Page 11 of Stay Awhile
He chuckled and shook his head before releasing my hand. I stood briefly for a moment as he laid back on his chair and faced the water once more. Not wanting to be more awkward than I already had been, I quickly walked from the cabana and made my way back inside to the bar to order myself lunch to come to my room. I gave them the number and made my way back to my villa.
After I checked in, they gave me a tour of all the different things I could do here, as well as a little history of the island. I couldn’t wait to learn more. I still had it in my plans to do a little hiking and to visit the village. I had to take full advantage of this week I had taken off from work. It was not the easiest thing getting away, especially at the last minute. When I told my assistant that I would have someone come in for a week to look over the place, she looked as if I had grown a few heads.
I knew at that moment it was definitely time for me to do more things for myself. I finally made it back to my room and tossed my hat onto the bed. I walked over to the closet since the staff had unpacked and put away all my clothes for me. When Jim said top of the line, he meant it. This place was nothing like anything I could imagine. Just as I was getting comfortable, my phone vibrated. It was the first time since I left that anyone from back home called.
Before leaving, I called my parents to tell them about my solo vacation. They laughed it off, probably thinking I was joking about needing alone time and taking a trip. They most likely pictured me still curled up on my couch at home, eating ice cream and watching romance movies. I hadn’t told Chyna about my plans since she was in Hawaii with her fiancé—no point in interrupting her romantic getaway.
I figured when we both returned from our trips, we could talk then. I knew then I would for sure be ready to get it all on thetable with no regrets or animosity. Not like there needed to be any. I quickly answered before her call went to voicemail.
“Hey, girl.” I answered.
Chyna sounded as if she was whispering until the closing of a sliding door followed, and the whispers from the wind alerted me she had stepped outside.
“Hey, I finally found a moment to call you. I had time to think about what happened, and I wanted to apologize to you. I didn’t know he was going to do that,” she apologized again.
I released a sigh because I hadn’t planned to have this talk so soon, but it was bound to happen at some point. I stood and walked out onto my villa’s patio. The sun was setting, so it was now a pretty pink hue.
“You’re fine, Chyna. I planned to talk with you when you got back, anyway. I’m not going to lie and act like I wasn’t a bit perturbed to be left at a restaurant on a day that we always do lunch, but Jim helped me realize that I can’t depend on you or require your time as much as I used to?—”
“Wait, what? Jim? What does he know about our friendship? It’s not his place to worry about how much you require of me. If I don’t mind it—” she ranted.
“You might not mind it, but I am sure Ryan does, and if you’re going to be a married woman, you have to realize he comes first, and so do I. I know it’s going to be new territory for us, but the facts are just that. You’re not my lover. You’re my sister. My best friend. I can’t require a damn bit of your time. All I can do is be happy for you and what you’re building with the love of your life. I have to find something within myself to depend on. Being alone can’t be the worst thing in the world,” I told her.
“Yeah, but you aren’t alone. You still have me. I said things wouldn’t change, and here I am fucking up already.”
“Yeah, that was slightly unreasonable,” I laughed, recognizing myself in her words. “If we were still the same girls we were back then, these men wouldn’t know what hit them.”
Chyna and I burst into laughter.
“Listen, bringing someone new into your life should be celebrated, not seen as a negative. I’m genuinely happy for you, sis. Look at me—I’m out here living my best life as we speak.”
“What you mean?” she asked.
“I’m in Fiji on a solo vacay and enjoying myself. I was so scared to do it, but you know what they say.”
Chyna laughed then asked, “No, sis, what do they say?”
“If you gone do something, do it scared—well, I think that’s how it goes. Either way, I’m doing it scared, and I’m noticing there was nothing to be afraid of. I met this fine ass man over here, and we’re going to dinner tonight,” I told her.
“Excuse me, ma’am? I don’t think that’s how the saying goes, but I also don’t know about this. I’m happy you’re taking time for you, but what do you know about this man? He could be trying to put you in a sex trafficking ring and you would never know it. Because you’re alone…this is all my fault. I’m about to wake Ryan’s stupid ass up. If he hadn’t planned this and made me leave you high and dry, you wouldn’t be out of the country losing your mind,” she ranted.
For the first time in a long time, my friend had completely pissed me off. Even when I wanted to be mad at her, I wouldn’t allow myself. I was always supportive, and it made me look at her crazy because did she think I was so desperate to have someone paying attention to me that I couldn’t spot a crazy ass man? Shit, or someone who was a pure killer? This man was not that, and I wasn’t going to allow her to fill my mind with bullshit.
“I’m gone stop you right there. Thank you for stomping all over my excitement as if I don’t know how to weed through folks who don’t mean me any good. This man is far from that. I don’twant you worried about a damn thing I’m doing. Enjoy your trip in Hawaii, and I’ll do my thing here. You enjoy yourself, Chyna. At least one of us wants the other to enjoy themselves.”
“Skye, wait. I didn’t mean it like that—” she started before I hung up the phone.
I was tired of excuses and tired of people spitting on my happiness. If they didn’t have a hand in giving it to me, it wasn’t good enough, and I was tired of it. It was the same thing with my family, and I hated to say that, but everyone wanted gratification for my happiness. I was done with that and could handle that on my own.
Tonight I would be bold, and fuck everything that Chyna said. My picker was not broken, and I was worthy of a man who was nice. Shit, we weren’t even going on a date, but now I felt like I had something to prove to myself.
I walked over to the closet again and pulled out my cream and brown spaghetti strap dress. It had a watercolor paint pattern on it, and it fell against every curve of my body. The bottom of the dress flared out and was loose. It fell just above my knees, so I picked a pair of sandals that wrapped around my ankle then came up my calve.
I wanted to be prepared for everything since I wasn’t certain what plans he had made or would make for us to have a good night. I laid my clothes onto the bed, then walked over to the drawers to pick out a satin panty and bra set. I didn’t want any hard lines to be seen through my outfit. I walked into the bathroom, then turned on the waterfall shower. I decided I would a wash and go style on my hair. I figured I had more than enough time to get my curls just right.
Once I got into the shower, I washed myself thoroughly, then shampooed and conditioned my hair before stepping out to brush and floss my teeth. After I finished with the facial routine, I started the long process of getting my hair together. I had bigplans on looking my absolute best tonight, and it wasn’t for him. It was for me.
I promised myself I would laugh, dance, say what was on my mind, and not second guess what felt right. I would allow myself to have the time of my life.
