Page 24 of No Such Thing as Serendipity

I fell back onto my bed and spread my arms and legs like a starfish. I should get ready for dinner, but I needed a moment to decompress.

Today had been long. Not long, but heavy.

I still couldn’t believe it was already Friday.

We’d been here for almost a week. I’d heard people bonded at a retreat, but I’d never believe it if I hadn’t been experiencing it for myself.

This morning, the sharing circle had gotten intense when Helena broke down in tears, admitting how much she hated her own body.

She’d sobbed in Katlynn’s arms until she cried herself out.

By the time she’d gone limp, barely able to stand, we all hated her cheating girlfriend.

Thankfully, Robyn had been our facilitator, not the drill sergeant. She’d made sure Helena got back to her bedroom to rest. Katlynn refused to leave Helena’s side.

When the group resumed, emotions remained high. In my mind, I replayed the exchange I had with Annie during the group. After she shared how she felt when she lost her husband, she’d asked me if I’d ever lost anyone.

The question had taken me by surprise, so I blurted out, my mom. Before I could add Auntie Bess, Annie offered her condolences, and the conversation moved on. I suppose I could have mentioned my dad, too. Though I think he’s still alive. It was a different kind of loss, but a loss just the same.

Robyn had doubled back, asking me what I was about to say, but I feigned ignorance and told her I didn’t remember. Her expression told me she didn’t believe me, but she hadn’t pressed.

Later that day, the compliment circle had been worse.

We sat in a chair facing the others, who were positioned in a semicircle around us.

I’d countered with a joke, trying to worm my way out of it by claiming false advertisement.

Shouldn’t it be called a compliment semicircle?

I’d lost and been forced to sit there while people hurtled compliments at me.

I cringed at the thought, but it gave me the energy I needed to get my ass up and take a shower.

When I emerged from the bedroom, I discovered Emma had already wandered outside. A large tent graced the lawn, so all the retreat-goers could share a meal together. I’d gotten used to our intimate villa meals, so I wasn’t looking forward to it.

Like we wouldn’t all sit at the same table, anyway. Except Dana, who’d likely be treating the retreat as a nightclub and cruising the ladies. With Emma keeping me in her sights, Dana had moved on to easier prey. That didn’t mean she didn’t entice me every chance she got.

Since Emma wasn’t waiting for me, I slipped back into my bedroom. I hadn’t checked my email for a few days, but I should.

Holy shit. My inbox was overflowing. Three hundred eighty emails. I smiled as I scrolled. I guess I was in demand, after all. With so many to read, I’d be late for dinner, so I closed the app. I’d take care of them tonight.

As I was stashing my phone in my drawer, I heard rustling behind me and my bedroom door closed.

“So I’ve finally got you alone,” Dana said.

I turned. Day-um! Her tight blue jean shorts and skimpy tank top left little to the imagination.

“You like what you see?” she asked.

I swallowed hard. How did I answer a question like that?

Dana laughed. “What’s up with you, Blake? The woman I met a week ago would have been all over this like white on rice.” She ran her hands down the side of her body.

“Uh...well, Emma, everyone is waiting for us.”

“You.” A sour expression crossed her face. “They’re waiting for you. I don’t think they know I exist.”

I refrained from saying it was no wonder since she disappeared so often. If not for Emma, would I have been the same? Probably.

“I know you exist,” I said, trying to earn a few points back.

“Do you now?” Dana moved toward me. “I was starting to wonder. It’s been almost a week, and I’ve still not gotten a taste of you.”

So many lines rushed through my mind, but they all seemed cheesy. Jesus, I’d used most in the past and never thought of them as cheesy, so I blurted one out. “Careful, I’ve got more desire packed in this body than you’re prepared for.”

Cringe. It even sounded creepy to my ears.

It must not have to Dana because she closed the gap between us and ran her finger across my lips.

That should have caused me to shudder. Instead, I stepped back and bumped into the bed. Losing my balance, I toppled onto it.

“Well, shit,” Dana said. “You move quick.” She started to lower her body on top of mine.

I rolled away just as she fell forward, so she landed with an oomph onto her face.

“What the hell are you doing?” She rolled over and glared at me.

I scrambled to my feet. This situation was deteriorating, and I needed a save. “Uh, sorry, but I know Emma will come looking for me soon. I don’t know about you, but I don’t care to have my sister walk in on me in the throes of passion.”

My words must have connected because Dana laughed, and the deep line in her forehead disappeared. “Ya got me there. Just thinking of my sister witnessing something like that dries out my pussy.”

I nodded like a bobblehead, hoping to save my reputation.

“What do you have planned after dinner?” she asked.

Back on firmer ground and with my bearings restored, I shrugged. “It depends on whether Em sticks to me like glue.”

“I know you love your sister, but she’s being a buzzkill.” Dana rubbed her hand between her own legs. “I’m getting clam jammed.”

She must have seen my eyes widen because she added, “Never heard that term?”

I shook my head.

“Then you’ve never been properly edged.” Before I realized what she was doing, she ran her hand between my legs. “When I get my tongue on this, I’ll have you screaming to come, but I’ll take my time since you’ve made me wait.”

Without another word, she turned and exited my room.

I stared after her. Was that supposed to make me hot? Would it have back in New York? Probably, but now I was far from turned on. God, was that how I’d behaved in the past?

“Blake?” I heard Emma calling.

“Yeah,” I responded.

“Are you coming?”

No. I smiled at my juvenile joke. “Be right there.”

I walked with Emma across the lawn toward the festivities.

“You’re quiet,” Emma said.

“It was an intense day.” It had been, so I wasn’t lying, but I had no intention of telling Emma about Dana.

When we arrived at the table, all our housemates were there except for Dana, who I spotted sitting across the lawn with Noelle. The tension in my shoulders relaxed. I wanted a quiet evening with the others, and Dana’s absence made it more likely I would.

“I think my card is nearly maxed out,” Helena said to the others as we sat down. “Maybe I can get a cash advance.”

“I don’t think it works that way,” Annie said.

“What did we miss?” Emma asked.

Annie motioned toward Helena. “Helena’s trying to figure out how to pay for the two-week extension.” Annie turned to me. “You’re in finance. If her card is maxed out, she can’t take a cash advance, can she?”

I hoped my face didn’t register the thoughts rushing through my mind. As calmly as I could muster, I said, “Simple answer—no. Longer answer is nobody should ever take a cash advance since the interest rates are exorbitant. And maxing out your cards is risky, too.”

Helena sighed. “I know. I was just hoping to stick around with everyone.”

“You know I have a trust,” Katlynn said. “I could float you the money, but I’ll have to talk to my financial adviser since my portfolio took an enormous hit last year. I can—”

“What?” I couldn’t help but interrupt her. “Your portfolio was down?”

Katlynn nodded. “It’s the second year in a row. I’ve lost a substantial amount.”

“Whoa.” I held up my hand. “Back up. What are you invested in?”

Katlynn shrugged. “I get a quarterly report. The last two years have been brutal.”

“Are you aware the S&P 500 was up over twenty percent the last two years?”

Katlynn stared at me with a blank expression.

“How well do you know this planner?”

“My dad used him for over twenty years. And after my dad died, I’ve been using him the last six.” Katlynn’s brow furrowed. “Well, not him. Nathan, that’s my broker’s name, took over the business from his dad two years ago.”

“So you don’t know what you’re invested in?”

Katlynn glanced down at her hands and picked at her fingernail. “Not really.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not all that uncommon.”

“Blake,” Emma said. “You’re making her uncomfortable.”

“Uh, sorry.”

“No!” Katlynn looked up and met my eyes. “I mean...uh...would you be willing to look at my statements?” She waved her hand. “Never mind. You’re here to relax not give financial advice.”

I glanced at Emma, who gave me a subtle nod. “I’d be happy to. Either your investor is terrible at his job, or you’re being scammed. Either way, you need to protect your money.”

“Yeah. At this rate, I won’t have anything left. Maybe after dinner, I can pull it up on my laptop.”

“Absolutely.” I turned to Helena. “If you want, I could talk with Vera. See if she’d agree to a payment plan, so you can stay on.” Or I’d cover the cost and pretend Vera did it, but I wouldn’t say that.

“You’d do that?” Helena’s face dropped. “Or maybe I should talk to her.”

“I don’t mind. Besides, I’ll try to negotiate a no- or low-interest rate. You staying on is nearly all profit since it’s not like she’ll rent your room if you go.”

Soon the rest of the table was asking me financial questions. I glanced at Emma several times fearing she’d be annoyed, but she had a smile on her face the entire time.