The Rival Hearts

Chapter 5

I decided the best way to face my problems was to run away from them. That's how I booked a flight to Maui without telling anyone. I needed to escape the constant pressure and demands of my life.

The Ritz Carlton was my favourite resort to hide at. Whenever I needed to escape stress or just get away, this was my sanctuary. So, it was no surprise that I found myself running back here again.

I deserve to enjoy myself, damn it.

First stop, the spa. I tried to lose myself in a deep tissue massage, but all I could think about was the mounting pressure back home. Apparently, you can get away from problems, but the problems will always stay with you.

Determined to relax and clear my mind, I decided to join a yoga class on the beach. The sound of the waves seemed like the perfect antidote to my stress.

Stretch, breathe, and clear my mind. Simple, right? Wrong.

Instead of focusing on my breathing, I found myself plotting my next move.

The yoga instructor kept telling us to find our centre, but mine was somewhere back in my office, staring at spreadsheets.

In another desperate attempt to escape my thoughts, I signed up for a surf lesson. Big mistake.

As I tumbled off the board for the fifth time, the instructor offered me a pitying smile. "You're doing great!" he lied.

I felt like a complete disaster, but at least I wasn't thinking about my problems for those brief moments underwater.

By the time evening rolled around, I was exhausted from trying to avoid my own mind. I figured a drink at the bar might be the ticket to loosening up.

But as I approached the bar, I spotted a familiar figure. Of course. Because the universe just loves to mess with me.

"I swear to God if I find out you have a tracker on me, I'll bury you alive," I said as I slid onto the stool beside him.

William turned his head, an amused smile tugging at his lips. "I heard you were missing." His cream shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms and broad chest.

"You sound disappointed." The bartender put a champagne down in front of me, and I picked it up as I tried to hide my smile.

"Haven't you grown out of being an attention seeker?"

"Aren't you tired of following me around like a dog?" I retorted, glancing at him.

He sipped his scotch. "I don't follow you around."

"What is this, then? Disturbing my peace?" I gestured around the bar.

"Your peace?" He raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't have peace without me."

I scoffed. "Are you saying this resort is yours?"

"No," he replied smoothly. "I'm saying it's all thanks to me that you made this place your sanctuary."

"You?"

He leaned back, relaxed and confident, and a playful smirk on his face. "No, I don't expect you to remember because the only thing you seem to remember about me are the bad things."

"That's because all you've shown me are bad things."

He steepled his hand on his temple as he stared at me. "When you say it like that," he mused, a twinkle in his eye.

Suddenly, I got a vision of him taking his shirt off at the end of the bed, and my stomach fluttered. William Montgomery was a delicious and dreamy man who was bad for your health and bad to the bone.