The Fling

1

I stepped through the sliding doors that led to the beautiful pool deck and immediately shielded my eyes from the bright sunlight. After digging around in my bag for my oversized sunglasses, I put them on and looked for a lounge chair. Many were in the direct sun, but I opted for a chaise off to the left corner which provided shade from the trees and an umbrella. It offered the additional advantage of being somewhat isolated, though considering only a handful of people were poolside, that wasn't necessary.

My two best friends (who had graciously arranged this six-day trip) were getting massages and facials. The wellness resort tailor-made appointments for us based on a long questionnaire we'd filled out in advance, and I was delighted to learn that I had the second morning here to myself. This was referred to as "reflection time," but I had no plans to reflect; I merely wanted to sip my non-alcoholic, nutrient-rich drink and relax. I had a trashy novel in my bag, but the odds were it would go unread.

After setting my things down and spreading out one of the luxurious complimentary towels, I hesitated before removing my simple black cover-up. "Come on, girl. You've worked really hard for this," I said internally as I grabbed the hem and lifted the shift over my head, revealing my matching black bikini.

This was the first time I'd worn something so revealing in public in eight years, and even though I knew my body was in the best shape it could be in after many months of eating healthfully and working out every single day, I felt gut-wrenchingly uneasy. I glanced around and no one was staring at me in horror, which was a good sign.

Once I was situated on the comfy chair, I took a sip of my drink before closing my eyes, thinking a nap might do me good since one of my newfound issues was insomnia. My phone buzzed and I eagerly retrieved it from the bag, hoping for a text from Lizzie. Instead I saw an alert from my favorite pizza place back home saying that they had a two for one special. You'd think they'd give up since I hadn't ordered in ages, but there'd been a time when I used their coupons several times a week.

"Is this chair taken?" a voice asked.

I looked up at the insanely handsome man standing near me. There were at least thirty empty chaise lounges, yet he wanted this one? If he was anyone else, I would have suggested another spot, but the fact that he was famous (and coincidentally Lizzie's favorite singer) made me smile and shake my head. Perhaps I'd get an autograph or photo out of this.

After pulling off his striped tank top, he plopped down with a sigh. "Reflection time?"

"Yes."

He looked at my drink and raised an eyebrow. "Is that a cocktail?"

Laughing, I replied, "Definitely not. There's no booze at the Tranquility Spa and Wellness Resort. Didn't they explain that when you checked in?"

"I zoned out during the spiel."

"We're detoxing since that's supposed to help our minds and bodies," I explained, having paid attention to all of it because that's how I was.

"Great," he said sarcastically. "I was told this would be a vacation but I guess not. Yesterday I got my ass kicked in a HIIT class, and then I had a painful deep tissue massage. My next appointment is in three hours and it's scream therapy. I'm both scared and intrigued."

"I have that tomorrow. I've got hot yoga later, which I'm looking forward to."

He lowered his sunglasses and smiled. "Yoga is amazing. I didn't look past today on my itinerary, but I hope I have that. Is it group or individual?"

"Group."

"Cool. I'm Shawn, by the way."

"Abigail," I shared. Looking down I saw that I was twisting the non-existent band on my left ring finger again. I hated this habit I'd picked up, so I stopped abruptly.