Chapter 103

Rowan didn’t slow down until they reached the bottom of the stairs leading into the ocean.

Celeste laughed the whole way, nearly stumbling as Rowan tugged her hand like an overexcited child.

“You are ridiculous,” Celeste said, trying to catch her balance.

“And you love it,” Rowan shot back.

Naomi followed behind them at an easy pace, barefoot now, sleeves rolled, looking entirely too composed for someone being dragged into the sea.

“I do admire the confidence,” Naomi said dryly.

Rowan stepped onto the last stair and turned dramatically toward them.

“Ladies,” she announced, spreading her arms wide. “Welcome to my kingdom.”

Celeste looked around at the endless turquoise water.

“Your kingdom?”

Rowan nodded seriously.

“I claimed it just now.”

Naomi stepped beside Celeste and murmured, “This is what happens when you let her drink on a private jet.”

Celeste burst out laughing.

Rowan pointed at them both.

“Laugh now. But when I become Queen of Maldives, don’t ask me for favors.”

Naomi slid her sunglasses up onto her head.

“I’ll risk it.”

The water reached their ankles first—warm, clear, soft against the skin.

Celeste paused halfway down the steps, looking beneath the surface.

“You can literally see everything.”

Tiny fish darted past the posts beneath the villa. Sunlight shimmered over the sand below.

“This is insane,” she said quietly.

Naomi stepped down beside her.

“You say that every ten minutes.”

“Because every ten minutes you keep proving me right.”

Naomi smiled.

Rowan waded in farther until the water reached her thighs, then turned back.

“Are y’all coming or writing poetry back there?”

Celeste shook her head and stepped fully in.

The warmth surprised her.

“Oh wow.”

Naomi followed, moving beside her as they walked toward Rowan.

For a moment, none of them said anything.

They just stood there in the middle of crystal water, the villa behind them, open sky above.

Then Rowan splashed Celeste directly in the face.

Celeste gasped.

“ROWAN!”

Rowan doubled over laughing.

Naomi stepped back immediately.

“Don’t involve me.”

Too late.

Celeste scooped water and threw it straight at Rowan’s chest.

Rowan yelled dramatically.

“Violence!”

Naomi crossed her arms, amused.

“I warned you both.”

Rowan looked at Celeste.

“She started it.”

Celeste pointed.

“You literally hit me first.”

Naomi sighed like a tired parent.

“Children.”

They both turned and splashed Naomi at the same time.

For once—

Naomi looked genuinely shocked.

Water dripped down her face as Celeste and Rowan froze.

Then Naomi slowly wiped her eyes.

“…interesting choice.”

Rowan backed up.

“Oh no.”

Celeste laughed and tried to move behind Rowan.

“You deal with that.”

Naomi lunged.

The next few minutes turned into chaos.

Splashing.

Laughing.

Running in waist-deep water with nowhere to go.

Naomi caught Rowan first, pulling her close while Rowan laughed uncontrollably.

“You’re done,” Naomi said.

Celeste tried to sneak away toward the stairs.

Naomi looked over Rowan’s shoulder.

“Don’t even think about it, bae.”

Celeste stopped mid-step and laughed.

“You only got two hands.”

Naomi smirked.

“Come test that theory.”

Rowan reached out and grabbed Celeste’s wrist, pulling her back toward them.

“Got her.”

Celeste shrieked, laughing as Naomi wrapped an arm around her waist too.

Now all three of them were tangled together in the warm water, trying and failing to act serious.

Breathing hard.

Laughing.

Close.

Rowan looked between them.

“…okay this might be the happiest I’ve been in a minute.”

The mood softened instantly.

Celeste’s smile faded into something gentler.

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “Me too.”

Naomi looked at both of them, ocean light reflecting in her eyes.

“Good,” she said softly.

Then Rowan ruined it immediately.

“So who’s carrying me back? I’m exhausted.”

Celeste laughed.

“You did nothing.”

“I created morale,” Rowan replied.

Naomi shook her head.

“Come on. Shower, change, lunch.”

Rowan perked up.

“Lunch I can do.”

Celeste glanced back at the villa, then at the water around them one more time.

She smiled to herself.

They took their time getting back to the villa.

Nobody was in a rush.

Rowan kept stopping every few steps to point out fish she swore were following them. Celeste laughed every time, even when it was obvious Rowan was making half of it up. Naomi walked between them, one hand linked with Celeste’s, the other occasionally catching Rowan whenever she pretended to dramatically lose balance on the wet stairs.

“I’m weak,” Rowan announced, placing the back of her hand to her forehead. “The ocean has drained me.”

“The ocean barely touched you,” Naomi replied.

“It touched me spiritually.”

Celeste laughed so hard she had to stop walking.

By the time they reached the deck again, sunlight glistened across their skin and water trailed behind them in little footprints.

Naomi opened the sliding door first.

“Inside. Before you soak the whole place.”

Rowan stepped in and looked around innocently. “Too late.”

Celeste followed, still smiling, and paused near the windows to look back at the ocean one more time.

Everything outside looked like a postcard.

Everything inside felt soft and expensive and warm.

And somehow, being there with them made it better than any view.

Naomi noticed her lingering and came up behind her, resting both hands lightly at her waist.

“You okay?”

Celeste leaned back into her without thinking.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “Just taking it in.”

Naomi kissed the side of her head.

“Good.”

Rowan turned from the kitchen island holding three towels she’d apparently found somewhere.

“I would like everyone to notice that while y’all were having a cinematic moment, I became useful.”

She tossed them each a towel.

Celeste laughed. “Thank you, Queen of Maldives.”

Rowan bowed dramatically.

Naomi shook her head, smiling.

“Go shower. Lunch will be here in thirty.”

Celeste blinked.

“Lunch is coming here?“

Naomi looked confused by the confusion.

“Yes.”

Rowan clutched her chest. “She keeps doing rich things like they’re normal.”

Naomi pointed toward the hallway.

“Go.”

The showers turned into another delay.

Rowan called dibs on the upstairs bathroom for no reason other than “better energy.” Celeste took the main suite bathroom and immediately forgot what she was doing when she saw the tub overlooking the water.

“…this is unreal,” she muttered again.

Naomi, who had followed her in, leaned against the counter.

“You’ve said that twelve times.”

“And I’ve meant it every time.”

Naomi smiled, stepping closer.

“You’re cute when you’re impressed.”

Celeste narrowed her eyes playfully.

“You planned all this just to flirt?”

“Partly.”

Naomi reached forward and tugged lightly at the hem of Celeste’s damp shirt.

“Also because you needed a break.”

That softened her immediately.

Celeste looked down, then back up.

“…thank you.”

Naomi’s expression changed too—less teasing, more real.

“You don’t have to thank me for taking care of you.”

Before Celeste could answer, Rowan yelled from upstairs.

“ARE Y’ALL MAKING OUT WITHOUT ME?”

Naomi sighed.

“Romance dies fast in this house.”

Celeste burst out laughing.

By the time they were all cleaned up, dressed, and downstairs again, the villa somehow looked even brighter in the afternoon light.

Celeste wore a loose white set Naomi had secretly packed for her. Rowan had on a breezy button-up half open over swim shorts, claiming she was serving “vacation icon.” Naomi wore cream linen like she owned every island in sight.

She kind of looked like she did.

A knock came at the door.

Two staff members rolled in a beautifully arranged lunch spread onto the deck.

Fresh grilled fish.

Fruit platters.

Rice.

Flatbreads.

Colorful salads.

Sparkling drinks over ice.

Desserts that looked too pretty to touch.

Celeste stood frozen.

“Nope.”

Naomi glanced at her.

“What now?”

“This is too much.”

Naomi took her hand and led her outside.

“It’s lunch.”

“This is not lunch,” Celeste argued. “This is a wedding reception.”

Rowan was already seated with a plate in hand.

“Whatever it is, hurry up.”

They all laughed and joined her.

Lunch stretched into over an hour.

They ate slowly, talked nonsense, and let the sun warm their skin while the breeze moved through the villa.

Rowan kept trying to rank everything.

“Top three moments so far,” she said between bites. “One: private jet. Two: ocean tackle attack. Three: this mango.”

Naomi sipped her drink.

“The mango beat the villa?”

“Yes.”

Celeste nodded thoughtfully.

“Fair.”

Naomi looked betrayed.

“I spent a lot on this trip.”

Rowan pointed with her fork.

“And yet… mango.”

Celeste laughed so hard she nearly choked.

Naomi reached over and rubbed her back automatically until she stopped coughing.

The gesture was small.

Instinctive.

But Celeste noticed.

So did Rowan.

The mood shifted just slightly.

Warmer.

Rowan smiled into her drink.

“You really love us, huh?”

Naomi looked at both of them, caught off guard for maybe the first time all day.

Then she recovered.

“I tolerate you generously.”

Rowan gasped.

Celeste smiled softly.

“Liar.”

Naomi held Celeste’s gaze for a second longer than necessary.

“…maybe.”

After lunch they moved to the lounge area outside, feet up on the daybed.

The ocean below was calm now, glittering under the sun.

Rowan lay across the cushions dramatically with one arm over her eyes.

“I need a nap.”

“You need discipline,” Naomi replied.

“I need another drink.”

Celeste curled into the corner of the daybed, legs tucked under her.

“I need this exact moment to last forever.”

Silence followed.

The good kind.

Naomi looked over at her.

Then reached out and rested a hand on her ankle.

“It can last longer than you think,” she said quietly.

Celeste looked back at her.

Something about the way Naomi said it made her chest tighten.

Rowan lowered her arm and pointed upward.

“Okay, emotions are happening. I need to interrupt.”

They laughed again.

Later that afternoon, Naomi stood and stretched.

“Spa in an hour. Sunset after that.”

Rowan sat up immediately.

“Wait. We’re getting massages too?”

Naomi gave her a look.

“I said I planned everything.”

Celeste shook her head, smiling to herself.

“You really did.”

Naomi walked over, then without warning reached down and grabbed both of their hands at once—Celeste’s in one, Rowan’s in the other.

“Come upstairs,” she said smoothly.

Rowan blinked.

“…for what?”

Naomi started pulling them both toward the stairs.

“To pick your room scent, playlist, and robe color for the spa.”

Celeste laughed as she got tugged to her feet.

“You’re serious?”

“I’m always serious.”

Rowan stumbled behind dramatically.

“I hate rich people.”

Naomi didn’t slow down.

“You love this rich person.”

Rowan paused.

“…that is true.”

Celeste laughed harder as the three of them headed upstairs together, hands linked, sunlight pouring through the villa.

And in that moment, with Rowan complaining, Naomi in control, and paradise all around them—

Celeste realized again:

This trip wasn’t just beautiful.

It was healing.

And somehow…

it was only day one.