“Damn, dude. This place is sick. You won’t even need to leave the property. Book it.” Miller tosses my phone back to me.
“Suite or overwater villa.”
Miller gives me a bored look that says “is that really a question” before saying, “Overwater villa. Always, man.”
“Sorry I asked. Booked.”
“Great, now get out and go pack. I’ll drive you to the airport in the morning.”
This day took a wild turn. Guess I’m going to Belize in the morning.
CHAPTER THREE
Preston
March 14
“Hola, Señor,” the bartender greets from the center of the long rectangle bar in the middle of the room directly off the lobby. High top tables litter the surrounding area, but otherwise the room is open in both appearance and space. The glass accordion doors are open to let in the sea air. As soon as the bellhop showed me into the villa yesterday, I wasted no time jumping into the sea. It was just what the doctor, or in this case, what Miller ordered.
My breathing already feels calmer. The pressure of the upcoming season evaporating with each inhale of the salty air. The weight and stress of the last few months dealing with my family lifted off my shoulders. It helps that there aren’t many people at this resort. I’ve traveled a lot during the off-season but this resort takes the cake. It’s private, upscale, and has every amenity I could ever think to ask for, despite being as secluded as you can be from the outside world without paying for a private island.
“Hola,” I respond.
“Ahh, tú hablas español?” he says excitedly.You speak Spanish?
“Un poquito,” I say, raising my hand to indicate a small space between my thumb and forefinger.A bit.
“No problems,” he says, switching to English, though heavily accented. “What can I get for you?”
“Do you have a local beer on draft?” Nodding to the short stack of drafts behind the bar.
“Belkin Beer is the only beer worth drinking on the islands, man.”
“I’ll take that then.”
Juan, his name tag reads, turns to pour the beer while I take a seat on the far side of the bar. The pool is just outside to my left, sandwiched between the bar and the beach, leading to the pier where guests arrive from the mainland. Other than a “Salud” when he drops off my beer, Juan leaves me alone to take in the view.
I’ve drained half my beer when I feel a shift in the atmosphere. An unexplained electricity fills the air until I see her walking into the bar. The sun reflects on the glass doors behind her silhouette, giving her an angelic glow. A white sundress hugs her slim frame. Her reddish brown hair falls in loose waves past her shoulders. Her makeup, if she’s even wearing any, is light. Her beauty is effortless, and for a moment, she takes my breath away.
The sun-kissed beauty makes her way into the bar area. I haven’t taken my eyes off of her. She could grace the cover of a magazine or the silver screen just as well as she is commanding this room. Though she doesn’t seem to notice. I anticipate her taking a secluded table by the panel of windows overlooking the water, so when she gracefully hoists herself onto a barstool facing outside, I’m shocked. Not only by the choice but also by the proximity to me when she could have chosen the entire other side of the bar for herself. She sits on the corner closest to me, three stools down from my own. It’s only then that she seems to see me sitting here. Taking a sip of my beer, I divert my eyes quickly hoping she didn’t catch me checking her out.
“Hola, Bonita.” Juan lights up, greeting her with “hello, beautiful” in Spanish, like he did me, except his eyes rake over her body at the same time.
“Hello.” Her tone is proper but her voice is musical, mixing with the soft music playing the speakers and the water lapping in the distance. My body comes alive at the sound. My heart races. My palms sweat on the beer glass. My skin tingles. The physical reaction takes me by surprise. This is an entirely new feeling for me.
“What can I get for you?” he says with his distinct island accent.
“Do you have a menu for happy hour?”
“Sí.”Yes.
“Can I look at that and start with water?”
“Agua coming right up.” Juan pulls a menu from under the bar and places it in front of her before spinning to grab a water glass off the shelf. My eyes are drawn in her direction. I’m trying not to stare. I can’t help but look at both of them out of the corner of my eye.
“What brings you to our beautiful paradise?” Juan’s eyes trail down her neck to her shoulder exposed in the sundress. He sets the water on the coaster in front of her before bringing his attention back to her stark green eyes. He isn’t very subtle in his perusal of the woman, clearly appreciating the view.
Who wouldn’t? I’m just as guilty as Juan. I knew she was pretty from a distance but up close, the woman is stunning. Her golden skin glows against the white sundress she wears. Her freshly manicured hand lifts the water glass to her mouth drawing my attention to the bow of her lips. I settle on her eyes at the same time she looks over at me. Her dark green eyes framed by long black lashes lock with mine over her upturned glass as she takes a drink of the water.
