The Click Trilogy (73 page)

Okay.  I'm hoping so.  I'll see you at the airport.

From: Mark Finlay – April 27, 2014 – 11:16 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Fwd: Pack your bikini!

I'm arriving on Friday around 10:00.  I'll just get a cab from the airport to the villa.  Or are you planning to send a limo for me?

From: Renee Greene – April 27, 2014 – 11:18 AM

To: Mark Finlay

Subject: Re: Fwd: Pack your bikini!

Limo?  Getting a bit greedy, aren't we?

From: Mark Finlay – April 27, 2014 – 11:19 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Fwd: Pack your bikini!

Ha! Ha!  I suppose so.  I'll see you Friday.

From: Shelley Manning – April 28, 2014 – 9:42 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

Nick and I arrive at 1:30 on Friday and we've got a 3:00 flight back on Sunday.  So you don't need to reserve a spot on the private jet for us.  But feel free to send a limo to the airport to pick us up in Cabo.

From: Renee Greene – April 28, 2014 – 9:45 AM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

A limo joke?  Really?  Mark pulled one of those on me yesterday.

From: Shelley Manning – April 28, 2014 – 9:48 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

I'm starting to share Finlay's sense of humor?  Lord help me!  As long as I don't share any of his other qualities, right?  Is he still all hung up on cat-lovin' Cassidy?

From: Renee Greene – April 28, 2014 – 9:54 AM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

It has been quite some time since we've been able to catch up on him, what with all your international travel and my wedding planning.  Mark has a new love interest.

Her name is Marnie and she's on Ethan's finance team, so you'll get a chance to meet her this weekend.  Between you and me, he hasn't even made a move on her yet, much to her dismay.  But I think this weekend will provide the perfect romantic (and alcohol-fueled) setting to do so.

From: Shelley Manning – April 28, 2014 – 9:58 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

Shall I prepare myself to mock her (and him) incessantly?  I've already got a nickname for them - Marklie.

From: Renee Greene – April 28, 2014 – 10:01 AM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

No, she's fantastic.  I think you'll really like her.  She's got a fun sense of humor, a love of the 1980s (movies, TV shows, pop culture references, etc.) and has a dog, NOT a cat.

From: Shelley Manning – April 28, 2014 – 10:03 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

Okay, then I'll just be prepared to mock Finlay.

From: Renee Greene – April 28, 2014 – 10:04 AM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Pack your bikini!

I wouldn't expect it any other way.  See you Friday.

From: Shelley Manning – May 4, 2014 – 6:15 PM

To: Renee Greene, PBCupLover

Subject: Fun in the sun!

Thank you guys so much for a fantastic weekend.  I told Nick that between first class travel to Italy and a weekend at a private villa in Mexico, I was finally getting the royal treatment that I deserve and that he had better keep it up.  Thanks again for letting us tag along.

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 6:19 PM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

I could get used to that kind of treatment, too.  So glad you and Nick could come.  You make such a cute married couple.

From: PBCupLover – May 4, 2014 – 6:22 PM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Glad you guys were able to come for the weekend.  It was fun and I enjoyed getting to know Nick better.  I see a Buckeye's sweatshirt in his future!

From: Shelley Manning – May 4, 2014 – 6:24 PM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Cute couple?  Clearly we need to work on our image a bit more.

From: Shelley Manning – May 4, 2014 – 6:28 PM

To: PBCupLover

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Don't go there, Ethan.  He (and by he, I mean I) doesn't want or need anything with your alma mater logo on it.  Although I'm living more than 1,000 miles away from your fiancé, I still have her ear and wield a lot of influence over her life.  So if you ever want to get laid again, you'll back off.

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 6:31 PM

To: Shelley Manning,

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Ha!  I knew that would bug you.  Seriously, you guys are so great together.  I wish you lived closer because I know Ethan really clicked with Nick and we would have so much fun together.  It's amazing how they bonded so much about college football over some Tecates and tequila.

From: PBCupLover – May 4, 2014 – 6:32 PM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Well played, Shelley.

From: Shelley Manning – May 4, 2014 – 6:35 PM

To: PBCupLover

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

I usually reserve these for Renee, but seeing as you two will be married soon, I'll toss you one.  Mwah! Mwah!

From: Shelley Manning – May 4, 2014 – 6:36 PM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Yes, it was indeed fun to see them get along so well.  However, we need to make sure they don't get along too well.

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 6:37 PM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Does Nick not know about you and Ethan?

From: Shelley Manning – May 4, 2014 – 6:41 PM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

He knows about that.  We have no secrets when it comes to our pasts.  And believe me, mine pales in comparison to Nick's.  The stories he could tell!  No, I'm worried that Ethan is going to convince Nick that it's perfectly appropriate for a grown man – well out of college, mind you – to wear school paraphernalia.

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 6:43 PM

To: Shelley Manning

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Ha!  Ethan does love his Buckeyes.

From: Shelley Manning – May 4, 2014 – 6:45 PM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Fun in the Sun!

Yes, well, I think I nipped that one in the bud.  We're about to land, Sweetie.  Thanks again and we'll talk later in the week.  Mwah! Mwah!

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 8:02 PM

To: Ashley Gordon

Subject: Missed you

Hi there.  We're home now and we completely missed you and Greg this weekend in Cabo.   Don't want to make you jealous with details.

From: Ashley Gordon – May 4, 2014 – 9:54 PM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Missed you

But it was amazing, right?  It’s okay to tell me.

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 10:05 PM

To: Ashley Gordon

Subject: Re: Missed you

It was!  This place was INCREDIBLE!  There were three huge and separate living spaces each outfitted with oversized, flat screen TVs and surround sound speakers.  We didn't watch TV, but if we wanted to, it would have been like being in an IMAX theatre.

The outdoor living space (can't really call it a backyard) consisted of a huge swimming pool and Jacuzzi, enough plush lounge chairs to house a lazy army and a fire pit for relaxing to watch the sunset.  The water was a Tiffany blue.  So clear.  I've never seen anything like it since being in Greece during my college backpacking trip.

The kitchen was bigger than our entire 2-bedroom apartment.  Not that I had to spend any time in the kitchen.  We had a personal chef that catered to our every whim 24/7. The chef could make anything you wanted - from fresh ceviche to chocolate soufflés.  I say 24/7 because there were groups of people awake and partying at all times of the day and night.  Some of Ethan's friends were night owls and stayed up into the wee hours with Nick and Shelley.  Mark, Marnie and I enjoyed the fun in the sun right down a flight of stairs to our private strip of beach.

There were 12 bedrooms, each with a private bathroom that included a sunk-in tub.  I'll never be able to stay at a Hyatt again!

From: Ashley Gordon – May 4, 2014 – 10:16 PM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Missed you

You don't want to make me jealous, but you are definitely making me jealous.

Want to know about my weekend?  I was at a birthday party for a one year old at a children's gymnasium.  Siobhan loved when Greg hung her upside down on the monkey bars until she vomited up all of the birthday cake he let her have (I keep telling him not to give her refined sugar!) and I had to clean it all up.

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 10:22 PM

To: Ashley Gordon

Subject: Re: Missed you

Oy!  Sorry to hear that.  I would try to say something positive to make that seem less awful than it sounds, but I'm going to level with you here. That sucks!  Ethan decided that this trip to Cabo for his team's "finance retreat" should be an annual event.  We'll be sure to give you more notice next time so you can get Greg's parents or yours to watch Siobhan.

From: Ashley Gordon – May 4, 2014 – 10:26 PM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Missed you

Put us down for next year. That will give us both time to get fit to be seen in a swimsuit.

From: Renee Greene – May 4, 2014 – 10:30 PM

To: Ashley Gordon

Subject: Re: Missed you

You got it.  Give my sweet angel a kiss for me - as long as you've managed to clean up all of the post-party puke.  Yuck!  Let's try to meet for lunch this week. I'll call you later.

From: Mark Finlay – May 5, 2014 – 8:25 AM

To: Renee Greene, PBCupLover

Subject: Thanks!

Hey, guys.  Just wanted to say thank you again for letting me come along on this incredible weekend.  That place was insane.  I don't know how I will manage to stay at a Marriott ever again. I'm having a margarita right now thinking about it all and in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

From: Renee Greene – May 5, 2014 – 9:02 AM

To: Mark Finlay, PBCupLover

Subject: Re: Thanks!

Ha!  I just made that same joke to Ashley last night but with a Hyatt instead of a Marriott.  Too funny.  Since we're chatting, anything else you might want to share about your enjoyment of the weekend?

From: PBCupLover – May 5, 2014 – 9:04 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Fwd: Re: Thanks!

Butt out, Babe!

From: Renee Greene – May 5, 2014 – 9:06 AM

To: PBCupLover

Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: Thanks!

No way.  I've got a vested interest in this relationship being a success.

From: PBCupLover – May 5, 2014 – 9:07 AM

To: Renee Greene

Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: Thanks!

Vested interest?

From: Renee Greene – May 5, 2014 – 9:12 AM

To: PBCupLover

Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: Thanks!

Yes!  I like this girl.  A lot.  She is awesome and if Mark's going to move on with someone after the "cat"astrophe that was Cassidy, then I want it to be with Marnie.  Plus, I'm the one who feels responsible for breaking Mark's heart.  I know.  I know.  It wasn't my fault, it was Cassidy's.  But still, I'm the one who found out and had to tell him.  I want him to be happy and I want me to be happy about his happiness, too.  If Mark wants me to butt out, he can tell me himself.  So YOU butt out.