Read Vacation Therapy for Free Online Page B

in the morning. I continued walking around scanning the room. In the far back corner, one small table had an open seat. A guy sat alone. His back was to the crowded room. I looked around one more time, but didn't see anything else open.
    Oh well, I had to make the most of this trip, and I did need a place to sit. As I approached the table, a dark-haired guy with blond highlights looked up. Great, another bronzed model. “Do you mind if I join you?” I asked, motioning toward the empty chair.
    "Sure.” He shrugged.
    The low rumble of conversation stopped in the room.
    I looked around as I set my tray down and pulled out the chair. My face flushed. Had everyone heard about the commotion on the beach last night? I felt a roomful of eyes focusing on me. What was going on? I sat down, ignoring their glares, and took a sip of my orange juice. I wiped my hand on my shorts and extended it. “Hi, I'm Taylor."
    The man wiped his hand on his napkin and shook mine. “I'm Tom."
    "Nice to meet you, Tom.” I released his hand and picked up my fork, starting on my scrambled eggs. The room was still silent.
    "Where are you from?” Tom asked.
    "Sioux Falls, South Dakota,” I said, through a mouthful of eggs. I turned to the side, looking for Sergio. Instead, the entire dining room stared back at us. Correction. Stared at me.
    Did everyone know that I had found a dead body on the beach?
    I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, smiled, and turned back to my food. “I seem to be the center of attention again. I just don't understand it.” I felt my face burn.
    Tom smirked, took a piece of pineapple and popped it into his mouth, but didn't say anything.
    "So where are you from?” I asked.
    "LA."
    Not a big conversationalist. I looked around the room. The majority of the diners had slowly returned to eating and talking, but a few continued staring at me. Some had pinched expressions on their faces. One even stuck his pierced tongue out at me.
    "Are you waiting for someone?” he asked.
    "No,” I said, quickly.
    "Are you sure? I'm almost done and...” Tom pushed his chair back slightly from the table.
    "Don't go.” I fought the urge to look around again. “I think I've made a big mistake coming here."
    "To this table?"
    "No, to this resort."
    "Why do you think that?"
    "Don't ask."
    "Okay,” he said slowly. “What do you do in South Dakota?"
    "I'm an occupational therapist. I work with people after a stroke, head injury, and spinal cord injury. What about yourself?"
    "I do some modeling and a little bit of acting,” he said smugly.
    "Sorry, I don't recognize you. I usually wear Levis and T-shirts. I don't get any men's fashion magazines, and I don't think I've seen you in any movies."
    Tom smiled at me. “I don't think my movies have made their way to South Dakota, at least not yet."
    "Independent films?"
    "You could say that."
    "Don't feel bad. Not many get there. We have an alternative film series that plays some art and foreign movies, but that's only twice a year."
    Tom just nodded his head and smiled.
    I obviously wasn't getting the joke.
    "Ah hum,” sounded from behind Tom's back.
    I looked up into Sergio's eyes. They gleamed like I had never seen before, glowing from deep within.
    "Pull up a chair,” I said, motioning to the one sitting next to the wall. I turned back to Tom. “You don't mind, do you?"
    Tom smiled and shook his head. “Sure. Join us,” he said simply, extending his hand in greeting.
    Sergio didn't move. He just stood there, frozen, with a stupid expression on his face.
    I stood up, walked over, and pulled the chair over for Sergio. I patted it. “Sit,” I said, just as I did for my terrier, Regan.
    Sergio sat blindly, almost missing his seat, but he kept staring at Tom with his mouth gaping open.
    Tom smiled at him and then turned back to me. “I'm done with breakfast,” he said and pushed his plate away. “I'll let you two be alone."
    "You don't have to go. He's usually more talkative than I am.” I