Fire and Ice: A Paranormal Romance (6 page)

              “We used to have the best time.  Jessie had a friend with a party barge. We’d float in the water for hours and listen to music,” Billy told her.

              “Sounds like fun.”  Sarah was trying to be polite.  She was not sure how the weekend would turn out.   She decided that at the very least, it would be possible to come back with a tan. 

              Billy and Sarah drove for a while and crossed the bridge over Lake Pontchartrain.  After going a bit further, they hit Highway 10 East, which would take them all the way to their destination.  It was a beautiful drive along the tree-lined highway.  They stopped a couple of times along the way.  During most of the trip, Sarah heard about Jessie, starting from when she and Billy were in Mrs. Vogel’s fifth grade class.  Sarah thought of it as a Jessie travelogue.  After awhile, she decided to go to sleep.

              When Sarah woke up, they were in Destin.  Tall palm trees illuminated by floodlights swayed in the breeze at the entrance to the condominium.  They pulled into the parking lot and took their suitcases up to their unit, which was on the third floor.  Once they were inside, Sarah was surprised by the pure opulence of its Country French furnishings.  The living room was exquisitely decorated in gray and white. From there, she looked ahead to view the dining room.  A large chandelier hung over a white distressed wood table flanked by six gray wingback chairs.  It was more beautiful than she could have possibly imagined.  Billy drew back the large horizontal shades in the living room to reveal the patio and a view of the beach.  He opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside.  “Come on out,” he invited her.

              Sarah walked outside to join him.  “This is the most breathtaking beach I’ve ever seen and the condo is unbelievable.”

              “I told you it was,” Billy smiled.  He walked over to the set of table and chairs that were outside under a gray and white striped umbrella.  “Have a seat,” he said holding out a chair for her.

              Sarah sat down.  “Can I ask you a question?”

              “Anything,” he smiled as he went to sit down.

              “Did you stay here with Jessie?  I mean, in this building.”

              “No, we were never here,” he said.  “David and Dana haven’t owned it but a couple of years.”

              “Oh,” Sarah replied.  She was relieved. 

              “Hey, are you hungry?” he asked.

              “Starved,” she replied.

              “How ’bout I go pick up some dinner and bring it back?”

              “That’s a great idea.  It will give me a chance to take a shower.  You said I could take the master suite, right?” she asked.

              “Sure,” he replied.  “David said there’s a hot tub and sauna in there.”

              “Really?”

              “Yes.  Check it out.  I’ll be back pretty soon.  What do you want to eat?” he asked.

              “Surprise me,” Sarah said with a smile.

Chapter Five

Shaunessy

-

              Sarah took a shower and Billy came back with dinner.  She met him out on the patio.  The table was set.  He had a bottle of white wine, two large shrimp salads, and a hot loaf of French bread.  “This looks delicious,” she said.  “I’m starting to notice a theme here,” she smiled.

              “What?” he asked.

              “Shrimp,” she giggled.

              “I hope you don’t mind,” he said.

              “Oh, not at all,” she assured him.  “It looks great and I’m famished.”  She sat at the table in a new light blue sundress that she bought for the trip.

              “You look beautiful,” he said.

              “Thank you,” she smiled.  “This place is completely amazing.  That tub looks like it’s Olympic-sized,” she laughed.

              “Really?”

              “No, but it sure is huge and it’s surrounded by gray marble,” Sarah told him.  “It’s exquisite.”

*
* * * *

              Billy and Sarah enjoyed dinner, and then went for a walk on the beach.  Sarah thought it was the most
unromantic
“romantic weekend getaway” that she could imagine.  She appreciated being able to go to Destin, but it was difficult having feelings for Billy when he showed so little interest in her.

              “You want to go for a swim?” he asked.

              “Sure, let’s go grab what we need.”

              The two of them went back up to the condo.  Sarah changed into a white bikini with a matching lace, see-through cover-up over it.  Billy put on some black trunks and a t-shirt and was ready to hit the beach.  They grabbed some towels and left.  Once they got down to the sand, Billy took off his t-shirt, which revealed his well defined, muscular chest and headed for the waves.  Sarah removed her cover-up, tossed it on one of the towels, and met him in the water.  It was so warm, that it felt like a bathtub.

              Sarah caught up with Billy as he had gone quite far.  When she approached him, he put his arms around her.  The water was shallow and they were only in it up to their shoulders when standing.  All of a sudden, Sarah broke loose and said, “Follow me.”

              Sarah swam a bit further and finally stopped.  Billy was right behind her when she turned to meet him.  “You’re a good swimmer,” he said.

              “I used to be a life guard at the community pool during summers.”

              “No kidding,” Billy smiled.  “I think I would have had to fake drowning just so you’d rescue me.”

              “Oh, better not tell me that.”  Sarah splashed him.  “If you ever did need help, I might think you were joking and not come to your aid.”

              “Then, no joking about it, okay?”

              “Right.  I wouldn’t want to leave you stranded and find out that you were in distress,” she said.

              “Actually, I am in distress,” he smiled.

              “You are?” she asked.

              “Yes,” he told her.  “I could use a hug.”

              Sarah hugged him and Billy held her in the water.  She wished that he did not feel so good to her.  She held onto his neck and put her legs around his waist.  He stood there for the longest time with his arms around her.  “I could get used to this,” he said.

              “So could I,” she told him.

              Then, Billy kissed her.  It was as if Jessie and New Orleans and the burgundy building disappeared when their lips met.  Sarah wished that things could stay like that forever, or at least until the weekend was over.  Billy held her tight against him, as time seemed to stand still.  Was she the only one who felt it?  She did not know.  Maybe he was affectionate because of the wine, but he only had one glass.  Finally, they stopped kissing and he held her for the longest time.

              “I could really get used to this place, too,” Sarah smiled.

              “I could get used to
you
,” Billy said.  She wished he meant it, but Sarah guessed that it would take a lot of time.  Maybe if she could help solve this mystery once and for all, he could let Jessie go.  At least, Sarah could hope.

              Billy and Sarah swam for a while longer.  Then, she said, “Hey, do you think we could talk?”

              “Sure, let’s go dry off and head upstairs,” Billy suggested.

              Before long, the two of them were seated on the patio.  Sarah did not want to play games.  She needed to tell him what was going on.

              “I haven’t slept since Saturday night,” Sarah blurted out.

              “What?” he asked.

              “Well, maybe for an hour a night, but not more than that.  I would no sooner shut my eyes before Jessie came to me.  She was getting more desperate.  That’s why I wanted to come here.  I needed to get away.  I don’t even know how I taught my class all week.  Even my little first-graders could see the difference in me.  I could barely keep my eyes open.”

              Billy put his hand on her chin and turned her face toward him.  “I’m so sorry.  What can I do?”

              “I don’t know,” Sarah said.  “The thin man is there and that’s all I know.”

              “You’re right,” agreed Billy.  “These dreams seem relentless.”             

              “Well, it’s going to sound weird,” admitted Sarah.  “But, I got the distinct impression that Jessie did not want me to leave New Orleans.  I had to.  If I don’t get rest, I won’t make it through another week of teaching.”

              “I’ve got an idea,” said Billy.  “Why don’t we watch a movie on the sofa in the living room?  Maybe you’ll fall asleep.”

              “That’ll work,” agreed Sarah.  “But, you need to get rest, too.  We’ve had a long drive to get here and you worked all day.”

              “Me?  I can fall asleep anywhere,” Billy laughed.  “Come on, let’s go.”

              “I want to get out of this wet bathing suit,” Sarah told him.

              “I need to get a pair of dry shorts,” said Billy. They each went to change. When they came back into the living room, Billy found a movie on the television.  They sat on the couch and he put his arm around her.  Sarah fell asleep in a matter of minutes.  He nodded off, too.  Within an hour, she was restless and clearly distressed.  It woke Billy from his sleep.  “Sarah, Sarah, wake up,” he said.

              Sarah lifted her head and asked, “Who’s Shaunessy?” and nodded off.  Billy had no idea.  What could it mean?  He just stared at her.  Sarah looked like an angel.  He had already lost Jessie.  Why was he being such a fool?  If he was not careful, he was afraid he would lose Sarah, too, only to his own stupidity.  Why couldn’t he put Jessie behind him?  Four years was a long time.  It was easy to lose track of time out on a boat in the water every day.  Each moment looked like the next.  He tried to fall back to sleep.

Chapter Six

The Morning After

-

              The sun came through the large sliding glass doors to the patio and woke them up the next morning.  “How did you sleep?” Billy asked.

              “Like a baby,” Sarah smiled.

              “You were out like a light,” he told her.  “I must have fallen asleep right after you did.  Do you want some coffee?”

              “Sounds good,” she smiled.

              Billy went to make coffee while Sarah changed her clothes.  A few minutes later, she met him out on the patio wearing a pink tank top and white shorts. 

              “How do you take your coffee?” Billy asked.

              “With sugar,” she replied.

              “Here you go,” he said handing her some packets of sugar from the table.             

              “Thank you,” she smiled.  “It’s a gorgeous day.  Waking up to the beach right outside our window has got to be the best, don’t you think?”

              “Wait until you see my parents’ house,” Billy told her.  “It’s on the water, too.”

              “Hmmm, just leave me there, okay?” she laughed.  “You can come back and get me

in a month.”

              “I might just have to stay there to keep you company,” he smiled.

              “Oh, don’t threaten unless you mean it,” she laughed.

              “I’ve got something to tell you,” Billy said.

              “What?” Sarah asked.

              “You woke up in your sleep last night and you were really distressed,” he told her.

              “I was?”

              “Yes.  I don’t mean to pry, but who is Shaunessy?”

              “I have no clue.  Why?”

              “Because you were upset.  I woke you up, you said the name, and fell right back to sleep,” Billy explained.

              “I don’t remember,” said Sarah.  “I just remember dreaming about computers.  Weird, huh?”

              “Are you on them a lot?” he asked.

              “Only for work,” she said,  “or to send emails.”

              “Well, I sure wish we knew who Shaunessy was.”

              “Me, too,” said Sarah.  “But, it could also be a place.  Like a restaurant or a pub.”

              “I guess it could,” Billy agreed.  “Did you dream about Jessie at all?”

              “I don’t think so,” she said.  “Did you?”

              “No.  I was too busy dreaming about you,” he smiled.

              “No, you weren’t,” she replied.

              “How do you know?” he grinned.

              “I don’t, actually.  But, why would you dream about me?”

              “Because I can.”  He loved joking with her.

              “I can dream about you, too, you know,” she told him.

              “Have you ever?” he asked.

              “No, but I could,” she smiled.

              “My daddy and mama can’t wait to meet you,” Billy said.  “What do you say we change and head down to see them?”

              “That would be great.  Do you think they’ll like me?”

              “They already do,” smiled Billy.

              “Why?” asked Sarah.

              “Because my cousin David already told them that you’re perfect for me,” he said.

              “I didn’t pay him, honest,” she laughed.

              “You didn’t have to,” said Billy.  “I think that David and Dana already have us married with three kids.”

              “What if I want four?” Sarah asked.

              “Do you?”

              “No, but I just wanted to know what you thought of the idea,” she smiled.

              “I’ve got plenty of room on my boat for everybody, so I guess that would be up to you.”

              “Do you have enough life jackets?” she joked.

              “Definitely,” he said.