Page 92 of Escape to the Sun

It had to be Ash.

Finally, curiosity won. She flicked the flashlight off and walked across the floor to the note.

Heather,

I’m sorry you’re upset. Please give me a chance to explain.

She shookher head and held the note down by her leg. What was there to explain? She’d found him in a compromising position with another woman. There was no way to explain being half dressed in a bedroom with a woman. It could only mean one thing.

Or maybe not.

With a sigh, she lifted the note again and kept reading.

The truth is, I was involved with Sara at one point, before I met you.

Readingthat hurt more than she’d expected it to, which was completely ridiculous. Everyone had a past.

There’s nothing between us. There hasn’t been for a long time. Last night, I drank too much and I didn’t know she was in my bed with me until this morning. Shortly before you walked in. It was her idea, and I made sure she knew in no uncertain terms that it was unacceptable. I know it looked bad. I’m sorry. I hope you know I would never do anything to hurt you. You must know that. Deep down.

She did. Reading his words, Heather knew it was true. Ash wouldn’t hurt her. Not like that. Not intentionally.

There’s more. Please follow the trail of shells.

For the first time, Heather looked up and saw the trail of tiny seashells leading across the floor, to the porch. She followed them but the trail ended at the water’s edge. When she looked up, the sight took her breath away and despite herself, she giggled.

Out in the water, under a beautiful blanket of stars, was the swim platform lined with candles, flickering in the gentle breeze.

“What on earth?” Heather looked all around, certain Ash was going to appear out of the shadows, but there was nothing. Besides the candles, the platform was empty. “This is ridiculous.”

Ridiculous or not, she was intrigued. Very intrigued.

“Why not?”

She’d come this far, and what he’d written in his note made sense. Maybe it wasn’t his fault. Maybe there was more to it. She might as well find out. Thankful that she always had a bathing suit on under her tank top and cut-offs, she stripped to her bathing suit and dove in. After all, there was nothing else to lose.

* * *

When Heather surfaced, the bioluminescence shimmered all around her. Just as it had the first time, the sight of the neon blue water took her breath away. She’d forgotten all about the magic of the water and for a few moments, she reveled in it.

With gentle breaststrokes, she moved toward the swim platform and climbed up the ladder, which had been returned to its position in the water after the storm. She knew he wasn’t up there, but still, she was disappointed not to see Ash standing there waiting for her. Instead, there was a towel and beside it, another note.

She picked her way through the candle border, careful not to drip on any of them and extinguish them. She picked up the towel, wrapped it around her even though the night was warm, and sat down with the note in her hand.

Her heart was hopeful when she opened the paper, but still guarded. She didn’t know what to expect. Although nothing about the day or evening had been expected up until that point, so what did it matter?

There were only two words written on the paper.

Turn around.

She did.

Ash stood on the ladder of the platform, dripping wet. His bare chest glistened with flecks of electric blue from the lingering bioluminescence. Her breath hitched. But not because he looked like a water god from the sea, but because her heart pounded out of her chest. She struggled to stand, but somehow got twisted in the oversized towel.

“No. Sit.” He held out a hand and climbed the last few steps to the platform.

“Ash, I—”

“Please just let me say what I need to say.”

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