Betrayal - Fern Michaels [73]
She cruised over to the book section. After perusing the shelves, she decided on three novels by her favorite authors. Even though it was September, Wal-Mart still had a huge supply of fashionable bathing suits. She scoped out several different styles, then settled on a plain black one-piece. At thirty-six, she wasn’t getting any younger. She sure as hell wasn’t going to burden the folks at the hotel with the sight of her wearing a skimpy bikini. She’d leave the bikini-wearing to the younger crowd.
After she paid for her items, she drove back to the hotel. She checked to see if she’d received any telephone calls. She hadn’t. A quick change, then with book in hand and a bottle of cold water, Kate went to the pool area. Because it was Florida, the crowd was huge. People vacationed in the Sunshine State year-round. Kate had to wait for a young woman to rearrange her family’s towels and beach toys so she would have a place to sit.
“Thanks,” Kate told the harried mother.
“Kids. You need so much stuff just to get out the door. I can’t wait till these days are over,” the young mother complained.
Kate just smiled. She didn’t want to make conversation, and certainly didn’t want to be reminded of the troubles kids could cause. She’d had enough for a lifetime. She buried her nose in her book, hoping the woman would take the hint.
The sun dipped low in the sky. She spent two hours at the pool and forgot to apply sunscreen. On her way back to her room, she realized that her skin was the color of strawberries.
Dammit. With my fair skin I know better than to do without sunscreen. Oh well, sunburns I can live with.
After taking a cool shower, she covered herself with aloe gel she had picked up at the gift shop and slipped on a loose cotton T-shirt. The sheets felt refreshingly good to her warm skin as she slid beneath them. She flicked the table lamp on, picked up her novel, and continued to read about the Coleman family in Texas.
Which reminded her of Coleman. She’d called him earlier. He agreed to make time for her, telling her they’d meet outside the office. He told her the name of a restaurant, saying it was quiet and they’d have no interruptions. From there, he’d agreed to drive her to Fort Myers to catch an evening flight home.
Kate’s eyes were getting heavy. She turned off the light and placed her book on the bedside table. She was so tired. The stress, the excitement of seeing Alex, then two hours in the sun were all she could stand. Within minutes, she was fast asleep.
The restaurant where Kate met Coleman was perfect. It was nice, without being fussy. The staff was very professional and the atmosphere relaxing. They were seated at a table in the rear of the restaurant, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. White-tipped waves crashed on the beaches. Southwest Florida was in for one of its infamous thunderstorms. Had this been a different occasion, Kate would have been captivated, watching the storm thrash and move its way across the sky.
Coleman was polite and professional, and a true gentleman. He pulled her chair out for her, took her bag, and placed it on a chair next to her.
“I hope this weather doesn’t delay my flight,” Kate said as she watched lightning zigzag across the darkening sky.
“It’s barely noon. This’ll be long gone before it’s time for you to catch your flight. You get used to it, living here,” Coleman observed.
“I would imagine it’s like anything else, though I must admit, I wouldn’t want to live here in the summer. The heat is almost unbearable.”
“Yes, that’s why I try and leave every chance I get. I have a cabin in the mountains. If my workload is light, I hop in my plane every chance I get.”
Kate liked the conversation and found herself very comfortable talking with Coleman. He was a nice guy. Like Alex, she thought.
“You said your plane. What do you fly?”
“An Archer. Something I always wanted to do. A few lessons, and I was hooked. I’ve been flying for fifteen years now. Have never tired of it yet.”
Kate