Page 54 of Escape to the Sun

“I shouldn’t have left you up here, Sher. I’m sorry.”

“I told you to.”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have listened.”

Sherri laughed, and for a moment, she sounded like herself. “And what makes you think you stand any kind of chance against what I want?”

He joined in and chuckled right along with her. It was true. He didn’t stand a chance fighting against what Sherri wanted. But that was healthy Sherri and it was more than clear that he was no longer dealing with healthy Sherri.

“How about the storm, Sher? You lied. You weren’t okay.” He gestured around with his arm. “This does not look okay.”

She paused for a minute, obviously weighing what she was going to say. “It’s fine. I think it looks worse than it is. Besides, what was I going to say? That I needed help?”

“Yes. That’s exactly what you should have said.”

“And then what, Ash?” Her eyes flared. Two spots of life in her gray face. “You would have left Heather? You know you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t have taken the guests to Bocas. They would have missed their flights.”

He racked his brain for a rebuttal. What would he have done? What choices did he have?

He didn’t.

She was right; it would have been an impossible choice. His loyalty would have been to Sherri. Had he known she was as bad as she was, he would have gone to her.

The guests would have waited. Missed flights or not. Heather was a smart, capable woman—whether she thought she was or not—and she would have been fine. Sherri would have been the clear choice.

And she would have hated it.

“You still should have told me.”

She shook her head softly. “I’m telling you now.”

“It’s not the same,” he chastised and then added, “But I know it’s the best I’m going to get.”

“Smart boy.” Sheri patted his hand and he got the oddest sense that she was consoling him. Shouldn’t it have been the other way around?

* * *

Despite the stormand the whole incident on the swim platform, Heather felt great. It could have been the warm sunshine drying the pools of standing water and heating up the last traces of chill in her bones. It could have been the fact that she’d had a successful run learning how to drive the boat. And she’d loved it. Feeling the wind in her hair and the independence of being able to move around had been amazing.

It could have been either of those things contributing to Heather’s good mood, but she knew it wasn’t. It was more than that. It was Ash.

It was definitely Ash.

How could she be feeling anything for anybody after what she’d been through with Joe? She could keep denying it, but there was no point. She was developing feelings for Ash. There was no way to know what they meant or what on earth she was going to do about them. But they were there and they were making her feel fantastic.

For the moment, that’s all she needed to know.

Even after what he’d told her. Maybe it was because of what he’d confessed. He’d been through a lot. They both had, in their own ways. Ash’s story was tragic, that was for sure. And he’d said there’d never be anything more between them because of his past. That should have bothered her.

But instead of letting it get under her skin, it actually made her feel…well, she wasn’t sure. But the one thing she did know for sure was that the storm had been cleansing.

It was a new day and she was ready to face it.

It didn’t even bother her that Ash had gone up the hill to visit Sherri. Not that it should bother her. But she knew something was wrong with the older woman and it was killing her that Ash wouldn’t tell her what was going on. Maybe she could help. Even if she couldn’t, she’d be able to lend an ear. A loving hug. Whatever was going on, it could only be better if she knew what was going on.

There was no point dwelling on that, though. She’d asked. Multiple times, but she was no closer to knowing what was going on. He’d tell her whatever she needed to know when she needed to know. Of that she was sure. Until then, she wasn’t going to worry about it.

With all the major clean-up done, and the sun drying up the last bits of water that had snuck through the shutters, and no guests to entertain, Heather found herself with too much time on her hands. She glanced over at the bar, where the laptop was. She should be checking reservations and emailing potential guests, but Heather knew what would happen the second she turned on the computer. And there was no way she wanted her mother, or even her mother’s words, invading her space on this day, when she was finally feeling good. No way.

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