Chapter 1
Four Years Later
Ciara closed her eyesand inhaled deeply at the familiar smells and sounds of Nosy Be, Madagascar. Every year, she looked forward to this trip more and more. But this year had been even more brutal than usual. But to go back was always bittersweet because it represented the beginning and the end.
“Ms. Hudson?”
She smiled at the familiar voice that greeted her as she looked up.
“Henry! How are you? It’s so good to see you again?”
He stepped forward with a warm smile as he reached for her suitcase handle. “It’s good to see you, too. Camilla was thrilled to see your reservation when it came in a few months ago.”
Ciara fell into step with him. “I know. I cut it a little closer than I would have liked, but work was so demanding that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to take the time.”
“Well, we are glad you were,” he commented as he opened the door for her.
She let her head fall back against the headrest once she was settled. Thankfully the trip from the airport to Blue Paradise only took a little over thirty minutes. That gave her time to relax and get into vacation mode.
As they made the trek back to the hotel, Henry’s statement bounced around in her brain. She really hadn’t known if she would be able to make it until two months ago. Usually, she booked the trip at least six months in advance, but work and life, in general, had been insane. More than usual. But there had been a break in the clouds for the past three months. Enough that made her feel comfortable with the last-minute booking. She was glad that she’d done it now.
As much as it killed her to admit it, she wasn’t superwoman and needed a break. The next seven days was it.
A short time later, they pulled up to the resort’s entrance. Henry climbed out of the driver’s seat before opening her door. She dug into her purse for a tip as he pulled her suitcase from the back of the vehicle.
“Thank you, Ms. Hudson. I appreciate it,” he said as he accepted the tip. “Let’s get you inside, and Joelle will get you checked in.”
She followed Henry with her small carry-on into the lobby. The rest of her tension seemed to seep away the moment she did.
The young lady behind the front desk greeted her with a smile. “Welcome to Blue Paradise.”
“Thank you,” Ciara paused to look at her name tag. “Joelle. I’m here to check-in.”
“Wonderful. Have you stayed with us before?”
“Yes,” Ciara replied while fighting a smile. “I’m happy to be back.”
“And we are happy to have you. If I could see your photo ID and the card you booked your stay with, I will get you checked in.”
A short time later, Ciara rolled her suitcase toward her room. The scenery that surrounded her was breathtaking as usual. The beautiful blue water could be seen from all sides. The leaves of the palm trees swayed in the wind. She couldn’t wait to go into the water. While she tried to taper her excitement, it was hard not to admit how much she looked forward to this trip. Or how heartbroken she’d been when she’d initially thought she wouldn’t be able to.
She stopped in front of the door to her room for the week. She used the key card to enter. As soon as she entered the room, it felt like full vacation mode kicked in. She let the door close before resting against it. A grin took over her face as she took in the view before her.
Unfortunately, her stomach chose that moment to interject. She fumbled for her phone and grimaced when she saw the time. The food she’d enjoyed on the flight over was long gone. As if answering in agreement, her stomach rumbled again. That spurred her into action.
She fired off a few texts to let everyone know that she’d arrived safely and had checked into the hotel before unpacking her suitcase. Then she headed to the shower. Even though she knew she’d need another before she went to bed, she needed to be prepared if things went as planned.
An hour later, she entered the lobby before taking the turn that would lead her to the main restaurant and the bar right next to it. As much as she wanted to skip straight to the tropical fruity drink, she needed nourishment first.
She loaded her plate with more food than she needed to eat, but it was the variety she craved. One she couldn’t get at home when she did the cooking. While she had a rule of cooking at least three times a week, she ordered out for the remaining four days, and the meal wasn’t always the healthiest. Her curvy figure gave testament to that fact, but she loved every single one of them.
The mixture of seafood, chicken salad, and pasta might be gluttony, but it was still healthier than what she usually had. She was halfway through her plate when someone stopped next to the table.
“Do you mind if I join you?”
She looked up, one of her brows arching high on her forehead. “Actually, I do. There are plenty of chairs available.”
“True,” the man standing before her replied. “But the woman I’ve waited a year to see again is sitting at this one.”
The corners of her mouth twitched as she fought a smile. “Hi, Maddox.”
“Hi Ciara,” he replied. “It’s good to see you again.”
“You, too,” she murmured as she motioned for him to join her.
Now that he was before her again, she realized that he looked even better than she remembered. His dark hair was a little longer than it had been, but not in an over-the-top way. Just long enough that she’d have enough to grip if she needed to. And based on their past encounters, she would. His gray-colored eyes were as intense as ever. It was one of the things she’d initially noticed when they first met.
She continued her perusal. His T-shirt did nothing to disguise his broad shoulders or long, subtly muscled body. Maddox was one of those who still worked out even while on vacation. It showed as he reached for a packet of mayonnaise on his tray. Her eyes were drawn to his wide-palmed hand and strong lean fingers.
Realizing her thoughts were going down a path that would lead to trouble, she focused on her plate. She was a few bites in before he spoke again.
“How was your flight?”
She smiled after she swallowed the food she’d just eaten. “It was good. I’ll admit I was a little impatient to get here this year.”
“Is it safe to assume I am a part of the reason why that is?” he inquired.
“Just a small part,” she teased. “How was your flight?”
“Good. A little turbulent but worth every two-thousand-foot drop to get here.”
She laughed. “I’m sure the drops were not that steep.”
“I’d like to think that I’m a brave person, but I gripped the armrest a few times.”
Her eyes widened. “No. Really?”
“Yes. However, it was worth it.”
She ignored the fluttering in her stomach. Maddox was a very enigmatic man, and not just because of his size. It was nice to know that she had not the only one looking forward to their reunion.
“What do you have planned for the rest of the day?” he asked.
“Nothing. You know how it is. The closer the vacation day gets, the more you stress yourself out about taking care of everything before you leave. So I plan to make it an early night tonight.”
“Can you fit a walk with me along the beach into today’s schedule?”
She nodded. “That sounds like a great idea. I need to walk off some of this food.”