AMELIA stepped out of the bathroom, the warm steam still clinging to her skin, the white towel wrapped snugly around her body and another twisted atop her head like a crown. She moved to her dressing table with deliberate grace, the soft pads of her fingers massaging lotion into her arms, shoulders, and legs, her eyes catching her own reflection in the mirror. For a moment, she allowed herself to drift, letting her mind wander far from the quiet of her room.
The images came unbidden— the Bahamas, the sun dipping low on the horizon, the soft sound of waves lapping against the shore. She saw Ifeanyi behind the bar, his calm, steady presence filling the surrounding space. She could almost feel the warmth of the evening breeze brushing against her skin as they walked along the beach after his
