by Carly Morgan
After a while, Max stood. “How do you feel about a hike tomorrow?”
“I’m in,” she replied and realized she meant that she was in for more than just hiking, but crushed that thought immediately.
“Good. I’ll set it up.” He stood and they began walking back to the hotel together.
Katie studied all the details she’d missed when she arrived the day before. At the front of the hotel, directly in the center courtyard stood a magnificent fountain. It rained water into a grand pool. And if that wasn’t enough, another exactly like it stood farther down the lane, like an arrow pointing toward the gorgeous beach beyond.
The entrance itself was covered to keep it in the shade no matter the time of day. Four stunning chandeliers hung from the smooth granite ceiling. On either side stood two large columns, like welcoming sentries protecting the beauty around them. The doors were glass, allowing one to see into the lobby, which was sleek, and bright, and decorated to perfection in a contemporary style.
As Katie and Max entered, he took her hand.
She glanced up at him.
“Will you have dinner with me tonight?” His voice was soft so others wouldn’t hear, and his smile was charming.
“A girl’s got to eat.” Katie laughed lightly, enjoying the feel of her hand in his. She couldn’t get over how attracted to him she was. And by the look in Max’s eyes, he held the same feelings. It was unexpected. Special people really did come into her life at the right moment. It’d been Birdy in college, and now Max. “What time?”
“Seven.”
“Should we meet here in the lobby?” She reluctantly pulled her hand from his.
“Absolutely. This exact spot.”
“I’ll see you then.”
Inside her room, she changed into her yellow bathing suit, and went out to her private patio with a book. For several minutes, she could only lie in the chair, basking in the sun’s rays. The heat felt amazing on her skin, as though it could burn away every bad feeling and hurtful emotion she’d carried inside over the last month.
Eventually, she opened her book and…
His hand cradled hers. Warmth tickled up her arm.
She stared at her hand in his. A beam of light shone over their clasped fingers as she took in their shape. The color, texture, smell, and the lines that made up such a perfectly imperfect hand.
An overwhelming feeling of love, joy, and happiness surrounded her. She knew in that moment that the person who belonged to this hand was the person she was meant to be with.
There were no more questions. No doubts.
This hand literally belonged to the man of her dreams.
It felt like she basked in the moment for hours, enjoying the feel of his hand and the comfort of his touch. Desperate, she longed to see more of him. Who did the hand belong to? She tried to force his face into view, but the harder she tried the farther away she got from him. Until…
Katie opened her eyes.
“Too much sun,” she said, dragging her body into a sitting position. The peace she’d felt in her dream vanished. Sadness pushed against her heart. She pondered the dream. It’d been peculiar. Different than any dream she’d had before.
It was possible she’d dreamt about the man’s hand because of what Max had told her about his tattoo. She thought and thought, trying to remember more, any detail other than the picture of that solitary hand, but that was all that came to her mind. “So weird.” She went inside.
A quick glance in the bathroom mirror confirmed she’d gotten some sun. She’d never been one to burn, but her cheeks and nose appeared a little red.
She twisted on the water and took a quick shower just to rinse off the day. After that she put on her robe and went to her bed, which she noticed had been made. There was a chocolate on each pillow. She ate them both while checking her emails for good news in the job hunt. But there wasn’t anything except spam. With a sigh, she flipped on the radio and listened while she got ready.
After going through several clothing options, and wishing more than once that Birdy were there to help her pick something, she chose a slate gray and ivory patterned shift dress. For her feet, she chose a pair of silver lace up heels. Her skin was tanner than it had been that morning and the silver really popped. She did her makeup in smoky colors, making her light blue eyes stand out. She applied a little blush. Her lips got a brush of pink shimmer gloss. She’d always struggled with her hair, and tonight was no different. After several attempts she brushed it, then applied some mousse and dried it with her fingers, giving it big curls.
Finished, she still had some time, so she opened her journal.
Dear Diary,
I’m in trouble. Max is wonderful. But I just can’t let myself like him. Not after what happened with Lance. Mom, Dad, and I loved him so much, but it wasn’t enough. Help—!
At seven sharp, she made her way to the lobby. Her gaze went immediately to Max. He was handsome in cream linen pants and a white button up shirt that hung loose, except on his arms. The short sleeves were tight against his tanned biceps. He’d combed his hair so that it was out of his eyes. Katie half expected to see his bare feet, but he wore slip on shoes that matched his pants. She grinned. She’d been starting to wonder if he even owned shoes aside from his loafers.
When Max saw her, he graced her with his megawatt smile. Her stomach fluttered.
Wow, he’s gorgeous, she thought.
“You look amazing,” he said, giving her his arm when she came to stand in front of him.
“So do you.”
They walked into Spago, another restaurant in the hotel. It was ultra-modern with sleek lines and colors. The air smelled divine. Her stomach woke up and she realized the only things she’d eaten since her tacos on the beach were those two pillow chocolates.
The hostess walked them to their reserved table, then asked if they wanted any drinks from the bar.
“I’m going crazy tonight,” she said, her eyes on Max.
“Do tell,” he replied with a laugh.
Turning to their hostess, she said, “I’ll have a virgin strawberry daiquiri.
“Crazy,” the hostess agreed with a laugh. “And for you, sir?”
“I think if the lady is going crazy, I should join her. You know, to keep her safe.” He winked at Katie, who smiled into her hand.
“So, two virgin strawberry daiquiris, then.” The hostess waited for Max to agree.
“You got it.”
“Excellent. Those should be ready in a few minutes.”
The woman wasn’t gone more than thirty seconds when a guy appeared next to their table.
“Welcome to Spago. My name is Cole and I’ll be your server.” He handed them each a menu. “Fran told me you’ve ordered drinks. I’ll bring them over when they’re ready. Take a minute, look over the menu, and if you have any questions, I’ll be back in a few.” As he spoke, his bleach blond hair bobbed. He had to be a surfer. Everything, from his deep tan to his shaggy hair screamed that he spent every spare moment in the water.
“Hey, before you go, can we get two sparkling waters with lemon wedges as well?” Max asked, after glancing at Katie.
She nodded approvingly. They’d only recently met, but he already knew more about her than Bentley ever had. Which was sad. Really, really sad. She’d been so determined to stick to her list of life plans that she hadn’t bothered to see Bentley for who he was. And she hadn’t cared to really get to know the man, not that she wanted to at this point, but still. She was mature enough to see that part of their breakup was her fault too.
“Of course,” the waiter said. Thirty seconds later, he came back with their waters. Talk about service. “Can I interest you in an appetizer? Perhaps our spiced ahi tuna in sesame-miso cones?”
“Ooooh.” Katie’s nodded. “That sounds good to me.” She looked at Max.
“Me too,” he said.
“Excellent.”
Once Cole was gone, Katie studied her menu. “Everything sound
s so good, I don’t know what to choose. What are you getting?”
“I’m getting the grilled mahi-mahi.” He set the menu down and clasped his hands together.
“Mmmm, yum. I think I’ll try the opakapaka. The lobster potatoes have my mouth watering already.”
Max chuckled. “I love how much you love food.”
She blushed. “I can’t help it. Food is so much fun. I’ve always thought it brings people together and instigates dialogue.” Bentley had disliked her love of food. He worried she would become fat as she got older. She’d learned not to eat when he was around. She didn’t have that problem with Max, but old habits made her self-conscious. “Does it bother you?”
He gave her a surprised look. “Your obvious enjoyment of food? No. I think it’s refreshing.”
“Refreshing.” She closed her menu, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Hey, refreshing is good. It’s wonderful.” He took the hand over her mouth and held it in his.
She studied her hand in his and sucked in her breath. Light shone on their hands from the pendant light above them. It hit their hands just the way it had in her dream earlier that day.
“What’s wrong?”
She swallowed, unable to tell him because it was too crazy to say out loud. “It’s nothing. I’m all right.”
“I mean it about the food,” he said, eyeing her.
Katie believed him and proved it by giving him a wide grin. “Good, because this is my honeymoon and I’m going to eat till my heart and stomach are content.”
He laughed. “An excellent plan.”
Cole brought them their frou-frou drinks (that’s what Max called them) and their appetizer. He took their order and the menus, leaving them to chat.
Max and Katie ate and talked and talked and ate. When their dinner came, they talked a little less, but the conversation still hummed effortlessly. After a shared dessert, which consisted of an enormous chocolate chunk cookie covered in vanilla bean ice cream covered in hot fudge, caramel, and whipped cream, Cole brought the bill. Max offered to pay again, but Katie demanded it was her turn. She didn’t want him to think she was a mooch. She’d brought money. It was her life savings, but still, she could afford one dinner. He wouldn’t hear of it though and put the charge on his room.
When the server came back with his receipt, he had a weird look on his face, and a glass tumbler filled with amber liquid in his hand. “Hey, so, there’s a woman,” he pointed to a gorgeous blonde in a bright white halter dress at the bar. She waved. Her white teeth gleamed against her red lipstick. “She wanted me to bring you this drink.” It was obvious he was uncomfortable and gave Katie an apologetic look as he moved to set the drink down.
Max’s features became hard. He put up his hand. “Please tell her thanks but no thanks.”
The server seemed relieved and gave Max an admiring nod as he took the drink back. “Will do.”
Max faced Katie who was staring at him. “Sorry about that.”
A sick feeling had formed in her stomach. “You know her?”
“I used to know her. A long time ago.”
“Like, back to the time you knew Birdy long ago, or last year?” Her heart began to tie itself into knots.
“I met her just after graduating high school, but I don’t think Birdy knows her.”
“Did you know she was going to be here?” Katie put her hands in her lap, clenching them together.
“No.” He seemed as uncomfortable as she felt.
“Hey, Legend,” said a silky-smooth voice.
Katie forced herself not to glare at the blonde who’d approached their table and now stood too close to Max.
“Trina,” he said, between clenched teeth.
“Who’s this?” Trina asked, forcing her attention on Katie. “She’s cute as a button.” Her words filled the space around them with a slight southern accent.
“I’m Katie,” Katie said, holding out her hand.
“Charmed,” Trina said, taking her hand like she would hold a dirty rag. She rotated Katie’s hand, studying it, then let it go.
“I heard you were going to be here, Legend. Wolfie told me.” She gave him a toothy grin. “It’s so good to see you again.” Trina’s words gushed as she batted her thick, dark lashes.
“It’s nice to see you too, but if you don’t mind, I’m on a date.” He glanced apologetically at Katie.
Trina’s sugary façade cracked, but only slightly. “A date? With her? Isn’t that sweet?” She popped one of her perfectly toned long legs, flashing thigh all the way up.
“I’ll go,” Katie said, feeling the need to run away. “Thanks for dinner, Max.”
She got up and walked out of the restaurant before he could stop her. Her head was spinning, her thoughts moving too fast for her to think straight. The encounter tonight had felt too much like that painful night at The Attic. Bentley had been a cheater, had been cheating on her for months when she caught him. That knowledge still stung. Obviously, the wound was far from healed and probably wouldn’t for a while.
Another blonde! If that woman was Max’s type, then there was little reason for Katie and Max to spend any more time together. Except, they were just friends, right? Katie didn’t want a romantic relationship. But the way she had reacted indicated her feelings for him were stronger than she wanted to admit, even to herself.
Chapter 9
Katie went back to her room and watched nothing on TV while she checked social media. Someone had tagged Bentley in a post. It was a picture of him smiling and holding hands with the blonde from The Attic. They looked good together, which only made things worse. Katie shut off her phone and fought the urge not to throw it across the room. That horrible night had happened more than a month ago. Katie was over him. But seeing them together made her already queasy stomach even sicker. Her eyes blurred, but she refused to shed any more tears over him. Picking up the remote, she began flipping channels, looking for the angriest, most un-romantic thing on TV. Around eleven, someone knocked on her door.
She stood and cinched her bathrobe more tightly around her waist. “Who is it?”
“Max.”
She debated whether to open the door. The man was resourceful, she’d give him that. Katie hadn’t told him her room number, but she guessed he’d either got it from Birdy or charmed it out of a front desk person. After another moment’s pause, she relented.
“Hey, Katie.” He offered her a yellow hibiscus flower.
She took it. “How did you know yellow was my favorite color?” She brought it to her nose and sniffed. It didn’t have a smell, but it was really pretty.
“I didn’t know for certain, so I guessed. Yellow seemed fitting.”
She was amazed again by how much he took the time to notice things about her. “Come in,” she said, walking into the bathroom. She filled one of her water cups with water and placed the flower in it, then brought over to her bedside table and set it down. “Thank you.” She took a cautious seat on the bed. “What’s up?” She tried to keep her tone light, but the image of the blonde with the sugary sneer kept popping into her mind.
“I just wanted to apologize about dinner.” The door closed behind him as he came farther into the room, crossing the living room area complete with a couch, glass coffee table, and two armchairs.
“It’s okay.” She came over and sat on the couch. “I overreacted.”
“No, I get why you left. If the roles were reversed, I probably would’ve reacted the same way.” He grabbed the spot beside her.
“How’d you find my room?” She crossed her legs, keeping the robe closed.
“Birdy again.” He chuckled. “She asked if I was treating you with respect and promised all sorts of awful things if I hurt a hair on your head.” His eyes sparkled with joy. “I’m doubly grateful you and I met, first because you’re amazing and I’m enjoying our time together. And also, because our friendship has rekindled my friendship with Bird.”
Katie smiled, happy about
that. “Hopefully she didn’t tell you any more of my secrets.” She tried to sound stern, but really, she was glad. Dinner tonight would’ve been a terrible way to leave things between them.
“Well, I couldn’t let that be how our relationship ended, especially since we’re just getting started.” He leaned into her, studying her face. “And I needed to say that I know we’ve decided we’re just forever friends,” he gave her his megawatt smile, “but I wanted you to know Trina is a part of my past. I don’t want to say anything negative about her, but please know I’m not interested in her in any way now.”
Katie appreciated his candor. It was obvious by his body language that he was being straightforward. She felt his sincerity, too. Plus, she wanted to believe him. “I appreciate you letting me know.”
Max stood. “Still up for hiking tomorrow?”
“Yes. Definitely.” She followed him to the door.
“Great. I’ll be by to pick you up at eight in the morning. Wear sturdy shoes.” He leaned against the door and smiled down at her.
Flutters danced in her belly. “I will.” She took a step closer to him.
“And eat something. Carbs are a good idea.” He winked, and his face lit up with mischief.
“Like what?” she said, moving in so that her toes touched his shoes.
“Toast. Or a muffin.” He stood so that they were close. So close she could smell his cologne.
Their kiss at The Attic came to mind and she shivered. “Oooooh, blueberry muffins sound good.”
“They’re sweet, like you.” He leaned down so that his lips were only inches from hers. His breath smelled of mint.
“Should I have anything with the muffins?” Her voice shook as she spoke.
Max’s hands found her waist. She ran her fingers up his arms. “Yes.” His lips brushed hers and the floodgates on her passion burst. She pulled him to her, hungry for him. For several minutes, they were tangled in each other’s arms. They fit together. He took her breath away like no one ever had.
When they broke apart, Max clung to her as he kissed her forehead.
