“Wow!” Amber said, the whirr of the boat motor finally dying down as it pulled up alongside the dock.

“I’ll say,” Juney hummed.

“This is so cool!” Rowan exclaimed as he jumped off the boat, his sandals making a big, heavy clomping sound on the wooden dock.

“To be a millionaire . . . ” Juney said wistfully glancing out into the endless sparkling turquoise water. “Though knowing millionaires with their own tropical island in the Caribbean is pretty fantastic as well.”

“I thought it’d be bigger,” Will said, helping Amber up on to the dock, her red hair flying in a frenzy across her face. With an irritated sigh, she quickly gathered it into her hand and spun it into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. A few rogue wisps escaped, but for the most part, the fire had been contained.

“Aren’t you glad I didn’t say the same thing when we first met?” She chuckled, pushing her sunglasses off her face onto the top of her head.

“Nothing is bigger, baby,” Will said with a growl, tugging her into his side and planting a big kiss to the top of her head. “I’m a freakin’ mandingo.”

Amber snorted a laugh. He was such a goof.

“Hey, guys!” Hunter said with a big grin, her blonde hair in a beautiful, loose French braid over her shoulder. Her peachy-pink maxi dress trailed behind her like a jet stream. “Welcome to paradise. A far cry from the snowstorm we experienced a year ago, wouldn’t you say?”

Austin was right behind her, pushing a big luggage trolley. He greeted everyone warmly, then helped Rowan and Will load the suitcases onto the cart.

“Much better,” Juney agreed. “Though . . . ” She rubbed her belly, a small bump beneath her black tank top, “I can’t say I’ll be enjoying this heat much. I might spend ninety percent of my time in the water.” She made a sickly face. “Or barfing.”

“What are you now, like four months?” Hunter asked.

“Almost five,” she said. “But I already feel like a house.”

“A beautiful, sexy house,” Rowan said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “A house I’d like to live in every day for the rest of my life.”

A peaceful smile coasted across her face, only adding to her already beautiful pregnant lady glow. “Thank you guys for having us here. Ever since the wedding last month, it’s been go-go-go. We’ve been booked solid at the restaurant, doing Christmas parties and other weddings. It’s nice to get away and enjoy some time together and with friends.”

“You’re welcome,” Hunter beamed. “We’re happy you guys could make it.”

They all fell in line and followed their hosts down the dock toward a small cluster of buildings painted in bright yellows and aqua blues with white shutters and wraparound porches. There were at least three cabins, what looked like a big tool shed, and another more open-concept building with a pitched roof and columns but no walls. Inside was a big long table and what looked to be a grill, fridge, and counter.

The men took off toward the cabins, Austin pointing out which couple was in which building as Will and Rowan tipped icy cold beers back and wiped sweat from their brows.

“I can’t believe you and Austin own an island,” Amber said, taking a beer from Hunter. She was in awe of the beauty, the tranquility. Initially she’d grumbled at the idea of spending Christmas in the tropics, away from her tree, from the snow, from the whimsy. But as the sun overhead kissed her skin and the scent of warm sand, salt air and fresh fruit coasted past her, she couldn’t deny the sudden feeling of contentment. She and Juney followed Hunter away from the outbuilding and out onto the beach in the shade of a few swaying palms. Half a dozen lounge chairs sat in the sand, and they each took one.

“And in Belize, no less,” Juney added. “It’s absolute paradise.”

Hunter let out a contented sigh as she kicked off her flip-flops and buried her crimson-painted toes in the warm sand. “I know, me either. But to be fair, you can buy an island here for less than a high-rise back home.”

Juney shook her head and rubbed her belly. “It’s beautiful.”

“Hard to believe it’s only been a year,” Hunter said. “And now you and Rowan are married and expecting a baby. Will and Amber are engaged. And Austin and I own an island and are getting married in three days.”

“A wonderful, whirlwind year,” Amber said.

Hunter nodded. “Absolutely.”

“You have enough space to accommodate everyone?” Amber’s head swiveled around to see if she could see any more cabins. Though, if push came to shove, she and Will could always go wander off down the beach and just sleep on a blanket under the stars. Ever since their impromptu snow-shoeing tryst, she had quite the insatiable hunger for outdoor sex. They’d done it all over Seattle: in parks, on hikes, on the beach. Hell, they’d even done it at a Seahawks game.

“We have four cabins that sleep five to six each, and then there’s another island about twenty minutes away by boat that has a bunch of cabins we’ve rented for the week. James and Emma Shaw own an island not too far from here. They’re from Canada, and we’ve met them in Belize City a couple of times and on the plane to and from. They rent out their bungalows year-round when they’re not using them and said we could have them for the week.”

“Oh, you millionaires and your millionaire friends and their islands,” Amber scoffed with a smile.

“It’s going to be a beautiful day,” Juney said.

Manly laughter and banter filled the air as the men strolled forward. There was some back-patting and big cocky grins as Rowan looped his arm around Austin’s shoulder and pulled him in for a bro-hug. “Hard to believe this guy is getting married,” he said with a laugh. “Why this time last year, you were a trembling little field mouse, afraid that the sexy blonde lady wouldn’t want your winky.”

“Filter, dear,” Juney said with a groan.

Will was full-on belly laughing beside them. It warmed Amber’s heart to see him so carefree and happy. He’d been excited to take some time off work, see their friends again, and celebrate Christmas. He’d even confided in her that he couldn’t wait to give her his gift. Knowing Will, it was probably another snow globe and some kind of sex toy. They’d joined the VIP membership club of Hunter’s company, and each month the “toy of the month” arrived on their doorstep in a discreet little package. This month it had been a riding crop with red and white candy cane stripes.

Austin smirked. “Well, she wants my winky now,” he said blandly. “Right, baby?”

Hunter got up from her seat and went to stand next to him. “Until death do us part.”

“You guys sticking around here for your honeymoon?” Juney asked.

Hunter and Austin shook their heads.

“No, we’ll stay here until the new year, and then we’re taking off for two months to go and backpack Eastern Europe,” Hunter said.

“That’s right!” Austin added, pulling her close. “Travel. Fuck. Experience. Millions.”

Everyone gave him a curious look.

He shook his head. “Wise words once said to me. They rattled my cage and made me realize that I was pissing my life away with work, especially when my real life, my world was standing there in front of me asking me to join her on an adventure. Asking me to sing karaoke with her.”

Hunter wrapped her arm around his waist. “And we’ve been on just one big adventure ever since.”

“And duet partners.” He smiled.

“To adventure, friendship and love,” Juney said, raising her bottle of San Pellegrino.

“To finding your match,” Rowan added, meeting her drink in the air with his beer.

Hunter lifted her beer into the air, too. “To Daisy.”

“To snowstorms and setups.” Austin grinned, knocking his betrothed’s bottle with his.

Will and Amber’s eyes met as they lifted their beers to the middle. “To Christmas.”