perked up. "I thought maybe we could go to the kids' club? They have a tide pool exhibit today. And face painting."
"Face painting?" Zoe was already scrambling off her chair. "Mommy, can I? Please, please, please?"
Kim hesitated, looking at me.
"Go get dressed, munchkin," I said. "Evie's going to show you all the cool stuff."
Zoe disappeared into the bedroom at top speed. Kim turned to me, eyebrow raised.
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing nefarious. I promise." I stepped closer, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just want to spend the day with you. Is that allowed?"
Her expression softened. "I suppose I can permit it."
"How generous of you."
Zoe returned in record time, dressed in a sundress covered in tiny pineapples, practically vibrating with excitement. She hugged Kim goodbye, then surprised me by hugging me too—a tight, fierce squeeze around my legs that made something crack open in my chest.
"Have fun being Mommy's blanket!" she called as Evie led her away.
Kim buried her face in her hands. "I'm going to have to explain that to your entire family, aren't I?"
"Probably." I grinned. "Now go get dressed. Wear something comfortable. And bring a swimsuit."
Whatever Sebastian had arranged, I trusted it would be impressive. Say what you wanted about my brother—and I had plenty to say—but the man didn't do anything halfway.
I was not disappointed.
A private catamaran waited at the resort's dock, sleek and white against the crystal blue water.
A crew member in crisp whites helped Kim aboard, and I followed, taking in the setup with genuine admiration.
Champagne chilling in a silver bucket. A spread of fresh fruit and pastries on the deck.
Plush cushions arranged in the shade of a billowing canopy.
"Xavier." Kim turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. "This is..."
"Too much?"
"I was going to say incredible."
The boat pulled away from the dock, cutting smoothly through the gentle waves. I handed Kim a glass of champagne and settled beside her on the cushions, close enough that our shoulders touched.
"So," I said. "Tell me something I don't know about you."
She laughed. "You know everything. You've read my employee file, probably. Background checked me within an inch of my life."
"I know facts. I want the good stuff. The embarrassing stories. The secret dreams."
"My dreams aren't very exciting." She took a sip of champagne, her eyes on the horizon. "Stability. Security. Making sure Zoe has everything she needs."
"That's not a dream, that's a to-do list. I want the real thing. If you could do anything, be anything, no limitations—what would it be?"
She was quiet for a moment. The boat rocked gently beneath us, the wind catching her hair.
"I used to want to travel," she said finally. "Before Zoe. Before everything. I had this list of places I wanted to see. Paris. Tokyo. The Northern Lights." A small smile crossed her face. "Silly, right? I could barely afford my rent, and I was making bucket lists like I had money to burn."
"It's not silly. It's human." I nudged her shoulder with mine. "What was number one on the list?"
"Greece. The islands. I saw pictures in a magazine once, when I was a kid. All those white buildings with blue roofs, overlooking the water." She shook her head. "I've never even left the country. Never had a passport."
"We should fix that."
She looked at me, something guarded in her expression. "Xavier..."
"I'm serious. When we get back to New York, we're getting you a passport. And then we're going to Greece. You, me, and Zoe. We'll eat ridiculous amounts of feta cheese and take a thousand pictures, and you can cross it off your list."
"You can't just—"
"I can. I want to." I caught her hand, lacing my fingers through hers. "Let me give you things, Kim. Not because I'm trying to buy you or impress you, but because I want to see you happy. Is that so terrible?"
She stared at our joined hands. When she looked up, her eyes were bright.
"No," she said softly. "It's not terrible."
The catamaran anchored in a secluded cove, the water so clear I could see fish darting between the coral below.
We swam, floating on our backs and squinting at the cloudless sky.
We ate fresh poke and grilled shrimp with our fingers, laughing when the sauce dripped down our chins.
We lay on the deck and talked about everything and nothing—favorite movies, worst first dates, the most embarrassing things we'd done as teenagers.
"Wait." Kim propped herself up on one elbow, grinning. "You crashed your father's boat into a yacht club? On purpose?"
"In my defense, the commodore was a pompous ass who deserved it."
"How old were you?"
"Seventeen. Sebastian had to bail me out. Literally. There was actual bail involved."
She laughed, that full-body laugh that made her whole face light up. I wanted to bottle that sound, keep it somewhere safe, play it back whenever the world felt too heavy.
"Your turn," I said. "Most rebellious thing you ever did."
"I'm not rebellious. I'm responsible."
"Everyone's done something. Come on. Spill."
She bit her lip, thinking. "Okay. When I was sixteen, I snuck out of my foster home to go to a concert.
Some band I can't even remember now. I climbed out the window, took three buses, stood in the crowd for four hours.
" A wistful smile crossed her face. "It was the best night of my life up to that point.
I felt so... free. Like I could be anyone. "
"Did you get caught?"
"Of course, I got caught. I was grounded for a month. But it was worth it." She looked at me, something soft in her expression. "That's the first time I've told anyone that story."
"I'm honored."
"You should be. I don't share my juvenile delinquency with just anyone."
I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She leaned into my touch, her eyes fluttering half-closed.
"Kim."
"Hmm?"
"I'm going to kiss you now."
"Okay."
I closed the distance between us, capturing her mouth with mine. She tasted like champagne and salt water, sweet and bright and perfect. The kiss deepened, her hands coming up to tangle in my hair, and I pulled her closer, closer, until she was practically in my lap.