by T. A. Foster
Kari stood to leave. “I’m going to head back to the restaurant launch I’m working on for the tikki bar. It’s a complete disaster, but the owner doesn’t want to change anything. He insists on pineapples everywhere. How am I supposed to work with that?”
Skye shrugged her shoulders. “Good luck. What time tonight?”
“Just come over after work. Pick up your stuff and I’ll see you with pizza and wine.”
“Ok, cool.” Skye sorted through the next set of models. She rocked back in her chair. Time was dragging its ugly feet.
She had worked out until her limbs burned, buried herself in new client files, cleaned her apartment until it was spotless, and talked Kari’s ear off about the deployment. Skye didn’t know how many other ways she could fill her time. It wasn’t that Ben had been there all the time. The problem was now that he was gone, she couldn’t think about anything else. When Faith called and asked her to dinner it was like a small prayer had been answered.
Skye wasn’t certain if she had ever been so nervous about meeting another girl before. Sure, it was someone who was important to Ben, and that should somehow put her nerves at ease, but it was having the opposite effect. She was almost shaking.
Faith was the closest thing he had to family. If she didn’t get along with her, Skye didn’t know what she’d do. Would Ben end their relationship before he was even home from WESTPAC? Would his entire opinion of her change if she didn’t hit it off with the one person in his life who meant something to him?
She ran her palms along the sides of her jeans for the tenth time before taking the steps to the San Diego bungalow. Faith had called and invited her over for dinner. Skye clutched a bottle of wine in her fist and jogged up the stairs. She could do this; she tried to convince herself as she knocked on the screen door.
“Skye?” A petite girl, with short locks pushed open the door. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Skye didn’t know such a small person could hug so fiercely. She wrapped a free hand around her shoulder.
“Faith, it’s so nice to finally meet you. Ben has told me so much about you. Here.” She shoved the bottle forward. “I brought wine.”
“Oh, thank you. Let’s go get this open.”
Faith turned, and Skye followed her into the house. She stopped to study the pictures in the hallway. She didn’t need Faith to tell her she was staring at pictures of Riggs. He flashed a bright white smile with one arm draped over Faith’s tiny shoulder. They looked cute together. It hurt thinking he was no longer a part of her life, a part of this house, or a part of Ben’s life.
“Alright, two glasses ready to go.” Faith handed one to Skye as she entered the kitchen.
“Something smells amazing. What are we having?”
Faith smiled. “Chicken casserole. I know it’s cliché, invite someone over and serve chicken casserole, but I swear it’s different.”
Skye giggled. Maybe she wasn’t the only one who was nervous for dinner. “I love chicken casserole, no matter what kind. I can’t wait.”
“Want to sit out on the porch? We have at least forty-five minutes before dinner is ready.”
“Lead the way.” Skye followed her through the kitchen door onto a porch that reminded her of the wraparound porches from home, rather than the California patios she had grown accustomed to.
There were potted plants tucked in every corner. She settled into a love seat near a sprawling hibiscus. It was beautiful.
Faith held up her glass. “I think we need to make a toast.”
“Ok. What should we toast?”
“How about to new friends.” She paused. “And to Ben?” She winked as her glass tapped on Skye’s.
“Yes, that’s perfect.”
“Ok, so let’s jump right to it. Tell me all the mushy gushy stuff Ben has done.”
Skye laughed so hard her wine jostled in the glass. “Mushy gushy?”
“Yes. I’ve known for years there was a die-hard romantic buried in that playboy body of his. You are the lucky girl that has drawn it out of him, so I need to know all about it.” Faith sipped her wine.
They had only known each other ten minutes, but Skye felt that they were somehow friends for years.
“I don’t know if he’s completely mushy gushy, but he has been really sweet. Before he left for WESTPAC he wrote a letter to me.” Skye wasn’t about to tell her she had read it a hundred times and kept it with her wherever she went. The words melted her heart every time she read it. “He just does cute stuff like opens doors, he puts his arms around me when I’m cold, and he knows how I like my coffee.” She thought about all of the things he did without her prompting him. He just did them. Like lighting candles and stopping by with armfuls of flowers. Some mornings if he left work before her, he would leave notes on the mirror for her to find.
“I knew he would pull it together.” Faith looked happy.
“Did he talk to you about us? I guess he mentioned me.” The air was starting to cool and Skye pulled a blanket from the back of the love seat to throw over her legs as she tucked them behind her.
Faith laughed. “He did. I knew weeks ago that he was crazy about you.”
“You did? How?”
“Because, Ben’s not really the one-woman type.” Faith stopped. “Oh God, that sounded awful. I mean he never got serious with one person. It’s a compliment to you that he wanted to change that about himself. I meant it as a compliment.”
Skye sighed. It wasn’t as if she thought he was a saint. She knew he was skilled beyond her level of experience; she just wasn’t thrilled to hear it.
Faith rested her wine glass on the coffee table. “I’m sorry. I love Ben to death. I would never say anything bad about him, or say anything about him to upset you.”
“No, it’s ok. I knew he was a flirt, and I knew he wasn’t used to dating.”
“But he is now.” Faith smiled. “He is completely head over heels for you. It’s so awesome to see him like this.”
“You think?” Skye settled back into her seat.
“I know he is. How about another glass? I think I’ll bring the bottle out here.” The screen door latched as Faith walked into the kitchen.
Before Ben left for WESTPAC, she couldn’t imagine a life without him in it. It hadn’t occurred to her he might be trying to imagine a life with her in it. If she was the first girl he had taken the time to date, was he ready for this relationship? Skye swallowed the last sip of wine and tried to dismiss the nagging idea that she was Ben’s relationship experiment. They were more than that.
Faith appeared with the bottle and a plate of cheese and crackers. “I had to turn the oven up. It might be a few more minutes on dinner.”
“That’s ok.” Skye forced a smile.
“Uh-oh, I really did upset you.” Faith sat across from her. “Deployments are hard. You’re going through the roughest part right now. I’ve been there.”
Skye straightened her shoulders. Nothing she had experienced could compare to Faith’s loss. Suddenly, she felt like an idiot. “I’m fine. Really. See?” She pointed to her mouth as the corners turned into a smile.
Faith giggled. “Take it from me, doubt is your worst enemy during deployments.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s over there. You’re over here, And you have all of this empty time to yourself. You start wondering if he’s thinking and feeling the same things you are. You wonder if you made up the whole relationship in your head. If things were really as connected and as serious as you thought they were before he left. Because I know, right before a deployment things are intense. You connect on every level and can’t imagine breathing without him.”
“You are reading my mind right now.” Skye reached for the wine bottle and topped off her glass. She tucked her feet behind her. “When he was here I knew exactly what we had. I had no doubts. But now that he’s gone I’m questioning everything.”
“And I just made it ten times worse by that stupid comment. I’m
sorry. Don’t let what I said take away from Ben’s feelings for you. It definitely is real. He wouldn’t have wanted me to call you and invite you over if he wasn’t worried and thinking about you.”
“He did that?” Skye assumed the call was Faith’s idea.
“Mmm…hmm. He called me a few days ago worried that you would spend all your time working at your office if I didn’t intervene.” She winked. “Trust me. He is thinking about you too.”
Skye felt her shoulders slide down her back. Wine with Faith was exactly what she needed. “Thanks, I do feel better.”
“Good. Just remember any time you start to doubt it you can call me. I’m happy to remind you how crazy he is about you.”
“Thank you, I’m afraid I might have to take you up on it.” Skye wondered how much harder the deployment would be. She was barely surviving the first week. She didn’t have time to think through it. Ben threw it at her. She had two choices: either end everything with him and let him go to Japan, knowing she wouldn’t be there when he got home or follow what her body and soul were telling her. Body and soul won.
“Anytime.” Faith’s expression turned playful. “You know I have a feeling you might end up with a ring on your finger.”
“What?” Skye clutched at her wine glass.
“I just know these things. You’re crazy in love with him right?”
Skye didn’t think that even came close to capturing how she felt about Ben. There weren’t enough sonnets or love songs to describe how her heart soared when he looked at her. Everything faded to a blurry haze and all she could see were his eyes. Eyes that she wanted to wake up to everyday. Eyes that told her she had found home with him. Eyes that said he loved her. Skye knew it sounded insane to say that after knowing him only a month she wanted a future with him, but it felt so natural and right to be with him. This moment, these months ahead of them, felt as unnatural as anything. They weren’t supposed to be apart.
“Yes. I’m one hundred percent in love with him.” She hung her head. “But I was afraid to tell him before he left. I should have told him. Everything happened so quickly. It was like all of a sudden we found each other and then I had a week to say goodbye.”
“You can still tell him. It’s never too late to say ‘I love you’.”
“It’s not, is it?” Skye started imagining all the ways she could tell Ben how she was feeling.
“Never too late. Now let’s go eat.” Faith wrapped her in a hug before they headed inside.
Skye knew she had a friend in Faith like no other.
One Month Later
“Have any packages arrived from me yet?” Ben sounded excited on the other end of the phone.
“You sent me something?”
“Yes, want to know what it is?”
“No, I want it to be a surprise.” Skye hugged her knees to her chest. With the time difference they didn’t talk nearly as often as she wanted.
“I love your kind of surprises. Especially ones with black lace and—”
“I hope no one can hear you right now.” Skye giggled. What she wouldn’t do to slip on that naughty piece of lingerie and parade around in front of him. She’d even throw in a can of whipped cream.
“There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
Skye sat forward. His voice had changed from playful to serious. “What is it?”
“I didn’t know how all of this would work out until I got here, that’s why I haven’t mentioned it before.” He paused. “But, a lot of the guys over here are putting in for their two weeks of leave. We can take time off during the deployment. So, I was thinking I could spend my two weeks with you.”
Skye wanted to leap off the bed. Her hands started shaking.
“Skye, you still there?”
“Yes, yes I’m here. I’m just surprised.”
He laughed. “Well, I was worried it couldn’t happen so I was afraid to mention it before. I didn’t want to get your hopes up and then have to disappoint you. So, here are your choices: Japan, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii, or…”
“Wait, you want me to meet you somewhere?”
“Yes, baby. I’ll fly you almost anywhere in the world. Where do you want to go for two weeks? I’ll cover the entire trip.”
“I can’t let you do that. It’s too much. I can afford it.”
“Skye,” his voice darkened. “I know you can afford it. I know you make tons of money, and you’re a successful businesswoman. I want do this for you. Let me.”
“Ok. In that case, where do you want to go?” She couldn’t believe he was on the phone asking her to meet him on the other side of the world. The butterflies were in rocket mode in her stomach.
“With you? I don’t give a damn. Two weeks with you in a prison would be awesome. You pick. Every place over here is beautiful.”
“When can you take leave? What are you thinking?” Skye would pack tonight if she could fly to him tomorrow.
“I need to put in for my leave about a month ahead of time, so sometime in June. How does that sound?”
Another month without his strong hands and rock-hard chest was going to be tough to bear, but it was better than five more months. Seeing each other during the summer would break up the deployment. This was the best gift he could ever give her.
“Maui. I’ve always wanted to go to Maui.” Secretly, it’s where she always wanted to have her honeymoon, but she wasn’t about to spill that tidbit.
“Done. I’ll work on the tickets this week. Better start buying lots of bikinis and more of that lingerie I like.”
Skye imagined if she could see his face he would wink at her.
“You got it.” She suppressed a squeal. “I can’t believe it.”
“I have to go, but I’ll call you in a few days. Bye, baby.”
“Bye.” She sighed as she tossed the phone on the bed. She hopped to her feet and started jumping on the mattress until all the pillows on her bed had been jostled to the floor. “I’m going to Maui. I’m going to Maui.” She started a hula dance and fell in a heap of giggles on the bed.
Bolt tried not to clutch the lei made of orchids in his fist, but he was so damn nervous. It had been over two months since he had seen Skye. Talking on the phone and emails weren’t enough. He thought about her when he was running, when he was in the shower, when he was flying. She had crept into every part of his life. He had to tell her what he was feeling. The only problem was that he was terrified.
He waited next to baggage claim. He had taken a commercial flight the day before, wanting to make sure he was there to greet her when she stepped off the plane. The shells that were looped around his neck were starting to itch, but he didn’t want to take them off. He thought Skye would want the entire Hawaiian experience.
It seemed like every couple that passed him was in Hawaii on their honeymoon. He recognized the look they were wearing. It was the same one he saw on Skye’s face when they woke up together, when they sipped coffee together, or bet on baseball games. It was pure, devoted love.
He straightened his shoulders. The baggage carousel lights started to flash. Skye’s plane had arrived.
A line of passengers walked toward him. He dodged the newlyweds, searching the crowd for Skye. Then he saw her. Her raven hair, flowing around her shoulders. A white halter was tied around her neck, showing off her bronzed shoulders. Bolt couldn’t stand it. Humility be damned. He ran toward her, scooping her in his arms. She hopped forward, wrapping her legs around him.
“Hey, you.” She smiled before his mouth claimed hers.
She tasted like cinnamon and smelled like vanilla. He inhaled every part of her, his hands tangling through her hair. His chest surged with an aching that was eased as her fingers clasped around his neck.
“I missed you, baby.” He whispered in her neck.
“Me too.” She planted her feet on the airport floor. “I can’t believe I’m here. That you’re here.”
“Damn it,” he mumbled.
“What’s
wrong?”
He held up the lei, some of the orchids were bent. “I had this whole ‘aloha’ thing planned, but when I saw you, I couldn’t think of anything else.”
Skye giggled. “It was the best aloha a girl could ask for.” She pointed toward the revolving carousel. “There’s my bag. The flowered one.”
Bolt wedged himself between another set of newlyweds and grabbed her bag, pulling it to the floor so they could wheel it out of the airport.
“Did you pack all my special requests?” He winked.
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see if I have any surprises for you.” He couldn’t keep his lips off of her. He stole a kiss along her neck as they walked into the warm Hawaiian sun.
“I have a rental car in the visitor lot.” He led her across the lanes of baggage claim pickup.
“This is cute.” Skye admired the red two-door convertible.
“I figured we’re on a Hawaiian vacation. I have to do this right.” He tossed her luggage in the trunk and rushed to open the passenger door for her.
“Thanks.” She lingered long enough for him to kiss her again.
He couldn’t wait to get back to the resort. He had champagne, Hawaiian music, the whole thing ready to go. Now that she was here, they could finally get started.
Bolt held a cup of pineapple toward Skye. “Want some?”
“Sure.” She leaned across the lounge and he slipped a piece of the white fruit in her mouth. It was the third day in a row they had rented a cabana on the beach.
Skye returned to her book, her skin glistening in the sun. Neither one of them had adjusted to the time difference. Bolt was still trying to get over Japanese time, and Skye was off a few hours from her California schedule. They had no problem agreeing the best way to remedy it was to spend as much time in bed as humanly possible.
“Did you know that you can only eat this kind of pineapple in Hawaii?” Bolt pointed to the cup. “It’s delicious.”