Tropicana Redefined

Chapter 2

Cana woke with a blinding headache. She had tossed and turned the greater part of the night. Restless, unsettled, knowing Rad was at the same hotel. In the country. The paranoia of feeling like he was right there in the room with her, invisible, watching, didn't help. She knew she was being irrational, but she still couldn't shake it.

After taking a couple of headache pills from the bottle she carried in her bag for emergencies, she went to shower. Feeling better after, she ordered a continental breakfast from room service.

She resolved she wouldn't hide in her room. She would behave normally. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of thinking she was too weak to resist him.

After breakfast she put on a bathing suit which flattered her. She wasn't averse to showing her figure. Having accepted years ago that she wasn't the svelte model type, she wore what pleased her nowadays.

She noted there weren't any major changes in her figure. Rad had loved her body even though she was on the plump side. It had amazed her. She could not see what he had seen in her.

She had plump thighs, plump butt, love handles around her waist. So why was he so hell bent on getting her back?

Trying to diet had got her nowhere. Just made her cranky. Going to the gym was a whole other story. But she was comfortable now with who she was. Whoever wanted her would have to take her as is. She wasn't going to change for anybody ever again. She had tried to please people all her life, and look where that got her.

It was fortunate that Shannon liked her the way she was.

He wasn't too happy with her at the moment though. Their conversation last night hadn't gone too well. He was pissed she had to stay back at Nadi. It was like he blamed her for having allowed her bags to be put on the wrong flight. That it was her fault and not the airlines.

Not wanting to think anymore about the current situation she was in, Cana walked out of the bathroom to grab her white beach robe. She shrugged it on, grabbing her beach bag as she headed for the door. She had placed her card, phone, sunglasses and a bottled water, in the bag beforehand.

She was apprehensive as she glanced around the pool. She relaxed when Rad was nowhere to be seen. She hoped she could go the whole day without seeing him. It was early, so there were not many people around the pool. She chose a good spot near to the pool bar.

Diving into the pool a minute later, she found the water lukewarm, even that early. Fiji's weather was quite warm at this time of the year. Although she loved cold weather, she still enjoyed swimming during hot season here. It was normally around November to April. This was also cyclone season in Fiji.

She swam a few laps without stopping. It was quite invigorating, relaxing. She was enjoying the coolness of the water..

After thirty minutes of doing laps, refreshed, she got out of the pool. She patted herself dry, then sat down on the lounger with the towel under her. Tilting her head, she took a long pull of water from the bottle she had grabbed from her bag.

Her head still tilted with the bottle to her mouth, she took a second swig, when his voice sounded from beside her.

"Couldn't sleep? Something kept you awake, perhaps?"

Her eyes widened. She choked.

The mocking tone grated on her nerves.

He had sneaked up on her unawares, again.

Lowering the bottle from her lips, she tried to calm her racing pulse with the slow motion. Her head still in that tilted position, Cana cleared her throat.