A Sailor's Second Chance

by Gail Chianese

  Sleep or food first? His head pounded. His eyes burned. His gut rumbled. Two versus one, sleep won. He headed toward the main building, and the pool, figuring he could drag a lounge over to a corner spot and sleep. That idea got squashed the minute he took in the scene. Not only was practically every lounge taken, but the place was packed and a loud water volleyball game was going on. He kept walking. Maybe he could find a cool spot under a palm tree. He was busy scanning the beach, not paying attention to where he was going, so no surprise when he knocked into someone.

  Automatically he reached out to grab the person and looked down to find striking, and shocked blue eyes staring up at him.

  “You again.”

  ~*~

  “Me again, like the proverbial bad penny.” Casey looked down at her with dark circles starting to form under his eyes and stress lines marring his forehead. Well if he hadn’t slept after his little skinny-dipping session last night, he had no one to blame but himself.

  And she had no one to blame for watching.

  “I thought you were leaving,” she said.

  He shifted, hiking his duffle over his shoulder. He did that a lot she noticed, like a nervous habit or a defensive stance ready for the attack.

  “Truck won’t start. The town mechanic has is now and will hopefully have it up and running in a few hours.”

  “Oh.” For a moment she’d thought he’d come back for her, to come after her and at least talk. “What are you going to do until then?”

  “Find a tree with some shade and get a few hours shut-eye.”

  He looked beat, but she knew he wouldn’t get any sleep on the beach. Someone had mentioned in the restaurant that morning about a beach birthday party this afternoon, which meant they’d be setting up soon. She dug into her oversized purse for the room key card. She had both of them with her intending to drop Casey’s off at the front desk.

  “Here.” She handed him one. “You look like hell. You’ll get more sleep in the villa than out here.”

  He grinned and shook his head. “Not likely.”

  She rolled her eyes at him, and smiled. “I’ve got a spa day booked. Massage, facial, the full works. I’ll be out of your way for a couple of hours minimum. With any luck, you’ll be gone before I even get back.”

  He took the card and thanked her before walking away. Colette watched him go, she couldn’t help it and hadn’t meant a word she’d said to him. Except for the part that he looked awful. She wanted to go after him, make sure he was okay, but she forced herself to continue on to her appointment. It was the best thing she could do for both of them. Maybe after they’d both gotten some rest, they could talk. She didn’t have any belief they could repair the damage she’d done, but they needed to come to some kind of détente. If not for themselves, then for their co-workers.

  She didn’t know how or what it would take to find even ground, but if they couldn’t, she’d have to start looking for a new job. Seeing Casey everyday and the look in his eyes ripped her in two. For the moment, she’d focus on her and her wellbeing, starting is a full body, bamboo fusion massage. She opened the doors to the Eucalyptus Spa and let the aroma of lavender wash over her.

  A woman with long black hair, tied up in an intricate knot held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Jocelyn Palmer. Welcome, you must be Colette.”

  Colette nodded and looked around the welcoming space. Some kind of Zen inducing music played on invisible speakers, the lights were soft, and plants filled every corner.

  “I see that you signed up for our full day spa treatment.” She slid an appraising eye over Colette making her break eye contact and focus on a seascape of a hurricane. It was nice, but a little turbulent for a spa. “The first thing on our to-do list is to get you changed. Then we’ll start with a soak in the Jacuzzi, followed by our oxygenating pear and almond facial, then the sugared pear body wrap, which includes a full body massage. We’ll then wrap up your day with a sugar pear manicure and pedicure to get those toes ready to go barefoot. Any questions?”

  Have I died and gone to Heaven? “Lead the way.”

  Three hours later, Colette had been cleansed, exfoliated, slathered with lotions, massaged and pampered into a new and stress-free woman. Or had for about five minutes, which is how long it took her to walk to her villa and wonder if Casey was still there or not. Take a deep breath, she flashed the key card in front of the lock and opened the door.

  A small sigh escaped as she took in the scene before her. Casey was indeed still there. He was also crashed out on the couch, with one foot on the floor, and arm thrown over his head and the television tuned to some game show.

  It was a scene she knew well. One she’d come upon countless times during their marriage. When they’d first started dating, she’d expected to have to sit through football games, basketball matches or even MMA events. What she hadn’t expected was for one of the hottest guys she’d ever met to be addicted to game shows. She wasn’t talking about Survivor, which would make sense for guy like him in the military. No, Casey’s love centered on those that tested your brain: Jeopardy, Family Feud and when he could find it, Match Game. Smiling, Colette turned off The Price is Right and headed to the kitchen for a bottle of water. She’d take it and her book out to the deck, and let Casey sleep.

  “He bid too high. They get too excited and always go too high,” Casey grumbled out from under his arm.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “You didn’t. I was laying here trying to figure out what to do.” He sat up and swung his other leg to the floor, as he rubbed his eyes. “The mechanic can’t get the part in today. I’m stuck here without a car or a room.”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh? That’s not encouraging, Colette.”

  What did he want her to say? Because, really, she was kind of afraid to voice her thoughts. Every time they talked, they ended up in an argument and she wasn’t in the mood. The answer was obvious, at least to her: he’d stay there in the villa. It wasn’t like she was going to throw him out of his place. Did he really think so little of her? She needed him to see things were different now, and maybe this was the thing, the olive branch, they needed to find a truce.

  “Well, I passed a nice palm tree that had a good sized patch of grass under it,” she said, smiling.

  His eyes cut to hers, looked away and then came back to her. A slow smile crept upward. “I’ve slept in worse places.”

  “Uh, I was kidding. You can stay here. It’s just for one night, right? We can do anything for one day.” She really hoped that was true and that they didn’t turn into Mr. & Mrs. Smith and try to kill each other. It could happen, they could also end up in bed together. Not a bad prospect, but not the wisest either.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he said.

  She shrugged, trying to make it out to be no bid deal. “We survived last night, even with the crazy hairdryer wielding ninja.”

  “You do remember you were that crazy chick, right?”

  “Yes, but I’ve been de-stressed.” She swept her hands out in a sort of ‘ta-da’ fashion, like one of his game show models when the grand prize was revealed. “I promise, the hair dryer stays in the bathroom. The past stays behind. We’re just two co-workers hanging out together.”

  She wanted to talk to him about the past, find out why he cut her off when he deployed and explain her actions. Maybe then he would forgive her, and she could forgive herself. But he’d made his feelings crystal clear the night before.

  There was no do-over for them. But maybe, just maybe they could move forward. They didn’t even have to be friends—although, she’d like that, a lot—it would be nice if they just weren’t enemies.

  “Thanks, especially as I don’t think we have any other choice. I get the feeling management wouldn’t take me sleeping under a palm tree to kindly.”

  He brushed his palms against his bare legs—at some point he’d changed into shorts and wowza. Her brain sort of short-circuited. Runner’s legs. Firm,
hard muscles begging her to run her fingers across them. She didn’t have to try to remember what the rest of him looked like; his skinny-dipping stunt took care of that for her.

  She swallowed and tried to remember what she was going to say.

  “I’m going to get out of your hair for a while and go for a run.” He stripped the t-shirt off and dropped it on his duffle bag.

  Colette spun around to watch him go, trying to remember something she needed to tell him. Before she could utter two syllables Casey was up and out the door. She dropped onto the leather chair, letting her head rest against the cool material. She needed to get a grip before he came back or it was going to be a long, long night.

  Chapter Five

  What the heck was he doing? The plan had been to stay as far away from Colette as he could. Not go to dinner with her. Especially not to sit at a cozy table for two with a view of the sunset. But it had seemed a little asinine to sit at different tables at the same restaurant as if they were strangers.

  He should have ordered pizza and sat out on the private deck.

  Alone.

  “Relax, Casey. I’m not going to jump your bones at the table or stab you with my salad fork.” She didn’t even bother looking up, just kept on reading the menu, but he’d caught the small smile. Chances were high she’d rolled her eyes at him too.

  “I wasn’t worried about either.” He lied, although he wasn’t sure which action he was waiting for.

  She’d been on the deck reading when he’d returned from his run or what started out as a run and had ended up with his hiding out on the beach for a couple of hours. Still he’d come back sweaty, stinky and settled. He’d slipped into the shower, while she’d been out. Then she’d disappeared into her room while he zoned in front a game show. They’d done a great job of ignoring each other until it came time to eat.

  “Did you figure out what you want?” Colette laid down the menu and looked up at him.

  No, and that was half the problem. As he sat there looking at the woman who he’d pledge to love, honor and cherish until his dying breath, he realized they were strangers. Ten years. Even if they’d stayed together, they still wouldn’t be the same people as they were back then. At least, he’d like to think he wasn’t that young, cocky guy who thought he had the world in the palm of his hand and could do whatever the heck he wanted.

  Colette reached out and covered his hand. “You okay?” She nodded toward the waitress waiting to take their order.

  “Yeah.” He smiled at the young girl. “Sorry I was torn between a couple of entrees. How about the bourbon steak, medium rare, baked potato, just butter and whatever fresh veggie is on the menu.”

  Colette laughed and pulled her hand away. “Sounds like you finally figured out what you wanted.” She turned from him and gave her order of lemon chicken, a favorite of hers that he remembered her making him on numerous occasions. Good to know that some things hadn’t changed after all.

  “And you knew what you wanted all along.”

  She met his eyes. “Not always and sometimes I find that what I thought I wanted, really wasn’t it at all. But tonight, was easy. I never pass up lemon chicken.”

  “I remember yours. You made it the first time for me on my birthday.” He laughed as the memory flooded his mind. “My mouth puckered up like I’d bitten straight into a lemon.”

  “Hey. Not fair. I was nervous and trying to impress you.”

  “You definitely left a lasting impression.”

  “I did try to redeem myself.”

  She did, but would he give her the same chance now?

  He wasn’t sure, he also wasn’t sure if he could keep going around with a chip on his shoulder and carrying all this anger. Ten years was a long time and maybe if he’d been a better husband, had been the man she’d thought she’d married, they might be at this amazing resort for different reasons.

  Admitting his own culpability in their failed marriage, at least internally, did something to him. Some of the tightness on his chest loosened. Maybe it was a piece of his anger slipping away. He didn’t really know, he just knew it felt good to breathe a little easier.

  “You got better in time,” he said.

  She laughed. “Now I sound like I’m a bottle of wine, getting better with age. Does that mean I don’t have to keep coloring my hair to hide the gray?”

  “You don’t look like you’ve aged a day.” And she didn’t. She still took his breath away, made his heart race and did a few other things to his body simply by being Colette. “You’d look just as beautiful with gray hair as you do with brown, or any other color you choose.”

  Bright pink spread across her cheeks and the smile grew. “Thanks. I like the silver streaks you’ve got going on at your temples. Makes you look distinguished and a bit of a rogue, like you’re flipping off time and you don’t care that it’s slipping away.”

  “I guess I don’t care. Physically, I feel the same now as I did in my twenties...mostly.” He laughed. “The knees ache a little more when I run. I may not stay out to all hours drinking and partying with the gang, but I’d like to chalk that up to wisdom.”

  The waitress arrived with their dinners, and the two of them waited until she had left to finish the conversation.

  “Mmm, with age comes wisdom.”

  He really hoped she was right because his thoughts were anything but smart.

  “That or that whole hindsight brings twenty-twenty vision business. Looking back, I don’t have a lot of regrets—”

  “I wish I could say that about me.” Colette looked away but not before he caught the sadness and a touch of tears in her eyes.

  This time he covered her hand with his and gave it a little squeeze. “I didn’t say I had none or that I didn’t make mistakes. I made plenty. Hopefully, I’ve learned from them and I’m a better person than I was in my twenties or even my early thirties.” He nodded toward her plate. “How is it?”

  “Delicious and you weren’t so awful, but I promised you a night free of the past. So, let’s find a better topic. How do you like working for Lieutenant Gerber?”

  “Gerber Baby’s okay. He runs a tight house, but he’s fair. He seems a little protective of you.” A flare of jealousy rose up in him that he acknowledged and squashed. Who she saw was none of his business.

  “He’s a good guy and a friend of Kibble’s. I think he thinks of me as a little sister and it’s his job to protect me from all the big bad sailors.”

  “Who Kibble?” Casey sincerely doubted the man thought of her as a sister, not after the ass chewing he’d given Casey when he’d first arrived in Pensacola.

  “Well, yeah, him two. They both treat me like a kid sister. I don’t really mind…most of the time. There are moments where they’re pains, like when I’m at a bar and a guy asks me to dance.”

  “That’s because Kibble has the hots for you,” he said around a mouthful of baked potato.

  Colette choked on her wine. When she cleared her throat, she started laughing.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You.” She held up her hand until she got her laughter under control. “Where did you get such a ridiculous notion?”

  He shoved a forkful of steak into his mouth to avoid answering. Colette kept laughing and shaking her head at him. How could she not see how Kibble felt about her? And of course, there were the rumors, but he refused to bring those up.

  “You used to be really perceptive, Casey. I guess all that sunshine and heat in the sandbox baked your brains.” She took another sip of her wine, eyes twinkling and laughing at him. She looked adorable. No, she looked hot and sexy and he wanted to taste the wine on her lips, which sort of pissed him off.

  “All a person has to do is watch you two to see you care about each other. Plus, I hear things. People talk.” He bit down on another piece of meat to keep his mouth shut.

  She took another sip of wine, and then another before setting her glass down. “Well people are idiots. Of course, we care about
each other. He’s my best friend and has been there for me through a lot of bad stuff. And I’ve been there for him too, but we’re just friends.”

  “Does he know that?”

  “Casey Thomas, are you jealous?” She laughed and downed her glass, then held it up to signal the waitress for a refill. “I don’t know who or what you’ve been listening to, but yes Kibble knows we’re just friends. I’m not exactly his type.”

  “I call bull. What man in his right man wouldn’t be interested in you? You’re smart, compassionate, fierce, interesting, and beautiful?”

  “You mean besides you?” The waitress dropped off a new glass of wine, and Colette thanked her before taking another sip. “I know this might come as a shock, but apparently gay men aren’t interested in me either.”

  Casey’s gaze dropped to the barely eaten plate of food in front of her as he processed her words. “Has he always been gay?”

  “What?” She sat her glass down with a thud. “Are you seriously asking me that? I mean I suppose there might have been a time in his life where he didn’t know, like when he was five or so. Why does it matter?”

  He couldn’t tell her that for the past decade he’d thought she’d left him for Kibble. She’d laugh her ass right off the chair she was sitting in. He was such an idiot for listening to the base gossip.

  “It doesn’t matter. I didn’t know.”

  “Of course not. There was that whole “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for a long time and he’s a pretty private guy. Please don’t say anything to him. Even in today’s world it’s still hard to be a gay man in the military.”

  Not something she had to tell him. Sadly, hate and prejudice were alive and well. “Don’t worry, I won’t. I’m still surprised he didn’t come down here with you.”