“Two weeks. We'll be there for six days.” She looked at me as if I might complain. My roommate would be able to handle my one little sad plant for six days.
“Consider me already packed,” I told her with a grin.
“Just about.” Kathryn nodded to the changing room. Right then Raoul returned with a clothing rack full of swimsuits ranging from skimpy bikinis to full pieces my grandmother would be comfortable in.
I took a deep breath and prepared for another round of clothing with Raoul. I wasn't terribly excited about trying on swimsuits, in fact it was something I usually dreaded, but I knew that at the end of it, I would be going to the Caribbean.
I would happily try on swimsuits for that.
Chapter 9
I stared out the glass doors of my room in awe. Outside the ocean sparkled in blue jewel tones against pristine white sand, rolling and dancing together like lovers. Even through the glass, I could hear the song of the sea, calling me like a siren's song. The bright blue sky stretched out into infinity. It was possibly the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life.
I looked down at the schedule in my hand. I was going to get some good time in with that perfect turquoise water. The schedule looked more like a vacation than a conference. There was barely a meeting a day and never for more than a couple of hours. Most of the items on the schedule were for fun events like wine tastings and dancing. Alexa and Calvin could suck it in Texas while I vacationed with Kathryn in the Caribbean. I sent Alexa a silent thank you for taking my spot. She was going on thankless coffee runs while I sunbathed.
It wasn't just the vacation that was making me happy. It was my job. In just two weeks, I had done more with Kathryn than I had ever done with Calvin. Kathryn trusted me and appreciated my ideas and experience. Even though I wasn't a lawyer, she listened to me like I was. For the first time in months, I was appreciated and being used to my full potential.
The only thing that could have made the last two weeks better was if Aiden had come back. I kept my eyes open for him, but I hadn't seen him in the office since that night. When I'd asked around, no one knew who Aiden the Assistant belonged to or where I could find him. If I hadn't kept the note from dinner, I would have thought I had dreamed him up.
A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. It came from the adjoining door to Kathryn’s suite. If I thought my room was luxurious with the ocean view and king sized bed, Kathryn's made it clear that my room was meant for the hired help. She had a huge living room and a giant bedroom that dwarfed even my apartment at home. I had only heard of luxury like this.
“Lena, I'm going to go meet some of the other lawyers for drinks,” she informed me. She was wearing a low cut sundress that showed off just how fit she had stayed through the years. Her hair was down and she almost looked relaxed. It was a far departure from the perfect lawyer I had worked with for the past two weeks, but I liked it. “The evening is all yours. I'll see you tomorrow for the first official meeting.”
“I'll make sure everything is ready, Ms. McDonald. Have a wonderful evening.” I grinned at her.
“We're not in front of clients here. We'll be with colleagues pretty much this whole trip, so you can just call me Kathryn. Especially in private,” Kathryn told me with a warm smile. “This is the closest I get to a vacation, so I won't have you ruining it by making me feel like I'm working.”
“Okay, Ms... Kathryn.” It felt strange to call her that, but I liked it. It felt like we were friends. “I'll make sure you're out of bed by noon tomorrow for the meeting.”
Kathryn grinned. She had the enthusiasm of a college freshman going to her first frat party wrapped around her like clothing. I had a feeling it might be harder than I was expecting to get her up in time. “I knew it was a good idea to bring you.”
Kathryn giggled and hurried out the door. I went back to my own room and looked out the window again. The ocean was calling me. I was going swimming.
***
The water was even better than the pictures made it out to be. It was calm and clear, like looking into an aquarium. I stepped timidly out into the water and was presently surprised to find it warm. It was like bathwater. The water wasn't cold like Lake Michigan or sandy like the beach in Florida. It was exactly what I imagined a beach looked like in heaven.
I waded out to my hips before I stopped. I was slightly hesitant to get my brand new swimsuit wet. It was a deep burgundy halter top that fit like a glove with a bottom that looked like a very short skirt. I had been hesitant about wearing a bikini until Raoul put me in this one. The suit hid every flaw while still making it look like I was wearing something sexy. I never would have paid the three-hundred dollars for it myself, but it certainly seemed worth the price now that I was wearing it.
A fish darted past my leg and I giggled. I spun to watch it flit toward the shore, looking up to see a man standing on the beach watching me. He was tall with broad shoulders, wearing dark blue swim trunks and a megawatt smile. My breath caught. It couldn't possibly be, but it was. It was Aiden the Assistant. He waved and my heart went into overdrive.
With my back to the ocean, I didn't see the wave coming. It shoved me forward and knocked my knees out from under me. I felt like an idiot, knowing that Aiden was there, watching me fumble through the water like a drowned cat. That was not the impression I had been going for.
“You okay, Lena?”
He was suddenly there, holding my elbow and helping stand. I wasn't sure if I was happy or mortified. I loved the way his hand held onto me, and the fact that he remembered my name made me stumble again without the need of a wave.
“You remembered my name,” I said, determined to keep my feet underneath me this time.
“How could I forget it, Lena the Lawyer.” He hadn't let go of my arm yet and I hoped that he never did.
“Thank you, Aiden,” I whispered. I wasn't sure if I meant for helping me out of the ocean or for sending me dinner. Or both.
“Apparently, I'm memorable too,” he responded, grinning at his name.
“Very,” I told him. I knew I was blushing as deep a red as my swimsuit. “Actually, I never got a chance to thank you for dinner. I really appreciated it.”
He guided me out of the water and up onto the beach. As soon as the water no longer threatened to knock either of us over, he let me go. He turned looked me up and down with his eyes, inspecting me for damage. Having his gaze on me made my heart pound and I suddenly felt light headed.
“It was my pleasure. You sure you're all right?” he asked, taking in my wobbly, now light-headed wobbly stance.