Chapter 3
Rye
After Lauren’s shift ended, I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and followed her into the warm night. She guided me toward a path that snaked along the endless curved beach. Tall palm trees swayed overhead, and new coconuts sprouted alongside the trail. There were actually three beaches linked by one path, or so the longboat captain had told me. One was the popular spot for swimming and sunbathing. It was called Haad Yuan. The Oasis’s beach, Haad Tien, was more of a playground, with volleyball nets and chaise lounges.
The third beach, Haad Wai Nam, where I'd landed after a queasy ride around the point, had only a narrow strip of sand to it. It was the most secluded beach, the one where travelers rented bungalows along a path that led into the island's interior, toward t
