Getaway Girlz Read Online Free Page B

sand, but Vivian had no complaints. I’m on vacation, and it’s my birthday !
    The hotel lobby sported a beach theme with an abundance of tropical plants. Vivian almost expected to see monkeys swinging around or brightly-colored birds perched above. The floor was squeaky clean, like somebody with a mop followed behind everyone who walked in off the beach. Neat-freak Lucy looked pleased. Overall, the lobby made a first-rate initial impression.
    Check-in was a breeze. The gracious staffer (who spoke great English) told the girls where they could find the business center, restaurant, etc. She pointed to the stairs, which would take them to their room on the second floor.
    “Who the heck needs a business center,” Kate mumbled as they walked away.
    “Losers,” Lucy answered.
    At their room, Vivian inserted the key card in the door and it hummed open. Beautiful turquoise water gleamed from beyond the balcony. Nice touch, very dramatic.
    The room was simple and clean, with more beach theme.
    “This is heaven!” Kate threw herself on the bed and kicked her feet in the air.
    “It’s pretty freakin’ perfect,” Wendy said as she walked toward the view. “Not too fancy. Just right.”
    Lucy gave the room the evil eye, thoroughly working it over. She couldn’t find much wrong. “No TV, but who cares.” Unable to help herself after her room inspection, she made a beeline for the temperature gauge and set it to 65.
    Freak , Vivian thought and had to smirk. In her old life with Rick, he would have been having a conniption fit about now, unable to live without ESPN. The girls, of course, could care less. Vivian had a feeling they wouldn’t be spending much time in the room anyway. The spacious, ocean-facing balcony was by far the rockin’-est place to be, and she planned to spend a few solitary minutes out there each morning.
    After taking in the room and view, they unpacked the essentials and decided to do the obvious, hit the beach. Time for standard Playa attire: bikinis. Well, except for Vivian. Her body was still in bounce-back mode from the twins, who were born full term, 7 pounds 12 ounces and 6 pounds 5 ounces. Monster babies, she called them.
    Towards the end of her pregnancy she looked like a freak of nature (her doctor actually told her this). Vivian’s pelvic bones felt like they were going to crumble into little shards and fall into her legs, and she looked like she had a submarine around her middle.
    Since their birth the “twin skin” had yet to elasticize back into place completely, and she wasn’t sure it ever would. She opted for a tankini. Her arms and legs were normal size, thank goodness. With her tummy tucked behind a tropical swirl of color, Lucy in a black and gold bikini, Wendy in a metallic red bikini, and Kate in a hot pink string bikini they were ready to hit the sand. They grabbed hats, towels, sunscreen, sunglasses and the ever-important koozies and headed out the door.
    Kate stopped Vivian as the door closed behind them. “Wait. Viv, don’t you want to take off your watch?”
    “Yeah, like we care what time it is,” Lucy said. “We’re on vacation!”
    “I wear it all the time, I don’t even think about it. It’s waterproof so no worries.”
    “Then let’s boogie.” Wendy danced over to the stairs. “I’m ready to hit the beach!”
    They woo-hoo’ed and danced down the stairs and through the lobby to the gorgeous Playa del Carmen beach.
    A young Hispanic man, wearing a royal blue shirt, khaki shorts and mirrored wraparound sunglasses, approached them as they reached the sand. His name tag read: Manuel.
    “ Hola Señoritas. Bueñas tardes . Something to drink? Eat?”
    His wavy brown hair fell into his eyes and he brushed it back with his fingertips. He smiled at them. “Beach chairs, umbrella, food, anything. I here for you.”
    Vivian realized through his broken English that he had said food and clasped her hands in a begging motion.
    “Food! I need food.” She had been