Chapter 6 Faith
SIX
FAITH
A guttural laugh escapes me as I see Jude beelining to our table. “Hi, Faith. And ladies, how’s breakfast?”
What a bold move on his part. He could have kept walking and completely ignored us. My eyes land on his fiancée, who is leisurely making her way over to the fruit—of course she goes for the fruit first. I quickly look down and roll my eyes.
Pull it together! He’s happy.
I nod and take another sip of my coffee, hoping this will be brief. We are all about relaxing, soaking up the sun, and spending time at the beach and pool—not seeing my ex-boyfriend from high school. Yet, here we are again!
“As good as it smells. Hi, I’m Kendall. And you are…?” I stifle a laugh. She knows exactly who he is, but she’s entertaining him.
“Jude Kent, nice to meet you. Faith and I went to the same high school.” He looks around the table. “And who are these lovely ladies?”
“Addison,” she says as she gives a small wave.
“Lane. Nice to meet you.” Lane holds her hand out to shake his.
Kendall jumps right back in and says, “Oh, you knew Fatih in high school, huh. Did you know her really well?” She gets right to the point. No small talk for her. I look across the table at Addison with the look of you’ve got to be kidding me.
"Oh, um, we dated back then," he says, stumbling over his words as his voice carries a hint of nostalgia.
"But then I moved to Utah, and life took us in different directions.
I must admit, I'm surprised that our paths have crossed here, of all places.
" He runs his fingers through his hair, shaking his head.
“Are you here alone? You can grab a seat with us,” Kendall insists, her voice warm and inviting.
Has she completely lost her mind?
My fingers clench around the warm coffee cup, its heat seeping into my skin. What is she doing? I swear I’m going to kill her. Seriously, if I take any more sips of this coffee, I'll have to flag down a waiter for a refill to give me something to do while I watch this all unfold.
"Actually, it's the wedding weekend," he says as his face lights up with excitement. He gestures toward the other side of the room where a large table is surrounded by a lively group of people.
“Oh, we are here for our girls’ trip and doubling it by checking this place out as a potential destination wedding. It’s gorgeous here. What day is the wedding?”
She didn’t just go there—yep she sure did. Part of me wants to crawl under the table, but I remain seated, curiosity getting the best of me.
“Saturday. This resort is a top-notch wedding destination. You’ll enjoy all the amenities they offer to the bride, groom, and their wedding party. Charlie is the best wedding planner at the resort. Do you have a planning meeting set up yet? If not, you should request her.”
Staring at him while he talks, I notice he’s still charming, laid back, and as gorgeous as ever. Ugh. My heart races. He’s getting married, and it’s clear he knows the wedding planner quite well.
“Thanks for the insider info; we do have a meeting with Charlie. It’s good to know we’re in good hands.”
“Well, I better get back over there,” he says, but his gaze lingers on my face as if he’s searching for something. He gives me a genuine smile as he holds my eye contact for a few seconds too long—enough to spread heat over my cheeks.
He struts away, and I can’t help but watch him. Seriously, that man’s body is perfect. How can I not stare? I mean, out of respect, I should look away…and I do after a few more seconds. My own smile is hard to contain as I throw my hands to my face and let out a sigh.
"Girl, that look!" Kendall wiggles her eyebrows with a sly grin as she gives a playful shake of her head. Her eyes sparkle with amusement, clearly catching the change in my expression.
“He’s getting married, so it doesn’t matter now does it?” I whisper. A sinking sensation spreads through my chest; it’s as if a heavy rock has settled there.
Kendall points at me. “One day, you’ll have your prince charming. He’s out there waiting for you.”
Right on cue, my phone vibrates with a text, and I welcome the distraction. I slide my phone out of my bag and glance at it. Once I read Kai’s text, there’s a lightness in my chest that surprises me.
Kai:
Hope your trip is going well. Share your favorite pic so far.
I smile as I search for the perfect picture to send him. The excitement spreads when I find the picture of the gecko that was at my feet earlier.
Faith:
Finishing breakfast. Beach is next on the list…Stay Tuned. :)
Lane leans over to sneak a peek at my phone. “What’s that smile for? Who are you texting?”
“Kai.”
“Wait, what?” Kendall looks at me with curiosity.
Kai seems like a genuinely wonderful guy based on the text messages we've exchanged over the past couple days. His interest in what’s happening in my life is a refreshing change that brings a smile to my face.
I’m glad to escape from my own thoughts, especially the ones centered around Jude’s wedding.
I’m looking forward to meeting Kai in person. He seems so thoughtful and considerate.
I roll my eyes at her. “Yes, don't act so surprised. I told you guys yesterday that we were texting.”
Kendall’s eyes narrow with seriousness. "You better keep us posted about every text you get."
She’s totally not kidding. We sip the last drops of our coffee and agree it's time to head to the beach.
I grab my tote bag, which holds a book, a blue towel, and my tube of sunscreen.
Rising from our table, I lead the way as my friends trail behind.
The bustling waitstaff clearing tables and the clanging of the plates surrounds us as we leave and make our way outside.
As we walk out the door, we are hit with the sun blasting down on us and warming our skin.
There are a few people splashing around in the pool already—drinks in their hands.
Just around the corner, the sandy path to the beach invites us down.
Before stepping onto the sand, we remove our flip-flops.
Suddenly, my friends gather close, throwing their arms around me in a group hug.
An unexpected hug, one I didn't know I needed, wraps me in a cocoon of safety.
My entire body relaxes in their arms as the waves splash onto the shore.
I reach out and gently tap their shoulders with my fingertips, lean back, and look into their eyes. "I love you guys." I smile, my voice warm and sincere.
After letting each other go, we trudge through the sand to our chairs for our afternoon of lunch and relaxation.
It’s just what I need. The weather is perfect for a beach day.
In Aruba, it seems like every day is a beach day.
No clouds in the sky, the sun is hot, and there’s a slight breeze, just enough to keep me from sweating too much.
The ocean is calm with small waves rolling in.
The smell of the ocean floats in the air, and the salt sticks to my skin.
This is a very different beach experience then back home.
We live a couple hours away from the beach, where the waves can be hard enough to push you down under the water and the color of the ocean is murky with brown seaweed, versus here which has a blue tint to it.
Of course, my mind goes to the summer days when Jude and I would go to our favorite beach to body surf.
No we weren’t good, but it was fun to ride the small waves.
Once they came close, we’d kick our feet like crazy and glide on the top of the wave, riding it as far into the shore as possible.
Then we’d do it all over again. It’s a happy memory that brings a genuine smile to my face.
I close my eyes and replay it. My chest feels warm, and butterflies go crazy in my belly.
I end up having a nice morning lounging on the beach, reading, chatting, and there wasn’t any more talk about Jude.
I didn't share my memory; it’s best to compartmentalize right now, there’s too much emotion wrapped around him.
I want to enjoy the beach. Later, I’ll sort through some of these feelings.
They are all over the place—one minute I’m happy.
The next minute, my body is convulsing from the hurt. The whiplash is ridiculous.
There are other people around us, but most of them are quietly lounging in their chairs.
We see people in the clear water with their drinks in hand.
One guy is swimming a bit out from the shore.
A group of guys a little farther down the beach are playing football.
A family with little kids is near the water.
They are playing in the sand and splashing water at each other.
Vacation mode is engaged for everyone here.
And with that, I sit up; the water is calling my name.
I put my book down and walk to the water.
My muscles relax as I step into the ocean.
I could stay here all day. I sigh and sink further in.
I admire the sand underneath my feet, the saltiness on my tongue, and the feeling of the salt on my skin.
Heavenly. I float and swim around a bit, dunking my head under and coming back up.
Wringing out my hair, I raise my face to the sun and feel the droplets of water on my skin evaporate.
As I look toward our group of chairs, I notice our waiter approaching with a cooler. That’s my signal to head back up there. The sun is blazing today, and I could definitely use a couple bottles of water to keep myself hydrated. Oh, and I need to reapply my sunscreen.
Once I’m back at my chair, I pull out my lip moisturizer and glide it on my lips.
Ah, that feels better. I ask for a bottle of water.
He hands me the ice-cold water that’s glistening with condensation.
I eagerly drink the entire bottle, realizing just how thirsty I am and reminding myself of the importance of staying hydrated throughout the day.
Ironically, the book I’m reading is set at a resort.
How fitting for my own situation, only my life is not a romance.
I open my book to the last page I dogeared and start to read.
For the next hour, I distract myself with a good story.
Then, I pull out my phone and look at the time—it’s almost time for lunch.
We already ordered off the menu; we just have to wait for it to be delivered to us.
"Now I'm ready for my chicken Caesar salad with garlic bread," Kendall says, looking over at me and smacking her lips together.
"Yes, I am too," I agree, my mouth watering at the thought. "I ended up ordering a salmon salad." The mere mention of it brings the flavors vividly to mind, a perfect blend of fresh greens and tender fish.
As if on cue, the waiter strolls over with a tray full of our meals.
There are these cute, small tables by each of our chairs.
He sets our lunches down on them, along with our frozen drinks we ordered.
I imagine myself as a princess being served, awaiting the hot guys to come over with the big fans.
“This is the best.” My thoughts are no longer racing. Instead, I'm fully present, enjoying the sun beating down on me and the downtime on the beach, exactly where I want to be, surrounded by friends. I enjoy the moment with my eyes closed.
And then I remember.