Page 62 of Javier

My impulse was to say no. I wasn’t comfortable with strangers and I had a vagus nerve to tame. On the other hand, I was safe in the grounds with Pedro watching over me. I was actively looking for the new me, and willing to make the necessary changes. Like other hotel guests, these guys had been cleared as non-threats if they were here.

I made a huge effort to overcome my natural timidity, set my reader aside, and, forcing myself to meet their gazes, smiled and gave them permission to sit with me. When they introduced themselves, I gave them the name on our fake documents. For now, I was Miranda. As I said the name aloud, it sounded good, strong, and sexy, too.

Yeah, I was gonna be a darn good Miranda.

The men were tourists from France. Pierre was tall, fair-haired, a runner like me, and a banker by trade. Gerard was shorter, darker, and broader, with black hair and blue eyes, a lawyer by day. They’d just returned from an early morning ziplining tour. They were funny, and I found myself appreciating their company. They had me in stitches before I finished my pancakes.

After breakfast, they invited me to meet them at the pool. I was nervous, so I said maybe. When I returned to the treehouse, Javier was nowhere to be seen. I donned my new sneakers and went for a run with poor Pedro panting at my heel.

The run helped me ground myself. The resort was gorgeous, and the landscapes were so breathtaking that I forgot how mad I was at Javier. Or maybe it was just me. Unlike my sisters, I’d never been able to hold a grudge for long, and under my new plan, I was determined not to waste a chance to enjoy whatever good times the universe threw my way.

By the end of the run, I was at peace with myself. Hands on knees, I bent over, replenishing my breath. If Javier didn’t want me, I had to respect that. In his case, my dreams had been wrong, but life had taught me to be resilient. I’d learned from Father that males were fickle, moody, and unpredictable. I shouldn’t have expected any different from Javier.

From now on, I wouldn’t pester him with my presence. I wouldn’t force my company on him, or my personal goals, for that matter. I wouldn’t let him walk all over me, either. Standing up for myself was at the top of my list.

Once I caught my breath, I lingered at the edge of the lake. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, then exhaled a long breath. I let the whole thing go. No more anger. No more fights. He was free to do his thing and so was I.

I was very curious about what “my thing” was going to be.

After the run, I was warm and sticky. It was almost noon, so I changed into my swimsuit and a cute coverup. Before I hit the pool, I headed to the hotel’s boutique and bought some sunscreen, a beach bag, a wide-brimmed hat, and a pair of glamorous Jackie O sunglasses, all signed to the room. A fair skinned gal like me had to make sure she didn’t burn to a crisp, and well, I was going for fab, so the sunglasses were a must.

Once I arrived at the pool and took off my coverup, I stared down on myself, suddenly feeling self-conscious. I hadn’t worn a bikini in—yup, over three years. Vanity must’ve been at play, because I didn’t look too terribly bad. My years working at the orphanage had kept me fit and toned.

Javier might not want me, but what if someone else found me attractive? Not for nothing, but the guys at breakfast had been very complimentary. They had made it clear that they were not a couple, but friends who shared a lot of hobbies and enjoyed traveling together. I’d gotten vibes of interest from both of them.

Maybe I could start with that. I wasn’t looking for anything serious. A little fun, a touch of adventure, and perhaps a little flirting—if I managed to be any good at it.

The expansive pool was shaped like a lagoon. It flowed into coves, hot tubs, cascades, and open spaces. Pierre and Gerard were already in the water, along with other guests. They invited me to play on their volleyball team. It took all I had to accept the invite, but between the two tall guys and I, we slew every team that played against us and had a blast doing it.

Revelation number one: I had the capacity to have fun, tobefun.

After the games were over, I laid by the pool, enjoying the warmth of the day and the feeling of the water slowly evaporating from my hair and skin. The nice bartender made me a most delicious virgin piña colada ever. Pierre and Gerard lounged at either side of me, sipping on their beers. They toldme stories of their travels together and made me laugh with their antics.

Revelation number two: after all the hardships, laughing felt good, freeing, promising.

They invited me to join them in their afternoon ATV adventure. It sounded fun, but I knew to stay inside the resort. I told them the hotel was so nice that I didn’t want to go anywhere else. When I declined, they asked me to join them for dinner and drinks afterward.

A case of the nerves had me hesitating. I gave them my usual “maybe.” Revelations number three and four: I didn’t have to make that big of an effort to make new friends, and, either the French fringe was a huge game changer for me, or these guys liked me.

We were exchanging hugs and saying goodbye for the afternoon when Javier showed up at the pool. Jaw clenched, eyes radiating with fury, he barreled up to us like a road roller.

“What are you doing?” He parked across from me and glared at my new friends.

“Having fun.” I stared at him, a little taken aback by his attitude. “You?”

“Nothaving fun.” He waved a big finger between my friends. “Who are they?”

“These are Pierre and Gerard.” I gestured to each man. “They’re from France.”

“Awesome.” Javier ignored Pierre’s attempt to shake his hand. “Why don’t you go back there?”

“Please.” I shot him a warning look. “Don’t be rude.”

“Excuse me,” Gerard asked politely in his beautiful accent. “You’re related to her… how?”

Javier started. “She’s my—”

“Sister,” I interjected in the nick of time. “He’s my brother and a tad overprotective at times.”

---