Page 26 of Vitamin Sea

They sat there for a beat with their paddleboards following the motion of the ocean.

“And besides,” Jack continued, “look at it this way—if all that hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t have met and I wouldn’t have been there to save you from drowning.”

Chloe smiled back. “Silver linings.”

They held eye contact for a bit until Chloe looked away. She suddenly felt shy.

“Should we head back to the boat?” Jack asked, not wanting her to feel awkward.

“Yeah, let’s,” she said. “I think I’m ready for a cocktail.”

She had forgone any Tylenol that morning despite the lingering pain. Whether it was the spa day, the great dinner, or just the effects of being almost two days out from the incident, she had woken up feeling much better this morning.

Daniel and Lala were still out snorkeling as she and Jack paddled back to the boat.

“How was the water?” Carlos asked as he grabbed their gear and pulled it back onto the catamaran.

“Gorgeous!” Chloe remarked. “We saw a turtle!”

“Lots of tortugas in this area,” Carlos replied and asked if they had seen any fish.

“No,” Jack replied. “I think we were too distracted talking to each other.”

Carlos grinned.

“Are you ready for some drinks?” he asked.

“Definitely!” Chloe replied.

In the cabin Jack grabbed a beer while one of the crew members made Chloe an Aperol spritz. They were just tucking into some of the snacks that the chef had laid out when they heard Daniel and Lala laughing.

The sopping wet duo appeared in the cabin moments later, towels wrapped around their waists and dripping with water.

“You should have seen the fish!” Lala exclaimed. “They were so pretty! We even saw a puffer fish!”

“Ah, I’m so jealous,” Chloe said, feeling genuine envy despite having no regrets about her choice to opt out of snorkeling. “Did you see the turtle?”

“Yeah, he swam right past us,” Daniel chimed in. “Cute little guy.”

They took a seat in the cabin and drinks from Carlos, after which the four of them clinked their cocktails together and toasted to adventure and new beginnings.

Chloe liked that. It sounded promising.

The afternoon was spent chilling on the front of the catamaran, having drinks, sightseeing, and talking.

Lala took photos and video for Chloe who had remembered that morning that she was in Costa Rica for work and needed photo and video content for Instagram.

Unable to document her trip without a phone, she had asked Lala to step in as her official photographer.

By the time the catamaran started its journey back to their resort, Chloe was feeling content. More than content, if she admitted it to herself—she was feeling exhilarated.

This is what life should be, she thought.

This was what life had been before the breakup.

Despite feeling like Liam had done irreparable damage to her, several months later she was happy to find that she was able to enjoy life.

It was an easy promise that people had made to her during her spiral into depression, but it wasn’t something that, at the time, she could either comprehend or believe.

They four of them parted in the lobby of Costa Morpho that evening with hugs all around.

For Chloe, it also ended with a promise from Jack to spend the next day at her resort.

There were things she still needed to see and experience in order to write up a proper review and Jack, ever the gentleman, offered to join her.

Even after she reminded him that he may be subjected to some sights he didn’t want to see.

“Naked yoga,” Chloe had warned, “is not for the weak of heart.”

He had pondered that for a second.

“That doesn’t seem too bad,” he said reasonably, before his face changed to mock alarm. “Oh wait, I didn’t take into account the downward dog. On second thought,” he said dryly, “maybe naked yoga isn’t for me.”

Chloe giggled.

“There’s always naked water volleyball or naked aerobics,” she suggested helpfully.

“I’ll take either one over naked yoga. But, if you have to suffer through it, I’ll happily suffer through it too.”

In their room later, Chloe asked Lala if she was going to join them. She happily declined, knowing that Jack would be coming to spend the day at Costa Morpho.

“I mean, if you had to do it all alone, I would come with you, but since Jack’s joining, I think I might go spend the day doing . . . something else . . .,” she trailed off.

Chloe had a bit of an idea as to what that something else might be.

“Would that something else maybe be named Daniel?” she asked innocently.

Lala let out a laugh.

“Guilty as charged. He invited me to come over to their resort when he found out Jack was coming to ours. Bit of a partner swap. It actually seems pretty fitting really, given where we’re staying.”

“La, our resort is for naturists, not swingers,” Chloe snorted. “Big difference.”

“Minor details.” Lala waved her hand. “All I know is that Daniel is shredded like a bag of lettuce, and I have a sudden craving for a salad.”

Chloe burst out laughing. Lala wasn’t exaggerating. She had gotten a good look at Daniel when he had come in, shirtless, from snorkeling. The phrase ‘sculpted like a statue’ came to mind.

“Just promise me you won’t elope,” Chloe teased. “He did just get divorced.”

“Please,” her friend brushed off Chloe’s comment. “I’m impulsive, Chlo, not insane.”

“I seem to recall someone wanting to marry the bartender after one sip of his drink,” Chloe said thinking back to the other morning.

“I was dehydrated,” Lala said slyly. “Speaking of—Daniel is a walking thirst trap.” She fanned herself with her hand.

Chloe laughed.

“You are impossible.”

Lala winked. “And you love me for it.” She stood up and headed for her bedroom. “Night, Chlo!”