"The best thing is to steer clear of him. That should be simple enough, right?"
She laughs so hard that I move the phone away from my ear, then I hear her say, "Faith, if you manage to avoid him while you're there, more power to you. I know how you overthink things."
"But I'll be okay," I say, although it sounds more like a question than a statement.
"Let me know how that turns out for you," she says with a giggle. "Keep me posted."
Avoiding Jude…
How difficult could it be?
FOUR
FAITH
The sun is rising over the sky with streaks of orange. As I walk into the lobby, I miss the warmth on my skin. There are a couple concierges lingering outside the door waiting for people to arrive, but the lobby is empty. It’s a stark difference from when we arrived yesterday. This morning, you can hear a pin drop. As I approach the concierge desk, I find the same guy who checked us in. His name tag readsRemi.
He greets me with a smile. “Good morning!”
“Good morning, Remi. This weather is gorgeous. I could live here year-round.” I throw my hair up into a bun and wrap my scrunchie around it. “I have a snorkeling excursion tomorrow. Can you let me know the details, so I don’t miss the bus?”
“Of course. I’d be happy to help you with that. What name is it under?”
He seems kind and willing to help. I know it’s his job, but it’s nice to be treated well, and he seems to like his job.
“Faith Tinsley.”
Remi clicks away on his keyboard, intensely looking at the monitor as he scans what’s on the screen. I bounce on my toes with excitement. This excursion was my number one choice. A part of me is surprised that my friends didn’t want to join mefor this one, but I’m excited to have time alone while swimming with the marine life. The four of us will explore the other side of the island on ATVs in a couple of days. I’m looking forward to learning about the island and immersing myself in all the experiences it offers.
“Alright! I see you’re all set for thePirate Ship Snorkeling Excursion—one of the most popular excursions we offer. Everyone raves about it. I’ll print out the details for you.”
The printer starts up and shoots out a piece of paper. He shines his bright smile at me before turning toward the printer. “Let me get this for you, and I’ll go over it.”
He grabs the paper and slides it onto the counter. Taking a pen, he uses it to point out the information as he underlines the details for me. Everything is taken care of for this excursion. There’s nothing to worry about. All I have to do is show up in the lobby.
“You’ll meet everyone in the lobby tomorrow morning at 9:30. Transportation will leave at 9:45, and you will arrive at the boat at about 10:00. Can I help you with anything else, Ms. Tinsley?”
“This excursion sounds amazing. I’m looking forward to it,” I say as I clasp my hands together and smile. “I appreciate you taking the time to go over all of this with me. I’ll definitely stop back in and let you know all about it. Have a good day, Remi.”
I try to turn and head for the pool, but I slam into a brick wall. “What the…”
My head rattles as I try to regain my balance after colliding with said brick wall at full speed. A wave of warmth spreads across my back as a firm arm wraps around my waist. A hot hand grips my shoulder, keeping me upright. Fortunately, someone stopped me from falling backward onto the floor.
I glance up to see who caught me, and my eyes lock with intense amber eyes. My entire body tenses, and a nervous chuckle spills out.
OH.
MY.
GOD.
Jude—yes, that’s right—Jude Kent is the one holding me. His embrace feels comforting and familiar, while the scent of him—fresh rain mixed with musk—transports me back to the past. My stomach flutters with butterflies, and a slight smile crosses my face.
His amber eyes widen in confusion, darting across my face as if seeking answers that evade him. The arm around my waist tightens just a bit, and my god, it feels sorighton my body. A whirlwind of emotions flashes within his gaze until they finally reveal a deep, dark sadness. And for a moment, we are frozen in time.
A few beats pass, and he snaps out of his daze.
“Are you ok?” he asks.
