Dive Into Me: A Grumpy Sunshine Billionaire Romance, page 21
“We are?”
“Hey, you’re going to need a wingman and I’m a damn good one.”
I rolled my eyes. “Doesn’t matter how good you are. She’s pissed at me and won’t even answer my calls. Popping up at her job might upset her more.”
“We’re not popping up at her job. We’re going to Pacific Paradise as guests, and you’ll just happen to show Charlotte that you’re the man for her.”
“Well, I know that I am, but how do you suggest I show her?”
Lincoln’s sly smirk made my eyes narrow with suspicion. Whatever brilliant plan he was working up in that brain of his… his expression told me that I wouldn’t like it. Still, I’d do anything to get Charlotte back.
35
JAMIE
“Fuck you, Lincoln! I’m not jumping out of a plane!” My outburst gained us the attention of the guests walking past.
Some watched us with curiosity and some with amusement. Lincoln and I stood near the building where we were told that Charlotte would be today.
We arrived at Pacific Paradise Resort yesterday, but she had no idea we were there. Immediately after we arrived, I was ready to find her and launch my we-shouldn’t-break-up petition. However, Lincoln suggested surprising her by showing up at her work area today.
That way, she wouldn’t be able to dodge me. He had a point. I knew Charlotte well. She’d find ways to evade me and run away from a conversation if she knew I was here. But surprising her on a plane and jumping out of it with her…? Lincoln had lost his mind.
“Do you want Charlotte back or not?” he asked.
“Of course, I do. But how is skydiving the way to get her back?”
“Alright, hear me out…”
My derisive snort echoed. “Hearing you out got me into this mess in the first place. Skydiving, Lincoln? Me?” I had to fight the urge not to vomit and pass out when he made me board yet another helicopter to get here.
“Facing your fear like this will impress the hell out of Charlotte.”
Yes, I wanted to impress the woman who was amazing and crazy enough to jump out of planes, but… “I’m no good to her dead,” I grumbled. “And that might be my fate if I go along with your insane plan. I might very well die of a heart attack midair.”
“When did you get so dramatic?” Lincoln sighed and then clasped my shoulder. He looked me in the eye and said, “Jamie, Charlotte is adventurous, spontaneous, and a risk-taker. You need to show her that you can match her energy. Show her that you’re the right man for her to risk her heart with.”
Because she felt that being with me was a risk to her heart… right. If I conquered my fear and took this risk for her, she’d see that she could follow suit and take a risk for me. Was our logic crazy? Maybe. Would it work? Hell if I knew. Was I desperate enough to win Charlotte back? I sure as hell was.
Wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead by merely thinking about free-falling through the air, I squared my shoulders. “Fine. I’m ready to show Charlotte that I’m the perfect man for her.”
“Awesome. She’s going to be stunned when she finds out we’re her students.”
“If I die, I’ll haunt the hell out of you for the rest of your life, I swear,” I murmured as we started walking again.
Lincoln chuckled, and I couldn’t help smiling because I was relieved that we were back to our easy relationship.
“I didn’t know Charlotte was a certified skydive instructor,” I mused. She never mentioned it. She continued to fascinate me to this day.
“Yeah.” Lincoln nodded. “She has been working on it since she and I…”
He glanced at me and didn’t finish. We were still navigating the awkwardness of him having once dated Charlotte.
“She got into it years ago just to get the experience. It was on her father’s bucket list, but he never got the chance to try it. She did it so she could tell her dad what it was like soaring through the sky. She said getting paid to jump out of planes was just a bonus. I guess she makes extra with the skill working here.”
I nodded, fighting the sliver of jealousy that Lincoln knew so much about her past. I wanted to be the one to know everything about her. As we entered the building, my heart hammered for reasons beyond the impending skydive. I hadn’t seen Charlotte in three weeks and had barely spoken to her.
The anticipation of our reunion had my stomach in knots. I waded through mixed emotions. I was happy to see her because I missed her. On the other hand, I was pissed at her. She walked out on me without a fair trial. It was disappointing because I thought the bond we’d forged would have ensured at least that.
I pulled in a deep breath as we approached. She had her head down as she stared at a clipboard she held. Her face was hidden by her blonde mane. Hearing our footsteps, she looked up with a smile. I knew her well enough… knew her genuine smiles to know that was a practiced one for guests.
“Hello, welcome…” Her eyes widened when she realized that it was us. “Jamie? Lincoln? What…?”
“Hey, Char,” Lincoln drawled. “Surprise.”
She glanced at him and then her gaze slid to me and she proceeded to gawk. I stared back, watching the range of emotions flicker across her face—shock, alarm, confusion… and was that pain that I glimpsed clouding her eyes for a moment?
She swallowed. “What are you guys doing here?”
I had yet to say a word, and I couldn’t even muster a response. The barrage of emotions that hit me upon seeing her was overwhelming. Charlotte broke my heart when she walked away from me.
Lincoln gave me a pointed look as if telling me to get my shit together and say something. When I didn’t, he jumped in and said, “We’re your students for today.”
“Yeah, I got that… I mean, what…?” She blinked. “Wait, the both of you?” Her eyes zeroed in on me. “You’re joking, right?”
My eyebrows cinched into a scowl as I gathered my wits. “No, Charlotte. Since you won’t answer my calls, I figured I’d come here and jump out of a fucking plane to get your attention.”
Lincoln groaned softly.
I didn’t mean to snap. I just gave in to the fury brought on by her refusal to talk to me even when she knew the truth.
Charlotte stared at me, her eyes sparking with irritation. And there she was… The feisty woman I knew and loved. God, she was gorgeous.
The tension became almost palpable the longer we glared at each other, and I wanted to pull her against me and kiss the hell out of her.
Lincoln scratched his head as his gaze flickered between Charlotte and me. He cleared his throat and muttered, “Well, this is getting uncomfortable.”
Charlotte ended our staring contest. “Fine.”
Jumping into professional mode, she launched into a speech about the skydiving process—the paperwork, the hour-long safety training, and gearing up…
The entire time, I was caught up between disappointment that she hadn’t launched herself into my arms to tell me how much she missed me and nerve-wracking apprehension about going through with Lincoln’s ludicrous plan.
Hours later, we walked to the small aircraft. We were donned in jumpsuits, harnesses, goggles, and altimeters. The closer we got, the harder it was for my legs to move. Jesus. Was I really going through with this?
I was bathed in cold sweat and trying not to hyperventilate and we hadn’t even taken off yet. Charlotte watched me through narrowed eyes as she had been the entire time we took to prepare. It was like she was testing me, waiting to see if I’d cry timeout and hightail it back to the resort.
I refused to give her the satisfaction. Squaring my shoulders, I moved with purpose.
“This is awesome,” Lincoln said excitedly. “It’s been too long since I’ve done this. The others should be here to experience the exhilaration of free falling. How are you feeling, Jamie?”
Free falling. The words echoed in my mind like a frightening mantra, and I almost doubled over to lose my breakfast.
“I’m stoked,” I choked out.
Charlotte let out an exaggerated sigh. “Alright, enough.”
We stopped to look at her.
“Lincoln, can you give Jamie and me a moment?”
“You got it.” He gave me an approving smirk before sauntering to the plane. He was convinced that his plan was working. I wasn’t so sure…
Alone with Charlotte, we held each other’s gaze for a moment until she asked, “Jamie, what are you doing?”
“I thought it was obvious.” I pointed to the plane. “I’m about to skydive.”
“Don’t be a smart ass.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re terrified. You’re pale and sweaty… I’m afraid you might not survive long enough to even jump.”
I scoffed and glared. “What? You think I can’t keep up with you, Miss Adventure?”
She sighed heavily. “Alright, you’ve got my attention. That’s what you wanted, right? You’re here, so we’ll talk… You don’t have to go through with this.”
“Are you saying that you’ll give us another chance? I’m assuming that we’re broken up since you left me high and dry without a word.”
She planted her hands on her hips and looked skyward. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to go any further.”
My jaw tightened. “And you get to make that decision for us? I don’t even have a say? I fucking love you, Charlotte.”
“I know. It’s just…” She blew out a breath, her expression tortured.
“You’re a coward,” I said.
She scoffed.
“Well, I’m going to show you what a coward I’m not.” Clutching my helmet under my arm, I walked off.
“Jamie, you don’t have to do this.”
I ignored her and marched on the plane.
“Well?” Lincoln asked as I stepped inside. “Are you two back together or what?”
“Nope.”
He frowned. “And you’re still going ahead with this?”
“I am,” I confirmed, my resolve hardening. If I could take a leap of faith, she’d see that she could take one too.
“I’ve never seen you this determined,” Lincoln mused as he watched me with what looked like admiration. “Love is a hell of a thing, isn’t it?”
I glanced at him, confused by the undertone of longing and knowing in his voice. Had he ever experienced the consuming intensity of love? If he had, he never told me.
Charlotte joined us and started chatting with the pilot. When we were airborne, Charlotte kept eyeing me with concern. I imagined I looked like I’d keel over at any moment.
“Alright, Jamie. Let’s go over this one more time…”
I’d been attached to Charlotte for our tandem skydive because it was my first time. Lincoln was qualified to dive on his own since he’d done this the amount of time required to gain that independence. So, my best friend and my girlfriend—if she didn’t turn me down again—were both nut jobs.
My stomach churned with nerves as we got ready to jump.
“The most important thing is to trust me and follow my lead,” Charlotte instructed, her voice steady over the roar of the engine.
“I do trust you, Charlotte,” I shouted. “And you can trust me too.”
She huffed and shook her head. However, I saw the tiny smirk she tried to hide. She wasn’t all that annoyed with me for still trying to win her back even when I was on the verge of passing out.
She ignored my comment and carried on with professionalism. “Once we jump, keep your arms crossed until I tap your shoulder, then you can extend them. Keep your legs bent back toward me.”
I nodded, trying to commit her words to memory, but my mind was a blur of emotions. The plane reached the right altitude, and the door opened, revealing the vast sky and the earth far below.
“Holy shit,” I breathed.
Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out. That certainly wouldn’t impress Charlotte. I glanced at Lincoln, who gave me a thumbs-up, and I groaned.
The beating of my heart was loud in my ears as Charlotte and I moved toward the door. We were strapped together, her body pressed against mine. Charlotte looked at me, her eyes searching mine.
“Ready?” she shouted over the noise.
Fuck no. But I nodded anyway because there was no going back now.
“Breathe, Jamie,” she said, making me realize that I was holding my breath.
We stepped out into the open air and tumbled into a free fall. Terror gripped me in its clutches, but I reminded myself that I was doing this to prove something to Charlotte and that was what helped me stay conscious. I had to show her that I was willing to face any challenge with her.
The things you do for love…
36
CHARLOTTE
“Jamie, are you okay?” I stood over him as worry pricked me in the chest.
We had a smooth landing but as soon as we touched the ground and I unstrapped us, he rolled onto his hands and knees and started to dry heave as he released a string of expletives.
“For the love of God, Charlotte. You actually enjoy shit like this?” He looked up at me with an expression of disbelief. “You’re crazy!”
I grinned because he was talking and reprimanding me, so he’d be fine.
Lincoln walked over to us, wearing a grin. “That was incredible. You okay, man?”
“Fuck you, Lincoln,” Jamie hissed.
Lincoln chuckled and clapped him affectionately on the shoulder so I gathered they spoke to each other like that all the time. “You see how he conquered his fear for you, Charlotte?” Lincoln said.
I snorted my derision. Men. “I know you talked him into this, Lincoln. How could you when you know he’s terrified of heights, particularly free-falling through the air?” I gave him the dirtiest look I could muster.
“Ah, you’re ready to rip my head off for your man.” Lincoln smirked. “So you love him too, and my plan worked. Great.” He helped Jamie to his feet and held us both by the shoulders. “Now, you crazy kids are going to kiss and make up while I head back to the resort.” We got pats on the shoulders before he took off.
I watched him walk away slack-jawed. Did my ex-boyfriend just demand that I get back together with his best friend? I guess things were alright between them…
I turned my attention to Jamie, who was still a little pale.
He wiped away beads of sweat from his forehead. “Well, Charlotte, am I your man?”
“You jumped out of a plane to prove what?” I growled because I was still so worried about him. He really didn’t look good.
“To show you that I’m your guy. To make you see how committed I am to you.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I faced my fear for you. Surely, you can face yours for me. I know you’re apprehensive about the differences between our lives but I jumped out of a plane with you… I’ll face any challenge that arises against us even if I’m terrified. You can trust me with your heart.”
The mentioned organ turned to a puddle in my chest as I gazed at him. “It’s not just my fear, Jamie,” I confessed. “I don’t want to make your life difficult. I don’t want you to constantly have to fight people in your circle because of me… because I’m not suitable for you. I don’t want you to end up resenting me.”
“Charlotte, that’s impossible. You’re perfect for me. I feel alive when I’m with you. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. Skydiving is one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, but losing you is much scarier. I need you in my life.”
My resolve deflated with a sigh. “I know, Jamie. I heard you.”
“What?”
My smile wobbled as I covered the distance between us. “When we were in the air, I heard you shout that if you died, you’d die happy because you got to experience a little bit of life with me.”
“Oh… Yeah…” He rubbed his nape and gave me a sheepish look. “I swore I was going to kick the bucket up there.”
Chuckling, I cupped his face. “Jamie, you are most certainly my guy.”
Relief lit his eyes, and I practically felt the tension seep out of him. I tipped on my toes and angled my face toward his. He swooped down, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me as if we’d been separated for years rather than a few weeks.
“Jamie…”
He lifted a hand to tuck my hair behind my ear. We lay in the massive bed in his suite, facing each other after yet another round of love-making. We’d been going at it like crazy for three days now… We had a lot of lost time to make up for.
“Hmm?”
“I’m so going to get fired,” I joked.
Seriously… I’d been neglecting work to hang out with Jamie after he decided to stay in Kohala for a few more days. Lincoln had suggested that he stay in paradise for a while and spend quality time with me.
The finger he stroked my cheek with stopped. “You’ll be fine. I’ll threaten your boss again. Hell, when I’m done, you’ll be running this resort.”
“Jamie. You will do no such thing.”
He smirked, but I was under the impression that he was serious… the devil.
“I don’t mind losing this job,” I said, sitting up to gaze out of the open balcony door. The morning breeze that floated in brushed my skin and ruffled my hair. “Because I’ve been thinking about making a change.”
Jamie sat up too and watched me expectantly.
“I want to move to New York… for my next adventure.” I smiled at him. “I can’t bear to be apart from you. I don’t want to do the whole long-distance thing anymore. It’s time for me to stop flitting about every few months and set down some roots.”
Jamie grunted. “And here I was thinking about quitting my job and abandoning my home to flit around with you every few months.”
I laughed. “As if your inner control freak would allow you to do that.”
“What makes you think I wouldn’t do anything for you?”
My breath hitched when he captured my gaze. He was serious. Be still my heart. “Well, you don’t have to turn into a roaming hippie to be with me, Jamie. I’m serious about moving to New York. It’s time I explored a steady life and relationship… with you.”
