The cart stops in front of our private bungalow, which is much larger than I imagined. It’s wooden, with wood louvres as windows, and large glass panels give the lodge a rustic vibe, and neat, white furniture makes up the interior. The pathway from the road to the front door is nestled in the jungle, but when I open the door to my room, I’m greeted with a view of our private beach. I have to keep from jumping up and down with excitement.
As the hotel worker leaves, he sets the golf cart keys on the small table in the entryway and makes his two-mile trek back to the lobby.
Gah. I can’t imagine walking two miles in this heat.
Nick and Bria unload their suitcases in their suite, and I keep the door open to my suite. Suddenly, I’m not very tired anymore, and I wonder if eight a.m. is too early to go lie on the beach.
“Bria’s still asleep,” Nick whispers, as he shuts the door to his room and enters mine.
“This place is amazing.”
“Yeah, we’ve been coming here for years. I know the owner; he used to be a doctor. They host an annual conference in downtown Tulum every year for pediatricians, so I try and book a vacation at the same time.”
I go to sit on my bed carefully, not wanting to disturb the crisp linens.
“When’s the conference?” I know he told me at some point, but I can’t remember.
“Just tomorrow. I’ll be leaving very early in the morning and returning late at night. It’s at one of the hotels in Tulum.”
“Maybe I should be a doctor,” I joke, “if it means I get to go to conferences in paradise once a year.”
“They’re not fun. At all. In fact, I’ll probably be wishing I were with you guys the whole time.”
I shift in my seat, and he walks closer to me.
“Are you hungry?”
“Umm… kind of.”
Nick sits down next to me and opens up one of the information books on my nightstand.
“Just call this number and order whatever you want. They will bring it down to you here, or on the beach.”
“Wow. So essentially, we never have to leave our little slice of heaven?”
“Nope. Not unless you want to go to the restaurant.”
“Not if I can eat here,” I say, gesturing to the white sand and clear water just a few feet away.
*
I’m not ashamed to admit that I take full advantage of the on-demand food delivery service. It’s not even ten a.m., and I’ve eaten a full breakfast and consumed two cocktails, all while lounging on our private beach. Nick and Bria are asleep.
I try to forget everything as I sip on my second mojito. The sun is beating down on me, and I push my sunglasses up the bridge of my nose. I’ve already gotten some color—I’ve propped myself up on the wooden lounger, and my knees are bent in front of me. I was wearing shorts and a tank top, but the sun was too hot. Now I’m in my turquoise bikini. I’m so glad I brought a few different options as far as bathing suits go. This is all I plan on doing this whole trip, so I need some variety. The waves crash a few feet from where I’m lying, and the palm trees are swaying calmly. The sky is bright blue, and the crystal-clear water is looking mighty tempting.
This is hurricane weather? Please.
“Evi!”
I hear Bria squeal from somewhere behind me. I turn around and Bria is running towards me with some sand toys and some floaters for her arms. She’s wearing a bathing suit, too, and I flick my eyes up to Nick.
Holy shit.
He’s shirtless, and… damn.
I avert my eyes.
How is someone like that a dad?
“Hey,” I say, just as Bria runs past me and into the water. “Be careful!” I shout reflexively. But she’s already splashing around. At least I can keep an eye on her from my seat.
“Enjoying yourself?” Nick asks, bringing a lounger next to mine and lying down.
I have to keep my eyes forward to keep from staring. But wow.
“Oh, yes,” I laugh, holding up my drink.
“I should start a drink tab just for you,” he jokes, pulling out a beer from the bag he brought with him. “I can deduct the expenses from your next paycheck.”
“Ha ha,” I say, sipping my cocktail.
Bria giggles hysterically, running into the waves and back towards us when they crash. I smile. She looks so happy. As I glance sideways very slyly, I realize that Nick looks happy, too. He looks peaceful.