CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Standing at the pond, Everest scanned the crystal blue water, the waterfall and ledge beyond and then the area around it. How was it possible? How could the water be so clear, such a brilliant color, when they were surrounded by muddy swamps.
Mike was already in the pond, naked.
“So help me, if you’re lying to me and I strip and get in naked, I’m going to hurt you, Mike,” she said. Mike just laughed.
“I promise, I’m not lying to you. This will change your life.”
“I assure you it’s safe,” said Ajei. “We all use it once a week. We have a schedule, that’s now a twenty-four-hour schedule so that everyone can use it. Patients who we deem necessary, are sometimes carried here. We’re very, very cautious of who we allow into it.”
Everest just nodded and then began stripping off her sundress. Ajei and Luke turned, giving her privacy as she lowered herself into the water.
“Wow. It’s warm,” she whispered as if not wanting anyone to hear her comments.
“It’s fed by an underground spring that we think has some strange mineral concentrations from fossils and other things. Honestly, we’re not sure but my grandmother and grandfather knew about it for years.”
“The ghosts?” she frowned. Luke nodded.
“We’ll let you two enjoy. Don’t stay in too long. There’s another storm headed this way.”
Luke and Ajei walked away, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, giving soft kisses behind her ears as they walked.
“They’re a beautiful couple,” smiled Everest.
“Luke was a helluva SEAL. Their son was amazing as well and has a very interesting love story.”
Everest swam over to the edge of the pond, a mirror attached to a concrete base. She looked at Mike with a questioning gaze and then looked back at the mirror.
“Just look,” he smiled.
She looked at her image and gasped, touching her face, then her hair.
“This isn’t real. This can’t be real,” she said, her fingers delicately tracing the curve of her jaw.
“You were beautiful before,” he said swimming up behind her. “Now you’re stunning.”
“My wrinkles, they’re gone. The gray in my hair, it’s gone.” She turned in Mike’s arms, the gleam of her beautiful eyes sinking into his soul. “How is this possible?”
“That’s something to ask the Robicheauxs,” he grinned. “For now, I want to get you back to the cottage so I can make love to you for the next twelve hours.”
“You know what,” she smiled, kissing the corner of his mouth, “I think I have enough energy for twelve hours now.”
It wasn’t quite twelve hours, but it was damn close. Not only were the tiny signs of her age gone, but her appetite for sex and desire for Mike was through the roof.
Panting and sweating, he stared up at her, smiling.
“If this is how our life is going to be, I need to start training with the guys every morning and taking vitamins.”
Everest laughed, falling back on the pillow beside him.
“You know, it feels like just yesterday I was feeling alone, sad, and hopeless. Then you showed up. Granted it was to save me from a falling elevator,” she grinned, “but you were there. You wouldn’t take no for an answer, you wouldn’t let me hide, and you knew what to do to make me believe in myself again.
“I love you, Mike. I love you more than I thought it possible to love any human being.”
“Oh, baby,” he said rolling her into his arms, “I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you. We’re going to live a happy life together, you and me.”
“You and me, Mike.”
Before heading to the office the next morning, they made love once more and then joined the team for breakfast.
“I have to ask,” she said looking at Hex and Eric, “you guys seem to have every profession known to man here. Do you have a real estate agent?
“Why would you need that?” asked Mike in a panic. She giggled and shook her head.
“I need to sell my house, Mike.”
“Oh. Right.”
The men laughed at him, shaking their heads.
“It’s okay, Mike. Believe me we’ve all been where you are, praying that the women we love don’t see our cracks and flaws.”
“Oh, I see them,” smiled Everest. “They just make me love him more.”
“Now, that’s spoken like a true Belle Fleur woman,” grinned Eric. “We don’t have a real estate agent here but we can connect you to someone we know. We’ll have the repairs on your house done by the end of the week and then put it up for sale. Grant can help you determine an appropriate price.”
“Wonderful,” said Everest.
“I hate to break this up,” said Cam walking toward them, “but it’s time to get to work. We need to be prepared for any possibility of your meeting with Alice.”
“Right. Alice,” frowned Everest.
“Honey, you don’t have to do this if you’re scared. No one will blame you. We can figure something else out,” said Mike.
“No. No, I need to meet with her and try to find out what it is she wants done to the system.” Cam smiled at the woman, giving Mike a wink. He’d done well waiting for this woman. In this case, patience paid off. Big time!
“Then let’s get to work.”