The Perfect Getaway, page 6
“Perhaps, then, relaxing is something you should be doing for fun,” Manu joked, and Brad’s eyebrows bounced up as he gave an agreeable laugh. “And you are last, Mrs. Laura. What do you enjoy doing?”
“Oh,” she said softly, her eyes bouncing to Brad, then me, then Natasha, and back to Manu. “I don’t know. I’m a mom to two little girls, like Brad mentioned, so that takes up the majority of my time. But, when I’m not doing that, or when I’m not working at the dental office Nick and I run, I like to…” She put a finger to her lips. “Well, I used to love hiking; we have lovely woods behind our house. But I haven’t done that in years. I run quite a bit, but typically when I’m stressed. Mostly to have fun, I just relax on the couch with Netflix and wine, when I get the chance.” She smiled sadly, obviously unhappy with her own answer. “Oh, and I’ve always loved to write. I’d love to publish a novel someday.”
“Well, we do not have Netflix here, but I am happy to say there are plenty of hiking trails in the woods—just please stay on the paths we have marked for your safety—and I should think you will find plenty of time to write during your stay, if you would wish to do so. It is peaceful here.” His smile broadened. “And there is certainly no shortage of wine.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Natasha said with a cackle, raising her empty glass.
At her words, the doors to the relaxation center opened and eight waiters appeared, each carrying white trays. They approached our table, and nearly in unison, placed our plates in front of us. They poured our drinks and took the menus from us, checking to make sure everything was in order before they left.
I looked up, realizing Manu didn’t have any food in front of him. “I shall leave you now and let you talk, relax, and enjoy your meal,” he said, standing from his chair. “And I certainly hope you do. You are in paradise now, my dears. Your only focus should be enjoying every moment of it.”
I lifted the wine to my lips, letting the cool, rich texture sit on my tongue. Behind us, the water could be heard slapping against the sand, bringing with it a humidity that had the back of my shirt clinging to my neck.
He skirted away quickly, and when he was inside of the building, Andy broke the silence with as much class as could be expected.
“Holy shit, this is delicious!” Pineapple sat atop his pork, and I snorted watching him dig in. Emily picked at her salad, though I didn’t see her take a bite.
“Had you eaten today, bud?” Brad joked, and Andy flipped him off.
“This is really great,” Megan agreed, plucking a mandarin orange from the salad in front of her.
“I can’t believe we’re here,” Natasha said, taking a sip of the yellow mixed drink in her glass. “Like, this is really happening, you guys.”
“It’s wild, right?” Laura agreed. “This place is breathtaking.”
And so the conversation shifted, from our usual talk of the day-to-day to our newfound existence in paradise. I had the vague feeling that we were all just waiting for the other shoe to drop, like none of us—Emily aside—could believe it was really happening.
It was our first night on the island, and the first night we’d all get to spend together.
Little did I know, it was also the only night we’d all be alive.
Chapter Eleven
Laura
After our dinner plates had been cleared, we were all stuffed and exhausted, and over the horizon, the sun had begun to set into the sea.
“Let’s go watch the sunset, Nicky,” Megan said, her excitement contagious as she leaned into him and he kissed her forehead. They were so in love it was nearly sickening.
I looked at Brad, who was staring out over the water stoically. “Want to go, too?” I asked.
He nodded less enthusiastically, standing up, and I watched as Nick pulled Megan’s chair out, though Brad was already several paces away from the table by the time I caught up to him. “Wait up!” I called.
The others followed behind, each couple getting up and stretching at their own pace. We made our way to the shore, and Brad turned to me. “What do you think, babe? Sand or a chair?”
“A chair, please,” I said with a laugh. “I’d never manage to get up from the sand.” It was a joke, but the pain in my knees had begun getting worse and, try as I might to ignore it, my hips felt sore from day-to-day movements anymore—a definite sign I was no longer the eighteen-year-old he’d met so long ago. Emily was a constant reminder of everything I wasn’t anymore. We started toward the white chairs on the sand, stopping abruptly as Nick darted into our path with Megan on his back.
“Sorry,” he called, Megan squealing with delight as he launched them both into the water. Brad took my hand, leading me toward the chairs as we watched Nick and Megan play in the water, laughing loudly and splashing each other like two teenagers. I couldn’t help smiling. It was a perfect picture, really. The sunset behind them, both of them undeniably beautiful, even soaking wet and jet lagged.
I sat down in the white chair, nearly tipping it over as I managed to sink in and Brad slid his toward me, surprising me by putting an arm around my shoulders. Maybe this place would be good for us after all.
“I love you,” he whispered, resting his chin on my shoulder. I leaned my head onto his.
“I love you, too.”
“Alright, you love birds,” Natasha said, laughing as she hurried around in front of me and took the seat to my right. “Dear God, how do you get in this thing without falling on your ass?”
I snorted, reaching over and holding the chair steady so she could sit without tipping the chair on its side. “I don’t think you do.”
Without a word to her, Jaren took off his shirt, laying it over a free chair and hurrying into the water as well. “Has Jaren been working out?” I asked Natasha, surprised at the abs I’d never noticed before. Then again, it wasn’t all that frequently I saw him without a shirt on.
She raised a brow, following my gaze. “Who knows what he does… He bought one of those ab machines off some guy who brought his car into the shop a few months back. Ten bucks says by the end of the year, it’ll be used to stack clothes on.”
“He looks great,” I told her, wiggling my brow and elbowing her playfully. “This week could be really great for you two.”
“I have ears, you know,” Brad said, shaking his head. “Sometimes it’s like you girls don’t care about our feelings at all.” He crossed his arms, batting his eyelashes excessively.
I laughed out loud, sliding my feet further down in the sand, where the earth began to grow cool. “I’m just saying. Natasha and Jaren are bound to have a great time reconnecting. We all are.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well don’t get your hopes up. I don’t plan on getting too cuddly with someone who can’t change his drawers for a week.” She snorted again, obviously feeling the three glasses of a cocktail called Yellow Bird she’d had at dinner.
I tsked, clicking my tongue at her. “You’re awful.”
She shook her head. “He’s a grown man, baby. He can stick up for himself. Anyway, don’t let me ruin your time with your man. You have clean clothes, don’t you, Brad?”
He guffawed. “Plenty of ’em. And I’m giving some to Jaren too…drawers and all.”
She cackled. “Don’t do it for my sake.”
“Where’s Andy and Emily?” I asked, looking behind us when I realized they weren’t around.
“I think Andy went to order them some extra drinks over at the kayak rental shack,” Brad said, pointing to where Andy could be seen waiting at the small, round pergola a few yards back.
“Do you think Little Miss is going to swim in that full face of makeup?” Natasha asked.
“Twenty bucks says she’s going to make Andy take her picture and not even drink it,” Brad said, winking at Natasha.
She shook her head. “You should know by now I’m not taking any losing bets, Brad.”
“Shh…” I quieted them as Andy was handed two tall, red and yellow frozen cocktails. He moved to hand one to Emily, but she turned around too quickly, missing the gesture, so he followed behind her instead, carrying the drinks carefully, as if they were eggs in an egg-and-spoon race. They made their way so far away from us I was sure they were going back to the huts, but eventually they stopped, and Emily reached for a drink, pulling her phone from inside her bra.
Natasha sighed apprehensively. “She sure is pretty, but poor Andy…”
“Poor Andy?” Brad asked with a sarcastic chuckle, so excitedly I elbowed him.
“Watch it.”
“I’m just saying,” he rubbed his chest where I’d hurt him, “she’s half our age, loaded, and…” He sighed, folding his arms over his chest. “I’m just saying Andy is, like the girls would say, living his best life,” he teased, using a phrase Britta overused.
I grimaced. “Yeah, for now. But how long do you realistically think it’ll last? I mean, it’s Andy.”
“Even young and perky gets boring after a while,” Natasha agreed.
“I don’t know. Have you seen the way he watches her? He’s like a puppy dog,” Brad said.
“He’s obviously just infatuated because she’s the first girl in the history of the world not falling all over him. He’s having to put in the work on this one. Maybe it’ll be good for him,” I said.
“Like I said, he’s a puppy dog chasing a bright, shiny new bone.” Brad jutted his head in the direction of the two of them. We watched as Emily positioned herself in front of the sun, pressing her lips to the side of the glass, and Andy snapped a few photos on her phone.
“Yeah, well, someone needs to put that puppy down,” Natasha said. “Lord, it’s pathetic.”
I stifled a grin of my own. “I just want him to be happy. Maybe she’s the one.”
“She’s a one,” Brad agreed, clearing his throat. “And this is the first time I’ve ever seen him date someone for longer than a week. He seems…I hate to say it, but he does seem happy.”
When they were done taking the photo, Emily traded the drink for her phone, looking through the pictures. When she appeared to have found one she approved of, she stuck the phone back into her dress and surprised me by looking directly at us.
At once, the three of us looked away, and I felt heat rush to my face. “Real smooth, guys,” Natasha joked.
When we looked back, she was still staring our way, a small smile on her painted red lips. She was perfect, in an intimidating way that I couldn’t deny. Sure, she was half my age, but it was more than that. There was something so confident about her, a confidence that most women never knew. At any age.
Interrupting my thoughts, Natasha nudged me. “She’s coming over here. She’s coming over here. Stop staring.”
I looked down, then back up, realizing she was right. They were headed back our way, nearly to us at that point. When they reached us, she bent down, sitting directly in front of me, her legs bent carefully behind her.
Andy took a seat next to her, his legs crossed, both drinks still in his hands and his palms bright red from the cold.
“Hey,” she purred.
“Want me to help you out?” Brad asked, taking one of the drinks and burying its base in the sand so it stayed in place. Andy did the same with the other one.
“I saw you guys watching.” She rolled her eyes with fake humility. “So embarrassing, I know. But the poses that look ridiculous in real life make for the best shots online.”
“Sorry, no. It wasn’t that at all. We weren’t trying to stare. I just find what you do so fascinating,” I told her.
“Oh, you probably think it’s super shallow,” she said, waving me off. There was no bitterness in her voice. “I know it’s silly, but it pays the bills, ya know. There are worse things…” She trailed off, flicking her long, dark hair behind her shoulder. “So, are you guys having fun?”
“It’s beautiful, Emily. We can’t thank you enough for inviting us,” Brad said, taking some of the pressure off me.
“My pleasure. Really. I never get to do these things with people I actually know, let alone like, so this is great for me.” She paused. “I hate that you had to leave your daughters at home, though. I know you must miss them.”
The thought of Britta and Elena sent a stab to my heart. “I do,” I admitted. “Very much. But I know they’re having fun with my parents.”
“And what about you, Natasha? You have children, right?”
“A son. He’s seventeen.” Her eyes brightened. “About your age, right?”
Andy gave her an irritated look of warning, but Emily didn’t seem to notice or care about the condescension in her tone. “Just about. Very cool.” She nodded rhythmically, like she was dancing to music no one else could hear.
“I’m so curious about what you do, Brad. You said you bring water to foreign countries? Andy had only told me about your accounting, but I think that’s so cool.” She leaned forward, zeroing in on Brad, who didn’t seem to mind giving her the extra attention. “Do you ever need donations? I love getting my followers involved in worthy causes.” She smiled sweetly, and a sick feeling washed over me.
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s a worthwhile cause, and the way these people live, it’s just…it’s amazing how resilient man is, you know?”
“Or woman,” she said, her tongue resting on her too-white teeth.
“Yeah,” he said, hanging on to the ending sound. “Woman, too.” His eyes darted to mine nervously, and I hoped he could feel the tension. I was not a jealous person, but it would take a woman more confident than I am to watch their husband watching someone so beautiful, so interested in him, without feeling at least a pang of spite.
“How did you get into social media?” I asked, drawing her attention back to me as Nick, Megan, and Jaren emerged from the water, making their way up the shore toward us.
“Oh, gosh, it just kind of happened, you know? I posted about what I did, my life, and it just…” She snapped her fingers. “Took off. You know how it goes.” Oh, right, of course.
“You must enjoy it,” Brad said. “All that freedom…I’m not sure what I’d do with it.”
My stomach tightened.
“It’s great,” she agreed. “It gets lonely sometimes…” She blinked slowly, then looked at Andy. “But it’s still great. Beats a desk job, right?”
Andy smiled. “Beats getting your knuckles torn to shreds at a shop.”
“You love your cars,” she said, puckering her lips and grasping his chin, shaking it back and forth playfully.
“Hey, I could learn to live without ’em if it meant doing stuff like this all the time,” he told her, the statement rolling over her expression slowly. Her smile faded.
“You know most of the time I have to travel alone.”
He nodded. “Yeah, of course. I’m just kidding.” Though he wasn’t, and that was incredibly obvious to everyone.
“What did we miss?” Nick asked, as he and Megan finally reached us. Their wet clothes clung to their bodies, Megan’s long blonde hair stringy and a shade darker than usual. Her smile was infectious. An island employee rushed toward us, holding out three towels, which they each took graciously.
“Thanks, Nani,” Megan said, bowing slightly as she began to dry her hair.
When the woman walked away, Nick asked again, “Sorry, what did we miss?”
“Nothing,” Emily said, “we were just chatting.”
“Yep, just chatting,” Natasha agreed, a too-perky, patronizing grin on her face.
“I think we’re going to go dry off,” Megan said. “Will you guys be out here long?”
“Ye—” Andy said, but Emily cut him off sharply.
“No. I plan to get up early and do yoga on the beach at sunrise, and I need a full eight hours or I won’t be of any use to anyone tomorrow, so I think I’ll go to bed. You’re welcome to stay, though, babe.” She nodded at him. He seemed unsure of what to say.
“We’re probably going to stay awhile, aren’t we, babe?” Brad asked, already seeming sure of that fact. “If you want to hang with us for a bit, Andy.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “You’re welcome to stay with us, Andy. At least until the sun sets. I’m not sure how late I’ll stay out after that.” A yawn escaped my throat. “Unless I fall asleep out here.”
Nick looked reluctant to leave, though Megan was already pulling him away, waving happily at us as Emily stood to leave, too.
“You going to bed?” Jaren asked Natasha, who shook her head.
“I’m about to get one of those pretty little drinks Andy has and stay right here.” She paused. “You?”
“I’ll stay, too… If that’s okay?”
She shrugged. “It’s a big beach.”
I could remember so well when things were good between them. They’d met in college, and for such a long time, they were the picture of happiness. I wasn’t sure where it went wrong, but it made me incredibly sad to watch it play out in real time.
When he walked away, I looked at Natasha. “He tries…”
“That wasn’t trying,” she said firmly, her tone sharp. That was the end of the conversation, and no matter how badly I felt for her husband at times, I’d always side with my best friend. I knew her better than anyone, which meant I saw her pain when Jaren was at his most irritatingly obtuse.
“She’s great, isn’t she?” Andy asked, interrupting my thoughts as Emily walked away.
I smiled, trying to decide what to say, when Natasha spoke up. “She treats you like you don’t exist, Andy.”
Andy’s jaw dropped, and the smile faded from his lips as he attempted to come up with a response.
“Now, that’s not fair.” Brad came to his rescue.
“And why the hell not?” Natasha pressed. “She’s barely looked at him all day. I’m sorry, Andy. She seems like she’s a sweet enough girl, but she’s totally self-obsessed.”
