12. DAY TWO: MINOR SETBACK
Preston
Finding the cliff where we first ended up when we washed up on shore was easy, the hard part is convincing myself I don’t deserve to be pushed off the edge for my betrayal.
I sit close to the edge and dangle my feet over the side. My shirt clings to my skin from perspiration, so I remove it and start to lay it next to me when my name tag catches my eye.
Preston King
Chief Pilot
HC Enterprises
What a joke. I chuck it out over the edge as far as I can and watch to see where it lands. Halfway to the bottom, it vanishes from sight. I feel better now that I’ve disposed of it.
The beach below makes me think of Ava again and the time I took her to the beach and didn’t tell her we were standing in front of Mr. C’s beachfront Tuscany-style mansion. It is four stories tall with floor-to-ceiling windows. Three rounded balconies are staggered on each floor, and each one boasts elaborate, wrought-iron railings with hanging boxes filled with greenery that spill out over the edges and look like they might drip onto the beach below. In the middle of the first-level balcony are two huge French doors and a small stairway leading to the beach.
I saw her admiring it so I asked her if the houses in front of her were all for sale and she was buying, which one she’d want to see first. She chose Mr. C’s of course.
I suggested we check it out. Following me until we were really close, she then pulled back on my hand. She had no intention of going further, so I slipped my sunglasses down to look at her and in my best alluring voice, I explained that if we got caught, we could claim a case of mistaken identity. “You know, ‘I thought this was my uncle’s house’ kind of thing,” I told her.
She was determined to hold her ground, so I quickly ascended the stairs two at a time to the first-level balcony and leaned toward the glass to look in the windows. Afterwards, I leaned over the railing to tell her she was making us look guilty. “Just act natural—pretend you live here,” I said with a wink and watched her hurry up the stairs to peek in the windows.
The entire house is elegantly decorated and looks like the setting for MTV Cribs. She was taking it all in when she noticed my reflection and turned to stare at me in shock. I pretended to snoop around the patio, casually lifting up furniture and flower-filled planters one at a time. Walking to the large French doors, I lifted the mat. “Bingo,” I said, holding up the shiny, gold key for her to see, and then said, “They should put this someplace a little less obvious, don’t you think?”
She told me to put it back but instead, I put the key in the lock and turned it. Ava actually sprinted for the steps, but I caught her arm and convinced her to stay in my best enticing voice. She was too scared to speak but followed me inside and rushed to the huge couch. Sitting on the very edge, she watched me wander around the room to look at the art on the walls.
She almost fell off the edge of the couch when I sat down next to her, took her hand in mine, and whispered in her ear, “Seriously, you can relax. This is Mr. Caruso’s house.” I couldn’t stop the low chuckle that bubbled up from my throat, and it took only three seconds for the words to sink in. Her mouth fell open. I told her Mr. Caruso was out of town, and I was staying there. She tried to punch me, but I managed to dodge the hit and wrap my arms around her in a tight hug to diffuse her anger.
How can something that amused me then make me feel so guilty now?
I pick up the shirt and head back the way I came, but when I come to the place I should veer right, I go left instead. My exploring has turned out well so far and besides, I’m done following orders.
I’m careful to count my steps and study my surroundings to guarantee I’ll find my way back. Just when the thought pops into my head that I should probably turn back, something in the trees ahead catches my eye. I move forward with caution to see what it is.
A large structure floats in the trees a few yards ahead, and two more massive tree houses float in giant trees close by. I’ve discovered a cannibal village. Kirk is going to freak. I told him the cannibals weren’t real.
A rustle in the bushes nearby startles me, and I crouch down under a bush. Someone is coming. I know I’ll regret ditching my shirt but in a sea of green, the white will surely give me away. I stuff it under a bush and back away from the approaching predator on my hands and knees until I can’t hear anything but the wild calls of birds.
I run all the way back to the fork on the path and veer right. In a matter of seconds, the hangout comes into sight where I know Kirk and Anna are waiting impatiently for me to return. It’s a miracle I didn’t get lost, but I need one more miracle right now. I have to convince Kirk to come with me. I’ll be exploring again tomorrow, but this time, I won’t be doing it alone.
Wicked Luck Page 14