Chapter 15
Ash
After a rejuvenating spa day with a massage and cucumber water to help with hydration, I felt more relaxed and renewed than I’d felt in a long time.
Granted, we could have done this at any luxury spa in Southern California, but to have the magnificent Indian Ocean to complement the scenery beyond our over-the-water villas? Well, nothing else could ever compare.
“Now, every holiday season, we cater to our lovely visitors and host a fun holiday boutique for you all to find and pull out that creativity that the stresses of your individual lives may have dampened. When you return to your rooms, you’ll find the charm of our artificial trees, decorated with coastal ornaments and charm.
You will also find paints and crafting materials to decorate ornaments from local shells and rocks there.
Hopefully, you will use them to remind you of this special Christmas season you’ve chosen to spend with us on the island. ”
“Will our husbands be joining us for any of this?” a lady questioned with curiosity.
“Your husbands will be returning once they have gone through their rejuvenation process. After that, we hope they’ll be reunited with their beautiful, relaxed wives and enjoy a few lovely nights with festive, renewed spirits,” Hammond kindly stated.
She raised her hands, guiding us to stand, “You are free to spend the rest of your days crafting or enjoying the healing salty air. All the food you need has already been delivered to your room. If you need anything more, you know how to reach us, and it will be delivered.”
“This is heaven on Earth,” Laney said, giggling and livelier than I’d seen her in months. “I bet the men regret bitching before they left now, too.”
“True. They’re probably ziplining and doing God knows what else in that forest they were brought to,” I answered as Laney and I walked arm-in-arm to our neighboring villas. “So, what should we do?”
“I think we should go snorkeling again like yesterday, then lay out for a bit, and if you want, we can craft or whatever Hammond said.” Laney chuckled, “I know you’re dying to unleash your artistic side while we’re here.
I can’t imagine a painter like you coming to a majestic place like this and being unable to unleash your talents. ”
“You know me well, don’t you?” I laughed. “I love doing little crafts, too, especially with the kids.” I took a deep breath and looked around at our surroundings, “It is weird though, isn’t it?”
“What’s weird?”
“Being in a tropical paradise when the Christmas season is starting? I love it, of course, but I’m afraid I won’t be in the holiday spirit when we get home.”
“I know what you mean,” Laney answered. “And it does kind of suck that we came all the way out here to be at the sex retreat with the guys, and the first thing that happens when we get here is that they’re taken away from us.”
“Maybe they’re going to learn some new fun tricks?” I teased.
“Dear God,” Elena said. “What the hell do you think they’re teaching them, and with what? Blow-up—”
I started laughing, prompting her to join in without saying anything more.
“I don’t think I want to know, and if the guys are dealing with blow-up anything, they’re sure to be miserable on this trip.
No, I think they’re having a wonderful time hiking and doing guy stuff.
If not, you know Jake and Collin. They would’ve already snuck back to us. ”
“That’s true,” Laney said.
We walked into Laney’s villa first, and I covered my mouth in shock.
“Oh, my gosh. Look at that gingerbread house,” I said in disbelief. “It looks like a sandcastle version of the North Pole.” I ran my fingers over the gumdrops and sugar-crusted roof, “This is incredible.”
“Check out the tray of cookies,” Laney said, walking over to the kitchen of her large suite. “Looks like we get to decorate them.”
“Right here,” I said, pulling a letter that looked written by Santa himself and reading it:
In the art of island holiday cheer…
These are for you, Sweet Lady, while your man is not near,
we invite you to decorate cookies of sweet delight,
for when your man returns,
he will have worked up a robust appetite…
“Ooh,” Laney hung onto the word sassily. “I’m pretty damn sure the appetite these guys will have worked up will have them craving more than cute, iced Christmas cookies.”
“This is all very adorable, you know?” I said. “It’s quite charming and very tropical North Pole-ish. Don’t you think?”
“I do, and look at that Christmas tree,” Laney said, chuckling and pointing across the dining area toward the living room.
The fireplace was lit, and the mantle above it was adorned with palm fronds and ferns to replicate the pine garland we were accustomed to. Soft white lights twinkled throughout the display that framed the healthy amber flames of the fire below.
As we walked toward the fireplace, a skinny artificial pine tree was decorated with ornaments made from seashells painted in Christmas colors. It was magical and encouraged me to feel more festive than before.
“It looks like the tree has a theme,” Laney said. “Look, there’s painted ornaments with horses and doctors. I’m guessing that’s to represent our professions. And Collin loves sweets, so that must be why everything has this sugar-coated glitter on it.”
“Hmm,” I said, studying her room and taking it all in. “It is very gingerbread sweets in here. I wonder what mine and Jake’s room is?”
“Let’s go see,” Laney said with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. “What’s Jake’s favorite thing?”
“Jake loves everything,” I answered. “What I’m curious about is how these people know Collin has a weakness for sweets?”
“Maybe the guys filled out a questionnaire when booking this sex retreat?”
I chuckled. “Look at us. We’re on a sex retreat in your gingerbread Christmas-themed room,” I mused, knowing that our beloved CEOs had a lot to do with this. They kept me and Laney in a great mood while they pranked the hell out of Jake and Collin.
I just had to hope they didn’t go too far over the top with whatever they’d planned for Collin and Jake.
“Oh, this is adorable,” Laney said, walking into my villa. “It’s a surf shop gingerbread house complete with a taco truck. Look at this,” she said, pointing at the truck with a laugh. “They’re gingerbread iced wheels.”
“This is too funny,” I said. “What about the tree?”
We walked into the living area, which was a replica of Collin and Laney’s room, and looked at our tree. It was glittering and festive with painted tacos, surfboards, chips and guacamole, and jalapeno ornaments.
“I didn’t realize Jake loved tacos and surfing so much,” Laney said with a laugh.
“To be fair, he is obsessed with street tacos,” I laughed. “It’s so cute. Let’s go back to your place and do ornaments there, and we’ll ice cookies here tomorrow. What do you think?”
“I think this is the coolest thing ever. I didn’t expect it, so I appreciate it that much more.”
“Me, too. Who knows, maybe we’ll be tasked to make homemade gifts for everyone later this week?”
Laney and I both fell into the sweet charm of enjoying the holiday season, even if we were in paradise and staying in a hut over the ocean water.
Being inside the villas made us feel the holiday cheer.
I missed Jake, but I also loved this. Doing handmade projects and making souvenirs to remember this darling holiday getaway was the icing on the cake for me.
It was unexpected and appreciated. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about, appreciating the unexpected and being delighted to gift simple treasures to your loved ones?
Well, that’s what we were tasked to do: create tiny treasures for our husbands that would always remind them of what this intimacy retreat was all about—finding that spark again and the youthful glow we all had when we were first married.