Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
RIGEL
Dinner conversation flows effortlessly, punctuated by laughter and the clink of glasses as we share our excitement for the upcoming dive adventures. Pete, his eyes sparkling with the wisdom of a life well-lived, regales us with tales of his past underwater exploits while Mia remains somewhat reserved.
“I remember this one time, off the coast of Belize…” His voice thickens, rich with nostalgia. “I was diving the Blue Hole, and I swear, I came face to face with a shark the size of a Volkswagen.”
Samantha and Jessica lean in, their eyes wide with fascination.
“What did you do?” Jessica asks, her voice hushed.
“Well, I did what any self-respecting diver would do.” Pete laughs, taking a sip of his wine. “I froze, tried not to soil my wetsuit, and prayed to every deity I could think of.”
The table erupts in laughter, and I can’t help but join in. Pete’s easy charm and self-deprecating humor are infectious, putting everyone at ease.
Everyone but Mia.
I should’ve thought this through better. Samantha and Jessica are trying to make Mia feel left out .
As the laughter dies down, Samantha turns to Jessica, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Speaking of adventure, didn’t you have a little misadventure of your own in Cabo last year?”
“I don’t know if I’d call it a misadventure. More like a learning experience.” Jessica’s cheeks flush, and she ducks her head, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
“Oh, come on,” Samantha prods, nudging her with an elbow. “Tell them about how you got lost in the desert and ended up at that crazy beach party.”
Jessica sighs, but there’s a sparkle in her eye as she launches into the story.
“Okay, so I was in Cabo for a marketing conference, and I decided to rent a Jeep and go exploring on my day off.” Her hands paint the air with the vibrant colors of her escapade as she speaks. She mimics the steering of the Jeep with wide, sweeping turns of her arms.
“The Los Cabos’ wilderness is known for its deserts, canyons, the ocean, cliffs, streams, and sand dunes. I heard about how unique they were and was looking for a truly incredible experience. Long story short, I took a wrong turn and ended up in the middle of nowhere. And there I was…” She pauses, taking a sip of her margarita.
Her hands flutter to her chest for dramatic effect. “My GPS totally kaput. No cell signal. Just me and the Jeep and a whole lot of sand and prickly cacti.”
Her expression turns from a pout into bright eyes and a face full of wonder. “Just when I was about to give up hope, I stumbled upon this secluded beach, and there was a full-on rave happening.”
Her arms sway, mimicking the ocean waves, then rise and fall like the pulsing beats of the rave’s music.
“And boom!” She claps suddenly. “I go from lost tourist to rave queen in under sixty seconds. There were glow sticks, fire dancers, an orgy, the whole nine yards.”
Jessica’s hands are now aloft, twirling as if she’s still holding glow sticks, her body swaying in her seat with the memory of the dance, each gesture an exclamation mark to her vibrant narrative .
“Orgy?” Mia chokes on her drink.
“What did you do?” Pete asks.
Jessica might be a bit too pushy for my taste, but the woman isn’t afraid of adventure. Her gaze flickers at me repeatedly, seeking a reaction, any sign of interest.
I offer a polite smile. My attention is courteous but reserved.
While Jessica is a vivacious beauty, Mia, with her enigmatic presence, has captured my interest.
Jessica leans forward, her movements fluid like the dancers she describes, hands swirling in the air, mimicking the glow sticks’ neon arcs against the night sky.
“I mean, when in Cabo…” She grins, a hint of pride in her voice. “Of course, I joined in. I danced the night away under the stars, made some new friends, and followed everyone back to the city in the morning. It was a total blast.”
Her laughter is bold and infectious, but my response is tempered, a chuckle of appreciation rather than complicity.
“That’s our Jess.” Samantha shakes her head, admiration and amusement filling her face. “Always up for an adventure, even if it means getting a little lost along the way.”
I can’t help but laugh at her animated recounting. Jessica’s eyebrows waggle comically, and she leans in closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret just for me. “And the stars, Rigel,” she says, her fingers twinkling above her head, “were just as wild as the party on the ground.”
The conversation flows from there, with Samantha sharing stories of her own adventures as a yoga instructor in Miami.
Her eyes twinkle with the retelling, her hands painting the scene in the air between us. “And there we were, in the middle of a perfect Warrior Two, when suddenly this huge manatee popped up right next to us. Nearly gave us all a heart attack, but you should’ve seen the looks on my students’ faces—it was priceless.”
“That’s wild. What did you do?” Jessica laughs, leaning in.
“Oh, we just went with it!” Samantha exclaims. “It’s not every day you get a guest like that. I swear, it was like the gentle giant was trying to join in on the flow.” She laughs, her eyes bright with the memory. “So, we ended up turning the class into a ‘Manatee Meditation’ session right there on the water. It was definitely one for the books and made for an unforgettable savasana.”
Through it all, I can’t help but notice that Mia remains quiet, content to listen and observe rather than share her own stories. Every time the conversation turns to her, she deftly steers it back to someone else, a master of deflection.
At one point, Pete tries to engage her in conversation, but Mia deflects with a tight smile and guarded eyes.
Jessica might be as bright and clear as the day with her animated gestures, but Mia is the night itself—full of secrets and a narrative yet to unfold. I find myself growing increasingly interested in my quiet companion.
My heart aches to know what burdens she carries, what demons she’s running from, but now is not the time to push, not here in the middle of dinner with virtual strangers. So, I let it go, content to bask in her presence and the easy camaraderie of the group.
As the evening wears on and the wine flows freely, the conversation grows more animated and more personal. Jessica shares her dreams of starting her own marketing firm, while Samantha confesses her desire to open a yoga retreat in the mountains.
Pete, his eyes misty with memory, tells us about his late wife, a fellow diver who shared his passion for the ocean.
“She was my soulmate, my partner in every sense of the word,” he says, his voice rough with emotion. “Losing her was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. But being out here, surrounded by the beauty of the sea… It makes me feel closer to her somehow.”
There’s a moment of silence as we all absorb the weight of his words, the depth of his love and loss. I reach out, clasping his shoulder in a gesture of comfort and understanding.
And through it all, Mia remains an enigma.
She listens intently, her eyes filled with empathy and compassion, but she never lets her guard down, never reveals anything about who she is or what she’s running from.
After spending more time with her, I’m certain she is running from something, although I can’t for the life of me figure it out .
It’s a mystery that both intrigues and frustrates me, a challenge I can’t help but want to take on. Because beneath the walls she’s built, beneath the secrets she keeps, I sense a soul that calls to my own in a way I can’t quite explain.
I bide my time, content to let the evening unfold, to savor the laughter, the stories, and the sense of connection that binds us all together. In the back of my mind, a spark of determination takes root, a quiet resolve to unravel the mystery that is Mia, to be the one she trusts with her truths.
For now, though, I simply enjoy her presence, the warmth of her smile, and the glint of humor in her eyes as she listens to the stories being told. When I catch her looking at me, she responds with a flush of embarrassment and lowers her gaze.
The attraction between us is electric, a current that runs deep and strong. Her smile, a little shy but filled with warmth, sends my heart racing, and I long to reach out and take her hand in mine, to feel the softness of her skin against my own.
As the evening progresses, I become increasingly entranced. My eye is drawn to the way the candlelight dances across her features, highlighting the gentle curve of her cheeks and the fullness of her lips. I marvel at how she listens intently to the others, her eyes alight with genuine interest and compassion, but she never shares anything about herself.
I catch myself staring, lost in the depths of her eyes, and quickly look away, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, but the pull between us is undeniable, a force that grows stronger with each passing moment.
As the dinner plates are cleared and the conversation lulls, the urge to spend time alone with Mia overwhelms me. I have to explore this connection and glance around the table, trying to find the right moment to suggest a walk under the stars, just the two of us.
Before I can make my move, Samantha leans in close, her hand resting on my arm, her intentions clear.
“Jessica and I were thinking of heading below decks. We’d love for you to join us,” she shamelessly purrs, her voice low and seductive.
Mia tenses beside me, her gaze fixed on Samantha’s hand. She watches Samantha’s fingers dance seductively along my skin. A flash of irritation surges through me, and I gently but firmly remove Samantha’s hand from my arm.
“I appreciate the offer.” Surprisingly, my voice remains calm, but it’s filled with resolve. “Unfortunately, I have other plans for the evening.”
“Oh, come on, Rigel. We could have so much fun together. Aren’t you the least bit curious?” Jessica pouts, her lower lip jutting out in a calculated display of disappointment. The flagrant invitation is over the top and grotesque.
I glance at Mia, hoping to gauge her reaction, but her expression is guarded, revealing nothing.
I turn back to Samantha and Jessica, my jaw set with determination.
“Again, thank you for the invitation, but I’m going to have to decline.”
There’s a beat of silence, the tension palpable as Samantha and Jessica exchange a look of irritation. But I hold my ground, my eyes locked on Mia, silently communicating my unwavering desire to be with her and only her.
“Suit yourself. But if you change your mind, you know where to find us.” Finally, Samantha shrugs, a forced smile plastered on her face.
With that, she and Jessica rise from the table, their movements filled with barely concealed frustration as they saunter away, hips swaying in a last-ditch attempt to catch my attention.
Pete watches the whole scene unfold, and once the women leave, he clears his throat. “I’m going to excuse myself now. The two of you have fun.” He winks at me and smiles with a gentle warmth at Mia.
With Pete’s departure, my focus lands squarely on Mia. Her gaze meets mine with relief. Our connection crackles with electricity, and I reach out to take her hand, ready to embark on our own private adventure .
“Sorry about that.” I glance back at Jessica and Samantha as they sidle up to the bar and approach another potential prospect.
“You did nothing wrong.”
“If I’d known they were going to be like that, I would’ve sat at a different table.”