Hot Coffee (The Hollens Book 1)

Bahamian Flames

Ethan's POV

We arrived in the Bahamas in the afternoon. I knew I should have looked at other options, but I loved it here and I always pictured me and Emma here instead of Sharon. Emma was happy regardless. She wasn't at first but when we got to the hotel and she saw the beach along side it, she was overwhelmed with happiness. She was too excited to even take a quick nap after the flight. She changed into plain jeans, a light jacket and sandals, and we went for a walk along the beach. We got coconut water and Emma drank it down quickly.

"It's beautiful here," she said as she hugged my arm like a teddy bear. 

We sat on the sand and watched the small waves crash on the shore. The evening sun made the sky look like a perfect work of art with orange painted all around it. The wind was blowing calmly on our skin.

"Ethan? Ethan Hollen is that you?" I heard a voice asking from behind us. 

We turned around to see a tall, medium built woman with tanned skin and long dark brown hair and brown eyes, making her way over to us. I stood, trying to place her face. She looked familiar.

"It's me, Stacy Westbrook. From high school."

"Oh my God, Stacy? Is that really you? Wow, it's been forever," I said and hugged her.

She looked so different, much more beautiful than she did back in high school.

"How are you?" she asked, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"I've been excellent."

"I see you're still handsome as ever. Wow. It's been ages for sure."

"Ah Stacey, don't make me blush."

"It's been like nine years Ethan. And we're being completely rude; hi, I'm Stacy," she said and extended her hand to Emma who shook it quickly and gave me an awful look. 

For a moment there, I did forgot about her.

"I'm Emma," she greeted, short and cold.

"Emma, this is an old friend of mine from high school," I told her, trying to break the icy face she was giving me.

"More like high school sweethearts," Stacy said, which wasn't helpful.

"Interesting." Emma gave a smirk, which made Stacy realized how unwelcome she was.

"So um, Ethan it was nice seeing you again. And you too Emma. You guys enjoy the rest of the evening."

I found myself walking after her as she walked away. "I'm sorry about that. But you and I should make time to catch up on things. There's so much we should talk about. How about lunch tomorrow with Emma and me and you and your husband?"

"Oh um, I'm actually divorced. I'm here by myself. I needed a vacation."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Well, how about just me and you like old times sake?"

"She wouldn't mind?"

"Uh, no. She shouldn't mind."

"Okay, tomorrow then. There's this hide away restaurant, they serve the best steaks I've ever tasted. You'll love it."

"Okay then."

She turned and walked back to the hotel. 

Wow. Stacy freaking Westbrook on the same island with me nine years later. She was the most popular girl in high school. Guys fought over her and she wouldn't even acknowledge them. We dated all of senior year and it was one of the best times of my life. She really knew how to make a guy feel special and she hadn't changed a bit. She was more beautiful though— her hair was much longer and her body more plump.