Page 118 of Resorting to Romance

The pools are filled with people this time of mid-morning, and the mom-voice inside me says,No running around the pool. So I speed walk like one of the women who pumps her arms and wiggles her hips dramatically on the shoreline every morning. I’ve always wondered if those duck-like movements added momentum. I think they just might.

Kai is on my heels as we weave and bob through children wrapped in towels, women slinging beach bags over their shoulders, couples in reclining loungers and various plants in large terra cotta planters with Brad on our heels.

Brad shouts after me, “Mila! Mila, wait!”

I stop in my tracks.Why am I running?Brad and I can talk. Then Kai and I can go somewhere to finish our conversation. I’m sure talking to Brad first won’t be an issue.

As soon as I stop, Brad reaches us. Only he’s not listening to his inner mom voice and he steps on a slick spot next to a pool. Unfortunately a child goes zipping past Brad right at this moment with her parent on her heels yelling, “Sarah Ann, come back here!” Brad has to side-step but he’s got no traction because he already hit the slick spot on the concrete. He loses his balance. His arms go up in a windmill formation, spinning wildly like acartoon character. Before anyone can jump to his rescue, Brad falls into the pool with a huge splash, fully-dressed.

“Brad!” I shout, quickly walking back in the direction of the pool where people are now staring and gathering.

Kai is right behind me.

A child yells out, “Mommy, why did that man go swimming with his clothes on?”

Brad emerges from under the water, sopping wet and sputtering. He glances between Kai and me.

When he speaks, his tone is measured, but frustrated. Understandably. Brad’s had to chase me down while I evade him with a man he believes to be his replacement, and now he’s in a swimming pool, fully clothed.

“Mila, I need to talk to you.Alone,” Brad says that last word emphatically.

Gone is the humble man begging entrance into his son’s life. This is Brad. The one I knew in high school. The one I married. He’s not brutal or mean, but he gets what he wants.

The crowd that had gathered at the sound of the splash starts to disperse now that Brad is obviously alright and we’re all talking.

“I … uh. Kai needed to talk to me alone first.”

“So you ran through the resort to avoid me?”

I look at Kai. He shrugs. It wasn’t really the most premeditated moment of our lives—or of this charade. We’ve gotten so used to hiding facts and feelings we’re not our usual selves. Instead, we’re some fake dating version of Bonnie and Clyde. Minus the murders and kidnappings.

Kai extends his hand to Brad to help him out of the water. “Sorry. I need to talk to Mila. It’s important. We overreacted.”

Brad eyes Kai’s outstretched hand and ignores it, hoisting himself out of the pool without assistance, water spilling from his clothing when he joins us poolside. Kai walks over to a stand where the resort keeps their signature beach towels. He grabs one and hands it to Brad, who reluctantly takes it and begins toweling off.

Brad pulls his phone out of his pocket and tests it.

“Waterproof case survived the submersion test,” he jokes.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah. I am. But we still need to talk.”

“You can talk in front of Kai.

“Not this time, Mila. I need you alone.”

His voice is adamant, unwavering. And, considering we put him in a position where he just fell into the water fully dressed, I feel like capitulating. Brad would never hurt me. He just wants to talk.

I’m about to ask Kai to hold whatever he was about to say about Aima so I can step aside with my dripping-wet ex when Shaw walks up.

“Brad, I thought I saw you. Are you … alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah. I dodged a child and hit a wet spot. Slipped into the pool. What can I do for you, Shaw?”

“I have to go over a part of the contract we drew up. My boss wants the changes approved ASAP. I was about to call you when I thought I saw you walk by. Do you have a minute?”

“Um.” Brad looks over at me, then briefly at Kai. Then he answers Shaw. “Yeah. Sure.”

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