Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart by Hayley

Chapter 105 Richard pov.

The coffee shop was cozy, tucked away just off the main street with the warm scent of roasted beans drifting out to greet me.

I was up early, trying to grab us both a caffeine fix before the day kicked off. Sarah was still half-asleep when I left her, wrapped in the sheets, mumbling for "Just a few more minutes." I smiled at the memory as I joined the line, feeling that rare kind of peace you get when you're completely in the moment.

"Hey, isn't it just beautiful here?" a voice besidesaid.

I turned, expecting someone local or another early riser tourist. A woman with a bright smile stood next to me, arms folded comfortably as if she'd just casually dropped by. "Yeah, it really is," I replied, glancing back out the window to the waves rolling in just beyond the palm trees. "It's like something out of a painting." She laughed lightly, brushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "That's a good way to put it. I'm Isabelle, by the way. Chere on a bit of a whim," she said, reaching out to shake my hand. Her handshake was light and confident. "Richard," I replied, shaking her hand briefly. "I get it. Sometimes you just have to get away, right?" "Exactly! Sometimes you need a reset," she said, nodding in agreement. "Especially in a place like this. Are you here alone?" I shook my head, smiling as I thought of Sarah waiting back at the hotel. "No, I'm here with my wife. We both needed a break, honestly." "That's nice. Nothing like a getaway to reconnect," she said, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "How long are you staying?" "Just a week," I replied, stepping forward in line as we chatted. "Seems short now that we're here, though." Isabelle nodded, looking thoughtful. "Well, maybe it'll be just what you both need. I know I could stay forever." She gave a small laugh, glancing out the window. "Anyway, I didn't mean to keep you from your coffee. Just wanted to say hi." "No worries," I said, and with a nod, she stepped back. By then, it was my turn, so I ordered two coffees, paid, and left, figuring I'd never see her again. Just a friendly face, another tourist.

*** When I got back to the room, Sarah was finally awake, stretching and yawning like a cat.

"Coffee," I said, holding out her cup like a peace offering.

"Oh, you are officially the best," she mumbled, taking it from me. She took a long sip, eyes closing as she let out a sigh. "You knowtoo well." "Part of the job description," I joked, settling beside her.

"So, what's the plan for today?" she asked, looking over atwith that eager gleam in her eye that I loved.

"I was thinking we could head to that beach we passed yesterday, maybe do ssnorkeling, grab lunch from one of those food trucks on the way back. Keep it laid-back." She smiled, nodding. "Perfect." We got to the beach just before noon, the sun high and the sand already warm beneath our feet.

The water was crystal clear, a soft turquoise that seemed to call out to us. We rented snorkel gear, finding a spot a little way down the beach where the crowd had thinned out. I watched Sarah dive in first, her laughter spilling out as she adjusted her mask and ducked under the water, only to pop back up a second later, wavingin. We spent a good hour just floating around, watching fish dart around coral reefs, sharing silent gestures and laughs whenever one of us saw something too good to miss. After we'd worn ourselves out, we sat on the beach, catching our breath, wrapped in towels with the sun drying us off.

"I needed this," Sarah murmured, leaning her head on my shoulder. "You know, just us, no interruptions." too," I said, wrapping an arm around her. "Feels like we left the whole world back home." A few moments passed in contented silence until Sarah shifted slightly, looking past me.

"Hey, do you know her?" I followed her gaze, spotting a familiar face not too far from us. Isabelle, the woman from the coffee shop, was strolling down the beach, looking out at the waves. I gave a small nod.

"Yeah, actually, I met her this morning. Just a quick chat at the coffee shop. She seemed nice enough." Sarah's brow furrowed slightly, but she shrugged it off, looking back at the ocean. "She had been glancing toward here, small world, I guess." "Yeah, seems like it," I said, though something in Sarah's tone madeglance back at Isabelle again.

After another hour or so, we decided to pack up and head for lunch. We were walking up the beach when Isabelle passed by, catching sight of us. "Richard! Hey!" she called, walking over with that sbright smile.

"Hi, Isabelle," I replied, and I noticed Sarah shift a little closer to me.

"Sarah, this is Isabelle," I said, introducing them. "Isabelle, this is my wife, Sarah." Isabelle's smile widened. "Nice to meet you, Sarah. You two look like you're having a great there." "We are," Sarah said, giving a polite smile.

"Good, good. I'm still exploring, trying to figure out all the best spots to visit." She turned to me. "Hey, maybe you could givespointers, Richard? You seem to know your way around here."

Sarah's eyes flicked over to me, and I felt that silent nudge, like she was trying to read my mind. "Actually, we're still figuring it out ourselves," i replied, keeping my tone light. "But there's plenty of stuff around here worth checking out." Isabelle nodded, looking thoughtful. "I'll keep exploring then. Anyway, I didn't mean to interrupt your day. Nice running into you both." With a quick wave, she continued down the beach, leaving us alone again.

Sarah was quiet for a moment, watching her go. Then she turned to me, a slight smirk on her face. "She seemed pretty friendly." "Yeah," I said, shrugging it off. "Just one of those vacation coincidences, I guess." Sarah's eyes held mine for a second longer, then she rolled her eyes playfully. "Just don't go giving out our secret spots to every friendly face." I laughed, nudging her. "As if I would." We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around town, checking out sof the local shops and stopping by the food trucks to grab lunch.

Sarah was back to her usual self, laughing and chatting, but every now and then, I caught her glancing at me, as if she was still thinking about that encounter. I wanted to ask her what was on her mind, but figured she'd tellif it really mattered.

That night, back in our room, we lay side by side, staring up at the ceiling, tired but happy. I reached over, lacing my fingers through hers.

"Today was perfect," I said, breaking the silence.

She turned her head, smiling softly. "Yeah, it was."

I thought about Isabelle again, how odd it was to see her at the beach after our brief coffee shop chat. But it Our was probably nothing-just another tourist doing her own thing.