Sammy in Bali (Single Wide Female Travels #7) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  A note from the author

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

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  Coming Soon - Sammy in Japan

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  Preview: Lifeguards and Liars (a cozy mystery)

  Other Titles

  Legal Notice

  Single Wide Female Travels

  (Book 7)

  Sammy in Bali

  By

  Lillianna Blake

  Copyright © 2016 Lillianna Blake

  Cover design by Beetiful Book Covers

  All rights reserved.

  LilliannaBlake.com

  Dear Reader,

  The Single Wide Female and B.I.G. Girls Club books are written for every woman out there who has struggled with their weight, self-esteem and any number of issues that we all face as we work to become the best versions of ourselves that we can be.

  They are meant to be light-hearted and fun, but I do hope that they will inspire you—to REALLY live your life to the fullest, loving yourself completely as you do so.

  You might prefer to get to know Sammy in the Single Wide Female: The Bucket List series first. You can pick up that first book for free here:

  #1 Learn Pole Dancing

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R334AE4

  If you enjoy Sammy in Bali, I’d appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave an honest review here:

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KGJPJEG/

  And…

  ** I have a FREE book for you! **

  Wanna know what inspired Sammy to write her bucket list? Visit my website below and get your complimentary copy of “Sammy’s Big Plan!”

  LilliannaBlake.com

  Enjoy!

  Sincerely,

  Lillianna

  P.S. Also be sure to see the previews following this page for introductions to additional series by Lillianna Blake.

  Chapter 1

  Flashes of light flickered through the darkness of the hotel room. I glanced over at Max to be sure that my phone surfing wasn’t waking him. We’d arrived on the red eye flight to Bali, then taken a two-hour taxi ride to Ubud. We’d been too exhausted to do anything but crash in our bed after we’d reached the hotel.

  While Max seemed to be sleeping soundly, I’d slept for about an hour and now I was wide awake. Restless, I turned to my phone for entertainment. I wanted to know everything there was to know about Bali—to start planning the excursions I thought we’d enjoy.

  As I flipped through photographs of the most beautiful spots in Bali, my heart fluttered with a sense of connection. Maybe it wasn’t to Bali in particular, but to what this place represented to me.

  Every photograph seemed to feature healthy, happy people. It wasn’t hard to discover that Bali was all about health, wellness, and spirituality. It was as if I’d come home to my motherland.

  Each picture, each bit of information seemed to call out to that part of me that had been neglected during the tour. No matter how hard I’d tried, I hadn’t been able to remain consistent when it came to diet, exercise, or spirituality. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d meditated, other than a few moments in a Buddhist temple. I craved food for my soul more than I craved any of the yummy dishes that Bali had to offer.

  As the sun began to rise and more light filled the room I was drawn out onto the balcony to greet the morning. The sun’s warmth lapped at my body, barely covered in my nightgown. I didn’t care that there were other people on the street that could see me. I wasn’t thinking about how I looked or what others might think. My mind was focused solely on my inner journey and the sun that greeted me with the same friendly warmth that I offered it. With so much to look forward to, I often skipped over the looking inside part.

  Who had time to journey into self when there was so much to occupy the mind?

  As I leaned against the railing, I heard a sound behind me.

  Max’s hands were on my shoulders before I had the chance to look back.

  “Drinking sunshine without me?” He nuzzled my cheek with his lips and the scruff of his morning stubble.

  I closed my eyes and savored the moment of his closeness. “I thought you were still asleep.”

  “Really?” He grinned and slid his arms around my waist. “You were Internet surfing.”

  “I didn’t think that I’d woken you.” I frowned as I turned in his arms to face him. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not. It was lovely to doze in and out beside you. I’m sure you found some things that you liked, because you were wiggling your toes quite a lot.”

  “What?” I stared at him.

  “Every time you like something, you wiggle your toes.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Sure it is.” He brushed his hand along my cheek in a long slow stroke.

  I wiggled my toes and leaned closer to him.

  “See?” He laughed.

  “Oh wow, I’ve never noticed that.” I laughed right along with him.

  Our laughter filled the early morning air over a busy Bali street. It was the exact moment that I wanted to be in at that exact time.

  Max led me back inside and we ordered some breakfast. I sat cross-legged on the bed with my computer in my lap.

  My contact in Bali was a bit of a mystery. We’d chatted back and forth but I hadn’t seen her picture, and I only knew her first name—Wayan. I had a new e-mail from her that welcomed me to Bali, suggested some activities, and added that she’d like to meet at her house. I thought this was a little strange as every other host had met me at their shop or a restaurant of some kind, but I didn’t see a reason to disagree.

  I accepted the invitation to lunch.

  “Max, we should get something to take to Wayan’s with us—since we’ll be at her house. It seems like the polite thing to do.”

  “Sure.” He pulled his shirt on over his head.

  I couldn’t help but watch the fluid motion that covered up his washboard abdominal muscles.

  He looked over at me when I grunted and snapped my laptop shut.

  “What?” His cheeks flushed.

  “I’m sorry. I’m jealous.”

  “Of my shirt?” He offered a seductive smile. “I’d rather wear you.”

  “No—well, yes, but no.”

  He sat down beside me. “What is it, Sammy?”

  “It’s just that you’re always in shape—even with the tour. I’ve put on at least ten pounds, I’m tired all the time, off-center, cranky…I feel like I’ve lost track, while you’ve continued plodding right along.”

  “I have a bit more free time than you do though, you know? When you have meetings, I get to hit the pool or go for a run.”

  “I know, but that sounds like making excuses for me.”

  He shrugged and looked into my eyes. “You know you’re beautiful no matter what,
but if you feel like you’re missing something that you’d like to get back, then let’s work together on it. We’ll go back to smoothies for breakfast and clean, light food for our other meals. We can walk to as many places as we’re able to and find fun activities that involve actually being active. How does that sound?”

  “It sounds like you took the words right out of my mouth.”

  There was a knock on the door and a maid rolled in a cart with breakfast. I stood up and picked up one of the danishes on the plate.

  Max laughed and snatched it from my hand.

  “Maybe this is what I should take out of your mouth instead—sugar, carbs, chemicals.”

  I stared hard at him with my danish in his hand. “Max, because I love you, I’m going to give you fair warning. You’re about to lose that arm.”

  His eyes widened and he held the danish out to me.

  I smiled and took it back. “We’ll start the smoothies tomorrow.”

  “Good plan.” He grinned and grabbed the other danish on the plate.

  Chapter 2

  We hired a taxi and headed for Wayan’s home.

  As we passed by a rice field I was in awe of the peaceful scenery. The fields were lush, and appeared like steps that led to the clear sky. All of the foliage that we passed was bright, colorful, and glistening with moisture. It created a sense of being cradled inside a never-ending garden.

  It seemed to me that every place we’d visited had its own special brand of beauty. Bali was certainly no exception.

  “Isn’t it gorgeous, Max?” I slid my hand into his.

  “Yes, it is.” He shifted closer to me in the back seat of the taxi. “I’m so glad that we get to see it together.”

  As excited as I was, I couldn’t shake the tiredness that plagued me. It was a reminder that I needed to be more active, more selective about what I ate.

  “Here we are.” The taxi pulled to a stop in front of a large house with tall windows and a covered porch.

  As we stepped out of the car I could already hear the noise trickle out from inside. I smiled at the sound of it. It was happiness. Laughter, running feet, and the punctuation of a high-pitched squeal every few seconds. I took Max’s hand and we walked up to the front porch.

  Before we could knock, a young woman threw the front door open.

  “You’re here!” She threw open her arms the same way she’d thrown open the front door.

  Her petite frame did nothing to compete with the width of her smile. I’d seen some gleeful people in my time, but this woman appeared to have harnessed it all for herself.

  “We’re here!” I smiled and tried to mirror her enthusiasm by accepting her embrace.

  As she hugged me it wasn’t a cursory thing. She wrapped her arms around me so tight that it almost hurt. But the warmth of it washed over me as thick and sweet as the scents that poured out of the house.

  “I’m so happy to see you.” She stepped back and looked at me. “You’re just like your picture.”

  “Thank you.” I cleared my throat and decided not to mention that the picture was taken ten pounds ago.

  “Come inside.” She held the door open for us and smiled at Max as he walked through.”

  I marveled at the warm oranges and bright blues that decorated the interior of the home. There were windows everywhere, which meant that many things were painted with sunlight.

  “Thanks so much for meeting me here. My grandmother, my mother, and I trade off hours at the shop. In the morning I’m home with the kids.” She smiled as two young children raced past her. “Do you have children?”

  “No.” I shook my head. I tried not to think about how young she was to have children. She couldn’t have been more than twenty-three, and yet the little girl looked to be about five and the boy she chased might have been three. “Not yet.”

  “Ah.” She smiled, but appeared to be studying me a bit curiously. I imagined she was trying to figure out why, at my age, I didn’t have a brood of children with me. “We can talk in my office if you’d prefer. It won’t be so noisy.”

  “This is fine.” I smiled and moved toward the couch. Just as I was about to sit down, the little girl bolted in front of me. I stumbled a little but managed to avoid crushing the child.

  “Wayan! Be careful and no running. I’m so sorry, Samantha.”

  “It’s no trouble.” I looked into the little girl’s light brown eyes. “You’re very fast. Do you like to run?”

  She giggled and ran off in the other direction.

  Max sat down beside me, laughing at the children. “She’s beautiful, they both are.”

  “Thank you.” Wayan sat down across from us.

  I couldn’t help but admire the fact that she’d named her daughter after herself. It was rather unusual, although it shouldn’t have been.

  “This is my husband, Max. He’s been traveling with me on the tours and handles all the technical aspects of the website and the blog.”

  “Max, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She nodded to him, then turned her attention back to me. “For the book signing tonight, I thought we could have a longer question and answer time. Now that you’ve been to so many different countries, it would be nice if you could mention some of your experiences with other cultures. If you feel comfortable with that? I feel so many people have a hard time seeing beyond their own borders.”

  “That’s so true. And I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. I really enjoy getting one-on-one time with my readers.”

  “You’re getting some right now.” She grinned. “As you probably already know, I’m a big fan. I’ve been counting down the days until your arrival. It’s so easy as a business owner, wife, and mother to get lost in the day-to-day busyness. Your blog posts keep me refreshed and centered no matter what chaos I’m dealing with.”

  “Thank you so much. I’m glad that they can do that for you.” I held back the words I wanted to say. If they could do that for her, why weren’t they doing it for me?

  Even as I sat there in her well-kept house, with her two children full of energy, I was tired—so tired I felt like I could go right to sleep at any moment. The hardest part of my day was dealing with an audience for a short period of time. It couldn’t begin to compare to what Wayan juggled all the time. Yet her smile was bright, her attitude was enthusiastic, and her energy was off the charts. Where had mine gone?

  “Are you hungry? I have lunch just about ready. I hope you like fruit!”

  “Max and I were just talking about needing to eat healthier again. I’ve lost my way a bit while traveling.”

  “Well, you won’t need to worry about that here. Bali is the kingdom of healthy food. Most everything is fresh, organic, and plucked right out of the garden. There’s such a variety of good food to eat that it’s hard not to eat healthy.”

  Chapter 3

  Wayan led Max and me into her kitchen, which was also full of light. On the table was a large platter that held a variety of chopped fruits mixed into what appeared to be yogurt.

  “It’s just a fruit salad with a little yogurt to hold it together. I thought it might be nice to introduce you to some of the fruits we have here—ones that you might not have tried before. Do you recognize any of them?”

  “Bananas.” I laughed as I sat down at the table.

  “Yes, that’s an easy one.” She grinned. “Max?”

  “Isn’t that mango?” He pointed to one of the slices as he sat down beside me.

  “Yes, it is. Do you like it?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I’ve put in some of our more unique fruit. Lychee is my favorite. They are very sweet. Also there are custard apples in there, so when you bite down into it, you might think you’re eating custard.”

  “An apple that tastes like custard?” I grinned. “Sign me up for that!”

  She served us both two heaping bowls along with glasses of water. “I hope you enjoy it. The kids helped me chop some of it up.”

  “Oh, how nice that you
include them in your cooking.”

  “It’s just second nature. They are so curious, and I can always use the help.”

  I took a bite of the fruit salad and was certain I’d just found a new favorite food, if I could describe such an assortment of fruit as my one favorite. It was so good that I forgot about conversation for the moment and engaged in savoring the taste instead. By the time I became aware that the conversation had continued on around me, the two children were at the table as well.

  “It’s nice that your entire family works together.” Max smiled at the little girl as she picked out her favorite fruits.

  “Family is very important to me—to all of us. My grandmother is as much a parent to my children as I am. When I was a child it was the same, and I loved having so many people to turn to.”

  “That must be wonderful.” I wiped some yogurt from my lips. “So tell me about the shop. It’s not a bookstore, is it?”

  “We do have books, but it’s a mixture of many things. Some of my friends call it a spiritual center. I host yoga classes there and we have a variety of holistic options for treating illnesses—or just for staying healthy. My husband runs the juice bar and cafe. My grandmother offers different healing modalities, and my mother is known to give the best advice in town. It’s just a place where people in the community can join together and share with one another.”

  “That sounds beautiful.” I smiled at the thought of it. “I can’t wait to see it for myself.”

  “When we finish lunch, the kids and I will be headed over to join the rest of the family, so if you’d like to tag along with us, I can give you a ride there.”

  “Sure.” I continued to eat my fruit salad and pictured the shop she’d described. It couldn’t have been better if it had its very own rainbow. She was living the life that I’d been envisioning for my future—fluid, full of vitality, and spiritually connected.