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“Yeah,” Kate said, reaching for her cocktail and taking a sip, the refreshing tang of citrus hitting her tongue.
As the afternoon shifted into evening, Kate was nicely buzzed, and she felt relaxed for the first time in a very long time. She’d gone back to her room and swapped her bikini for white shorts and a navy tank top, touching up her makeup before returning to the pool area that had shifted from daytime lounging to night time clubbing. The music was louder, the beat pulsing through the speakers, and only a few women were in the pool now with most of the crowd hanging around the bar and makeshift dance floor.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the pool area in shades of orange and pink. Kate scanned the crowd in search of Lexi, and she found her dancing with the bartender from earlier who must have finished her shift.
Kate smiled to herself, happy for Lexi, and a little envious that she could just put herself out there like that. Kate needed to tap into that energy quickly or she’d be back in hotel room early, too afraid to mingle with gorgeous strangers.
The main bar that was beside the DJ’s booth was packed, overflowing onto the dance floor, and Kate wasn’t tipsy enough to brave that scene. She wouldn’t mind getting another drink before she even thought about dancing. She went back inside the hotel. Maybe that bar would be quieter.
The thumping beat of the music outside faded as she entered the lobby and found the bar. There were a few women sitting at some of the high top tables but most of the stools at the bar were free. Kate slid onto one of them and asked the bartender to make whatever her favorite cocktail was.
“That’s adventurous,” a woman beside her said before she caught the bartender’s attention and ordered a drink.
Kate glanced to her left and blinked as her eyes focused on the striking woman who was standing just inches away. She swallowed, willing her brain to catchup and say something. “I’m easing myself into this weekend,” Kate said, a smile coming to her lips. “Trying to put myself out there. And getting adventurous with my drink choices felt like an easy win.”
Kate took in her luxurious dark brown hair, streaked with copper highlights, cascading over her shoulders in waves. She was probably in her early forties, and if Kate had to describe her ideal woman in terms of looks alone, she was the realization of those fantasies.
She wore khaki chinos and a black tank top that hugged her upper body, showing off her toned arms. She’d gone for comfortable yet stylish, and Kate was really glad that she’d decided to come inside.
“Are you nervous?” the woman asked.
Kate turned to meet her eyes. “Let’s just say it’s been a while since I’ve been single. And my best friend is out there jumping right in even though she’s just out of a long term relationship too. I’m not nearly as brave as her it seems.”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
The bartender returned with their drinks. A glass of red wine for the beautiful stranger standing beside her and a classic mojito for Kate.
“Cheers,” Kate said, lightly clinking her glass against hers before taking a sip, the mint flavor refreshingly cool on her tongue.
“Cheers,” the woman echoed.
“So, you’re just out of a relationship too?”
“Well,” the woman sighed. “Not technically. Emotionally yes. I’ve decided to file for divorce, but I am still married. So… I know what you mean in the sense that this is my first time being anywhere like this in a very long time.”
Kate nodded. “I’m Kate, by the way.”
“Hollis.”
Kate met Hollis’s eyes again, noticing how dark her blue eyes were. They were a stunning mix of navy and gray, like a stormy ocean, and she found it difficult to look away. “Are you here on your own?”
“Yes.” Hollis took a sip of wine, and Kate’s eyes lingered on her long, slender fingers and her short, manicured nails.
“Now, that’s brave.” Kate took another drink, willing herself to keep it together and not let her nerves get the better of her.
“Do you think?” Hollis asked with a smile as she turned to face her, a lock of hair falling across her eye. “I think it might be a little crazy. No one knows I’m here. My friends don’t even know I’m gay.”
Kate couldn’t keep her eyebrow from arching. So, she was married to a man then. She was still processing that information when Hollis continued.
“Yeah. I’m about to throw a bomb into the middle of my life, but I feel surprisingly good about it. I came here on a whim. I got a phone call yesterday about a last minute cancelation, and here I am.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. My story’s not nearly as life changing, but I did just move back to California after spending the last five years in New York City with my ex. So, I think we should both be drinking to fresh starts,” Kate said, lifting her glass, holding Hollis’s gaze.
“That I can drink to.” Hollis gently bumped her wine glass against Kate’s cocktail. “Do you want to go outside? I just came in to get a drink without the wait.”
“Yeah.” Kate slid off her stool, hardly believing that this was how her first night here was starting. “I’d love to.”
They exited the bar with their drinks and stepped out into the warm night air. The music from the pool area carried over the huge outdoor area, pulsing softly in the background. Kate felt a flutter of nervous excitement in her stomach as they walked towards the back, to one of the empty outdoor sofas.
