“Okay, okay. I can take a hint, but please promise me you’ll try your best to have fun.” The note in her voice was pleading, making Cali frown a bit.
Am I that much of a stick in the mud that my friends have to beg me to have fun?
“I can’t promise that I’m going to do everything you would while in the Caribbean,” she teased, trying to keep her tone light, “but I’ll keep an open mind. I love you, Em.”
“I love you too, Calista, and I want to hear every last sordid detail when you return to Beantown.”
Cali laughed once more before hanging up the phone. Sordid details. She had a feeling this trip would be anything but sordid. She’d just have to figure out the best way to make reading a book on her balcony sound exciting. Placing the first suitcase on top of her queen-sized bed, she crossed the room to her dresser, scooping up an armload of bras and panties to take with her. To humor Emily, she also chose two negligees, knowing they’d never leave her suitcase. Now came the arduous task of trying on the dozen or so swimsuits she had purchased, praying at least one or two actually fit her.
She retrieved the box from the living room and returned to her bedroom. For the next few minutes, she tried each one on, grimacing at her reflection in the mirror. She owned a few one-piece suits, but she never wore them either. A bikini was pushing the envelope even more. Cali was short with small-sized breasts. She knew she didn’t have the figure to pull off bikinis like most of her friends did. She considered her best feature to be her ass, which had been confirmed by her friends over the years. Undecided about the swimsuit choices, she finally threw them all into the open suitcase and moved over to the closet.
Grabbing a few pairs of denim shorts in varying shades of blue and black, she set them on top of the bed, choosing a handful of shirts to wear with them. She was a simple girl at heart and nothing made her more comfortable than jeans, T-shirts, and flip-flops. She finally finished off her packing with a few dresses she’d purchased but never worn. If this vacation didn’t warrant a dress or two, then nothing else would.
This trip was supposed to be all about her and what made her happy. Even though Emily had teased her about having a fling while she was gone, Cali had not booked this trip so she could hook up with some guy. She had no time for men and was perfectly fine alone. Well, maybe not perfectly fine. She accepted her life and could change it at any time if she wanted to. As she stuffed the pants, shirts, and other articles of clothing into the second suitcase, the scent of fresh brewed coffee wafted into her room.
A second cup was exactly what she needed. It was after three and her plane left at eight-forty. Because her flight to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands would take approximately four hours, she’d get there around one-thirty in the morning. Cali would need to stay overnight at a local hotel before catching a ferry to her destination. Once there at the Paradise Resort, fourteen whole days of fun would await her. Or at least she hoped it would.
A giggle escaped as she silently admitted her idea of fun would be lying on a deserted beach. Cali liked solitude and chose this island and resort because it boasted seclusion. It also claimed to cater to one’s every whim, fulfilling their wildest fantasies. She didn’t harbor any of those herself, instead choosing to give any that crossed her mind to the fictional characters in one of her many novels. Gathering her stack of travel documents and stuffing them into a plastic bag for safekeeping, Cali took a last look around her condo and sighed. She’d miss being home, but she hoped this would be the trip of a lifetime. Satisfied she had everything she would need, she grabbed the handles on the two large suitcases and rolled them out the door, taking the elevator down to the building lobby where she would meet her cab.