On my way to the restaurant, a loud sound to my left gets my attention. I turn to see a man standing in front of a couple waving his hands as he talks. The male in the couple looks pissed, based on his tense expression and red cheeks. The woman seems nervous as her eyes shift between the two men. Then the husband, I assume, grabs the worker’s shirt collar. I hurry over to hopefully avoid an altercation.
“Everything okay?” I ask as all three people look at me.
The husband loosens his grip, and the worker takes the opportunity to literally run away. We watch him in shock as he disappears into the heavily landscaped courtyard.
“Uh…sorry?”
The man shakes his head. “I’m glad you interrupted, actually, before I got arrested for assault.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I swear nothing,” the woman answers, looking at her partner. “He’s just a flirt.”
“He can’t flirt with other men’s wives. I’m going to file a complaint.”
“Can’t we just let it go and enjoy our vacation?”
The man’s face softens. “Sure, but if I see him talk to you again…” The threat hangs in the air. The man nods at me. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
I continue on my journey to the restaurant, nearly jumping out of my skin when I feel something around my ankle. “Fuck!”
“Shh…it’s me.”
I look down to see the worker hiding behind a bush.
“Is he gone?”
“Yeah, they went the other way.”
He stands, brushing leaves off his shirt. “Dude. You came in clutch. Mad props, yo.”
I tilt my head. “Um, you’re welcome?”
“All I said was she had a pretty smile. I wasn’t even trying to get her. He came out of nowhere, accusing me of flirting with her.”
I glance at his name tag. Oscar. “He said he was gonna complain.”
Oscar cringes. “Shit. I better head this one off. I was about to tell him I’m gay, hoping that would save me.”
“That might’ve helped.”
He grins, dragging his hand through sandy-brown waves. “Yeah, but it’s a lie.” He winks. “Thanks for saving my ass. If you need anything at all, lemme know.”
He bolts like a sprinter toward the lobby, leaving me chuckling. Colorful.
After a decent lunch,I decide to skip the pool and head back to my room. Kicking back on the patio with a good book sounds like a better idea. It’s slowly sinking in that I’m officially single. No more Kyle. I don’t have to listen to him brag about his job and bank account, shooting me pitying looks and encouraging me to get arealjob. I no longer have to tolerate the skeptical looks from his mother whenever we‘re forced to eat with her. Idon’t have to spend hours wondering what’s so interesting on his phone that he can’t even acknowledge my presence. It’s the end of picky eating, never agreeing on what to watch, and feeling constantly inadequate.
I’m starting to wonder why I stayed so long. Was I that blinded by his looks and charisma? Apparently, yes. No one in my circle liked him. Damn. I feel like a fool. I shake those thoughts away. What’s done is done. My future is wide open now, and I can do with it what I want without Kyle’s critical semi-support.
It’s looking like this vacation was a better idea than I thought.
Chapter Four
TIGO
Back at the bar, I hustle drinks for the afternoon crowd, but my thoughts linger on the handsome guy I left a few hours ago. I invited him to dinner purely out of friendliness, given how shit his day went, partly thanks to me, but the longer I looked at him, the more that interest shifted from platonic to potential for more.