Kal pocketed his hands and shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“He’s never hit me.”
“That’s a good thing.”
“I shouldn’t be afraid of him. He cheated on me, but he’s never hurt me.”
“Then you’re fine.”
I didn’t feel fine. “Why am I afraid to be alone right now?”
Kal hung his head. “I did that. I planted that thought in your head. I shouldn’t have. That’s my issue, not yours.”
It wasn’t enough. “What if he comes here after you leave?”
“Bolt your door. You’re safe. And tomorrow you’ll remember that.”
It was hard to let him go, harder than it should have been. A man like him was probably with a different woman every night. Still, I wanted to have a piece of him to hold onto. “Tell me something you don’t tell anyone else.”
He cocked his head to one side and took a moment to answer. “I wanted to be a marine biologist.” He shook his head. “I will be one—someday.”
I brought both hands to my chest. “I’m a marine biologist.”
His smile was immediate. “You’re making that up.”
I crossed my heart. “No, it’s true. That’s what I went to school for.”
“Tell me it’s amazing. I’ve always loved scuba diving and travel. To do that while making a difference in the future of the ocean . . . Have you seen the work they’re doing in coral nurseries with speeding up its growth in the Caribbean? Being part of a project like that is the dream I’m working toward.”
“I love the ocean too. And scuba diving. I’ve always wanted to travel.” I rocked back onto my heels as a deep sadness settled over me. “I haven’t been anywhere, or even in the ocean, in a long time. I work for a restaurant chain maintaining their large tanks.” Tears welled in my eyes. “It’s so boring, but it’s steady pay and Robert doesn’t like the idea of me out on a boat. He hates the water.”
“What he likes doesn’t matter anymore.” Kal took a step inside the door. “You’re going to soar without him, Jade. It’ll be scary at first, but you’re stronger than you know.”
I blinked back my tears. “My grandparents were so proud of me, but I can’t live for them.”
“No, you can’t.”
“And I don’t want Robert back.”
“I hope you remember that tomorrow.”
“Why are you in Vegas?” I had to ask, but the answer came to me before he answered. “You’re doing it for your family. You put your dream aside for them.”
His eyes shone with emotion. “They would do the same for me.” He cleared his throat. “And my time will come.”
We stood there looking into each other’s eyes and I would have sworn I glimpsed his very soul—and it was as beautiful as the rest of him. “I wish I had your confidence.”
He smiled. “I wish I was half as good of a man as your booze goggles have convinced you I am.” He reached out and cupped my cheek. “Tomorrow when you wake up, don’t be sad about what you lost tonight . . . be relieved. You’re free. You can do whatever you want to now. Go save the world.”
I swayed and sniffed. No one had ever believed in me that way. My whole life I’d been told to be more careful, dream smaller, be happier with less. His words lit a fire of resolve in me. “I’m smart and now I’m free. I can do anything I want.”
“Exactly.” He dropped his hand. “And someone needs to keep those reefs thriving until I can get there and join the fight.”
“I would love to do that.”
“Then do it. Make it happen.”
I nodded. “I will.”
He took a step back. “I should go. Bolt the door behind me.”
I reached out and touched his arm. “Will I see you again?”
He glanced down at my hand then met my gaze. “I’m planted here for another month and I’m easy enough to find on social media.” He leaned in until his lips almost touched mine. “Send me a picture of you out on a boat. I’d love to hear about your new job and how you take on that challenge. I could use some good news.”
“Kal Ragsdale,” I repeated his name because I was afraid I might forget it.
He bent closer and ever so gently kissed me, then said, “Jade . . .”
“Tremblay,” I whispered.
“Good night, Jade Tremblay.”
“Good night.”
He withdrew out the door, closing it behind him. I bolted it then turned and leaned against it. My eyelids felt heavy, and I could have slept again right there, but I was afraid if I went to sleep I might forget Kal, and I didn’t want to.
I hunted my phone out and called Nikki. I heard the slur in my voice as I said her name when she answered.
“Having fun, I see,” Nikki said with a laugh.
I sank to sit on the floor. “Not really. Robert and I are over.”
“Oh, my God, what happened?”
I rubbed a hand over my eyes. The room spun and it would have been easy, too easy to let myself sink into sleep. “I need to tell you about Kal. I may be a little bit . . . okay, a lot drunk right now, but I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
“Hold on, who is Kal? Is he why you and Robert are over?”
I took a deep breath and waved a hand through the air. “No, Robert is why Robert and I are over. And Daphne. But I’m pretty sure I’ll remember that tomorrow. What I don’t want to forget is what Kal said to me.”
In response to prompting from her, I started at the beginning of the evening when I’d reluctantly agreed to have my bachelorette party at an all-male revue, with women I knew didn’t like me. “It was all wrong,” I said. “I see it now. I was trying to be someone I’m not. I’m free now.”
“I don’t understand,” Nikki said.
I told her about Invio . . . Kal. I told her everything I could remember that I’d felt, what he’d said, and how much I wanted to quit my job and put my degree to real use. “He wants me to send him photos of me at my new job. Nikki, he was in school to be a marine biologist just like I am. I think I met my soul mate tonight.”
“Sounds like you had quite a night,” Nikki said. “Are you okay now?”
“I am.” I pushed myself to my feet, made my way to the bed, then flopped onto it. “I’m never going to drink again.”
She chuckled. “I don’t blame you. You sound like you’re going to be hurting in the morning.”
I let my eyes close. “I should be hurting now. I’m not getting married, Nikki.”
“I know, hon.”
“But I’m not shattered—I’m free.” And so tired. “I don’t want to forget this feeling.”
“Promise to call me in the morning.”
I couldn’t promise anything as I let myself drift away.
CHAPTER FOUR
Kal
I put Jade out of my thoughts long enough to get restless sleep that night. The next morning, I checked several accounts on my phone for a message from her, but there wasn’t one. I fought the urge to return to her hotel to make sure she was okay, but I’d already become more involved than I should have.