Page 5 of Beach Bodies

‘Ah. Here we are.’ He’s found the visa. He gives a brisk nod and stamps my passport with all the enthusiasm of an executioner. I’d like to say my shoulders loosen, but they don’t. ‘Enjoy your stay, Miss Lennox.’

OK, it is not a good sign that, one, I’m traitorously wanting to go back home, and two, that I’m freaking out about a basic immigration question I get asked every year. But the way he saidpurpose… like he knew…

‘Stop,’ I mutter, making myself walk briskly,purposefully, towards the baggage carousel area, where many of my fellowpassengers are waiting for the big conveyor belt to spit out their luggage. I didn’t check a bag– I’m a light traveller– but I do have to stop at a little kiosk to fill out the customs form stating I’m not bringing agricultural products or large amounts of cash with me.

‘So you said you were here for business…’ says a male voice, startling me so badly I have to bite back a yelp. Kyle. Unbelievable. I’m about to spin around and say something truly cutting that I haven’t come up with yet but I’m sure will come to me in time, when I realize he’s not talking to me. He’s a few steps away, facing the baggage carousel with his back to me, talking to the petite brunette in leggings from the plane– Serena.

My pen freezes above the box where I was about to check ‘no’ for disease agents, cell cultures, snails. Also… snails?

‘Yes!’ beams Serena.

‘Sorry, remind me of your name…’ says Kyle.

‘Serena Victoria.’ She lays a hand on her chest. ‘I’m actually the new VP of Branding for the Riovan Resort. Well– new-ish. I’ve been here… four months? I was just in New York for a wedding, and now it’s back to the old grind!’

‘VP, OK, impressive.’

She laughs. ‘It’s really not as fancy as it sounds. Basically my focus is digital content growth and customer outreach, and let’s just say their last VP of Branding had no idea TikTok even existed, which…’ She makes a cringing face and they laugh together.

The carousel beeps, then begins to move. The first piece of luggage comes tumbling down.

‘That’s mine!’ squeals Serena. ‘It’s a sign, right? My luggagenever comes out first. Like, someone up there must be looking out for this girl.’

‘Let me,’ says Kyle, muscling her massive bag off the moving belt.

‘Thank you, that’s soooo gentlemanly of you,’ she says, helping Kyle right the suitcase before snapping up the handle.

‘No problem. I’m one of your guests.’

‘Oh, that’s awesome! Are you doing the four-week intensive?’

‘I am indeed.’

‘Well, you’re going to love it!’ she sings, clapping her hands together into prayer formation, the fingertips pointed at Kyle. ‘It’s totally life-changing. We might expand it to two sessions next summer! I have big dreams for the resort…’ She arches her eyebrows and nods. ‘The market for this kind of transformational experience is so hot right now, you know?’

‘I like what you’re saying.’ Kyle nods his head philosophically. ‘Transformational experience. This is good to know. I was kind of afraid it might turn out to be a glorified weight-loss camp—’

‘Oh! No, no, no, weight loss is not atallour focus. We are all aboutholistic wellness,’ she says in an ultra-sincere tone. ‘Our whole philosophy is that health starts here.’ She gives her forehead two quick pats, then her chest. ‘So if you want your body to be at its peak wellness, it really has to start deeper within.’

‘I’m loving this,’ says Kyle. ‘You’re speaking my language.’

Oh, puke me a river, Kyle, I’d like to say. Instead, I check ‘no’ for snails with a vicious X.

‘This’– Serena pinches the almost non-existent flesh at her side– ‘is just a reflection of what’s within.’

All of a sudden, I notice a young teenage girl standing next to Serena. She’s dressed in a long-sleeve tie-dye T-shirt over leggings. Her eyes are wide; clearly, she’s taking in every detail of Serena and Kyle’s interaction. Her hair is pulled into twin French braids, and her round body doesn’t seem to have hit its growth spurt yet. A tall, slim woman who I assume to be her mother taps her on the arm. ‘Isn’t that your bag, honey? Chop chop! Let’s go! We have a shuttle to catch!’

Kyle and Serena, oblivious to their young spectator, keep flirting like their lives depend on it.

‘So what you’re saying is, I’m the whole package?’ Kyle teases Serena, rocking back on his heels to give her the full view of his muscular form.

She giggles and fans her face flirtatiously. ‘Oh mygod, Kyle. Stop.’

They laugh together for a minute, then Kyle pulls out his phone.

‘Are you on LinkedIn?’

Serena pulls out hers. ‘Yeah, but I’m way more active on TikTok– let me give you my personal handle, and the resort handle– and are you on Insta? I’m going to be posting so much amazing content—’

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