Chapter 2 Kelli stood in her hotel room and stared into the mirror. She wiped her sweaty palms down her thighs as she tried to decide if what she had on was appropriate for dinner with one of the sexiest men she'd ever met in her life. When she'd first been introduced to Flash, she'd dismissed him immediately, figuring he was just like the other four men Charlotte had homed in on at the resort. Out for a one-night stand. Then her hand touched his when they shook, and it felt as if little electrical jolts were shooting down her arm, straight between her legs. She'd never had a reaction like that to a man before-and it scared the crap out of her. She'd immediately left the bar last night, retreating to the safety of her room and a good book. Still, she hadn't been able to resist peeking over at him when he'd chosen a beach chair not too far from where she'd been sitting that afternoon. And when he sighed and stared out at the ocean with such...discontent, she also hadn't been able to prevent herself from commenting. She was too blunt. Always had been. But she hated the games people played in social situations. She'd always preferred others come out and say what they were thinking. It saved a lot of time and heartache. Kelli supposed that started after her dad died and people began to tiptoe around her. They'd whisper behind her back, and it drove her crazy. And then she'd found out that her friend, a girl she'd gotten close to during that horrible time, was only hanging out with her because of the money Kelli had inherited, she was done. Done with being socially correct. Done with hiding what she was feeling. She was who she was, and if someone didn't like that, tough. But even so, she was surprised to find herself spilling her guts to Flash earlier that afternoon. Telling him about her many jobs, her relationship with her family, and basically making herself vulnerable to the handsome man she'd met only the night before. But he hadn't seemed annoyed or surprised. He'd seemed...what? Interested? No, that couldn't be right. But he had asked her to dinner. Then again, he'd done so after Charlotte had humiliated her. Maybe he'd felt as if he had no choice. A pity date. Ugh. She hated being the object of people's pity. Yes, it was embarrassing that her cousin had come right out and said she didn't want her around when she and the Three A's were trying to get some from the bachelor party guys, but Kelli had been embarrassed plenty of times before. She could deal. She knew she was only in Jamaica out of a sense of guilt and obligation. Her mom had probably talked to Charlotte's mom, and her aunt had probably bribed Charlotte into putting her in the wedding and inviting her to Jamaica. And Kelli's own mom had guilted her into attending the bachelorette weekend. Sighing, she turned her attention back to her reflection. Her hair was actually behaving...right now. Later, it would likely frizz out in the humidity, but for now it hung just below her shoulders with a slight curl in the ends. She'd put on some mascara and lipstick. Her face was pink from too much sun, and a little too round from the sweets and carbs she liked to eat, but she couldn't do anything about either of those things. She was wearing a dress she'd gotten back in La Jolla that she'd loved at the time, but now she wondered if it was too much. It was a tank dress that stopped just above her knees. It was a little clingier than clothes she usually wore. Frowning at the bulge of her belly, and the way her upper arms sagged, Kelli pressed her lips together. She'd felt pretty when she'd tried the dress on in the store, but that was before she'd had any inclination she'd be wearing it to dinner with one of the hottest men she'd ever seen. Flash had eyes so green, they matched the palm trees surrounding the resort. His brownish hair was cut short, and she'd never been with anyone who had any kind of facial hair, so she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to kiss him. Would it be distracting? Would he get food caught in his short mustache and beard? Kelli could admit that she wanted to impress Flash, though it was unlikely anything would come out of these few days of acquaintance. Even though they lived not far from each other back in the "real world," she doubted they'd keep in touch. But for tonight, they'd be sharing a meal. It wasn't a date, not really. Still, she couldn't help but feel the butterflies that usually happened before going out with someone new. Shaking her head, Kelli deliberately turned away from the mirror. She was being ridiculous. This was only dinner. Tomorrow they'd go tubing, then the next day they'd all head home. She wasn't going to see Flash again, so thinking about how attractive the hair on his chest was, or how his facial hair would feel against her lips, was nothing more than a pipe dream. Looking at her watch, Kelli realized she was going to be late if she didn't get a move on. She grabbed her sweatshirt, the only clothing she had that was warm, and headed for the door. The sweatshirt didn't match her dress in the least, but if they were going to sit outside, she'd need something, since it got chilly when the sun went down. And if her putting a sweatshirt on over her dress turned Flash off, so be it. She was who she was. Blunt, honest...and tonight she'd be warm, if nothing else. Taking a deep breath, she closed her hotel room door behind her and headed down the hall toward the lobby. Ten minutes later, she and Flash were being led toward a table in the resort's five-star restaurant. It was almost empty, probably because it wasn't exactly cheap, was the only restaurant that wasn't included in the all-inclusive price of staying at the resort, and because tourism was definitely down in the country. Flash looked amazing. He had on a pair of khaki pants and a sage green polo shirt that seemed to bring out the color of his eyes all the more. When he'd seen her in the lobby, he'd smiled huge and actually leaned down and kissed her cheek in greeting. Kelli had inhaled discreetly when he was close, rewarded with the crisp scent of whatever soap he'd used when he'd showered. It was intoxicating, and there was nothing more she'd wanted to do than lean in and bury her nose in the crook of his neck. Now, his fingers briefly touched the small of her back as the waiter led them to their table, and Kelli barely controlled the full-body shiver that tried to break free. "I hope this meets with your approval," the waiter told them, motioning toward a table. Kelli audibly gasped. There was one table set in the far corner of the patio. They had an unrestricted view of the ocean and the coming sunset. The table had two roses in a slender vase in the middle, and the place settings were side by side, facing the water, instead of across from each other. The chairs at the table were also not your average restaurant chairs. They were leather, with wide seats and no arms, and even from a distance, Kelli could see they looked extremely comfortable. In her experience, restaurants made their seats as uncomfortable as possible so people would eat, then leave, allowing more customers to come in, spend money, and leave just as quickly. Looking at the romantic setup of the table, Kelli had a feeling she could sit there all right. And since the restaurant didn't seem to be busy, she might be able to do just that. "This looks perfect. Thank you," Flash told the waiter, as he pulled out one of the chairs and gestured for Kelli to sit. She smiled at him and stepped in front of the chair. As she sat, Flash pushed the chair under her. He'd done it so smoothly, as if he'd had a ton of practice. And of course, that thought had Kelli assuming he probably took women out to fancy dinners all the time. She was out of her element, but he seemed completely at ease. The waiter said he'd return with waters and the menus, then left them alone. Kelli was suddenly nervous and feeling totally out of her league. What was she doing? She should've stayed in and ordered room service. "I always get confused about which utensil to use. Why do we have four forks and three spoons? What the hell do they think we're going to do, take one bite with a fork, then put it down because it's dirty and use another?" His joke made Kelli relax. Flash wasn't as comfortable as he seemed, which made her feel so much better. "I have no idea. But I'm thinking they aren't going to haul us to fork jail if we use the wrong one, so we're probably okay." He chuckled, and Kelli couldn't stop looking at his mouth. Flash relaxed in his chair, putting his arm over the top of hers. If she leaned back, his fingers might brush against her hair. She mentally shook her head. She was being ridiculous. Acting like she was fifteen again, sitting with a boy she liked in a movie theater or something. "This doesn't suck," Flash said after a moment. Kelli smiled. "Even with the sand?" she asked. "Even with the sand," he agreed with a small nod. Then he looked at her. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. I was all ready to order room service, but I'm thinking this will be so much better. And I brought my phone, so I can take a picture of the sunset and send it to my sister." "What? Not post it on social media with a hundred hashtags?" Kelli teased. "Don't have any social media, so, no." She blinked in surprise. "Seriously?" "Yup. My job doesn't allow it." That's right. She never did find out what he did for a living earlier that day. They'd been talking about sand and she'd guessed a few jobs, and then somehow the subject got changed. "Are you a spy?" she whispered, looking around furtively. He burst out laughing. "No. But you did guess correctly earlier. I'm a SEAL." For a split second, the round, adorable, probably annoying-to-fishermen animal flashed in her mind. "The Navy frowns on its special forces soldiers posting shit on the Net that could be a security breach. I'm not sorry though. I can't stand how some people use the platforms to bitch about every aspect of their lives, or only to show the good stuff. Both ends of the spectrum are distortions of reality, and it's annoying." "You're a Navy SEAL?" "Yeah." Kelli was tempted to push back her chair right then and there. She'd felt out of her element earlier, but now? She was definitely not up to this man's speed. But the moment she told her muscles to do their job and get her the hell out of there, the waiter returned. "Do you drink wine?" Flash asked. Kelli nodded. She needed about three bottles right now to find the courage to continue with this dinner. Flash turned to the waiter. "I'm sorry, I know nothing about wine. Can you bring us a bottle of something light but local?" "Of course. While you look over the menu, I'll bring the bottle and you can see if it meets with your approval." The second the waiter left, Flash was leaning toward her. "Does it change things? My job? I can tell you're two seconds from bolting." Kelli took a deep breath. She was being ridiculous. This was just dinner. That's all. "No. I was just surprised. No wonder you don't like the sand. I've seen the shows about Hell Week." Flash smirked. "Yup. And my team leader takes great pleasure in having us roll around in the sand during PT in the mornings too. He's sadistic." Kelli laughed, and just like that, the tension between them broke. Everything about Flash made so much more sense now. Why his sister trusted him to keep an eye on her fiancé-he'd probably crush the man if he so much as made a move on another woman. Flirting with the Three A's was one thing, but there was little chance he'd risk anything else. Not with Flash around. And now those muscles made sense. Flash looked like he could bench press...well...lots. Kelli had no idea what a good number was for bench pressing, but it had to be high. He had an air of confidence that was impossible to miss. Being a Navy SEAL was a tough job. Mentally and physically. He probably had to make split-second decisions all the time, so he had to be smart and intuitive. She couldn't deny she was intrigued. And yes, attracted. What woman hadn't had fantasies of being carried off by a hot man in uniform? And here she was, having dinner with one. Deciding to enjoy every second of this night, Kelli smiled at Flash. Then something else occurred to her...she'd felt safe with this man from the second she'd met him last night. It wasn't a feeling she'd experienced often. In fact, when she'd met Rowan, Ben, and Seb, she'd felt decidedly uneasy. Felt their gazes running over her body when they'd met. Judging her. But she'd immediately felt at ease with Flash-the excitement of his handshake notwithstanding. She wasn't an idiot. Not all military men were honorable. But something told her that Flash was someone she could trust. And that made her relax all the more. The waiter returned with a bottle of wine and, after they both tried it and approved, poured them each a large glass. The night went by way too fast for Kelli. She found herself enjoying Flash's company immensely. He was easy to talk to, and they never ran out of things to discuss. The sunset was everything she could've hoped for and more. She took around a hundred pictures and loved that Flash did too. He immediately texted one to his sister and showed Kelli the response...about a page full of emojis. He even insisted the waiter take their picture together in front of the sunset, and that was a pic Kelli had a feeling she'd probably print out, in order to remember such an amazing evening. When she pulled out her sweatshirt once it got chilly, Flash had laughed outright when he saw what was printed on the back. Anti-social Wives Club. She wasn't a wife, and she wasn't really anti-social, but she'd found the company not too long ago and the sweatshirts were perfect. Roomy, not too tight at the bottom-she hated when sweatshirts had really tight elastic at the waist, making her look even heavier than she already was-and while none of the sayings fit her, she still loved the sweatshirt itself. After they'd eaten, when Flash suggested a walk on the beach, Kelli didn't hesitate to say yes. They didn't have too much beach to walk, as there were fences on either end of the property, but it was still a beautiful evening and after the delicious food, Kelli didn't mind the slight bit of exercise. "So...you're still going tomorrow?" she asked Flash. They were walking side by side, not touching but sharing the same space. "Going tubing, I mean." "Yeah. I talked to Chuck, and he gave me the deets." "Chuck?" Flash grinned. "He hates that nickname, but I don't give a shit. Until he proves he's a good man who'll treat my sister like the princess she is, he'll be Chuck to me." "So until they've been married for fifty years or so?" Kelli joked. "Pretty much." "I wish I had a brother. Or a sister, for that matter. My mom hoped Charlotte and I would be like sisters at one point, but that wasn't meant to be. We're just too different." "For the record, I think you're perfect." Kelli looked up at Flash in surprise. He smiled down at her, then looked in the direction they were walking once more. "Um...thanks." They continued in silence, and Kelli was enjoying how comfortable she felt with this man. She didn't feel the need to babble, to fill the silence with conversation. They reached the end of the property line then turned around to walk back. To her surprise, Flash's hand brushed against hers...then his fingers closed around her own. "This okay?" he asked, looking down at her. "Yeah." They walked for a bit, then he chuckled and said, "I can't remember the last time I held a woman's hand. It's nice." Kelli smiled. It was. It was very nice. He had large hands that dwarfed hers. Even if she hadn't known what he did for a living, she would've felt safe with Flash. Not that the resort was dangerous, but she had no doubt if a giant sea creature came up from the ocean, he'd beat it back with his bare hands. Or if someone appeared on the sand with a knife, he'd kick it out of their grip like some sort of ninja, then keep walking like he'd done nothing special. When they got back to the resort, Kelli was almost disappointed. She was also confused. She'd told herself that this was just dinner. That nothing would come of it. Flash was just being polite. They didn't even live in the same town. True, they'd discovered they lived shockingly close to each other, but still. And now? After talking for four hours over dinner and wine, walking on the beach, and holding hands...something had shifted within Kelli. She wanted more. Wanted to get to know this man better. Wanted more meals, more walks, more hand-holding. Hell, who was she kidding? She wanted much more than hand-holding. But she wasn't the kind of woman who jumped into bed with men on the first date. Much to her dismay. It would be easy to invite him back to her room, or for her to say yes if invited to his. But it would also be disappointing. He wouldn't be the man she'd built up in her head if he did that. Without a word, and without letting go of her hand, Flash walked them back to the lobby of the resort. It was late enough that no one was around. The lights in the lobby had been dimmed and there was only one employee behind the front desk. "I had a good time tonight," he said, turning to face her. "Me too." "We're meeting at ten tomorrow, right?" "Uh-huh." Kelli stared up at Flash. Wanting him to kiss her, but stressing about it at the same time. Butterflies were swarming in her belly and her heart was beating hard in her chest. "You want to have breakfast with me before we head out tomorrow?" Kelli smiled. "Yes." "Great. Meet you here in the lobby at eight-thirty? We can head over to the buffet together." "Sounds good." Flash stepped forward, leaning in, and Kelli held her breath. He kissed her cheek chastely, squeezing her hand. "Thanks for an awesome night, Kelli. I'll see you in the morning." Then he took a step backward. And another. It was as if he didn't want to leave her either. "See you later," she said. "Later." With one last look she couldn't interpret, Flash turned and strode toward one of the hallways that obviously led to his room. Kelli couldn't keep her gaze from his ass. It was perfect. After he was out of sight, she headed in the opposite direction, toward her own room. By the time she'd changed, used the bathroom, and gotten under the covers, Kelli realized she was still smiling. She never wanted to come to Jamaica, but so far it had been a trip to remember. Even if nothing came of her and Flash's acquaintance, she'd remember their time tonight for the rest of her life. He'd made her feel funny. Interesting. Wanted. That alone made him leaps and bounds above the other men she'd dated in recent years. Turning onto her side, Kelli snuggled into her pillow. Tomorrow wasn't her idea of a good time. But she'd go because she'd promised her mom that she'd do her best to get along with Charlotte. And with Flash there, Kelli realized she might just enjoy the outing. She was actually looking forward to it now. She fell asleep with a huge smile on her face, thinking of the man who'd made her night one of the best she'd had in a very long time. Title: A Mother's Rewind Tomorrow In "A Mother's Rewind Tomorrow" by CrushReel, Flora Hayes's life takes a tragic turn after a fatal car accident. However, her final moments reveal a chilling glimpse of a future fraught with peril for her children two decades ahead. Exploring themes of resilience and sacrifice, this CEO drama intricately weaves elements of modernity and time travel into a compelling narrative set within the grandeur of a mansion and the intensity of an office environment. As Flora grapples with the aftermath of her premonition, the story delves deep into familial bonds and the weight of destiny. What sets "A Mother's Rewind Tomorrow" apart is its masterful blend of suspense and emotional depth, captivating readers with its intricate plot twists and nuanced character development. Discover the gripping saga at CrushReel, where this ongoing tale awaits those eager to embark on a journey through time and motherly love.