by Violet Paige
I stepped out into the baggage pickup and searched for the shuttle the resort advertised. I felt empty-handed as I watched the travelers around me struggle with their suitcases. At the end of the sidewalk was a small bus marked with the emblazoned sun logo for the Wave Oasis. I marched toward it.
The driver jogged down the steps. “No luggage, young lady?”
“No. It’s lost.”
“Maybe they’ll find it for you by the end of the week.” He laughed. I hoped he was joking. I didn’t have a stitch of clothing with me other than what I had on. I couldn’t spend the entire week in a spa robe.
After an hour, the driver pulled into the side entrance of the Wave Oasis, designated for guest arrivals and departures. Everything looked exactly like it did on the website. Palm trees and tropical flowers lined the sidewalk. I loved the deep red hibiscus blooms, climbing the trellises. Flames flickered in the gas torches by the front door.
I smiled as I stepped off of the bus and inhaled the salty air. I tilted my head to the side confirming that the rumbling sound was waves meeting the shore. I made it—I finally made it to South Padre. It didn’t matter that I was alone and couldn’t claim a group like the flip-flop girls as my spring break buddies. Even the fact that my luggage was missing didn’t frustrate me like it did at the airport. All the perfect paradise ingredients surrounded me. Warm beaches. Sun in my face. Salt breeze in my hair.
I approached the front desk and pulled out my ID, feeling the rush of the trip lighting all my senses.
“I’m here to check in,” I announced.
The girl behind the counter smiled and brushed her bangs from her eyes. I instantly liked her. “The name?” She couldn’t be much older than me.
“Sinclair. Kaitlyn’s my first name.” I slid my ID across the counter.
“Hmm.” She typed quickly and scrunched her nose. “Could it be under another name?”
“No. I made the reservation months ago. Kaitlyn Sinclair. I have the credit card here. Do you need it?” I flipped open my wallet.
She shot me a friendly smile and started punching the keys again. “I just don’t see it. Did you have a roommate by chance or did someone else make the reservation?”
My stomach lurched. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. “I did, but I’m certain he’s not here. I mean, that’s just not possible. Is it?”
“Why don’t you give me the name and I’ll check?” she offered.
I sighed before saying his name. “Branch Richards.”
“Oh yes, he’s here. He checked in.” She seemed relieved to have solved the mystery of my missing reservation.
“What?” I didn’t want to cause a scene at the desk, but my voice rose from calm to shrill.
“He checked into room 852.”
This was unbelievable. Branch had checked into my room. I guess it was his room, too, but he lost that privilege when he broke up with me three days ago.
“Can I please have a key?” I pleaded.
Her smile evaporated. “I’m sorry.” She whispered across the counter. “Your name isn’t on the reservation, so I can’t give you one. I shouldn’t have even told you the room number.”
I clutched the shoulder strap on my bag—the only thing I had on this island. “But it was my room—our room. He took my room.” I inhaled deeply through my nose. “Ok, well, can I make another reservation?”
The thought of staying in the same hotel with Branch wasn’t appealing, but I was running out of options and this resort was huge. We probably wouldn’t run into each other, and if we did there were thousands of people to hide behind.
“Actually, no. We were booked up two months ago.” I saw a look of pity in her eyes.
No, no, no. This wasn’t possible. I was homeless in South Padre. I stood at the counter, closed my eyes, and tried to grasp my options.
“Are you going to be ok?” The girl whispered.
“Yes. Thank you, for your help.” I was visibly rattled from the information.
But suddenly I was in a trance. I walked into the open elevator with a group who had just left the pool.
The elevator stopped on the eighth floor and I ran out.
I searched the room numbers. I pounded on room 852’s door. “Branch, let me in! Branch!”
I didn’t care if I looked like a crazy ex-girlfriend. This was possibly the most horrible day I had ever experienced, and Branch had compounded all of it by stealing my hotel room.
The door flew open, but instead of my handsome ex, I stood eye to eye with a petite brunette wearing a hot pink bikini and holding a beer in her hand.
“Who are you?” I barged past her, not all that interested in her answer.
“Branch?” she called out frantically. “Branch, there’s a crazy person in our room.”
“Me? I’m not the crazy one.” I spun on my heels to face her. “You are in my hotel room with my—” I stopped short of saying boyfriend. This must be what people meant by an out of body experience. My words were soft and calm, but inside, I was losing it.
Branch emerged from the bathroom with a towel draped around his waist. Little beads of water trickled over his smooth chest.
“Kaitlyn, what are you doing here? And what happened to your hair? Have you been drinking?” He eyed me suspiciously while reaching for the beer from the girl. He chugged a few swallows before passing it back to her.
“Why does everyone keep acting like I’m not supposed to be here? I paid for this trip. You know that.” My fists dug into the sides of my hips to keep from slugging him. “Is this your definition of keeping your options open?” I nodded toward the girl who had taken a seat at the edge of the king-size bed.
“You’re obviously upset. I think you should go.” Branch placed his hand on my shoulder. The gesture irritated me.
“I’m not leaving. This is my room. If anyone should leave, it should be you. And you.” I glared at the girl. “I can’t believe you would do something like this.”
Seeing Branch half-dressed and smugly tossing out orders disgusted me. I didn’t know when he had transformed into this pompous ass, but I was actually glad I couldn’t be tied to him anymore. He was right—we had grown apart. However, he was the one who had grown into a royal dick.
Branch launched into one of his smooth explanations. “Look, I paid for the room—it’s not in your name anymore. I tried to call you a few times, but you didn’t pick up. I’m sorry there was a mix-up, but I think we both know what this is really about.” His forehead creased. “You’re taking this breakup hard. It’s understandable you’d be upset, but don’t make a scene. You know I hate girl drama.”
That was it. The words were like the cue I had been waiting to hear. My fist flew up from the side of my hip and caught him under the chin. He reeled back into the arms of the girl.
“What the hell, Kaitlyn?” He massaged his chin.
“Oh my God, Branch. Are you ok?” The bikini girl leaned over to look at his chin. The way she touched him, I knew they weren’t new acquaintances.
I exhaled. I couldn’t decide what I hated more: Branch or people saying “girl drama.” I had never punched anyone in my life, but I felt so much better.
“Bye, Branch. Enjoy your vacation.” I swung the door open and slammed it behind me with as much force as I could muster.
I didn’t know where I was going to find a place to stay for the week, but anywhere far from Branch was fine with me.
By the time I returned to the lobby, the line of guests checking in had dispersed. The nice girl at the counter smiled when she spotted me.
“No luck?” she asked.
“Not exactly. Ex-boyfriend disaster.” I sighed. “I know this is kind of a strange question to ask you, but could you recommend another hotel? I’m homeless and luggage-less.” I laughed. The whole scenario was absurd.
“Oh my God, that’s terrible. Everywhere is going to be booked up. This is one of the craziest months of the year on the island.” She pulled out her phone. “But I might know
somewhere that isn’t booked—it’s not great, but at least you might have somewhere to stay.”
“Thank you. I’d appreciate anything right now. I haven’t had dinner, or lunch, and I think I’m actually delirious.” That was going to be my excuse for punching Branch, even though he completely deserved it. He was the asshole.
“Ok, my friend just texted me and said the Dune Scape is open and has vacancies.” She reached for a sticky note.
“Dune Scape?” It sounded like something out of a 1950s beach movie.
“It’s a motel, but there are open rooms. Here’s the address.” She handed me a Post-it with an address and a phone number. “I’m Sasha, by the way. If you need anything else, I put my number at the bottom too. Just text me. If any open rooms turn up here, I’ll let you know—just give me your cell.”
“Thank you. This is the nicest thing anyone has done for me all day.” I jotted my digits down for her.
“I can’t let your first trip to South Padre be anything but amazing. It’s the kind of place that’s hard to forget.” Her brown eyes softened. “It didn’t start out so great for you, but I have a feeling the week will turn around for you.”
I winced at the tenderness in my knuckles as I tucked her number in my bag. “Thanks, Sasha. I already feel like there’s no way I’ll forget this trip.”
I turned toward the sliding doors.
Before he could hop in his van, I asked the first driver I spotted if he knew where the Dune Scape was. His raised eyebrow should have deterred me, but I was desperate and according to Sasha the motel was the only place on the island I could stay. He motioned for me to sit in the second row, and peeled the van away from the curb. From the wide windows, I watched the Wave Oasis, its fluffy white robes, endless sunset cocktails, and tropical flowers roll out of view.
5
Kaitlyn
“Here you go.” The driver parked next to a cabin-sized building. A red vacancy sign blinked in the waited. He waited for me to pay him the five dollars it cost to drive two minutes from the Wave Oasis.
“This is the Dune Scape?” Nothing about the place looked open. I already missed the bright hibiscus flowers and the nice girl from the front desk.
“Yep. You’re here.” The driver strummed his fingers along the steering wheel
I handed him a five-dollar bill and pushed open the car door. Before I could climb back in, he had made a full U-turn and was back on the highway. I pivoted on my heels to face the Dune Scape. This was it—my only option.
I smoothed out my shirt and took a deep breath. I reached for the handle on the office door, but it was stuck. I jiggled it a few times, trying to move it left or right until it broke off in my hand. Great, I already had damage charges and didn’t even have a room yet. I knocked on the door.
The door whipped open. A towering figure stood in front of me. The light behind his head made it difficult to make out the features of his face, but I could see the outline of a chiseled jaw and broad shoulders.
“I—uh—I broke your doorknob.” I offered the part to the shadowed guy.
“Damn it,” he mumbled.
“It was an accident. I didn’t mean to break it.” I followed him into the dim-lit office. In the side, a window-unit hummed and blasted cool air into the small space. “Sorry.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ve been meaning to fix that door.” He placed the doorknob next to the phone. “What do you need?” He exhaled through his teeth and glared at the broken piece of metal.
“Maybe if you took better care of this place it wouldn’t break when your customers walked through the door.”
My spine tingled. My breath caught. Holy shit. I would know that voice anywhere. I should have recognized it sooner, but everything was out of context.
“Cole?” I eked.
He rubbed his palm along the side of his face that I guessed hadn’t seen a razor in a week. His stubble was dark, like the rest of his brown hair. For the first time since I had walked in the office, he looked up.
It’s not every day you see eyes like that. Eyes that held depth and soul. Eyes that made me forget why I was so annoyed. Eyes that kept me locked in place. I stared a little too long, remembering what those eyes used to do to me.
“Kaitlyn?”
I nodded.
“What are—why are you in Padre?”
I bit my bottom lip. Cole Thomas had been the man of my dreams once. Although, he never knew that my crush for him was as big as the state of Texas. And it didn’t help he was seven years older than me, which meant when I was in high school, I was a considered a baby.
“Vacation,” I answered.
“With?” He looked around me.
“Myself.” He had always thrown me off balance and it was happening all over again. It didn’t matter that I hadn’t seen him in years. I could only spit out one word at a time.
He folded his arms. “I doubt Ryan knows.”
“He’s my older brother, not my dad.” I matched Cole’s tone with one just as confident.
My heart beat wildly. Holy shit my mouth was going dry. How did Cole Thomas always do this to me? I wasn’t a teenager anymore.
“I haven’t talked to him in months. Have you heard from him?” he asked.
“Yeah. He’s still in Afghanistan. He keeps getting assignments. You’re lucky you got out, Cole.”
I saw instant darkness in his eyes and I regretted I had said it. I tried to cover up my mistake. “I mean because Ryan told me you have a son now, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
My stomach rolled. I didn’t know what was the worst part about this scenario: knowing Cole Thomas was taken off the market, or the fact that I had screwed this up. Either way, I immediately felt like I was sixteen again.
The smell of fresh paint permeated the office. The corner of a paint can was exposed on the floor behind the desk. I watched as he nudged it out of view with his foot.
“I wasn’t expecting anyone tonight. Do you have a reservation?”
“No, but I need one for the week. Apparently, this is the only place that has open rooms. Now I know why,” I teased pointing at the doorknob.
“Well, if it’s not up to your standards, don’t let me keep you.” He huffed.
“No, it’s—” I searched for a word that wouldn’t insult him further. “—quaint. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry. I’m saying all kinds of stupid things. I’m exhausted.”
“Did you say you needed a room for the entire week? Where’s your luggage?”
“The airline lost it. You wouldn’t have those fluffy robes here, would you?”
“Darlin’, look around you. Does this look like the kind of place with fluffy robes?”
This place didn’t look like it would have running water, but a girl could dream. All I wanted was for him to swipe my credit card and point me to my room and maybe some food. My stomach growled. The pretzels I had eaten on the morning flight from Raleigh hardly counted as a meal.
“How are you here, Cole? What are you doing in South Padre?”
He sighed. “That’s a long story. One I haven’t had a chance to talk to your brother about. I want to have a beer with him when he’s back State-side.”
“So Ryan doesn’t know you’re here either?”
He shook his head. The white T-shirt that clung to his torso was speckled with paint, and he had hooked a hammer along the rim of his back pocket. When had Cole turned into a hot handy man? And why?
“I’ve had a really terrible day, and I could use a hot shower and something to eat. Do you have a room for me?”
He pulled out a notebook and flipped open the faded blue cover. He traced the lines with his finger. “Yep, there’s a room for you.”
“You keep your reservations in a notebook?” I hadn’t really noticed until now that there wasn’t a computer in the office.
He looked at me. “Do you want a room or not, Kaitlyn?”
“Sorry.” I bit my lip to keep from sparring with him f
urther.
“It’s fifty dollars per night. Do you have a credit card?”
“Right here.”
“What happened to your hand?” He glanced at my knuckles.
With the hotel hopping, I had forgotten that it had turned red and was starting to swell. “I ran into something. It’s nothing. Really, it’s fine.”
“Something or someone?” I thought I saw the corner of his lips form a smile.
He withdrew a piece of carbon paper and a metal rectangular device. I watched as he affixed the paper, placed my card on top, and then swiped a lever across my card.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He stared at me. “It’s a credit card machine.”
“Are you serious?” I think I had seen something like it in an eighties movie.
“Yes. I’m serious. Here you go.” He handed the card back to me and pointed to the bottom of the slip. “Sign here.”
I scribbled my name along the line, being careful not to press too hard with my knuckles. They were tender. He handed me a brass key attached to a palm tree key chain.
“You’re in room twenty-three, which is all the way down this side.” He pointed out the window. “You’re the last room on the right. Ocean side.”
Ocean side? At least there was something redeeming about the Dune Scape. The palm tree was heavy in my hand.
“Thanks. Is there somewhere around here I could get dinner and maybe some clothes?”
I was worried the airline still hadn’t called me and I would have to face the morning with my alcohol-stained jeans.
“There’s a local hang out a few blocks down and across the road on the sound side called Peabody’s. It’s not a party scene. You’ll have to head back to the resorts if you want music and dancing. About a block down is a surf shop and general store. I’m sure they’ll have something you can wear.” I caught him eyeing the dip in my shirt with his smoldering eyes. Eyes like that were hard to ignore.
