Page 77 of Storm Warning
He stirred, shifting beneath her. “As much as I’d love to stay here like this forever, we should probably get dressed,” his regret apparent. “It’s getting late, and we should head back to the resort.”
Kate sighed, knowing he was right. She extricated herself from his embrace, sitting up and reaching for her discarded clothes. As she slipped her dress back on, loss crept in, as if she were leaving behind a piece of herself on the yacht.
Nick seemed to sense her melancholy; he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. “Hey,” he whispered in her ear. “This isn’t the end, Kate. It’s just the beginning. We have all the time in the world to explore this, to explore us.”
She leaned back into his embrace, taking comfort in his words. He was right. This wasn’t the end, but the start of something beautiful, something real. They would face whatever challenges came their way together.
As they made their way back, hand in hand, Kate couldn’t shake the sensation of unease that settled over her. Despite her best efforts to push them aside, the doubts and insecurities of her past lingered, casting a shadow over her newfound happiness.
She glanced up at Nick, his profile silhouetted againstthe moonlit sky, and realized she had a choice to make. She could either allow her fears to dictate her future, to consume her and drive a wedge between her and the man she could come to love, or she could choose to face them head-on, to acknowledge their existence and then let them go, embracing the future that Nick offered her with an open heart.
As they stepped back onto the dock, Kate took a deep breath, steeling herself for the journey ahead. She knew what she had to do. She had to confront the lie she had been telling herself for so long—the lie that she was somehow less than, that she would never find someone to accept and cherish her for who she was.
She needed to overcome her past, to forgive her perceived failings, and to allow herself to embrace what Nick offered her without reservation. Only then would she be free to build a future with him, to create a life filled with love, laughter, and genuine happiness. He offered that love; he might not have said the words, but it was there in everything he had done that night. They just needed time together for it to solidify.
With renewed determination, Kate squared her shoulders, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. She would not let her fear dictate her future. She would not let the ghosts of her past haunt her present. She would fight for her happiness, for her love, for her future with Nick. And she would do it with every fiber of her being.
As they walked hand in hand back to the mansion, the moon casting a silver path before them, Kate stood on the precipice of a new chapter in her life. A chapter filled with love, acceptance, and the promise of a brighter future, if she was willing to step forward and take it.
Chapter 41
Still Waters
Kate steppedinto the Still Waters Spa, and the scent of eucalyptus and lavender enveloped her. The dim lighting and soft instrumental music immediately worked their magic on her frayed nerves, soothing her soul. She needed this—time to relax and unwind, to let her body and mind recover from the emotional roller coaster she’d been on.
She approached the reception desk, where a smiling attendant greeted her.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Danvers. We’ve been expecting you. Callie booked the signature four-hour mini-day package for you.”
She blinked. “Callie did what?”
The attendant smiled broader. “She said you needed to relax and rejuvenate, so she upgraded your appointment. Your first treatment is a 90-minute deep tissue massage with our top therapist, Elena. Then you’ll have a calming facial, some time in our sauna, and lastly an invigorating body scrub.”
A lump formed in Kate's throat at her friend’s thoughtfulness. “That sounds fabulous. Thank you. Callie is the best.”
The attendant chuckled. “I would have to agree. Now, all our treatments include aromatherapy, so since your friend mentioned relaxing and rejuvenating, may I suggest a tract for that? Start with a calming blend of lavender and chamomile for your massage and facial, move to frankincense and ylang-ylang for the sauna, and finish with eucalyptus during your scrub. How does that sound?” The attendant looked at Kate warmly, waiting for her input.
Kate grinned. “Amazing. Lead the way!”
When she exited the dressing room, wrapped in a snuggly spa robe, the attendant led her to her treatment room.
The tension in her shoulders lightened as soon as she lay down on the warm, comfortable table, lavender and chamomile perfuming the air. Elena’s skilled hands worked out the kinks and knots in her muscles, and Kate drifted into a state of deep relaxation.
The facial that followed soothed her even more. The cool cucumber slices placed over her eyes blocked out the world and its worries. She barely stirred as the esthetician applied various creams and serums to her skin, her mind blissfully quiet for the first time in ages.
More at peace than she had been in weeks, Kate made her way to the sauna. The heat enveloped her like a warm embrace, and she settled onto the wooden bench, closing her eyes and allowing the steam to work its magic.
However, as the minutes ticked by, the heat became oppressive rather than soothing, hotter than it should have been. Kate’s heart began thumping, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She tried to stand up, but her legs wobbled like jelly.
Is it getting hotter?
She stumbled to the door and checked the thermometer there: over two hundred, in the red zone.
She pushed against the door with all her might, but it refused to budge. She was trapped. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and her vision swam. She hammered on the door, crying out for help, but her voice sounded weak and distant to her own ears.
Kate cast a desperate gaze around the room for any sign of escape. Of course, there was no other way out. The walls closed in; the air grew thin and suffocating. Desperation turned to determination, and she mustered every ounce of strength left within her and pounded on the door as noisily as possible.
As her vision blackened, the door swung open, and she almost fell into the arms of a concerned-looking woman, her eyes wide with alarm. “Ms. Danvers? Are you alright?” She grabbed Kate’s arm when she swayed, helping balance her.