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She opened the refrigerator, finding it fully stocked with all the necessities she might need. A full-size door opened to a pantry that was also full of staples. Sara smiled as her heart clenched. “Oh, Hope. You never miss a trick, do you?”
As she ate a quick lunch, a knock sounded on her door—the rental agency delivering her car. Then it was time to explore the apartment complex. She followed the path at the foot of the stairs back toward the clubhouse and pool. It was very quiet, and Sara strolled through lush foliage, enjoying the breeze as it stirred the palm trees around her.
A man stood at the pool’s edge. He was about her age and dressed in tan linen pants and a white Cuban shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His brown hair was slicked back, and he wore aviator sunglasses. Standing straight with his arms crossed, he swept his gaze around the area, inspecting it thoroughly. He noticed her and broke into a smile, exuding a confident and assertive aura, and his sunglasses couldn’t hide his eyes as he scanned up and down her body. “Hello, there.”
Intrigued, Sara tilted her head and matched his gaze, stopping next to him. “Hello to you too. You look like a man surveying his domain.”
That made him laugh. “Actually, you could say that. I’m the developer of this complex. I came by to make sure everything is operational. Do you live here?”
“As of a couple of hours ago, yes.”
“Well, then. Let me be one of the first to welcome you.” He held his hand out. “Wayne Timmons.”
“Pleased to meet you, Wayne. I’m Sara.” She shook his hand.
“How did you come to be at Serenity? Are you new to the island?”
She flipped a long lock of hair over her shoulder, and he followed the movement with his eyes. Ok, St. Croix just got interesting... “I moved here today. I’m a stylist and took a position here managing a spa.” She had no intention of telling him it was her sister’s property.
He raised his sunglasses, revealing a pair of greenish-brown eyes. He was very good looking, in a dashing, sophisticated way. “Really? Spas are a thriving business. I’m sure you’ll be successful.” He had been making strong eye contact with her, but dropped his gaze to withdraw a wallet from his back pocket. “In fact, I’m surveying land parcels right now, looking for a location to build my own spa.” He dug a business card out of his pocket and handed it to her with a suggestive smile. “If you’re ever interested in a change, give me a call.”
Sara glanced at the card, which read Cornerstone Development with a prominent logo, and as promised, his phone number was listed, along with his email. “Well, I haven’t even started my new position yet, but I’ll keep it in mind.” She couldn’t resist a flirty smile.
He returned it with his own smile, then checked his Rolex with a sigh. “I’ve got to head to an appointment. But since this complex is just opening, I’m here frequently. Maybe we’ll run into each other again. It was nice to meet you, Sara.”
“Same to you, Wayne.”
He nodded to her, then strode toward the clubhouse, and she watched his retreating form. He was close to six feet tall, with decent shoulders. Ok, that was promising. I definitely wouldn’t mind meeting him again. Things are looking up...
* * *
That evening, Jack sat at his kitchen table. His sketchbook had called to him as soon as he got home. After eating at the table, it was easy enough to pull his pad and charcoal pencil toward him. A soft thump came from above, causing him to pause as he shaded in a sunbeam in the water above the reef, and he glanced up.
Did someone move in today?
The noise wasn’t repeated, so he continued. The yellow-tail damsel fish was now fully complete, and he was pleased he had managed to capture some of the brilliance of the fish, even in black and white. A faint sliding noise drifted from above, hardly noticeable, but Jack sat back with a sigh. “Looks like I’ve officially got a neighbor. As long as he’s quiet, that’s fine by me.”
Though a little sad to have his peaceful life upset, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Jack returned to his sketch.
He worked the next morning at Half Moon Bay. Tommy and Alex worked together with ease, but both made an effort to include Jack. As he rinsed gear, his gaze drifted to the north end of Half Moon Bay, behind the house reef. It was a scrubby, secluded area, and had to boast an incredible view. He’d been thinking about bringing his sketch book and heading out there after work, but had forgotten it. He made a mental note to remember next time.
Jack turned his mind back to work and the thoughts occupying his mind lately—how he could get more hours at Half Moon Bay. He carried the dripping BCDs to the gear room, where Alex was hanging regulators.
He’s a pretty straight-forward guy. How about the direct approach? “Hey, Alex. If you need any help, feel free to call me. I’m happy to fill in, or teach DSD, or whatever.” Discover Scuba Diving was a class divemasters were authorized to teach, since it didn’t go into the specifics or length of a full scuba certification. Most divemasters, not to mention instructors, hated teaching it because the students consisted mostly of hungover vacationers who weren’t really interested in more than trying something different.
But Jack wasn’t picky. He was willing to pay his dues.
Alex hung an arm over the row of regulators. “I might be able to give you more shifts. April has been busy whenever I’ve called her lately.”
The problem with being the new guy was that everyone outranked you and got called first. “Perfect. Just let me know.”
Alex drifted to an open corner of the room, next to the air compressor. “And I’m looking at getting a membrane system installed so we can dive Nitrox. That’ll lead to more business too.” An enriched-air system, Nitrox decreased the risk of decompression sickness, or the bends, and was increasingly popular. “And I’ll definitely let you know the next time someone wants a DSD.” Alex grinned, pointing at a thin dark-skinned boy walking by. “You have no idea how lucky you are. Now that we’ve got Zach filling tanks, DSDs might be the only difficult task you’ll get.”
Zach Turner, a local high school senior, was their part-time helper. He glanced at Alex as he passed by the two men toward the dive shop, walking backward as he hooked both thumbs toward himself. “That’s right. Indispensable, right here.”
“Yeah, don’t get cocky, Zach,” Alex said. “You’re starting your open water class next week. I’m expecting great things from you.”
Zach laughed. “Well, that’s up to the teacher, huh?” With that, he spun around and entered the room to fill tanks.
