Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I stood up straighter and brushed the wrinkles out of my trousers just as my phone buzzed with a message from one of my bosses in the Brotherhood.
Bash
I know you’re on vacation, but do you know who we use for liability insurance? I can’t find it anywhere.
My blood pressure inched up.
Why? What’s going on?
Bash
Don’t worry about it. Was his name Jim Something? Jed?
I took a deep breath and pulled up the contact for Jessica Covey before sharing it with Bash.
Bash
I was close. Thanks!
I slid the phone back into my pocket and stepped forward to grab my suitcase when the luggage attendant flung it off his metal cart and into the collection area. Several other tourists were doing the same, and I wondered which ones were there for the retreat.
Near the exit doors, an attractive young man in a clean white tank and tan linen pants with leather sandals held up an iPad with the name of the retreat on it.
“Hi, I’m Kenji Toma,” I said, nodding toward his tablet. “I’m one of your arrivals.”
A grin split his warm brown skin as he reached for the handle of my rolling suitcase and handed it off to a man standing slightly behind him who was wearing a uniform branded with the name of the hotel. “Excellent. We’re just waiting for two more, and then we’ll head to the resort. How was your flight?”
We made the necessary small talk as a younger woman and an older man approached to claim the other spots in the transport van. They all continued their friendly chatter as the van bumped along the local streets, passing open-air markets and run-down storefronts interspersed with flashier souvenir shops. It reminded me of a trip to an island in Belize I’d made with the Brotherhood several years ago. They’d spent the week scuba diving and lounging in the sun while I’d taken the opportunity of having them all together to get critical papers signed and nail down business decisions and planning details.
Now, finally, I was set to have a relaxing island vacation of my own.
The warm air floated in the open windows of the van. Once we’d left the small city center, the air carried a slight floral scent mixed with the salty tang of the ocean. Soft steel-drum music playing from the van’s speakers sent a clear message to my body that it was relaxation time.
Unfortunately, I didn’t speak that language. I hadn’t in the years I’d worked for the Brotherhood and, if I was honest, not before that, either. How did you relax when your idea of a good time was achieving goals? I wasn’t sure, but I was here to learn.
My body remained tense for the remainder of the drive along the coast. I gazed out of the window toward the ocean and wondered if Landry had made it back to his place without incident. It had only been six months since he’d been clipped by a car crossing a street on one of his runs, and I worried about him.
Not because I cared about him more than I cared about any of the other members of the Brotherhood I worked for, of course. Because I didn’t. But because I would have a mountain of hospital bills and scheduling changes to manage if…
I closed my eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath, remembering what Chaska said about stress.
“To avoid stress, begin by anchoring yourself in the present moment. Breathe deeply, for every breath is a reminder that you are alive, and life is resilient.”
I inhaled for four long seconds, held it for a beat, and then exhaled slowly before opening my eyes. The waves continued to tumble rhythmically in the distance, a reminder that this world was way bigger than anything I could ever have to be concerned about.
My phone buzzed again. I knew I needed to turn it off, but old habits were hard to break. I’d turn it off when I reached the hotel.
Landry
Did you make it okay?
My heart did a little pirouette. Before I could stop myself, I typed a response.
Aren’t you supposed to be at your shoot?
Landry
Finished already. Slayed, obvi. How’s the weather? According to my app, it’s sunny and warm there.
I took a photo of the sea with the afternoon sun glinting off it and hit Send.
Landry
Well, fuck me.
No thanks.
A photo of Landry’s devastatingly beautiful face popped up in the window. He was wearing a teasing, knowing grin that completely called bullshit on my response.
And he was right. If there was one thing about Landry I couldn’t deny liking, it was his talent in bed. I’d let him fuck me pretty much whenever and wherever he wanted. And I had. Frequently, despite my better judgment.
I stared at the photo and drew my finger over a flyaway wisp of blond hair caught by the wind.