by Claire Adams
"Chase. Pleasure’s all mine, good looking." He winked and pressed his shoulder against mine. "You guys wanna come out for drinks and dancing tonight?"
"Sure," Casey responded a little too quickly.
"Maybe. We just got in, so I think we were hoping to scope out the place a little before making any plans." I took another drink of my beer and sighed internally as some of the guys behind us called for their friends to rejoin them.
"Casey, you got my digits, right?" The meathead beside my friend asked as he watched me with interest.
"Sure did." Casey pushed at his shoulder playfully as I dropped back down into the sand and ignored the behemoth next to me. "They were cute, right?"
I turned my head so that I could see her better. "Is that a joke?"
She laughed and stretched out beside me. "Well, they're no hottie with a thick wallet from the plane, but they were pretty to look at."
"Speaking of the guy from the plane..." I bit my lip, wondering how much to divulge to my bestie. It was more than obvious that she was interested in Easton too, but the question was whether I was or not. "Do you believe in fate?"
"Fate? Naw, I mean, not really." She brushed my hair from my face as she propped her head up on her hand. "Why? You think that was fate that had you running into him more than once?"
"I don't know. I don't think so." I shrugged as best I could while lying down. "I need to let it go, but something about it is nagging me."
"So then let's do this...if you see him again while we're here, let's call it fate. If you don't, then it was just an odd by-chance sorta thing." She sat up and pulled her knees up to her chest as she looked out toward the water.
"That sounds fair." I ran my fingers through my hair rhythmically until my eyes grew heavy. "We should get up and do something. I'm going to pass out if we just lay here."
"You slept on the flight. What's up with you? You coming down with something?" A concerned look slid across her features.
I sat up and picked up my beer, taking a long drink of it before responding. "No, just haven't been sleeping well at night. I know it's stupid, but having Jackson cheat on me really did a number on my mental state."
"How so?" She turned her attention to me, her expression a bit tight.
"I just feel like maybe I deserved it somehow. I know it's stupid, but if I was prettier or sexier or–”
"Shut that shit up. That's the dumbest thing you've said since we were kids and you thought a quarterback was a refund." She pressed her arm to mine and pushed against me a little as I chuckled.
"I know it is, I just can't figure out why, Casey. Ten years of being together and now it's all over because he slept around on me. Why would he do that? What was missing that he was looking for?" I fought back tears. "I want to forgive him, but we're not talking about a onetime mistake, but a series of times that he slept with other girls. This has been happening for years. How are we supposed to get past that?"
"You're not supposed to get over that. You're supposed to take time to heal, and then let things happen as they may. The right guy will show up. I promise." She reached over and brushed sand off my shoulder as I ignored the pity in her gaze.
"I don't need a man. I'm fine just like I am. If I decide I need sex, then I'll just have it." I shrugged and got to my feet. "I'm going to walk the beach, and then you and I are going to find one of those bicycle vendors. I've always wanted to ride on one of those two-seaters. It's your lucky day. You're the extra rider."
"No freaking way. Do you know how ridiculous we'd look?" She chuckled before leaning back and stretching back out. "Not happening."
"Yeah it is. I don't care what you say. I'm not trying to impress anyone, including you." I gave her a cheeky grin and walked down to the edge of the water. It was a little depressing that Easton hadn't called, but most likely a good thing. I needed time to find myself again, and that was impossible to do under the attention of a handsome man. And he was incredibly handsome. Visions of him brushed by my mind's eye as I let the sun, the sand and the sound of the waves ushered in rest to my soul.
*****
"That was a freaking blast!" I turned around and smiled at Casey as we pulled the two-seater bike back up to the rental place. "I love it. We need to get one for New York."
The look on her pretty face had me cracking up. She didn't say a word, but didn't have to. We'd been friends so long that I was well aware of what the tight line of her mouth meant. She would never, ever be found on another two-seater bike with me. It was a shame.
"You need a man to do this with, and last I checked, that ain't me." She got off and almost fell due to the height of the seat and her short stature.
"Then I'll make sure to take one of my future boyfriends on a bike-riding date."
"Good luck with that." She glanced up at the sky. "You ready to head back to the hotel? I think I got a little burnt. I don't want to add insult to injury."
"Yeah, besides, I'm starving." My tummy rumbled as if to validate my words.
"Me too. There was a taco shop a block from the hotel. I read up on some of the restaurants before we left, and that one is supposed to be the best in the city." She shrugged and turned toward the beach as I returned the bike and rejoined her.
"I love tacos, and the best in the city sounds like my kind of place." I slid my arm into hers, locking us together at the elbow as we walked back to the hotel. "Did I get burnt? It feels like it."
She glanced toward me and nodded. "Yeah, but somehow it looks good on you. I swear, I have no idea how you don't have guys crawling all over you. You have to be one of the prettiest girls I know."
I brushed the comment off and changed the subject like I always did. Casey was as jealous of my looks as I was of hers. "Can you believe graduation is coming up in two months?"
"No. I'm actually not looking forward to it at all." She ran her fingers through her hair with her free hand. "You know I went to visit my mom and them over Christmas. They were... ugh."
"Yeah. You left me to fend against my family alone. It was less than pleasant." I awarded her a look that expressed my feelings perfectly.
"Was your dad there?" She nodded toward the small building beside the hotel across the street. "There's the taco shop."
"Cool." I looked both ways before jogging across the street and pulling her a little with me. "He was there, but I think it would have been better if he wasn't."
"What happened with them? They used to be so into each other. Did you ever find out what went wrong?" Casey stopped at the door and seemed to be scanning it. "Good. We can wear our bikinis."
I pulled away from her and lifted my bag from my shoulder. "I have our t-shirts. You don't think we need them?"
Three girls walked out of the door in front of us wearing bathing suits that made ours look like full-coverage jumpsuits.
"I'd say no." She opened the door and walked in with me at her heels. The smell of tortilla chips and roasted tomatoes filled my senses, and I growled softly. I loved food more than almost anything.
"Let's order, and I'll tell you about my folks. You owe me the rest of your conversation with your mother anyway." I moved up to the counter and let my eyes scan the menu that rested above the cashier’s head. "I'll take the Taco Madness Platter."
"Damn, Viv. That's five tacos. You just want to share it?" Casey moved up beside me as I worked to get my wallet from my bag.
"Sure, but I want a bite of each of them." I turned back to the cashier. "And two cokes please?"
We moved to the side and filled up our drinks as I caught Casey chuckling over something that had to be running through her head.
"What? You know I'm going to be a food critic eventually. I always look for the meal that lets me try as much as possible." I poked her side.
"I know. I'm just laughing at the fact that you eat like a linebacker and look like a runway model. It's disturbing on so many levels."
"Hush." I popped her outer thigh and moved to get our taco platter. "Even if I w
asn't going to make food a part of my career, I would still eat like this. I'm a foodie. The gym and I have become close friends over the last few years, and you know how much I hate working out. It's somehow worth it."
She grabbed some napkins and walked with me to the only available booth in the place. Several guys turned to watch us, but I assumed they were looking at Casey. She was the curvy, cheerleader type that guys seemed to like. I was tall, thin, and a ginger. Funny how having red hair seemed to matter more than it should.
I dropped down onto my side of the booth and pulled out a small notepad before unwrapping the tacos one at a time. "Tell me about your visit with your mom while I test these tacos out."
Casey leaned back and nursed her coke, her eyes moving along our meal as she spoke. "She's not happy about my decision to leave the cheerleading team at NYU."
"You did that over a year ago." I glanced up.
"I know, but I just told her about it. You know how she is about wanting me to do everything she did, and be what she is, and marry a man like she did." Casey's face contorted as if she'd eaten a lemon.
"She hates your dad."
"Right?" My best friend let out a long sigh. "I don't know. She's pissed about me changing my major a few years back. I want to help people, and counseling in the schools seemed the best plan of action. She wants me to be an accountant or lawyer or doctor."
I picked up the mango chicken taco and examined it. "That's not you at all, unless you were doing pro-bono work."
"Which would get old after a while. I'd be the only broke lawyer in the state." She gave me a cheeky grin.
A handsome, dark-skinned guy moved up to the table and pressed his hands to the top of it as he glanced between us. The smooth curves of his chest and stomach muscles were on complete display as he looked like he'd just come in from the beach as well.
"Hi girls. Just wanted to stop by and let you know that we're having ladies night at Halla every night this week." He pulled a card from his back pocket and dropped it on the table. "Hope to see you there."
"You just might," I mumbled, getting lost in the beauty of his eyes. They had to be the lightest blue I'd ever seen. He smiled and walked toward the next table as Casey picked up the card.
I took a bite of the taco and closed my eyes briefly, letting the flavors roll over my tongue as I identified the ingredients. I opened my eyes and jotted down a quick description of the taco and the experience it provided.
"My turn." Casey reached for the taco in my hand, and I gladly gave it to her.
"It's delicious, but a little hot."
"I like them hot." She wagged her eyebrows. "Like I like my men."
"Brother..." I picked up another and moved through the rest slowly, taking time to enjoy each of them. My dream of being a food critic wasn't something I could see in my near future, but I had a hard time giving up on it. I'd wanted it for far too long.
We finished our meal and cleaned up, depositing our trash by the door before walking into the cool, late afternoon weather. I wrapped my arms around myself and glanced back at Casey.
"I can see why people love that place. It was delicious, fresh and authentically unique."
"You have such a way with words." She slid her arm back into mine. "Tell me about your folks. How are Linda and Mark?"
"Same as the last time I visited. They're still living together, but I can't imagine either of them going on like they are for much longer. It's so weird too..." I paused, trying to get a hold of myself. I didn't want to be emotional. Our day had been too fun to ruin it with tears. "They used to be the epitome of a love story, you know?"
"Yeah. I remember thinking your dad was dreamy, and that if I could just have what your parents had, I'd be set." Casey released me as we walked into the lobby of the hotel. "What happened? Any clue?"
"No. I don't know. I haven't asked my mom about it, and she hasn't offered any information. Everything changed earlier this year though. I would assume one of them cheated on the other, but it's a thought I just can't entertain." I shrugged and turned, stopping dead in my tracks as Easton walked off the elevator and our eyes met.
"That's because you're going through something like that now. I'd not wish that on anyone. I just can't imagine Mark hurting Linda." Casey stopped a little ahead of me and turned around. "You coming? What's up?"
"Fate, I think," I whispered under my breath, not quite sure how I felt about the handsome businessman being a part of my day once more so soon.
"Vivian. Casey." He stopped beside Casey and smiled. "Sorry I haven't called yet. It's been crazy and I'm working all week while I'm here. Looks like you guys found the beach by the burn you’re both sporting."
His smile was warm and sexy, though he probably had no idea. His dark hair a little disheveled and his green eyes only for me.
"We did. It's beautiful out there." I glanced around. "Don't tell me you're staying here with us. I'm going to label you as a stalker soon."
He chuckled. "I was going to say the same thing."
"We're going to change and then have a drink in the lobby. You wanna join us?" Casey asked him.
"I'd love to, but really, I have a hundred things to do in the next few days and almost every minute is filled with something." He glanced at Casey for only a moment before turning his gaze back to me. I hadn't been in the dating game much over the last few years, namely due to being with Jackson since junior high, but something told me that Easton was stretching the truth in order to not hang out with us.
"No worries. Have fun where you can this week. Hope you get all of your stuff done." I moved toward Casey and tugged her with me. "Come on. Shower, change, and liquor."
"And boys," she mumbled, her head turning back toward him. She was ballsy and wanted him to know that she found him attractive.
I, on the other hand, would have melted into a puddle of embarrassment had he known just how tight my stomach was thanks to his presence alone.
"Damn," Casey grumbled as the elevator doors closed behind us. "He's perfect for you, and yet I can't help wanting him for myself."
"Have him. I'm not interested in chasing a man, and he's obviously not interested in me." I shrugged and leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes and letting the image of him steal my thoughts. "He is beautiful though, right?"
"Insanely so," she whispered all dreamy-like.
Chapter 8
Easton
I was almost too tired to meet with Brian, La Mage's hospitality manager, but if I shifted my schedule even a little, I wouldn't get in all of the meetings I had booked that week. The idea of having a little bit of fun was still very much on my radar, but it would have to be later. The beautiful girl that I'd once again bumped into out in the lobby was exactly the type of woman I wanted that fun to happen with. Her beautiful skin was lightly dusted with sand, and her slight sunburn only accentuated the radiance of her crimson locks and blue eyes.
My heart raced as I watched her go, but it was best for me to leave things be. We would run into each other over the course of the week, no doubt. Maybe by Thursday I would let my guard down a little. If she kept presenting herself in tiny bikinis it would be sooner than later. It took me twenty seconds of splashing cold water on my face in the bathroom to calm my libido down. It'd been a little too long since I'd taken a woman to my bed. It never worked out well for me to have a one-night stand. Either I wanted more, or they did, but never both of us at the same time.
"You must be Mr. Parks." A tall gangly guy extended his hand to me as I walked into the conference room to my left.
"Call me Easton, please. I assume you're Brian?" I shook the man's hand and took the seat he offered me.
"I am. I've heard a lot about you. We're glad to have you back with us. I've kept up with most of your articles. You have quite a way with words. Ever thought about being a novelist instead of a resort critic?" He sat back in his chair and clasped his hands over his stomach.
"Not really. I love finding the good and bad in plac
es and people. I don't believe that anything is black or white. It's the gray I'm searching for." I pulled a pad of paper from my briefcase and opened the list of questions I'd prepared back in New York for the meeting.
"I like it."
"Thanks. Tell me about the models at the door. Why are they there and when were they implemented?" I focused on my interviewee, though my mind continued to move far from the room. I could appear to be attentive over the next few minutes with Brian, but then I needed an hour to myself. Something about the fact that I kept running into Vivian was bugging me. Was I supposed to ask her out for a drink? Was she supposed to be part of my future?
We wrapped up the meeting, and I shook the hospitality manager's hand once more before walking out the door and turning to make a beeline for the elevator.
"East," Kevin called to me, and I turned, not surprised at all that the portly bastard had two drinks in his hands and three girls around him, giggling about something.
"Hey buddy." I didn't move toward him, but gave him my attention. "Day go good?"
"Great. I love this place. Go change and meet me down here for a drink?"
The blonde on his left waved at me playfully as her brunette friend stepped out of the small crowd. "Yeah, come down and have a drink with us. You're cute."
"There's plenty to share." Kevin lifted his eyebrows at me.
"Right. I'll think about it." I turned and pressed the button on the elevator, ignoring the girls grumbling about my lackadaisical response. If I wasn't spending the night across a table with Vivian, I sure as hell wasn't doing it with some giggling stranger.
She's a stranger. Right. Why doesn't it feel like it?
I got off on the top floor and pressed the code to the penthouse, inserted my key, and kicked off my shoes the minute I was inside. Why was I being so stiff about having a drink with her? I liked her company for sure, and was rather disappointed when she went to sleep on the plane instead of talking with me.
"Your career comes first. This never works out for you." I moved to the balcony and glanced out at the city as the sun started to make its way behind the clouds.