FIVE: CLAIRE

"You look very focused on staring at the beach."

“I just can’t wait to sunbathe on the beach and walk around.”

“Enjoy your time. But I bet you want to see your room before you go to the beach.”

“Yes. I’ll change into a bikini, of course,” I said cheerfully.

I caught a glimpse of Raviel’s frown when I said bikini. But he quickly normalized his expression and led me towards the inside of the resort.

“Where’s Mom?”

“She went to our suite first after I told her there was a surprise waiting for her. She was so excited that she forgot about you.”

“I’m fine. It happens often anyway. My mom always forgets about me when she’s with her husband or her boyfriend.”

“I’m sorry. I thought your mom loved you. She seemed like a lovely mom when we first met.”

“She is. She hasn’t abandoned me until now, so I guess she loves me.”

“But it’s not what I thought she was all this time. A year of living with you guys has made me know your mother's true nature well.”

I shrugged my shoulders slowly. “That's my mother.”

We walked side by side along a path lined with beautiful beachfront suites. They were like cabins, but in a fancier version. The walls were all wood with some transparent glass on some sides. It allowed each guest to enjoy the beautiful beach view from inside their suite while enjoying their food from room service. Each suite also had a terrace equipped with two recliners, a set of sofas, and a wooden table with a basket of fresh fruits. I imagined sitting there in the morning or evening with a novel in my hand. It would be so much fun. This would be an amazing vacation, even if it started with an embarrassing incident on the plane.

“This is your suite. Hope you like it.”

“Wow. It’s so beautiful, and too big for one guest like me.”

I gaped in amazement as I stepped into my suite. It was much more spacious and luxurious from the inside. The room had a balcony that directly faced the beach. There was a giant jacuzzi near the large window with a view of the resort grounds filled with palm trees.

“My suite and your mother’s are right next to yours. If you need anything, feel free to come knocking on our suite.”

“Isn’t this too much? I don’t mind a regular hotel room.”

“Of course not. Since this is your first time, you deserve the best.”

“Thank you so much, Rave.”

I threw myself into Raviel’s arms, and he hugged me back tightly.

“I feel like thanking you is not enough to repay all your kindness over the years.”

“Don’t think about it. Your happiness is more than enough for me.”

“I feel like you love me more than my own mother.”

“I do love you, and you deserve all of this.”

“But I really want to do something for you. Tell me if you need my help, I will definitely do it for you.”

Raviel released her hug and stared at her closely.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course,” I nodded firmly.

I would do anything for Raviel, even without him asking, I wanted to do something for him. He had been so kind to me. It would be so wrong if I didn’t repay his kindness with something worthy.

“I will let you know if I need anything from you,” his face lit up.

I fell in love with his charming smile even more. Raviel rarely smiled all this time. However, when he smiled, it could change my whole world. I felt lucky to be one of the few lucky women who had ever seen his smile.

“Okay. Even if you ask me to do something dirty, I don’t mind.”

“Really?” Raviel grinned.

“What dirty thing can you do for me, Claire?” Raviel’s fingers caressed my cheek gently.

I frowned. I felt like something was wrong with my words. I needed to correct it.

“I mean if you ask me to clean your dirty car, or clean your dirty yard, or pull weeds in the backyard, I’m ready to do it,” I chuckled dryly and took a step back.

The air suddenly felt hot around us. My face heated up as the incident on the plane came back to my mind. It was such a dirty and embarrassing thing. Hopefully Raviel wasn’t a guy who could read facial expressions or even read the mind of the person he was talking to. It was scary to think of Raviel knowing what was going on in my head. He would be so disgusted with me.

“Okay, I’ll let you know if I need you to wash my car. Have a good rest. And if you’re hungry, you can order from room service.”

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. I think I'm still pretty full after all the delicious food on the plane. No wonder first class tickets are so expensive. Their service is no joke."

“It was nothing. See you at dinner. Maybe,” Raviel shrugged his shoulders softly as he glanced toward his suite.

I knew what he was thinking. We probably wouldn’t meet for dinner because my mom definitely wouldn’t let him go for a second. I could already imagine my mom’s annoyed expression for waiting for Raviel in their suite for too long.

Yeah, I don’t care. This is my vacation, and I shouldn’t spend it overthinking about the things my mom might do with my stepdad.

“Beach, I’m coming!”

I ran into my room, and quickly unpacked my suitcase to find one of the bikinis I had prepared especially for this trip.

“Aha, this one will be perfect for sunbathing on the beach this afternoon.”

I took my bikini into the bathroom, and changed quickly. I couldn’t wait to get to the beach. If I was lucky, I might find a guy who would be willing to accompany me during my vacation here. Who knows?