Page 38 of Natural Deception

The moment I enter the lobby, I halt and stare at a poster board that has been set up on an easel. It announces a new "adventure experience," as the poster board says, one that all guests are invited to attend. Only ten people at a time can go on an expedition, but the resort will offer multiple opportunities to participate during the coming days.

Emilio stands beside the easel, holding a clipboard and staring at whatever is written on the paper it holds.

I approach him. "Hi, Emilio."

His head pops up, and he smiles brightly. "Hey, Vanessa. How's your day going so far?"

"Fine, thank you." I point at the poster board. "What is zip-lining?"

"It's a fun and exciting way to experience the outdoors. You're strapped into a harness that hangs from a zip-line cable, and that line is strung up between trees, about seventy feet above the ground. So basically, you're flying through the air, though with a safety line. It's a great way to see the wildlife and the scenery."

"That does sound exciting." Just the idea of flying through the air on a length of cable makes me terrified and thrilled at the same time. I've never done anything that wild in my entire life. Maybe I need to take more risks and test my limits. "How do I sign up, Emilio?"

His eyes widen. "You want to go zip-lining?"

"Yes. Is there an age limit? You're staring at me like I must be insane."

"No, no, nothing like that. I'm just surprised because you seem like the sort who prefers to stay on the ground." He winces. "Sorry. I don't know you well enough to say something like that."

"It's okay. I'm not offended. Since I'm a science teacher and middle-aged, I can't blame you for assuming I wouldn't want to take a big risk." I glance at the poster board again, and the photo of a woman grinning while she's whisked through the treetops. "To be honest, I never would have come to a nudist resort if I hadn't won a free vacation to this place. Coming here has changed my mindset in a lot of ways."

"So, should I sign you up for the zip-line tour?"

"Yes, absolutely."

Emilio scrawls my name on the list on his clipboard. Then he gives me a brochure about zip lining. I will have my first-ever treetop adventure at three o'clock this afternoon. A sensation like a chill and a thrill mashed into one feeling rushes through me. I can't believe I'm doing this.

I whirl around, preparing to head for my suite.

But I slam into Craig.

He blinks rapidly, seeming a touch dazed. "Shit, Vanessa, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to crash into you."

"It's okay. I should have watched where I was going."

His gaze drops to my chest, but I doubt he's ogling my breasts. I'm sure he's squinting at the brochure I'm hugging to my chest, though he can't see much of it. His brows have wrinkled.

Craig leans sideways to peer at the poster board on the easel behind me. "You can't be going zip lining."

"Why can't I? It's not like I have dementia and might fall off the zip line."

"I didn't mean it that way." He lifts his gaze to my face. "You're afraid of heights."

"No, I am not. Sometimes I get anxious in high places, but I tried exposure therapy about eighteen months ago, and it actually helped. Thought I might want to vacation in the Swiss Alps and go skiing. That meant I'd need to ride in a ski lift."

Craig's jaw falls open. "Every time I suggested we should go on a family ski vacation, you came up with a dozen reasons why we shouldn't do it."

He's not completely wrong. We never went skiing partly because of my anxiety about heights. But mostly, I worried about our kids getting hurt, and the idea of bunny slopes didn't ease my fears.

Time to fess up. "I've changed, Craig. That's another reason why I doubt we could become a couple again. You seem to still be stuck in your old ways."

"Old ways? I came to a nudist resort."

"But once you leave this place, you'll probably go back to the way you always were."

"You might too."

It would be great if he could stop making insightful comments. I'm trying to push him away, but he won't give up. The fact that he's right is both annoying and confusing. Will I go back to being a boring science teacher who instructs teenagers in how to dissect frogs? I don't want to be that woman anymore. I love my job, but I need more these days.

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