by Jerry Cole
I could picture every detail of that house now. I heard his mom and sister in the background calling out to me and laughed at their pleas for me to come back. They ordered dinner in and just relaxed for their last night. I wanted to be there. I talked for a little while before letting him go to watch as Jamie walked back through the door.
“I need a nap.” She told me as she took a guilty look at the clock. “Wake me up in two hours if you don’t see me in this room.”
“I will. I’ll make something for dinner.” I smiled as she headed back to her room. I looked through the glass doors leading to the balcony at the sunshine and water, taking a few slow breaths. I pushed back from the table and walked closer to look at the long stretch of sand. “Fuck it.”
I pulled on my running clothes and shoes. I tucked my phone into a pocket and found something to play through my wireless earbuds before heading through the front door and down to the path that led to the beach. I started a steady pace down to the left, allowing the sound of the waves and music to fill my head as I got lost in the run. I needed to make time for this. It got me out of the house and gave me time to decompress from working too much. I could add overthinking to that list now as I smiled and shook my head.
I ended up running five miles before turning back to the house. I got inside and checked the clock, seeing that Jamie had a half-hour left of her nap. I took a shower and peered into the fridge for dinner supplies, motivated to cook something healthy. I baked some chicken with root vegetables and made a salad, downing cold water as I worked.
It was in the oven cooking when I heard a door open in the hallway. Jamie walked out, rubbing her eyes and her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head. “Hi.”
“You got up on your own. I’m proud of you.” I greeted her as she groaned. “Dinner’s in the oven. Take a shower and wake up.” She made some coffee and enjoyed it outside as I worked on my laptop for a while. We ate in an hour and both selected water with the meal since we had long nights ahead of us.
“This is so good.” She moaned as she reached for another bite of chicken with her fork. “You are hired to cook every night for me.”
“I went for a run today, and that made me want to cook healthy. It felt good to exercise, especially after eating so much last week.
“I got so spoiled. We need to step it up around here.” She nodded in agreement, and we both laughed before digging into the meal. She managed to finish and had some time to catch up on a show before going back to bed for a while before going in. I heard her voice through the wall and wondered if she was talking to Leo with a smile.
I knew Ryan was home the following night when I dialed his number. I was grinning as he answered, telling me he was on the back deck of our house.
“How does it look?” I asked as I sat down on the couch with some water.
“Gorgeous,” Ryan replied, and I heard the wind blowing through the phone.
“I have a shoot there in two weeks. I had a few emails from familiar names when I got home, so I’ll be shooting an engagement shoot for Lisa Collins.” I laughed as he gasped at the mention of the famous actress and then let out a cheer. “I’ll be there. Want to stay at a beach house with me?”
“Hell, yes. How long will you be here?” Ryan asked as I explained that I was working on booking other shoots there. I wasn’t sure that I’d be there past two weeks at this point, but it was better than nothing. “I can’t wait to see you, baby. I miss you.”
“I miss you. It’s going to be amazing.” He told me about leaving his family and the crying session that happened at the airport and how happy everyone was that the shop opened back up. He was glad to be surfing again in the morning and getting back to his life. He clarified that Leo and Jamie were talking when they could but didn’t know much more.
I ended the call and reheated some dinner, eating it at the table. Jamie was due to get up soon from her nap, and I watched the hallway as I sipped my water. We made a pact to eat well as much as we could, especially with her hours. She still brought pastry home with her, but we made dinner a critical meal. She pouted when I told her about my upcoming trip, wishing that she could come along.
“Find a way,” I suggested, and she raised a brow at me. “What about the girl that was helping you before?”
“She’s been there with me a couple of times a week. She’s doing a good job, so maybe I could take a weekend off.” Jamie looked thoughtful as she stabbed a carrot with her fork.
“You aren’t supposed to work as hard as you did, at the beginning, your entire time, Jamie. You built a great business and deserve to enjoy life a little bit.” I grinned at her as she nodded. “You have a place to stay anytime you want to visit.”
“Thanks for the reminder.” She shot me a dark look, and I laughed at her. “I will see what I can do. I think she’d be okay on her own for a couple of mornings if we got help for the counter on those days.”
“Do it. We can make a vacation of it.” I urged, and she reached for her water.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
I was happy that I booked another shoot two weeks after the first, this time with a family on their first vacation with their toddler twins. That would be about a month in Belize, and I had a house to stay in without any concern about reservations. It was perfect.
Ryan told his family of my plans, and they decided to come for a week with the understanding that we’d both be working during the days. They could make their plans and rent a car to get around.
It was a few nights before I was set to leave that Jamie told me she was going to come in a week for a long weekend. The kitchen assistant was kind enough to work a few mornings on her own, and Kyle was willing to jump in and help as needed. They hired two part-time girls for the counter and dining area and were going to take turns taking short trips while the other covered.
She took me to the airport after work, and I hugged her, telling her that I’d see her soon. I boarded my plane and settled in for the flight, working through until I landed. I told Ryan I’d meet him at the house since I was renting a car for the next month. I picked up the simple SUV and headed down the street to the house, pulling in to see Ryan’s car in front of the garage. I stopped beside it and looked the house over, adjusting to the fact that this was mine. I hopped out and grabbed my bags from the back to walk to the front door. I pulled out my keys and happily unlocked the two locks, pushing open the door.
“Honey. I’m home!” I called out as Ryan walked from the hallway and threw himself into my arms. I held him tight and closed my eyes as I breathed him in.
“I am so glad to see you,” I told him as my voice broke. The last two weeks dragged by and being here felt so good.
“Yeah. I can say the same.” Ryan pulled away and kissed me, pulling me closer to his body. I moaned into him, longing to take him to the nearest bedroom and make up for the lost time. There was a bed. I grabbed his hand and dragged him to the room, leaving my luggage by the locked front door.
A few hours later, after a lot of sex and a nap, we made our way to the living room. I took my bags and placed the clothes on the messy bed and unpacked the camera equipment in the downstairs guest room, placing everything carefully on the bed. I had an alarm put on the house to protect this and the house from anyone that might want to break in. We weren’t always here, and there was access in front of the house as well as behind it.
Ryan called out ingredients in the fridge as I worked, and we decided we needed to go to dinner and then grocery shopping. We took a shower together, and I pushed him to the wall to take him again. We dressed in casual clothes and decided to go to The Reef.
Lani and the staff welcomed us with open arms, and we sat at our standard table. Lani joined us for her dinner break, and we told her about the house. We invited her to stay there sometime over the next few weeks, keeping that only to close friends. Neither of us wanted a party house.
We were there for a couple of hours and then made a trip to shop for food.
It was a big trip for everything we’d need for a week or two and beer to enjoy at night. We’d go out a lot, but I wanted to cook and relax some nights. We each carried the bags in and I smiled as we put everything away, working through our own quirks as we did so. I never lived with a man before now even if this wasn’t full-time. We took the beer to the back deck and enjoyed it as the sun slipped below the horizon.
“This is fucking incredible.” I murmured as I watched the sky burst into color.
“Yeah. I’ve watched it a couple of times since we bought it. It’s better with you here.” He smiled and squeezed my hand as I gazed at him.
“You say that to all of your boyfriends.” I leaned in to kiss him and felt the wind blow around us. We called it a night early since he was surfing while I jogged in the morning. Leo and Ryan would go to the shop from there, and I was going to meet the couple for breakfast and talk spots for their photoshoot. I had several shots of ones that I previously used as well as information on other landmarks. I was always open to taking a tour with anyone. I found out early that it was good to be comfortable somewhere and slightly familiar with an area. It made everything easier.
I wore running clothes to the beach with plans to come home to change. We were taking separate cars, to begin with for work purposes. I followed Ryan down the street with a smile on my face, feeling like I was home. The guys jumped right into the surfing, and I headed down to the connected beach for a run, taking in the sound of the waves. There was nobody else out and I looked forward as the wind blew around me.
I noticed shells scattered over the sand, making a mental note to look closer on the way back to meet Ryan. This stretch of beach totaled five miles for me, and I would have a little time to collect some for Jamie.
My mind went to the meeting today and work as my feet pounded over the sand. I thought about Jamie coming to join me the following weekend as well as Ryan’s family. We’d all be together for a little while again. I thought about meals and things to do, catching myself as I shook my head. I never made plans for a family. Jamie and I had friends, of course. We spent time with them and did everything that a family would do, and we considered them a part of ours. This was a mom that cooked for us and fussed over a sister that was happy to be around us and us them.
I blinked as my eyes burned, not wanting to cry.
I made my turn around when the beach turned into a walking path, dropping down to grab the prettiest shells. I slipped them into my pockets as I jogged sporadically, looking forward to trying to catch a glimpse of Ryan. It was just getting light out, and I could see the beach and waves. When I rounded the turn, I had a full view of Ryan riding a wave in as Leo watched from the shore.
“Looking good!” I called out as Ryan waded through the water toward me. He flashed a smile at me and tossed his board to the sand before kissing me.
“I could say the same. Good run?” He asked as I nodded against him.
“Jesus. Take it to a room,” Leo muttered beside us as we both laughed.
“We’ll take it to an entire house. Are you going to stay over next weekend when everyone is here?” Ryan asked, pulling away from me to scrub a hand through his wet hair.
“I might. It’s a little further to the shop from there but not bad.” He shrugged, and I held back a laugh. He would be there.
We walked to our cars and parted ways. They were going to grab some breakfast and open the shop while I took a shower for my meeting in a couple of hours. It felt good to drive to my house and unlock the door. I grabbed water from the fridge and started a pot of coffee as I walked to the bedroom. Turning on the shower to warm the water up, I headed to the windows to look at the stunning view. We didn’t get the sunrise, but it was still incredible as the waves rolled to the beach, and the sun began to brighten up the world. “Hell, yes.” I walked to the attached bathroom, shedding my clothes into a pile on the floor before stepping under the water.
It felt good, and I turned around to let it pound over my skin. I had time to take a long shower and did so, drying off after several minutes. I pulled on clean work out shorts and dropped the dirty clothes into the hamper before moving to the closet. I put everything away last night and searched the hangers for what I was going to wear. Being on the island lent a casual feeling to everything, and I chose some linen pants with a button-up green shirt. I slipped my boat shoes on and poured some coffee, sipping it as I wandered back to the windows.
We were planning to do some online shopping later tonight to get a feel for what we both wanted here in the house. We were keeping some furniture but also wanted to give it our own touch. I glanced at my watch and finished the last of the coffee before grabbing my keys to leave.
We were meeting at an upscale restaurant attached to one of the hotels on the island. I looked around with admiration as I approached the door. The room was all windows, and I looked around once I was inside, recognizing the raven-haired actress at a table in the back. She was sitting closely with a brunette man, and I smiled as I told the hostess that I saw my party. I walked across the room and smiled as they looked up at me. “Good morning.” I offered my hand to them as we made the introductions, then settled into my seat. They already had a pot of coffee at the table and I poured a cup with a smile.
We started to talk about different parts of the island, and after we ordered, I gave them my tablet to scroll through previous shoots here in Belize. Breakfast came and we went over their top three choices during the meal. By then, I showed them new spots I found through research. Lisa was humble and sweet as she laughed through her words and I thought of the dark character that she played on a paranormal show. Her fiancé was equally nice and I could see what a good fit they were.
“Do you travel here often?” Braden asked as we sipped our coffee after the big meal.
“I do. I recently purchased a house here for work use and vacation.” I smiled as they shared a long look. “I’m here for another shoot in a couple of weeks, so that will be a month here. I think it’s worth it.”
“Nice. We’ve been talking about it after seeing this place. Your pictures made me want it more.” Lisa smiled, and I nodded. “You must know people here if you purchased.”
“I do from previous trips. Everyone is friendly here.” I thought about Ryan. “My guy lives here and acts as a big reason for the visits.” I didn’t always discuss my private life with clients, but Ryan was worth mentioning. I also had a good sense of people and realized I should mention him more.
“That’s sweet. I can imagine this is a romantic place to meet somebody. We might get married here.” Lisa gushed as I made a mental note to do an excellent job with this shoot. People were quick to hire again if they liked somebody.
I paid the bill with my business card and smiled at them. “Would you like to drive around and see anything, or will those three places work for you? They are gorgeous.”
“I like them,” Braden said as he looked at Lisa. She nodded. “How does Tuesday sound for the first shoot?”
“Tuesday is great.” We went over which spot, and I suggested ten o’clock for the time. The light was great at that time.
“Perfect. We’ll see you then.” Lisa hugged me, and I smiled as Braden shook my hand. “Thank you.”
“Thank you. You have my number if you get any more ideas. Don’t be afraid to use it.” I watched as they walked to the door and outside, smiling. I took one last drink of the coffee and headed out myself. I walked the beach in front of me and sent Jamie messages about the trip so far. She was beyond excited about coming, and I sensed it through her words.
After that, I sent Mom a message to tell her I was looking forward to their visit. We kept in touch regularly, and she felt the same way as Jamie. I asked if she wanted anything specific for food, and she said that Ryan already got it and, from what I saw, bought every last thing.
With that conversation over, I looked at the water. It was such a pretty shade of blue. I couldn’t believe I was here for an entire month and t
hat I owned a house here. When did my life turn into this?
I spent the day working on edits for clients and posting on my site. I had a lot more shots of pure nature now, and they were getting popular. It was never a large part of my income but counted. I liked to offer them my work as well. I took those shots for a reason.
When Tuesday came, I was showered and ready after the morning run. I wore shorts that were easy to move in with a fitted t-shirt and packed all of my supplies. I headed down the road to the beach we were hitting first, parking in the small lot as I took a look around. It seemed empty, and I smiled as I mentally set things up in my head.
Another car pulled in beside me, and I glanced up to see the happy couple. I let them get out before doing so myself, and Lisa greeted me with a hug. She looked beautiful with her hair in soft waves and light makeup on her flawless skin. I told her so, and she giggled, admitting that her sister helped her. She had a bag of clothes over her shoulder and we walked to the edge of the trees before I set my case down.
They dressed alike with him in light linen pants and a matching shirt, complimenting his dark, tanned skin. Lisa was wearing a cream dress that flowed around her body, and I took them in. “This calls for some shots in the trees.”
We talked about life as I took the pictures. I told them about Ryan’s shop, and Braden mentioned that he might stop in on this trip. They lived in New York, so he didn’t get a chance to surf often. It didn’t hurt that I was already wearing clothes from the store that he liked.
The couple looked good together, but they were also deeply in love. Their connection showed through the camera, and I smiled as he stole a few soft kisses from Lisa. We finished in time to grab lunch and went together to The Reef. Lani had the class to keep her reaction to the actress muted as she took us to my table. I smiled as she winked at me and went to grab our waters. They were eager to order my usual plate and Lisa gushed over the meal. She mentioned that she’d have to work out a bit more after this trip, but we both agreed that it was worth it. I spied a beer while I had a full glass of water, always careful when it came to dining with clients.