The Perfect Getaway, page 9
I tried to force the ludicrous thought away. Of course we weren't. We were on an island with fewer than fifty other people total, and seven of them were my best friends. There was no place safer.
I reached for the door, pulling it open, and looked out. The wind had picked up, blowing sand across the moonlit beach, but there was no one on our porch. I took another step, looking to my left, down the row at the other huts.
Each was silent.
Dark.
Everyone was asleep but me.
I stared out at the ocean, feeling my chest tighten. It was almost scary at night, how dark and empty it was. It could swallow you whole, and no one would ever know.
“Hey,” a whispered voice called to my right, and I jumped, letting out a jolted scream that set my face ablaze. It echoed through the silent night, and I was sure others would wake because of it. I turned to face the person approaching me, trying to make out their shape in the darkness.
“Jesus Christ, you scared me,” I said, a hand on my chest as relief flooded me. “What the hell are you doing?” I looked back to where Megan was sleeping in the bed, relieved to see she hadn’t moved. Carefully, I slid the door back into place, moving toward my surprise guest.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Laura said, keeping her voice a low whisper. “I was at the window, and I thought you saw me.”
“No, I didn’t…” I could finally make out her face in the moonlight, just flashes of shadows and hints of light. I knew it was her—by her scent on the wind, the lilt of her voice, and the way my heart was speeding up as she drew nearer. “What are you doing? Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, but there was hesitation there. “Can we talk?”
Now it was my turn to hesitate. “Sure…”
She waved a hand beside her, drawing me toward the side of the hut where she’d been standing at the window, but continued until we were several yards away from the huts, barely able to see them in the distance. I wondered exactly what she could see while she tried to pull me from sleep…what I looked like in a fit of sleep. Could she even see in clearly? Did she want to? Why was she here? What did she think of me? I didn’t know anymore. I cringed at the thought, keeping pace with her. “You’re scaring me,” I said. “Is something wrong?”
She stopped when we were far enough away I assumed no one could hear us, no longer shaded by the awning, but hidden from the huts by a group of palm trees. In our hideaway, nothing else existed. No one else. We couldn’t see the huts. Couldn’t see the ocean. The cluster of palm trees and shadows provided the perfect cover from the rest of the world, but not each other. In the dim moonlight, I could make out her face finally, the slight bump of her nose, the long eyelashes, the perfect bottom lip.
The worry.
I couldn’t focus on anything else, because all I could see was the worry in her expression. Something was definitely wrong.
“It’s about Emily.”
The statement shocked me, and I let out a slight sigh of relief. “What about her?” Had she noticed the connection between Emily and Brad, too?
“Something’s…off about her. Have you noticed?” She wrapped her arms around herself as the wind picked up. “I’m worried she’s up to something.”
“What do you mean?” I resisted the urge to reach out and hold her, keep her warm. A droplet of rain hit my cheek, but I ignored it. Above us, I could hear the gentle lull of rain beginning to hit the tree leaves that were providing us shelter. I should’ve been concerned about getting caught in the storm, but my only worry was Laura.
“I just…I don’t think she invited us here for the reasons she said she did.” She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, wiping away a raindrop from her forehead.
“What reason could there be?” She was talking about Emily and Brad…she had to be. Emily wanted Brad, that much was obvious, but would he ever act on it? I swallowed, my throat dry at the thought. He’d be an idiot.
“I don’t… I don’t know,” she said, raising her voice slightly above a whisper as the wind picked up again. “I just have a strange feeling about her. I don’t think we can trust her.”
I nodded, still not quite sure what she was saying. “Is this about her and Brad?”
She was still, watching me closely. “What about her and Brad?”
“What did Brad say when you told him?” I asked, trying to change the subject. Maybe I was way off.
“I haven’t told him… I wanted to talk to you first.” She looked down, her bare feet kicking the sand. My stomach lurched at her words. She’d chosen to come to me first. I was the one she’d thought of. The one she trusted.
“Why me?”
She cocked her head to the side, giving me a knowing look. “You’re my best friend, Nick…” She paused, her hand unfolding from where it had been wrapped around herself and reaching for my arm. “And you never act like I’m crazy for telling you things that might be crazy.”
“It’s not crazy,” I said, though I still wasn’t sure what we were talking about. Her palm spread warmth through my arm instantly. “I just—I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about. Do you think she’s dangerous? Or do you think she’s not serious about Andy?” Do you think she’s in love with your husband?
“I don’t—” The wind picked up and cut off her sentence, and she buried her face in my chest to block the sand that blew through the air. I wrapped my arms around her, afraid I’d never be able to let go, and prayed the wind would keep up. Let it blow forever if that was what it would take to keep us there. Together.
Eventually—all too soon—it died down, and she stepped back. “It’s probably nothing,” she said finally, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t have woken you up.”
“Hey,” I reached for her, lifting her chin so she had no choice but to look at me. She seemed fragile, so shaken up, and I wanted terribly to understand what had happened to bring her to such a state. “You can always come to me. You know that.”
She nodded, moving a piece of hair from her mouth as the wind whipped it around. “I do know.” Her smile brightened, but there was a sadness still hidden in the depths of her eyes. “You’ll always love me, won’t you?”
“Always,” I promised, because it was true, but not just in the way she meant.
“Are you okay, Nick?” she asked. “I mean, not just now, but…in general. Are things with Megan okay?”
My jaw tightened, and I pulled my hand away from hers, probably too quickly. “Things are great. Why do you ask?”
“I’m glad to hear it,” she said, her hand brushing my arm again. We were a mesh of skin bumping against each other in a confined space, hot breath, and frozen time. So close I could smell her skin, yet unable to breathe her in. The darkness surrounded us, giving way to thoughts I normally wouldn’t let surface. “I want you to be happy. You know that, don’t you?” She touched my arm again, my body and mind at war as our skin met.
I didn’t dare pull away, but I stared at her, ice filling my veins. “What are you doing, Laura?”
“What do you mean?” she asked, her hand not leaving the underside of my forearm.
“Why are you asking about Megan? Why are you looking at me like that?” It was a look I recognized, but one that wasn’t welcome. Not here. Not like this. Not when she’d deny it in the daylight. Not when she’d break my heart doing so.
“I care about you, Nick. I’d never want to do anything to hurt you…” She pulled her hand back, her face going into her palm. “Everything is so messed up.” Her voice cracked as she whispered the words.
I touched her shoulder, and she looked back up at me, a hint of tears in her eyes. “What’s messed—”
Without warning, she pushed up on her toes, her hands cupping my face, and lips meeting mine. My body filled with warmth, then fire, raging through me like she’d lit a match. The sound of the crashing waves and the whipping wind created a vortex—only room for the two of us inside. Nothing else mattered. No one else existed. Time disappeared.
She wrapped her arms around me further, and I pulled her into me, expelling a moan laden with emotion. How long had I waited for this moment to come again? How long had I hoped it would?
She stepped back, and I pushed her against the palm tree, my hands sliding under her shirt. The warmth of her skin under my palms sent lightning throughout my body.
Was any of it real? Was it truly happening? Her fingers laced through my hair, tugging at it playfully as she nipped at my lips. There was so much unexplored passion between us, so much unsaid. Her hands went to the waistband of my sweatpants, and my heart galloped in my chest. There was no going back.
This was happening. I lifted her up against the tree as her legs wrapped around me. I wanted it to last forever. I wanted this moment to be how I spent the rest of my life. I couldn’t move fast or slow enough. Couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
It was bad, but so good.
It shouldn’t happen, but I’d die before I stopped it.
I loved her.
I’d always loved her.
Her hands gripped my back, and I wondered if she felt the same. In that moment, nothing mattered.
Nothing but her.
Me.
The two of us. Moving together. Our bodies melding as one; years of love, desire, and passion between us taking shape.
And then, minutes later and all too soon, it ended. We fell apart, gasping for breath, our skin slick with sweat.
Like a douse of cold water, she stepped away from me, pulling on the shorts I’d stripped away. I adjusted my own pants, trying to slow my racing heart as I figured out what to say. What to do. The reality of what we’d done sat evident on her face. There was so much being said in the silence between us.
She put a hand to her lips, taking a step back. “Oh my God. What did we do? I’m so sorry, Nick…”
I reached for her hand, but she jerked it away. “Sorry? No. Don’t be. We should talk—”
Before I could finish a sentence, more tears filled her eyes, and she shook her head. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I have to go. I’m sorry.” She pushed away from me, sand flying up behind her as she ran away, disappearing in the darkness, just a glint of moonlight across the sand and then she was gone. The rain began to fall faster, harder. As if it had held off just for us.
I sighed, lifting my hands to my own lips. Was I even sure I was awake? Had it really happened? I was tempted to throw myself in the ocean to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Let the cool water confirm what I knew—that I’d gotten what I’d wanted for so long. And that it may have ruined everything.
Instead, I sighed, confused as hell, and began to walk back toward my hut. I should’ve gone after her, forced her to talk to me. But what was there to say? And what if whatever she had to say would only hurt worse?
I shook my head, forcing myself to keep moving. When I reached the stairs of the hut and looked up, I froze.
No.
I squinted, but the flash of white I’d seen in the doorway—the blonde hair—was gone. I hurried up the sand-covered stairs, not sure what to say or do or believe or think. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. How would I ever explain this?
When I reached the door, I took a deep breath, counting one, two, three, and slid it open. The sliding glass door felt heavier than I remembered, and I let out a sigh as I realized Megan was still in bed. The sheet rose and fell with her steady breaths. I’d imagined it. Imagined her. She hadn’t been at the door. Watching me. Watching Laura run away. She’d been asleep. I was safe. No longer innocent, no longer faithful, but safe.
I swallowed, the weight of what had happened crashing down on me. The weight of what I’d almost lost. I moved toward the bed slowly, taking steady steps. My breaths were too loud, coming out distraught and haggard. I lifted the sheet gently, one inch at a time, then eased myself in next to her, every move calculated and thought out. Would this be the one to wake her? Finally, I let the sheet cover me, another breath escaping my throat as I listened for her to make a noise.
If she moved, I’d apologize.
If she’d seen, I’d grovel.
If she was, by some miracle, still asleep, I’d gotten way too lucky.
Chapter Eighteen
Andy
How mad at me could she have been? What had I done that was so wrong? I walked along the beach, my legs soaked with the cool water from the tide. Wherever she was, she was avoiding me. That much was obvious. So, it had to be my fault. Something I’d said. Something I’d done. Something the women had said about me.
Was it possible they’d do that to hurt me? I didn’t want to believe it. Try as they might to annoy me, I had to believe they cared about me. Laura and Natasha especially, though I’d always done my best to make Megan feel welcome in our group, too.
Why weren’t they doing the same for me?
Why didn’t they like Emily?
I wiped a hand across my face as a raindrop hit it. The wind had picked up, whipping my clothes wildly. Wherever she was, she needed to come home. I was starting to worry. I’d been walking back and forth between the relaxation center, checking the spa, the library, the theater, the gym, the kitchen, and then back to our hut.
Manu told me the forest was too dangerous to walk at night when we couldn’t see the path, but if she didn’t turn up soon, I was going in there. I wouldn’t leave her. I couldn’t. Whatever I’d done, I’d make it up to her.
I heard something in the distance, and I looked left. The shape of someone moving near a clump of palm trees caught my attention. I froze, watching carefully and trying to make out where the noise was coming from. Who is that? “Em—” I stopped when I realized it wasn’t Emily. But there was a woman…
I could see the flash of white in the clump of palm trees, different than the first glimpse I’d seen. Two people. What the…? I heard her voice on the wind, when it wasn’t blowing fast enough to drown out all other sounds. What is she—
I stopped in my tracks, refusing to walk a step further. It wasn’t possible.
No.
Nick’s hands were wrapped around Laura’s legs, holding her up, her back against a tree. I squinted my eyes, sure I was seeing wrong, but even in the moonlight, I could see the embrace. The kiss. Her head to the left, his to the right. Upon further inspection, I noticed the clothing strewn about in a heap on the sand.
No.
My heart sank, my breathing catching in my throat. How would I ever tell Brad? How could Nick have lied to me? How could this be happening?
I sucked in a sharp breath and walked away, torn between wanting to stop them, wanting to get the image out of my mind immediately, and wanting to get away as quickly as I could before they could see me. The stress of the situation had my heart pounding. I was angry, confused. Everything I thought I knew was called into question. Nick had just told me a few hours earlier that he was over Laura, so why would he lie? And how could he look Brad in the face knowing the lie would destroy his world?
I took a step further, toward the water. I should’ve said something, confronted them, but what was there to say?
I needed to do something, but who should I go to first?
Nick, to be lied to again?
Laura, to demand the truth?
Brad, because he was my best friend?
I couldn’t catch my breath, my head pounding with impossible options as I pushed forward, walking along the shore and kicking sand as I went. It was a mistake to come. To bring these people. Emily and I were falling apart, and now this? Now I’d have to break my best friend’s heart? Should I wait for the vacation to end? To say anything now would ruin the trip for everyone. But to wait would ruin it for me. I’d never lied to Brad—about anything—and I didn’t want to start now.
As the wind picked up again, new rain droplets hitting my face, I caught a glimpse of someone moving up by the huts. Several yards away and in the dark, I couldn’t make them out, but I knew it had to be Laura as she ran past where Nick’s hut was. I needed to talk to her. I had to know the truth. She had to know I knew she’d been lying.
I picked up my pace, moving toward her quickly. “Hey!” I yelled, keeping my voice low. I didn’t want to wake everyone up, but with the noise of the wind and the crashing water, she couldn’t hear me. I moved faster, but I’d lost her; she’d ducked into the shadows of the huts. Maybe to the safety inside.
Had she seen me? Did she know? Was that why they broke apart? I spun around, looking for Nick. If they knew what I’d seen, what would they do? As I spun, something in the water caught my eye.
Something moving in the water.
No, not moving.
Floating.
I swallowed, stepping closer. Was it a fish? It was too large.
The dark mass floated toward me, just an unreflective bump in a sea of white ripples, rising and falling with the tide.
My throat went tight as I moved forward, letting the water meet my ankles and then my knees.
No.
As it grew closer, it was unmistakable. I reached for her, touching the hair I’d once loved to see piled atop her head. The hair I’d played with when she laid in my lap. I gripped her arm, staring at the hand I’d held in the car. The air around me felt like it had turned to Jell-O, as if everything was happening in slow motion. My vision blurred, my thoughts jumbled. The cries escaping my throat were animal-like as I pulled her to me. I flipped her over, staring at her face in the moonlight.
No.
“Emily, please, no. No. Emily?” I patted her face, shaking her. Trying to press my lips to hers in the ever-moving water. Another scream escaped my throat as I dragged her to shore, my body shaking, fighting against the current and the waves and the growing storm around and within me. Nothing felt real. It was a nightmare come to fruition. It wasn’t possible. We weren’t moving. I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t save myself.
It wasn’t possible. I wanted to let go. To drift out to sea with her.
No. I couldn’t give up. There was still a chance.
“Emily!” I screamed, the sound of the ocean soaking up my voice like a sponge.
