Maybe It's Fate

I booked the vacation without too much thought. I just needed to get away. I wanted to feel the sun on my skin and the sand in-between my toes. I wanted waves and fruity drinks with little umbrellas. The deal did seem a little too good to be true, but I didn’t care. As long as there was sun, sand and surf, I was good to go. 

“Hello, I’m Vada Green. I’m here to check in.” I said to the clerk at the counter with a smile. The hotel was not a grand resort by any means, but it had an island vibe that I really liked. The bald clerk's Hawaiian shirt was a little over the top, but I figured he thought the tourists liked it.

“Miss Green, of course. You’ll be in room 143.” The clerk handed me my key.

“Thank you.” I said.

I got into the elevator and rode to the second floor. There, I found my room at the end of the hall. I stuck the key in the door and found a naked, godlike man covered only by a very, tiny towel.

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry! There must’ve been a mistake with the rooms.” I quickly shut the door and made my way back to the front desk.

“Excuse me, but there must’ve been a mistake. There is already someone occupying my room.” I told the clerk.

“There’s been no mistake. The package you purchased was for a shared room.” He informed me.

“Oh hell no.” I said. My patience was running thin.

“I’m afraid we are fully booked, Miss Green.” His tone was dismissive.

I decided not to cause a scene. This was my vacation, I was here to relax. I refused to stress. So, without another word I huffed back to room 143. I entered more cautiously this time, but found my roommate to be fully dressed and waiting for me.

“Didn’t read the fine print, did ya?” He asked me with a smile that made my heart flutter. He was so damn fine. 

“Apparently not.” I sighed.

“I’m Ehren Mason.” He said.

“Vada Green.” I replied.

“So this is awkward.” Ehren ran a hand through his shaggy, black hair. 

“Yeah, just a little.” I laughed and he laughed, too. 

“Well, I don’t plan on spending much time in this room, so, other than the occasional shower, I’ll try not to bother you too much.” 

“It’s fine, I have the same plan. I’m here to lay on the beach, not in this room.” I agreed. 

“In that case, let’s have a drink together. There’s a raunchy looking bar down by the pool.” Ehren suggested.

“That sounds great. I’m just going to have a quick shower and change my clothes.” 

“Sounds good, I’ll meet you down there.” Ehren left, seemingly to give me my privacy. Not only was he incredible to look at, but he was also polite. It had to be too good to be true. I showered and changed into my bikini. I put a sheer, black sun dress on. Then I brushed my teeth. I tied my long copper-colored hair into a knot on top of my head and the whole time all I thought about was Ehren. His olive skin and mossy green eyes, his beautiful, fit body; his smile. 

“Don’t be stupid. A vacation fling is so not what you need right now.” I said to my own reflection in the mirror. 

I slathered sun screen on my pale skin and made my way to the bar. Ehren was sitting on a stool. He waved and smiled when he saw me.

“Hey.” I said, taking the seat next to him.

“Hey, Roomie!” He exclaimed. 

“What’s that?” I asked pointing at the drink in his hand.

“It’s Rum Punch. Tastes like red.” He laughed.

“Sounds perfect.” 

I ordered myself one and found that he was absolutely correct. It did taste like red, a little like cough syrup, but, it was strong and that’s what I needed. 

“Let’s do a shot!” Ehren suggested.

“Sure!” I agreed.

We did a few shots of tequila and pretty soon we were both buzzing good. We ordered some food and ate and did more shots. At sunset we found ourselves lying side-by-side in the sand staring at the sky. It was on fire with colors. 

“This is beautiful.” I said.

“Yeah. You never see the sky like this in the city.” He said.

“Nope, sure don’t.” I agreed. 

“So, why are you here?” He asked, pointedly.

“I just needed to get away from the grind, ya know?" I answered.

“Really?” He rolled onto his elbow and looked at me. He was very close and a chill ran through my body. 

“Are you cold?” He asked with concern.

“No, you’re just very-” I paused, debating whether or not I should say what I was about to say, “close.” 

He smiled and I shivered again.

“Would you like me to move?” He asked.

I blushed deeply.

“No.” I squeaked, his eyes were mesmerizing. I found myself wishing he would kiss me. It was stupid, I was hardly some lovestruck high school girl, yet here I was behaving like one. I knew nothing about this man. He could be a serial killer or a human trafficker. I stood suddenly and started to walk away.

“Hey!” He called after me, but I didn’t stop or turn around. I made my way back to the bar and ordered another drink and some dinner. 

It wasn’t long before Ehren showed up and sat down at my table without an invitation.

“What was that about?” He asked with a scowl.

“I’m sorry for being rude, but I have to be honest, I’m not here for some fling.” I said.

“And you think I am?” He asked me.

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything about you.” I answered, coldly.

“I was kind of hoping you wanted to get to know me, like I want to get to know you.”

“And what’s the point in that? We’ll be here for a few days and then we’ll both go back to our lives.” I shoved a big bite of food in my mouth.

“Or maybe we fall in love and our lives will be forever changed? Maybe we get married and have kids and live happily ever after? Maybe fate had a hand in bringing us both here in this way, and one day we will tell our grandkids how we met on a cheap, vacation scam?” 

“This is real life, not a rom-com.” I said while rolling my eyes.

“Art imitates life.” He returned with a smile.

I couldn’t help but smile back. He was being incredibly romantic and I didn’t hate it. He had great banter, a delicious body and incredible eyes. 

“I don’t see how I can argue with that.” I conceded.

I decided that the stupidest thing I could do was ignore the chance to spend time with this seemingly perfect man. What if this vacation really did change my life forever? What if Ehren was the man I was supposed to be with? 

We spent that first night in our room. We talked and talked and learned a lot about each other. It turned out Ehren was somewhat of a vagabond. He didn’t have a steady job and only worked when he had to. It was the complete opposite of me. I had almost always done what my parents told me to do. I was valedictorian and my class president. I was an attorney. I worked long hours and though I didn’t enjoy it, I was dedicated. I came clean about my real reason for coming on this trip. I had gotten married in college. My one act of rebellion. And it had recently ended badly. He cleaned me out, took it all. Now, all I had to show for all my hard work was a pile of debt and a shitty apartment that I could barely afford. My parents had money, but they refused to help me with a big fat, “I told you so.” 

“If I were you, I just wouldn’t go back to that life at all.” Ehren said.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused. “I have to fix it all, get back to where I was, so I can have the life I want.”

“Working at a job, you admittedly don’t like for the rest of your life, is the life you want?” He looked confused now.

“Well, no. But, I want kids.” I explained.

“There are many ways to raise kids.” He said.

“I suppose, but you need money and stability.” I said. 

“You don’t have to be unhappy to have money or stability.” 

I smiled at him. He was different from anybody else I knew. I didn’t know yet if he was lazy or had unlocked the secret to life, but I knew I wanted to find out.

The next day we woke up late. I wanted to see the town and I invited Ehren to join me. He did and we had a fantastic time. He paid for everything and I wondered how someone with no job had so much cash on hand. But, I didn’t ask. I enjoyed his company more than I had ever enjoyed anyone else’s. He made me feel young and beautiful. He was attentive and affectionate. He was witty and his smile was infectious. We danced in the streets and tried all the strange foods we could find.

By that night, I was in love with him. He took me to a restaurant in the small town for dinner. He pulled out my chair and opened every door for me. The food was delicious and the drinks were strong. We walked back to our hotel along the beach and shared our first kiss under the stars, the waves lapping at our feet. It was an explosive kiss. I had never felt anything like it before. 

We spent the whole next day in our room, making love. I didn’t want to stop, even to eat. I just wanted to be as near to him as I could be every moment. I was gone for him; completely enraptured in our island romance. And it seemed like he felt the same way.

“I’m leaving tomorrow. I’m going to Thailand, I want you to come with me.” He revealed, while I laid in his arms.

“I can’t afford to go to Thailand.” I said.

“You don’t need any money, I’ll take care of everything.” He said. 

“But how?” I asked.

“Just trust me, okay?” He kissed my forehead.

“Okay. Yes, I’ll go anywhere with you.” I squeezed him tighter and kissed him. In my mind, the decision was made. I wanted Ehren more than I wanted anything else. I was willing to walk away from my life and follow him around the world for as long as he would have me. I trusted him completely.

The next morning we checked out of the hotel and I called and quit my job. I called my best friend and told her to move my things into storage. I told her I had met the man of my dreams and we were going to travel the world. At the docks a small boat was waiting for us. It took us out into the ocean, to a large yacht.

“My parents have money, too. I’m secretly loaded, I just like to live like a bum sometimes.” He smiled at me and I smiled back. I couldn’t believe how all this had turned out. We boarded the yacht and Ehren led me below deck. He opened another hatch and it was completely dark inside. He motioned for me to go in first. I hesitated, a pang of anxiety in my chest.

“It’s a surprise.” He kissed me and nudged me gently toward the ladder. 

It was just a tiny hole, there was nothing inside. I looked up and he wasn’t following me down.

“What are you doing?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer. My body began to shake.

“You should have trusted your gut.” He said. Then, Ehren slammed the hatch shut and I heard the click of a lock. I beat on the hatch, but I couldn’t get out. I could barely turn around. I couldn’t see even my hand in front of my face. I began to scream as the yacht started to move.

One week later…

“Hi! My name is Samantha Nixon. I’m here to check in.” 

“Of course, Miss Nixon, looks like you’ll be in room 143.” The bald clerk in the awful Hawaiian shirt, handed the beautiful, blond girl the key to her room.

She opened the door and inside she found the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on, unpacking his luggage. She smiled at him and bit her bottom lip.

“What are doing in my room?” She asked.

“Maybe it’s fate?” He answered with a glorious smile.