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“I slept better than I have in a really long time, actually. You?”
“Like a baby. I can’t believe how amazing it was to fall asleep to the sound of the ocean.”
“Yes, I was definitely soothed to sleep as well.” The way he’s looking at me makes me feel like that’s a loaded statement, but I’m not brave enough to explore it further.
“How would you feel about room service again? I’m thinking breakfast on the terrace and then a lazy day at the beach?” I point down below at where I know the cabanas are found. “Unless you had something else planned.”
“Sounds perfect. A beach day is exactly what I had in mind.” He smiles, stands and stretches and I have to look away to prevent staring. Grabbing the menu I open it and bury my nose inside forcing myself not to turn around.
“Anything in particular you’d like for breakfast? You know, besides coffee.”
“Hmmm…” he stands right in front of me and I have no choice to look over the top of the menu at him. “Do they have waffles? I think I’d like a waffle,” he smiles and for a minute I forget what I’m doing. What is wrong with me? One night of innocent sleeping in the same bed and I’m feeling all flushed.
“They do - one order of waffles coming up. Anything else?”
He gives me the rest of his order, “I’m going to take a quick shower.”
Picking up the phone to place the order, I nod, “Okay.”
Once the order is placed, I search my purse for my reading device and take a peek at my phone finding three missed calls and three voicemails left from my doctor’s office. With a sigh, I shut my phone down. I just want a day where I don’t think about my health. No, forget that, not just a day, I’d like to spend the week not thinking about my prognosis and instead I want to live my life like I haven’t a care in the world. I want to live like I’ve never lived before. I’ll never get a chance to be here, in this place, in this moment, at this resort, by the ocean, with my best friend, again. This is one of my biggest dreams come true, so I’m going to enjoy it. So my phone can stay off most of the time unless I check it one time a day for work. Otherwise, I’m on vacation – not just in body but also in mind.
Putting my phone in my bag, I take my ereader and go outside onto the terrace intending to read while I wait for our food to arrive.
It isn’t long before Oliver joins me clean-shaven, damp skin and hair shining in the sun. I’m grateful when the food arrives so I can stop staring at him like a lunatic. Once we finish eating, we grab our things and head down to the beach. Oliver already called and rented a cabana for the day, so we check in and set our things down at the one we’re assigned.
“Will you spray sunblock on me?”
“Of course,” he takes the spray bottle from me while I unbutton my black cover up and remove it. When Oliver freezes, I’m not thinking and immediately ask, “What’s wrong?”
It takes me a minute to realize he’s gawking at me, “That’s not the same swimsuit, but it looks very similar.”
“Oh! Yeah. I saw it in the store and had to get it after your comment about the other one. I figured I’d continue the tradition of wearing a swimsuit for you to hate.”
“Hate is not at all what I’m thinking while I look at you in that, sunshine. And if I thought the other one was bad, thank god you didn’t wear one like this. I would have had a heart attack. I could have one now.”
Putting my hands on my hips, I smile, “Ah good. Mission accomplished. Now then, get on with the spraying.” I hold out my arms and spread my legs apart so he can spray the front of me, then turn so he can get the back too. Then, I return the favor before we commence with our busy schedule of lounging.
“It’s beautiful. I know I keep saying that, but really, it’s more than I could have ever imagined.”
“It is,” I turn to look at him to find his eyes on me and not on the ocean.
After a moment, he reaches into his bag and I’m surprised when he pulls out a small radio. When he seems my reaction he shrugs, “I got it for the trip. I pictured us chilling on the beach with the waves and a little music to keep us company.”
“I like it.”
Conversation flows freely between us. Topics ranging from music we’re loving right now, to annoying client stories and any updates he has to share about his family. When mid afternoon rolls around we declare ourselves starving,
“It must be all this work we’re doing,” I laugh as I lazily switch from lying on my back to my stomach. Propping my head on my hands I stare out at the water. I love the way the water looks as it moves under the sun. Like the flashes you get when a mirror meets the light. There’s a breeze coming off the ocean that makes the hair on the back of my neck tickle as it moves. I sigh contentedly wishing I never had to leave.
When a waitress appears near us, Oliver raises his hand to get her attention. Several of them walk around getting orders from hotel guests. Oliver orders some food and insists we should order drinks as well. We devour our food when it arrives and one drink turns into two before I stand. “I’ll be right back, I’m going to cool off.”
Walking to where my feet meet the water, I bend down and scoop water in my hands and then pat my shoulders. It feels good so I move a little further in and scoop more so I can get my arms and legs damp too. The cool water feels good on my skin. Taking my hair out of my bun, I shake it back and run my hands through it before gathering it together again to bind once more. When I’m finished, I raise my face to the sun and enjoy its warmth. I’m startled when I hear, “Hello there.”
Straightening, I find a man in blue swim trunks with blonde hair. His blue eyes are sparkling in the sun and he’s got a surfboard tucked under his arm. “Uh, hi.”
“Let me guess… you’re here on vacation?”
“I sure am. How’d you guess?”
