Page 14 of Vitamin Sea
“Chloe!”
She jerked her head in the direction of her friend’s voice and tried to pinpoint her location. It took a few moments before she spotted Lala—her friend’s arms waving wildly in an effort to grab Chloe’s attention. She was standing next to a car with her suitcase and motioned Chloe over. Costa Morpho had sent the transportation for her and Lala, and it looked like Lala had happened to find it first. Resorts often offered buses to shuttle their guests to and from the airport, but when you were writing astory about a property that would be read by millions of people, the companies always wanted to cater to the writer’s every need.
The driver was hoisting Lala’s oversized suitcase into the back of the trunk as Chloe squeezed her way out of the crowd.
“Gracias!” Chloe smiled as the driver grabbed her bags.
Lala was already seated inside the air-conditioned vehicle, reapplying her lipstick in the mirror.
“Six hours on a plane,” Lala moaned, throwing her head back on the seat as the taxi navigated away from the airport. “I can’t wait to get to the resort. I need a shower and champagne, stat.”
Chloe laughed as palm trees flew by her window.
“Champagne, snacks, massages, entertainment—all taken care of,” Chloe said lightly. “I still can’t believe Dasha sent me on a week-long assignment in the tropics after the past six months.”
Chloe wasn’t kidding. Shewasstill incredulous.
It was akin to slacking off at school and being crowned class valedictorian. She had half expected to be sent on a fifty-mile sherpa-trekking experience through Siberia.
Latin music blasted throughout the vehicle and sunlight beamed through the window as they sped down the highway. Chloe had kept to her rule of not Googling the resort ahead of time, so where they were staying would be just as much of a surprise to her as it was to Lala. She hadn’t told her the name of the resort to keep her from spoiling the surprise; all either of them knew was they were going to Costa Rica for a week.
A warm breeze flowed through the open windows as the car bumped its way along the road. Chloe’s blonde hair whipped around her face, obscuring her vision as palm trees, vehicles, and buildings flew by.
The winding, one-hour drive took them on a scenic tour through the hills. Mindful that her trip was technically work, Chloe took out her phone and recorded some of the drive.
Eventually, the vehicle began to slow as the resort came into view. Perched on the edge of the coastline on a peninsula, Costa Morpho promised, from what Chloe could see, incredible views. Towering palm trees and lush greenery surrounded the resort’s entrance, which was flanked by two imposing stone structures that stood on either side. They pulled into a large circular courtyard that served as a drop-off area for guests, which was large enough for several buses. In the middle of it was an oversized fountain made up of a kaleidoscope of butterflies that floated above a sign spelling out the resort’s name. Palm trees dotted the perimeter of the courtyard above exotic, jewel-toned flowers that sat amidst a sprawl of greenery.
It looked like something out of a magazine and Chloe let out a contented sigh. This was her happy place. She loved her job, and she was so happy to be on an assignment with her best friend.
While their driver took out their luggage, Chloe documented the courtyard, taking close-up pictures of the greenery, fountain, and building. She hit ‘record’ as a bellboy dressed in black shorts and a white linen button-up bearing the name of the resort came to collect their luggage.
Luis, his nametag indicated, led them into the massive, open-air lobby whereupon Chloe’s jaw dropped, and her eyebrows shot up to her hairline.
There, in the middle of the lobby, was a completely naked man.
Shocked, she stopped in her tracks and stared as the sandy-haired man sauntered past her.
“Ooof!” Lala’s voice came from behind her as she smacked into a suddenly static Chloe.
“Why did you stop!” she said, sounding annoyed.
Chloe couldn’t speak. She was rooted to the tile floor in shock. Lala poked her head around her friend and slapped a hand to her mouth, muffling a fit of laughter.
The bellboy, Chloe noticed, inexplicably did not seem the least bit perturbed, and was several steps ahead of her and Lala.
“Is security not going to do something?” Chloe’s face furrowed as she looked around in search of someone who looked like they had some authority.
Surely a guest walking around in the nude had to be against the rules of the resort?
The more her eyes searched for help, the more confused she became. The nonchalance with which several staff members seemed to be treating the naked patron was puzzling. There had been instances of guests getting seriously hammered at hotels she had stayed at before, but usually staffers were quick to attend to the scene and cart them off. The casualness with which the staff seemed to be treating the man, who was now helping himself to complimentary coffee, was astounding. Their behaviour almost gave Chloe the impression that nudity amongst guests was okay. But that was too bizarre for her to even comprehend.
Lala, too, was watching the scene unfold, and she appeared to be arriving at a conclusion much faster than Chloe.
“Um, Chloe?” she whispered. “Did your boss tell you what exactly your assignment is?”
“No!” Chloe said desperately, averting her eyes from the man’s bare backside as he left the lobby with his cup.
Her head snapped to the left as she saw two women, looking to be in their fifties, enter into view. Both were in their birthday suits and carrying towels. They walked past a fully clothed Costa Morpho employee who smiled and greeted them as they placed their towels on two of the plush teal chairs in the lobby and took a seat.
