Effie nodded. "Let''s give it a shot."


    She and Lyman settled onto the little folding stools the owner had brought over, sipping the drink in turn, both looking entirely content.


    After a few moments, Effie felt eyes on them. She nced up and realized they had basically be a live advertisement for the stall-people were watching them curiously, no doubt deciding if they should try it too.


    Leaning closer, Effie murmured by Lyman''s ear, "Once we''re done, let''s ask the owner to crack it open for us, then we can go."


    Lyman nodded. "Alright."


    Finally, they got to try the coconut flesh. It wasn''t quite what they had imagined—itcked any strong fragrance, just a hint of delicate sweetness, and the texture was soft, almost creamy.


    “So? Is it good?" Effie asked, scooping out a piece with her spoon.


    She offered it to Lyman without thinking twice. He didn''t hesitate, just opened his mouth and ate it. "Pretty sweet," he said.


    Effie eyed him suspiciously. "Sweet? I think it''s just okay."


    A small smile tugged at Lyman''s lips. He looked at her, and in that moment, she was all he saw. "Really, it''s very sweet."


    When they made it back to the hotel, Randell and the others were still in the middle of an intense card game.


    Not wanting to interrupt, Lyman just waved and turned to head upstairs with Effie.


    Suddenly, Effie stopped him. "Wait, I can''t. We have team-building activities tomorrow, so I''m supposed to room with Nita tonight."


    Lyman frowned, catching her hand as if he couldn''t bear to let go.


    He gave her a look of mock-resentment. "I never should''ve agreed to this vacation."


    Back home, after work, he could spend every evening snuggled up with his wife. Now, here they were on holiday, and he wasn''t even allowed to sleep in the same bed as Effie!


    "Honey," he said with exaggerated misery, "how am I supposed to get through such a long, lonely night?"


    Effie blushed,pletely thrown by Lyman-he was usually so buttoned-up, and here he was acting all yful.


    She swallowed. "Well... you could, you know, just sleep."


    A wicked smile shed across Lyman''s face. "But I prefer a little action when I sleep."


    Effie''s mind went nk, her head threatening to explode.


    She mmed the door shut and leaned against it, her heart pounding so wildly it felt like it might burst straight out of her chest.


    It was strange, really. They''d been together for a while now-shouldn''t they have settled into thefort of an old married couple by this point?


    But every time she was with Lyman, she couldn''t help but feel her heart race,pletely out of her control.


    Outside, Lyman stared at the closed door, his gaze darkening. When would he finally have all of Effie—her heart and everything else—belonging to him alone?


    Lying in bed, Effie tossed and turned. She missed Lyman, his face filling her thoughts. Her mind drifted back to the hot air balloon ride earlier, when he''d kissed her over and over to calm her nerves. Her lips still tingled at the memory, and a shiver ran down her spine.


    Nita still hadn''te back, and Effie found herself unable to fall asleep alone.


    She didn''t know how long it took, but eventually, somewhere between longing and exhaustion, she drifted off.


    She woke naturally the next morning, ncing at the other bed-still empty.


    Effie sent Nita a message, and just then, she heard a phone ringing by the door.


    A momentter, the door opened. Nita shuffled in, yawning, back hunched. Catching Effie''s gaze, she looked sheepish. "Oh, you''re awake?"


    Effie narrowed her eyes. "Don''t tell me you were ying cards all night?"