22. Reunited and it Feels so Good
Reunited and it Feels so Good
Victoria
A small sigh and groan escaped me as I rolled over, reaching for Knox.
He wasn’t there, but the sounds of the Pacific rolling in from the open balcony startled me as much as his absence.
For a moment, my body still thought it was dawn on the island.
I had expected salt wind, sand in places it didn’t belong, and Knox breathing down my neck and whining about having to trek to the waterfall.
Instead, I lie on high-thread-count sheets and a memory foam mattress that should be illegal while wearing satin pajamas.
It felt like a dream, and I feared I’d snap out of it at any moment. We’d still be stranded, and Knox would still be suffering.
I stared at the ocean through the gauzy curtains and tried to breathe.
On the island, everything was stripped down to survival, but here in California, the sheets smelled like citrus detergent instead of smoke.
Breakfast promptly arrived at 8:00 AM under a silver dome on a rolling cart, and instead of hot sand between my toes, my feet were clad in hotel-provided slippers.
We’d fallen in love on the island, and part of my heart was still there.
“Get it together, girl,” I mumbled, reaching for the folded note on Knox’s cold pillow.
Tori Montana,
I’m running errands. You should worry. Kidding. Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. Don’t call me.
-That Man Over There
I crumpled the note in my fist. The man was out running errands when he should have been peacefully recovering after three days of being poked and prodded like an animal.
I snatched my phone off the nightstand, impatiently ripping the charger from the base, and called him. My jaw tightened, and my fingers curled into the bedding when the call went straight to voicemail.
“This is Knox. I can’t talk right now. If this is an emergency, call my assistant, Victoria. If you’re Victoria, I told you not to call.”
Heat rushed to my face.
“Unbelievable,” I muttered, stabbing the screen to hang up. Somehow, I refrained from throwing my phone against the wall in frustration long enough to guide myself through a round of breathing exercises.
A sharp knock from room service interrupted me.
I climbed out of bed, tugged on a robe, and padded across the marble floor to open the door. My brows lifted in surprise when two hotel staffers greeted me and wheeled in two carts laden with silver domes.
“Good morning. This is… a little more than usual,” I mentioned as they uncovered the domes revealing platters of eggs, smoked salmon, waffles, pastries, bagels, bacon, and fresh fruit. It was enough to feed at least six people, and I didn’t miss the bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket.
“Compliments of Mr. Ramsey,” one of them said with a polite bow, handing me an envelope.
“Thank you,” I replied, tearing open the envelope and pulling out the note and a Black AMEX card.
No limit.
-Gio
I shook my head, and a reluctant smile tugged at my lips.
“Yeah…you’re Gio now.”
I’d barely settled at the table and fixed a moderate plate when another knock echoed through the suite.
“Now what?” I muttered, setting the fork down and walking towards the door with my slippers slapping against the marble. I threw the door open and nearly fainted.
“Surprise!” Brittney squealed, wrapping me in her warm embrace. Alyssa followed, laughing through her tears and trying to wedge herself between me and Brittney.
My vision blurred as they squeezed the life out of me.
“Oh, my God. W-what are—how?” I asked, barely able to string a sentence together.
They both started talking at once.
“Knox flew us out on a private jet—”
“And he even slipped us some spending money, girl!”
I laughed, half crying and clutching them both as we stumbled deeper into the suite.
“I-I can’t believe you guys are here.”
“We’re here, and we’re never letting you out of our sight again!” Alyssa proclaimed.
“For real. We’re gonna have to get your ass microchipped,” Brittney declared, finally releasing me. Alyssa gravitated towards the balcony and stood with her hands on her hips.
“Jesus… look at this view. I can’t even imagine how much a room like this goes for.”
“I don’t even think about it,” I replied, tugging her to the table.
Brittney let out a low whistle, mesmerized by the ocean. “Seriously, this feels like a movie.”
“Let’s eat before the food gets cold,” I said, herding her to the table with Alyssa.
We piled our plates—mine with fruit and salmon only because I didn’t want to chance an upset stomach and be confined to the bathroom for the rest of the day.
Alyssa popped the champagne with a grin, sending the cork ricocheting in the distance before expertly filling each flute.
I took mine, and Brittney stood and cleared her throat theatrically.
“I need to get some things off my chest.”
Alyssa sighed and downed her glass before refilling it.
“She’s gonna get all sentimental and have all our asses crying,” she complained.
“Girl, hush. Anyway… I have a few things to say, Victoria. First, you always looked fine as hell, but right now? You look like a Bond girl who survived a jungle apocalypse, and I’m obsessed with the hair—it suits you.
” She cleared her throat. “When we saw the news about your plane disappearing… I swear, I didn’t breathe for three entire months.
We didn’t know where you were or what was happening to you, and as the months passed, I struggled with letting you go.
I was edging closer and closer to acceptance that you weren’t coming back, and it’ll take a long time to recover from the guilt I feel.
But here you are—always proving me wrong.
You survived the improbable and clawed your way back.
” Alyssa sniffed, and Brittney powered through.
“I hope you never forget that we’re your people and we’ll always ride for you, and those you love. ”
“Including Knox,” Alyssa chimed in.
I could tell from the pinched expression on Brittney’s face that she wasn’t 100% sold on Knox. That woman could hold a grudge like a motherfucker.
“Including Knox,” she said hesitantly. “Here’s to survival, sisterhood, and to never letting go.”
We raised our glasses, clinking them together in unison.
“It’s my turn,” Alyssa announced, rising from the table.
“Victoria, you’ve always been the strong one—the fixer, the problem-solver, and the go-getter.
And as much as these qualities are strengths, I also know they’re burdens.
You’re back, but you need to take time to heal and figure out who this version of Victoria is.
And yeah, we joke about microchipping you, but it’s because losing you, even for a second, was like losing gravity. How can we orbit without the sun?”
Her voice cracked slightly, and I was dabbing at my eyes with a napkin that once held my silverware.
“Today, we celebrate you. Not because you’re a survivor, but because you’re a hero. We love you.”
Another round of sobs ripped from us, and soon we were enveloped in a group hug that I never wanted to break.
For a moment, we just existed as three women tangled in love and friendship, and an unshakeable bond.
But eventually, I pulled away, wiping my face with the sleeve of my overpriced robe and clearing my throat.
“I should say something,” I murmured, voice hoarse but firm. “You flew across the country for me. The least I can do is try to put my gratitude into words.”
“Your speech won’t come near mine, but you can try,” Alyssa teased gently as she refilled flutes.
I shrugged.
“Maybe not. You are the best bullshitter out of the group.”
Brittney snorted, and Alyssa rolled her eyes.
“Hey! I spoke from the heart!” she insisted.
“I know. I know. Here goes. I didn’t plan to make a speech because I didn’t plan on a surprise visit from my best friends.
You showed up when I didn’t even know how to ask.
And I need you to know that I didn’t survive that island because I’m strong or brave or whatever headline the tabloids will say about me.
I survived because I kept thinking about the people who were worth coming back to.
” I paused and swallowed the lump in my throat.
“I will never be able to repay you two for what you’ve done for me in my absence.
You fought and advocated, not only for me, but for my mother.
I prayed for y’all. I prayed for healing, peace, and that you clung to the memories we shared of last-minute cram sessions, late-night pizza runs, and avoidable hangovers.
There were times on the island that I was scared, but it wasn’t because I was fearful of dying; I was fearful of being alone.
I can’t go through life without my people.
Thank you for reminding me that I’m loved and not alone. ”
My voice steadied as I raised my glass.
“So, here’s to friendship that transcends blood, and love that’s never conditional.” I clinked my glass against theirs. “To us.”
* * *
The door clicked open just past midnight. I was curled up on the couch, surrounded by shopping bags and the faint scent of overpriced perfume. He limped towards me, his cane thudding against the floor. He paused, and his eyes scanned the sea of luxury shopping bags.
“So, this is what happens when I leave you unsupervised with my AMEX.”
“You said—”
“I know what I said, woman,” he interrupted, grabbing my wrist and lifting it towards his face for a closer look.
“Do you like it? Me and the girls got matching watches. Alyssa picked the brand, Brittney picked the color, and I signed the receipt.”
“Rolex. Classy. Did you have fun?” he asked, voice low, warm, and inviting.
I nodded, suddenly shy. “I did. We laughed. We cried. And spent your money like it was Monopoly money. It was everything. Thank you for flying my friends out. It means the world to me.”
He didn’t say anything right away. Just reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
My breath caught.
“I was going to wait until it was the right time,” he said, kneeling in front of me for the second time.
“But then I walked in and saw you relaxed and glowing and knew I didn’t want to waste the moment.
” He cracked open the box, and I gasped.
“This was the errand I was running all day. I scoured most of the jewelry stores in Los Angeles, looking for the perfect ring.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the massive oval diamond that was nestled on a band of brilliant diamonds. It was bold, and if I was honest, terrifyingly beautiful.
“Victoria Diamond Caldwell, marry me. Not because we survived the worst, but because I want to build the best with you. And because I have functioning knees.”
“Why are you like this?” I whispered through fresh tears.
“Because, despite what you tell yourself, you wouldn’t want me any other way. Will you do me the honor of officially becoming Mrs. That Man Over There?”