After All

Chapter Twenty-Two

            My hair matted around my face and I could feel a knot forming on the back of my neck. I must have fallen asleep mid thought from pure exhaustion, curled up on the corner of the bed. My head pounded and I felt hungover, though I knew I wasn't. Apparently I'd cried hard and long enough to have the same dehydrating effect.

Forcing myself into the shower, I focused on the water cascading down over my head. I scrubbed hard, trying to wash away the confusion I still felt. Useless, I eventually gave up and wrapped a towel around myself while I looked over the itinerary. Other than pedicures at 4:00 to kick off the bachelorette party, it looked like I was free for the day. The sun shone through the blinds, so I decided to head to the beach to work on my tan. I was in desperate need of some relaxation and something that didn't involve Ryan.

I pulled on a pair of cut-off shorts over my deep purple bikini, slipped into my flip-flops, and wound my hair up into a messy bun. Purposely leaving my phone behind, I grabbed only my towel and my sketchpad and headed out. Like a spy trying to avoid detection, I slunk my way through the hotel corridors and out the front door. I breathed a sigh of relief when my toes made contact with the hot sand, grateful I hadn't run into Ryan. Glancing around at the already crowded beach, I located a clear spot just out of range of the lifeguards. The tension melted off my shoulders as I plopped down on my towel and drank in the sight of the glistening waves crashing along the shore. It was a perfect day at the beach.

Lying on my stomach, I opened up to a fresh sheet of paper. It had been a long time since I'd had the opportunity to bring the beauty of the beach to paper. I was lost in getting the shape of a seagull sitting on the top of the waves just right when a shadow fell over me. Bracing myself to see Ryan's face staring down on me, I looked up. "Oh, hello," I sat up surprised when I saw it wasn't him.

"Hey," the stranger drawled and sat down on the sand next to me. "You're Lily, right?"

"Yeah," I dragged out the word, wracking my brain, trying to figure out if I was supposed to know who he was.

He reached out his hand and I put mine in it. "I'm Leo, Rebecca's cousin."

"Oh, hi! I remember hearing about you now. You're from Texas right?" I sat up and brushed the sand off my stomach.

"That's right. And you're the artist that works at the gallery."

"Yeah. Though I feel uncomfortable referring to myself that way. I still feel like just a young girl scribbling on paper in my room."

"Becca showed me a few pictures she took of your work last night. They're beautiful. You have some real talent."

"Thank you." I blushed at his compliment and the way he brazenly checked me out with admiration. I'd be lying if I said I didn't also notice his chiseled jaw, dark tan, and the way his muscles flexed in the sun.

"So, that was some entrance you made last night," he nudged me with his elbow.

"Oh no, you saw?" I covered my face with my hands.

"It wasn't bad, I promise. Just made an impression."

"Yeah that seems to be my lot in life."

Leo looked at me quizzically, so I dove into the story of when I fell on stage at freshmen orientation, obviously leaving out the part where it led to meeting Ryan.

"That is awesome," he said when I finished. "I don't know if I would have had the guts to own a fall like that. Must have earned you a few fans."