Page 46 of Vitamin Sea
“That doesn’t seem too bad,” he said reasonably, before his face changed to mock alarm. “Oh wait, I didn’t take into account the downward dog. On second thought,” he said dryly, “maybe naked yoga isn’t for me.”
Chloe giggled.
“There’s always naked water volleyball or naked aerobics,” she suggested helpfully.
“I’ll take either one over naked yoga. But, if youhaveto suffer through it, I’ll happily suffer through it too.”
In their room later, Chloe asked Lala if she was going to join them. She happily declined, knowing that Jack would be coming to spend the day at Costa Morpho.
“I mean, if you had to do it all alone, I would come with you, but since Jack’s joining, I think I might go spend the day doing . . . something else . . .,” she trailed off.
Chloe had a bit of an idea as to what that something else might be.
“Would that something else maybe be named Daniel?” she asked innocently.
Lala let out a laugh.
“Guilty as charged. He invited me to come over to their resort when he found out Jack was coming to ours. Bit of a partner swap. It actually seems pretty fitting really, given where we’re staying.”
“La, our resort is for naturists, not swingers,” Chloe snorted. “Big difference.”
“Minor details.” Lala waved her hand. “All I know is that Daniel is shredded like a bag of lettuce, and I have a sudden craving for a salad.”
Chloe burst out laughing. Lala wasn’t exaggerating. She had gotten a good look at Daniel when he had come in, shirtless, from snorkeling. The phrase ‘sculpted like a statue’ came to mind.
“Just promise me you won’t elope,” Chloe teased. “He didjustget divorced.”
“Please,” her friend brushed off Chloe’s comment. “I’m impulsive, Chlo, not insane.”
“I seem to recall someone wanting to marry the bartender after one sip of his drink,” Chloe said thinking back to the other morning.
“I was dehydrated,” Lala said slyly. “Speaking of—Daniel is a walking thirst trap.” She fanned herself with her hand.
Chloe laughed.
“You are impossible.”
Lala winked. “And you love me for it.” She stood up and headed for her bedroom. “Night, Chlo!”
Past
Chapter 12: A Friend in Need
"Jesus.”
That was the first word out of her mom’s mouth when she saw her.
Chloe wasn’t sure if it was a comment on her appearance or an urging for her to find him. Although given what had greeted her in the mirror that morning, she was pretty sure it was the former. Her appearance could accurately be described asThe Walking DeadmeetsRocky.
In addition to being unable to catch any restful sleep, she also hadn’t found the motivation to shower. Which wasn’t doing her hair or her face any favours. Her outfit didn’t help anything either. A large coffee stain spread across the front of her gray sweatshirt and her similar-coloured sweatpants were tinged with flecks of food.
The look on her mom’s face said everything her one-word utterance didn’t, and she immediately gathered Chloe into the kind of hug that only moms are capable of. The all-consuming, all-loving, safety-filled kind that really lets you know just how much they care.
“Honey,” she said softly, “I am so sorry.”
Chloe collapsed into her mom’s arms and cried while her mom comforted her. The next thing she knew a steaming mug of tea was cupped in her hands and she was sitting on the couch in her living room.
Her mom asked questions about the breakup, but Chloe brushed them off—she had discussed it ad nauseam with her friends that week and wanted to take her mind off it. The scene at Opus was on constant replay in her head and the last thing she wanted to do was to spend the next few hours wallowing in it again.
