"Hello?" I said, cradling the telephone under my chin and relaxing back into a big, comfy armchair.

"Hey, Gabby," Ellie responded.

"Ellie! I was hoping it was you!" At the sound of Ellie's name, everyone in the living room gathered around to hear what was up. "How'd it go today?" I listened as Ellie recalled the details of their grim day. "Bummer."

"How is everybody doing there?" Ellie changed the subject.

Safer that way, I thought. "Great. Celine, Rene, Isaac, Karine, Taylor..." I paused, listing names until I reached Deanna. "...yeah, and Taylor are all here listening." I threw an apologetic glance to Taylor and his girlfriend. I had decided not to break that bit of news quite yet. Let Ellie see for herself this rapidly growing romance. I passed the phone to Celine and leapt onto the couch with Isaac.

"Hey, guys." Taylor leaned over to us. "Wanna go on a double date tonight?" My eyes lit up, and I looked over to Isaac. He smiled.

"Sure...obviously Gabby wants to. And whatever makes her happy makes me happy."

I wrapped my arms around him, kissing his neck. "Where are we going?" I asked Taylor.

"Well, there's this awesome club downtown!" Taylor said excitedly. I raised my eyebrows.

"Uh-huh," I laughed. "Since when have you gotten so into the club scene?"

Taylor looked at Deanna, slightly embarrassed. "It's a really good club," he insisted. We all laughed.

After hanging up with Celine, I wandered out of our room to find Zac on the small balcony looking down at the rumbling ocean below. Gently, I grasped his shoulders from behind. Zac gave a small gasp and jumped around, but when he saw me, he scooped me up in his arms.

"You rascal!" he whispered. "Isn't this amazing?" Our eyes drifted over the hazy shoreline where waves steadily approached and broke in a crashing rush. In the distance, the sound of a lone singer, wailing away in lyrical Italian, trickled up to our balcony.

"But," Zac continued, "you're the most amazing of all."

I smiled in his arms and let him draw me into a long kiss. The moon was rising over the horizon, casting a ray of light over the white-tipped waves. My life was complete here with Zac. Just the two of us, standing alone, our hearts melded as one.

"And one day," Zac said, "we'll bring our child here..."

"And tell them that this is where it all began," I finished for him. Finally we turned from the balcony's edge and slipped quietly back into our room, sliding the doors and curtains shut behind us.

"You look gorgeous!" I stared starry-eyed at Gabby when she appeared at the top of the stairs in a short black skirt and a sequined 3/4-length sleeved top.

"Thanks." Gabby blushed but scampered down the stairs to my arms. "Where are Tay and Deanna?"

"Upstairs," I responded. "Deanna said she needed help...whatever that means." Gabby grinned. Suddenly, Taylor and Deanna appeared arm in arm.

"Are we ready?" Taylor asked. Gabby and I nodded, following the other couple out to our car.

Once we arrived, the four of us snatched a table. Taylor and Deanna headed right out to the dance floor while Gabby and I ordered some lemonade and plopped down in two chairs.

"This is great!" Gabby exclaimed loudly over the blaring music. "This is just what I needed! A chance to get out of the house and have some fun."

I smiled happily and reached for her hand under the table. Scanning the crowd, I spotted Taylor and Deanna already dancing wildly. I pointed, and Gabby watched them too.

"They sure hit it off fast," Gabby commented, shaking her head in amazement.

"That's for sure," I agreed. "One day, Taylor was moping around because he didn't have anyone and the next day...there she was!"

"Hopefully not too fast..." Gabby said softly, expanding on her first statement. I didn't miss the shudder I felt in her hand.

I paused, looking at her worriedly. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind." Gabby hurriedly brushed some hair from her eyes. "They look great together." She turned her eyes and attention back to the couple. What did she mean? I wondered. I scooted my chair around the table next to her so I could rest my arm around her. Gabby smiled up at me and turned to give me a kiss when suddenly her eyes widened and she stopped.

"Uh, Isaac," Gabby stumbled. "Come over here, and whatever you do, don't look behind you." Confused, I stood up as she dragged me over to a corner.