Page 23 of Vitamin Sea

" A re you okay!?”

The sound of Lala’s panicked voice jolted Chloe out of her slumber.

“Mmm?” she responded sleepily, her eyes still closed. It felt like she had just had the best sleep of her life. She was still wearing the fluffy robe and, from the Dracula sleep position she was in, it appeared that she hadn’t moved a muscle all night.

She stretched out her legs and winced in pain.

Well, that would certainly explain why she had stayed stationary all night—her muscles hurt like hell.

And it wasn’t the good kind of pain. Like the kind you feel the day after going to an intense exercise class.

It was a ‘what happened to my body, how is it that even my pinky hurts’ kind of suffering.

She chided herself.

Yes, she was banged and bruised, but upon further reflection, it was a good pain. Because pain meant she was alive. When she thought back to her harrowing experience yesterday, she knew that things could have gone much differently.

The bed beside her depressed suddenly and she was aware that Lala was sitting next to her.

“Chloe,” Lala whispered, putting her arms around her friend. “Jack called and filled me in on everything. I can’t believe I almost lost you! You are so lucky that he saved your life. Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

“Mmm,” Chloe, her eyes still closed, mumbled again. “I’m okay. Everything hurts, but I’m okay,” she said sleepily. “I have some cuts and bruises, but the doctor said otherwise I’ll be fine.”

“Thank GOD!” her friend exclaimed. “And to think—you were on the verge of death while I was passed out after too many cocktails. That’s terrible. I’m terrible.”

Chloe opened her mouth to respond, and Lala cut her off.

“Actually, you’re terrible,” she said in an accusatory tone.

“If you had joined me on my quest to drink all the cocktails you wouldn’t have gone out on the rocks.

You would have been passed out in bed next to me,” she said practically before switching gears.

“I hope you know you’re not leaving my sight the rest of this trip,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Thanks, La,” Chloe said, finally opening her eyes to find her best friend staring at her.

“How are you feeling?” Lala asked her again.

“I’m feeling like I need a bath and breakfast, stat.”

“Say no more!” Lala jumped off the bed and ran into Chloe’s bathroom. The muffled sound of running water filled the room and seconds later so did the scent of lavender.

“Lavender bubble bath coming right up.” Lala appeared in the doorway. “You get in the bath, and I’ll order room service,” she commanded. “Can I offer you some in-room drip-coffee to start?”

“Please! Thank you!” Chloe said gratefully.

Lala swept out of the room and Chloe gingerly stretched out.

She wasn’t sure if it was the scent of the lavender bubble bath that had her feeling so relaxed or the apparent eighteen hours she had spent sleeping.

She listened to the sound of the running water for a few minutes and then slipped out of bed to go check on it.

A mound of frothy white bubbles was almost flowing over the top of the porcelain tub.

She turned off the tap, pulled off her robe and gently stepped in.

An involuntary groan of pleasure escaped her as she sank down into the warm water and pain shot through her as the water reached the cuts on her skin.

Steam rose around her and the fizzing sound of dissolving bubbles broke the silence.

She kept her eyes closed as she sank farther into the water and her thoughts went back to the day before.

It seemed so long ago and almost like it had been a dream—the water, the waves, Dr. Vargas, Jack.

She was so grateful to Jack. It wasn’t every day that you were rescued from certain death. Rarer still was it to be rescued by a man who looked like he had just stepped out of the pages of GQ.

She winced as she adjusted her limbs in the water.

It felt like her body had been tossed around in a washing machine yesterday and now she was reaping the consequences of it today.

Which, when she thought about it, was kind of accurate.

The ocean swept away debris, churned water, and kept sand clean.

It was nature’s washing machine but, unlike the one at home, it didn’t come with a safety setting.

Powering through the aches and stings, she washed her hair and gently scrubbed her skin, being careful of the cuts and mindful of her bruises. Consequently, when she emerged from the tub she felt like a new person. It was amazing what a hot bath and some soap could do for you.

“Chlo!” She heard Lala yell from the living room. “Breakfast is ready!”

“Thank you!” she answered back. “Give me a few minutes.”

“Take your time,” Lala called. “And let me know if you want me to bring it to you in bed.”

She grabbed the other bathrobe from the back of the door and wrapped her hair up in a towel.

Glancing in the mirror for the first time since the previous afternoon, Chloe was surprised to see that nothing appeared to be amiss.

Despite the bruises and scrapes, there was nothing different about her face.

It was weird how you could go through something so harrowing, but it didn’t leave any outward signs.

(Well, cuts and bruises aside.) Inside, something felt different, and it seemed to her that there should be something transformational about it on the outside too.

Looking at her, no one who met her would have any idea that the day before she had almost died.

She glanced at her nightstand where the coffee Lala had brewed for her sat—lukewarm by now, she imagined—and went to join her friend.

The round dining table had a heavenly looking spread sitting on top of it and the smell caused Chloe’s stomach to growl. She realized she hadn’t eaten since the previous morning. Lala was already digging into an omelette with a side of bacon.

“Coffee?” Lala asked as she picked up the silver coffee craft from room service. “Not drip coffee. This is the good stuff.”

“Yes, please.” Chloe took a seat as Lala poured her a cup.

“Oh god, this smells amazing,” Chloe moaned as she took the proffered mug.

In addition to the eggs and bacon she had ordered for herself, the table was laden with French toast, hashbrowns, sausages, fried mushrooms, pastries, and fruit.

“This looks so good, La. Thanks for ordering.”

“Please,” Lala said through a bite of bacon.

“It’s the least I can do. I woke up around 6 p.m. last night with a raging headache and saw a text from an unknown number.

I thought it was a scammer, but when I read it, I nearly dropped my phone.

I called Jack immediately and he told me everything.

You are so lucky he saved you. I checked on you throughout the night, but you were snoring like a grizzly.

Seriously, Chlo—did the doctor give you sleeping pills?

I have never heard anyone snore like that before. ”

“No. No sleeping pills,” Chloe said as she cut a piece of French toast. “I think it was from all the adrenaline. I honestly thought I was going to die,” she said seriously.

Her memory of the incident had come flooding back to her last night.

“My life literally flashed before my eyes. My last thought was how distraught you and my mom and dad were going to be and how stupid it was of me to go out on those rocks.” She shook her head at the thought.

“Ugh, I can’t even imagine.” Her friend looked upset. “That must have been terrifying. I am so glad Jack saved you. We should send him a thank-you card or something. If it wasn’t for him, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

“That’s a good idea.” Chloe popped the syrup-coated French toast into her mouth.

Lala looked hesitant for a moment.

Chloe, still chewing, raised one brow in question.

“Not to change the subject or anything, I know you almost died. But—,” she hesitated, “what’s Jack look like? He sounded hot on the phone.”

Chloe choked on her French toast and started coughing.

“Sorry! Don’t choke and die on me now!” Lala said in a panic.

Chloe let out a few more coughs and cleared her throat with a drink of coffee.

“Don’t make me laugh!” Chloe squealed. “But since you asked, not only does he sound hot, he is hot. Like, incredibly hot.”

“Yesssss!” Lala raised her fist triumphantly before stabbing a piece of her omelette and popping it into her mouth.

“He’s here on vacation with his friend who just went through a divorce,” Chloe continued. “He said he would email me to check in and see how I am today. I lost my phone in the ocean,” she added with a grimace.

“I’ve already given him a full report,” Lala confessed. “He asked me to let him know how you were when you woke up this morning. He’s very concerned about you. He seems like a good guy.”

Chloe was pleased to hear that Jack had asked about her and that Lala, even though she had never met him, seemed to approve.

“I think so too,” Chloe agreed. “He waited while the doctor took care of me, and he brought me back to the resort. We talked a bit when the doctor was out of the room, and I really enjoyed his company. I like him,” she added as if it wasn’t already obvious to her friend.

“I love this,” Lala declared. “You go to a nude resort for work, nearly drown, and get rescued by a hottie. Did he give you mouth-to-mouth? Is he going to be your hot vacation fling?”

Lala might be getting just a little ahead of herself, Chloe thought, but she did appreciate her friend’s enthusiasm.

“No mouth-to-mouth,” she snorted. “And I don’t know about a vacation fling, but I hope I see him again. Did he tell you he lives in Toronto?”

“No way—what are the odds?”

Chloe smiled.

“I know. I don’t know much about him, but I’d like to see him again.”