Chapter 19
Sarah
The ferry horn blasted at eight in the morning. Sarah stood on the dock watching the boat approach, doing mental calculations. The damage wasn’t catastrophic, but it was enough to make her stomach tight with worry.
The outdoor stage had partially collapsed.
The dock itself had sustained damage where debris had crashed against it during the worst of the storm.
What would the resort look like? Derek had been in charge, but he hadn’t replied to even one of her messages.
Carlos’ assistant, Ivan, had kept them updated and at least at the Carlson, things had passed quietly. At last until cell service cut out.
Carlos appeared at her elbow. “Everyone accounted for?”
“Rita did a final count. We’re good.” Sarah checked her phone. “I’ve already called the insurance company. They’ll send someone out tomorrow.”
“Could’ve been worse.”
“Could’ve been better if the board had listened to me about postponing.”
The ferry docked. Spring breakers filed on board, quieter than usual. Too tired to be loud. But Sarah caught snippets of conversation as they passed.
“That was insane.”
“Best spring break story ever.”
“Nobody’s going to believe us.”
A girl from Boston held up her phone. “I’m posting everything. #TropicalStormOnCarlsonIsland is already trending.”
Sarah pulled out her own phone and checked social media. The posts were indeed already exploding. #MansionParty. #SurpriseStorm. #BestSpringBreakEver.
Photos of the indoor spa setup. Videos of people playing giant Jenga. Selfies in front of boarded windows. Everyone tagging the Carlson Seaside. Talking about how the staff had handled the emergency. How they’d turned a disaster into an adventure.
Carlos looked over her shoulder. “That’s actually good publicity.”
The ferry ride back was calm. Smooth water, clear skies. Like the storm had never happened. Key West appeared in the distance.
They docked at the main pier. Spring breakers rushed to the vans waiting to take them back to the hotel. Sarah followed with the staff, Lizzie at her side. It was hard not to hold her hand, to hug or kiss her, but she knew she couldn’t. Not yet.
At the Carlson, everything looked normal.
The pool was closed, but that was normal after a storm.
Debris didn’t make for the best swimming companions.
Still, there were people poolside, reading, drinking, relaxing.
Good. The building also appeared no worse for wear.
She’d already had a lengthy text exchange with Stavros and told him everything that had happened.
She couldn’t tell from his replies if he was upset with her or not. Or if he knew that she’d been right all along. He was going to stop by, he’d said. Something that made her feel a little sick to her stomach.
The contracts in place meant she could not easily be dismissed from her position, but if she caused damage to the resort’s reputation, they could suspend her and start an investigation.
Would they try to use this? Had the others turned Stavros against her?
Sarah went straight to her office and started making calls to Esmeralda and the other heads of departments. The only one she could not reach was Derek. Typical.
A knock on her door interrupted her fourth phone call. She looked up to see Stavros Andreou standing in the doorway.
Her stomach dropped. Here it comes. The lecture about the damage. The reprimand.
“Sarah. Do you have a moment?”
She gestured to the chair across from her desk. “Of course.”
Stavros sat down and was quiet for a moment. He looked tired. Older than usual.
“I owe you an apology.”
Sarah blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“You came to me with concerns about the storm system. You recommended postponing the island festival until the weather cleared.” He met her eyes. “I dismissed you. Told you we couldn’t cancel based on a weather prediction that might not materialize.”
“The board voted—”
“The board was wrong. I was wrong.” Stavros leaned forward. “You were right to be concerned. We got lucky, Sarah. Very lucky. That storm could have been much worse. People could have been hurt. We are getting complaints from upset parents but…”
“There will be some, but we turned it around,” she said defensively.
“I know. Don’t worry. I’ve seen the videos on social media. The overwhelming response has been good. We like that. Any complains, I’ll deal with myself. This will not fall on your shoulders.”
Sarah didn’t know what to say. She’d spent the entire night and morning preparing for this fight.
“I’ve already spoken to Peter and Derek,” Stavros continued. “I told them that you handled the emergency perfectly. That your quick thinking saved what could have been a disaster. The mansion, the indoor activities, everything. You did exactly what needed to be done.”
“The damage on the island—”
“Is covered by insurance. Not the house, that’s private property. But the rest of the place. And minimal compared to what it could have been, going by what Carlos told me before I came up here.”
He walked to the door, then paused. “For what it’s worth, I think Billy would be proud of how you handled last night. I know I am.”
After he left, Sarah sat in her office for a long moment. She hadn't realised how long she'd been holding herself rigid until she wasn't anymore.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Lizzie:
Thinking of you.
Instantly, Sarah smiled. And I of you. Can’t wait to see you tonight.
Tonight?
Unless you have other plans.
She leaned back in her chair. She did not, in fact, have other plans. And suddenly, she had something to look forward to.
Meet me at my place at six.
The rest of the day was a blur. The resort had sustained minimal damage. The damage on the island was less than expected. As promised, Stavros had calls from concerned parents forwarded to him. He dealt with them one by one and kept her in the loop on everything.
Derek finally showed his face to give his report, but it was clear he had been told not to try and place blame on Sarah. Their conversation had been brief.
Thankfully.
By five PM, Sarah was exhausted. She’d been up for nearly twenty-four hours. Her clothes still smelled faintly of generator fuel and stress sweat. But the day was over.
***
Lizzie
Lizzie sat on the steps outside Sarah’s apartment building, scrolling through her phone. It was quarter till six. Sarah had said six, but Lizzie had gotten here early because she couldn’t stand waiting at home anymore.
Her phone buzzed. Maya again.
GIRL. I saw your Instagram story. A TROPICAL STORM?!
I know. It was insane.
Are you okay??? That looked terrifying.
I’m fine. We all stayed in this mansion on the island. It was actually kind of amazing.
A MANSION? Okay I need details. Full details.
Lizzie glanced down the street. No sign of Sarah yet.
Remember that boss I told you about? The ice queen?
The one who’s been driving you crazy? Yeah, what about her?
She’s not actually an ice queen. She’s kind of amazing. And we might be dating.
WHAT LIZZIE WAKEFIELD YOU BURIED THE LEAD
Lizzie grinned. Maya. Direct as always. It just happened. Like two days ago.
I need a FULL debrief when you get back. With details. ALL the details. Is she hot?
Lizzie heard footsteps and looked up. Sarah was walking toward her, still in her work clothes but looking exhausted. Beautiful and exhausted.
Extremely.
A row of emojis appeared. I’m so proud of you. You finally got the courage to go for what you want.
Thanks. I have to go. She’s here.
CALL ME LATER
Lizzie shoved her phone in her pocket and stood up. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Sarah looked relieved to see her. “Did you wait long?”
“Nah, I just got here.”
Sarah unlocked the building door and they walked inside. The hallway was empty. Sarah immediately pulled Lizzie close and kissed her. Deep and desperate, like she’d been holding it in all day.
“I missed you,” Sarah whispered against her mouth.
“It’s been like eight hours.”
“Too long.”
They kissed again and Lizzie’s back hit the wall. Sarah’s hands were in her hair, on her waist, everywhere. This was different from the professional distance they’d maintained all day. This was real.
A door opened down the hall. They broke apart instantly. Sarah stepped back, putting space between them. An elderly woman emerged from an apartment carrying a bag of trash.
“Good evening, Mrs. Yang.”
“Hello, Sarah.” The woman smiled at Lizzie. “And who’s your friend?”
“This is Lizzie. She’s interning at the hotel.”
“How nice. You young people work so hard.” Mrs. Yang headed for the stairs. “Have a lovely evening.”
After she disappeared, Sarah let out a breath. “Sorry. I just—”
“I know.” Lizzie squeezed her hand. “It’s okay. I get it.”
They went inside Sarah’s apartment. The door barely closed before they were kissing again. But Sarah pulled back after a moment.
“Are you okay? Your mom must have been freaked out about the storm.”
Lizzie nodded. “I finally got through to her this morning when the cell service came back. She was pretty panicked. Not about the storm itself, more that she couldn’t reach me. You know how moms are.”
Sarah looked at her and smiled, but it was that sort of forced smile that hide something more than it revealed. It occurred to her that Sarah had never really talked about her family.
“Jasper called her and calmed her down. They had a video chat while I was still on the island. He explained where we were and that we were safe.”
“That was nice of him.”
“Yeah. It was kind of cute, actually. She said they were laughing and talking like old times. I think maybe the old spark might be reigniting.” Lizzie smiled at the thought. “They were good together. I always hoped they’d figure it out.”
Sarah was quiet for a moment. “What about your dad? Does he know you’re okay?”
Lizzie’s smile faded. “My dad died when I was six. Car accident.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago.” Lizzie looked at Sarah. “What about your dad?”
“He died when I was young too.”
“I’m sorry. That must have been hard.”
Sarah nodded but didn’t elaborate. Lizzie wanted to ask more, wanted to understand this piece of Sarah’s past but before she could, Sarah kissed her.
“Let’s not talk about sad things.” Sarah’s hands found the hem of Lizzie’s shirt. “I have a better idea.”
“Oh?”
“We both smell like stress and generator fuel. We should shower.”
“Separately?”
Sarah smiled. “I was thinking together might save water.”
They barely made it to the bathroom. Sarah turned on the shower and they stripped quickly, leaving clothes in a pile on the floor. The water was hot, steam already filling the small space.
Sarah stepped in first and pulled Lizzie after her. The water hit them both and Lizzie gasped. It felt amazing after two days of feeling grimy and stressed.
Sarah poured shampoo into her hands and worked it through Lizzie’s hair. Her fingers massaged Lizzie’s scalp and Lizzie’s eyes closed.
“That feels incredible.”
“Good. That’s what I want.”
Sarah tilted Lizzie’s head back under the spray to rinse. Water ran down Lizzie’s face, her neck, between her breasts. Sarah watched with dark eyes.
“You’re beautiful.”
Before Lizzie could respond, Sarah was kissing her. The water ran between them as they pressed together. Skin on wet skin. Sarah’s hands slid down Lizzie’s back, over her hips, pulling her closer.
“I want you,” Sarah murmured against her mouth.
“Then have me.”
Sarah pushed Lizzie gently against the tile wall. The surface was cool against her back, contrasting with the hot water and Sarah’s warm hands. Sarah kissed down her neck, her collarbone, lower.
She dropped to her knees on the shower floor and looked up at Lizzie. Water cascaded over them both.
“Okay?”
“Very okay.”
Sarah lifted one of Lizzie’s legs over her shoulder and Lizzie braced herself against the wall. The first touch of Sarah’s tongue made her gasp. The water, the steam, Sarah’s mouth on her—it was overwhelming.
Sarah knew exactly what she was doing. She’d learned Lizzie’s body thoroughly over the past few days. What made her gasp, what made her grip Sarah’s hair, what made her say her name like a prayer.
Lizzie’s head fell back against the tile. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”
Sarah didn’t. She used her tongue and her fingers together, building Lizzie up steadily. The water ran down Lizzie’s body. Sarah’s hands gripped her thighs, holding her steady.
Sarah stayed with her through it, gentling as the waves passed.
Lizzie pulled Sarah up and kissed her deeply. “Your turn.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to.”
Lizzie pushed Sarah against the opposite wall and dropped to her knees. The shower floor was hard but she didn’t care. She wanted Sarah to feel exactly what she’d just felt.
She took her time. When Sarah came, her hand flew to the shower wall for balance and Lizzie had to grip her hips to keep her steady.
After, they stood under the spray holding each other. Just breathing. The water was starting to go lukewarm.
“We should actually wash before the hot water runs out,” Sarah said.
They did, quickly and efficiently. Sarah washed Lizzie’s back. Lizzie washed Sarah’s hair. Domestic and intimate and perfect.
When they finally climbed out, they dried off and collapsed on Sarah’s bed in their towels. Both exhausted. Both completely content.
“We both have the day off tomorrow,” Sarah said. “I checked the schedule.”
“Sneaky.”
“Strategic.” Sarah grinned. “I want to take you somewhere.”
“Where?”
“It’s a surprise. But you need to wear something cute.”
Lizzie curled into Sarah’s side. “Deal.”
They fell asleep like that. Still in towels. Still wrapped around each other. Still unable to believe this was real.
But it was. And for the first time in a long time, both felt exactly where they were supposed to be.