“Bora Bora.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It wasn’t fair to leave Reed hanging, but if she answered Yes without talking to her mom first, JC knew for certain she’d mind-fuck herself into a nervous breakdown.
Standing in the doorway Reed frowned and scowled in complete confusion, asking if her answer was no.
Shaking her head vehemently, JC assured, “I’m so in love with you, Reed. Of course I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
He gave a slight nod before engulfing her in a kiss. Moments of passionate ravaging passed before he tore his lips away from hers. “It’s okay. I understand.” Reed squeezed her tight. “Honestly, I don’t understand at all, but I trust you. Go do what you have to do.”
Seven hours and several drinks later, JC landed on the tarmac in paradise. As the plane circled the long narrow landing strip bordered by the dark blue pacific ocean on one side and the pristine turquois lagoon on the other, she wished she’d drank whiskey instead of wine.
Walking from the airplane to the open aired thatch roofed airport, JC grasped how this magical island cast on spell on lovers lucky enough to visit. Breathing in the moist air saturated with the sweet floral aroma, she admired the raw natural beauty.
She’d grown up listening to her parents’ stories romanticizing Bora Bora. Tom loved it so much that he surprised her mother with a small private motu, complete with a gorgeous bungalow and two boats.
She tried to call her mom and Tom when the plane landed, but they didn’t answer so she left a message. In this island paradise, you couldn’t merely take a taxi or a shuttle, you had to take a boat transfer to your resort.
Walking briskly down the dock to find a boat ride, honeymooners and lovers of every age surrounded her. She couldn’t help but notice the intimate behavior, private messages sent with a stroke of the hand or a small sensual glance of lovers knowing what the night would entail.
Lustful thoughts of the man she loved sent pings of desire to her tummy. All she could think about was Reed, wishing he stood by her side. Digging through her purse, she pulled out her phone to call him. Her toe caught on a plank of wood, sending her stumbling down the dock and her phone sailing into the gorgeous blue lagoon.
“Oh shit!” she shrieked, clambering to edge of the pier, watching her phone sink to the sandy bottom. Jumping to her feet, JC kicked off her shoes and threw her purse to the dock preparing to jump in when a dark-skinned man dove in from a boat tied up at the dock.
She dragged her hands through her hair, swearing under her breath while pacing frantically on the dock. Fuck! Hysteria mounted. JC didn’t memorize Reed’s phone number. The only connection to the man she loved just sank to the bottom of the lagoon.
The Tahitian man swam to the back of his boat and toweled off, meeting JC on the dock.
“Maruruu.” Unable to hide sheer disappointment as she reached to shake his hand, she took back the worthless piece of technology.
“Maeva, welcome. You speak Tahitain.” His dazzling white smile matched his gracious personality.
“Only a few words. Thanks for trying to save it, but I’m pretty sure it’s a lost cause.” Her anxiety kicked in. “Is this your boat? I’m in desperate need of a ride.”
“Oh, yes, yes of course. Where are you staying?” Stretching his arm outward, he escorted her to his boat.
“I’m staying with Tom and Tess Clemmins.”
All the charm and pleasantness dropped straight to the bottom of the lagoon with her phone. “You’ll have to find another boat.” He marched her past his boat, sending her on her way.
“But I need a ride.” She scowled and her hands flew to her hips.
He folded his brawny arms across his bare chest. “I’m sure if you are staying with the Clemmins they have arranged a boat transfer with their private captain.”
JC snapped her fingers in recollection. “That’s right! Where is Mr. Rene? Which boat is his?”
He stared at her skeptically, shooing her toward the end of the dock.
Approaching the boat, she realized her mom and Tom never had visitors. Most likely he assumed she was nosy media or a crazed star-struck fan.
Neither JC nor John, Shayla or Tracy were allowed to visit. The family was more than welcome to stay at any of Tom and Tess’s houses except The Bungalow. It was their private romantic getaway and off limits to family and friends.
Mr. Rene was their private captain, landscaper, chef, assistant, etc. Whatever Tom and Tess needed Mr. Rene or a member of his family took care of it. His wife stocked the fridge prior to their arrival and invited them to every family celebration.
A smile broadened across her face. JC felt as if she were about to meet a long lost uncle. “Mr. Rene?” Her long caramel hair fell to the side as she bent slightly.
“Yes. Yes!” he greeted joyfully. His dark russet skin covered with intricate tribal tattoos. “Ia Orana. It is a beautiful day.”
She extended her hand. “My name is JC. JC Mathews. You know my—”
“Yes!” He took both her hands, clasping them in his own. “Of course! I recognize you from pictures. Hello my dear! Where is Mrs. Blue Eyes?”
JC beamed at hearing the nickname he’d given her mother. “I need a ride to their island. They’re not expecting me.”
He frowned. “Is there a problem?”
“There is no problem.” Obviously, Mr. Rene was aware of their house rules. “I need to see them. I tried to call, but—”
“They should be home. I will take you.”
The twenty-five minute boat ride felt more like three hours. JC was incapable of enjoying the picturesque scenery, because she was too busy spilling her guts to Mr. Rene, blurting out her entire story. As they approached a small unspoiled island, two boats tied to the dock were the only signs of life. He assisted her off the boat and pointed to a manicured path hidden between lush foliage of colorful hibiscus, offering to show her the way. JC declined, placing a grateful kiss to both his cheeks, thanking him for the ride.
She rushed down the narrow pathway laid between the tall palm trees. Crested small hill, she stopped. “Shit.”
JC didn’t know what expect, but one thing was certain: her mother always came home with a lack of tan lines. Shielding her eyes from possible nudity, she ambled on, keeping her gaze on the sand beneath her feet. When the roof of the bungalow came in to sight, she called out, “Momma?”
No answer.
JC set her purse on a teakwood table under a vibrant red umbrella. The glass doors of the bungalow recessed fully into the walls, exposing it to the outdoors. She peeked inside, calling out for them. Scanning out over the glimmering lagoon, she noticed two snorkels bobbing above the clear turquoise water. “Just great.”
She huffed with an eye roll, noticing what appeared to be two very tan bodies.
Lifting the umbrella from the hole in the center of the table, JC grabbed two towels hanging on the back of the chairs and tucked them under her arm. Avoiding the view, she strolled down to the beach where two low lounge chairs sank into the soft white powder. She tossed the towels near the lagoon’s edge and turned one of the chairs around, shoving the metal pole deep into the warm sand.
“They should notice this!” She settled into lounge chair and waited.
Thirty minutes passed before she heard voices of unhappy concern coming from the lagoon. “Hey! Who’s here?” Tom shouted gruffly.
JC stood, keeping her back to the water, waving her hand in the air. “It’s me!” she yelled. “There’s two towels by the water!”
“JC?” her mom hollered, distress saturating her tone. The sloshing of the water quickened. “What’s wrong, baby girl? Is something wrong?”
Tom and Tess tramped up the beach, coming to her side, dripping wet with towels wrapped around them. Nerves got the best of her and waterworks flowed. Unable to speak, she shook her head. “No, nothing’s wrong.”
Tom guided both women by the elbow toward the table, returning the umbrella to
its designated spot. Tess draped her arm over JC’s shoulder with a tender squeeze, wiping the falling drops of wetness from her chin. “JC, what’s wrong?”
JC sniffled. “Reed asked me to marry him.”
Tess’s eyebrows rose in shock to a defining point. “Oh! Holy crap!”
“Oh shit,” Tom mumbled, pulling out chairs from around the table, encouraging them to sit. “You answered no? I thought for sure—”
“No! I didn’t answer!”
Tess’s mouth gaped open, wrenching her back in surprise. “You didn’t answer?”
JC’s stomach burned with nausea, suddenly feeling as if she’d done something horribly wrong. Her chin quivered and she started bawling, burying her face in her hands. “I wanted to say yes.”
Tom disappeared into the bungalow. He returned wearing shorts with a bottle of wine and three glasses. “I thought for sure you were going to say yes,” he admitted with a deep groove notched between his brows, handing JC a glass.
Tess flung around, her mouth hanging open further in dismay. “You knew about this?”
Tom tossed her a haughty smile then floundered, “Ah…well yes. I did know. But I gave him my word I wouldn’t say anything.” He shrugged. “Who knew? I never imagined in my wildest dreams it’d get this far. I thought the poor man was dreaming. But I had a great feeling about Reed. He seemed like a good guy, honest, bold and crazy about you, so yes, I gave him my blessing.”
Tess whacked him in the shoulder.
“Ouch,” he laughed. “Ultimately it’s JC’s decision anyway.”
Tess pointed her finger at Tom. “I’ll deal with you later.” Focusing on JC, she questioned, “It’s obvious you’re in love, baby, and if you wanted to say yes then why—”
“Because I need to ask you something,” she blurted. “I have questions for both of you. I couldn’t answer without knowing.”
“Questions? Okay. Ask away. What do you need to know?” Tess leaned forward, resting her forearm on the table and Tom scooted his chair forward, getting closer in on the conversation.
Both of them stared at her, anxiously waiting. JC gulped her wine, entwining her fingers around her mothers. “Let’s take a walk, Momma.”
Tess stood and glanced at Tom, who looked completely dejected. A small teasing smile curved at the corner of her lips. “I guess you’re not invited. Let me change.”
Tom relaxed back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest glumly, unhappy about being left out. Tom loved it when the whole family gathered in on discussions or when one of them called him for help or advice.
“Oh, for crying out loud, I have questions for both of you.”
Her mom returned in a cover-up.
JC patted Tom’s shoulder. “I’ll be back for you.”
They moseyed down the beach, wine in hand. She recanted everything, the entire story, including how Reed had been married and lost his wife and baby. Both women wept over the loss. “What a horrible tragedy.”
“Momma, I don’t want to be second.”
“Second? Why would you be second?”
She dug her toes in the sand, making a hole. “Momma, how do you love Tom as much as Daddy?” Her nose stung. She avoided her mom’s shocked stare before connecting gazes. “I mean, you always say Daddy was the love of your life then you met Tom and—”
“Is that your question?” Tess asked in bewilderment.
JC nodded.
“Oh, baby, of course your father was the love of my life.” She took JC’s balmy hand and continued walking as she pondered the question that brought her all the way to Bora Bora. “I love Tom as much as your daddy. I refer to him as my soul mate. That doesn’t make him second. My life with Tom is completely different, but I love him just as much.”
“So you think it’s possible?”
“To love two people?”
JC nodded.
“I know it’s possible,” Tess paused. She chewed on her lower lip collecting her emotions. “After your daddy died I thought I would never love another man. I was wrong sweetheart. The love that Tom and I share is completely different and wonderful. Tom accepts the fact that I was madly in love with your daddy, that’s what makes it all the easier for me to love him unconditionally.”
JC sighed in relief as if coming up for air from holding her breath under water.
“Do you love him? I mean really truly love him? Like can’t even think about a tomorrow without him in it?”
JC nodded hotly.
Tess grabbed her by the shoulders. “Then get your ass back home and tell Reed yes!”
By the time they returned to the bungalow the sun began to set and Tom had dinner ready. After dinner and a few glasses of wine, JC climbed into a hammock slung between two tall palm trees and drifted off to sleep underneath the star filled sky.
She joined her parents on the beach, enjoying a cup of coffee with the sunrise.
Tom nudged her shoulder, wafting his hand toward the yellow kayak tied to a palm tree. “Wanna go for a ride with me?”
“Sure.” With four hours until her plane left, she borrowed a bikini from her mother.
JC hopped in and Tom tossed a mesh bag filled with their snorkeling gear into the kayak and shoved off. They paddled out to the dark water in complete peace. Floating above a deep blue underwater trench, she peered over the edge, watching schools of fish through the clear water.
Tom cleared his throat. “I brought—”
JC spoke at the exact same time. “I want to ask you…sorry go ahead.”
“That’s all right. Ladies first.” He handed her a mask and flippers.
Each slipped the mask onto their foreheads and tossed flippers into the lagoon beside the kayak. “I know this might sound rude, but please understand I don’t want you to take it that way.”
He swung his feet around, dangling them into the water before jumping in. Tom squirted some anti-fog into his mask and handed it off to JC. “Whatever you need to ask won’t hurt my feelings.”
She readied her mask and slipped into the warm water. Holding onto the side of the kayak, she awkwardly shoved her feet into the flippers. JC sighed apprehensively. “How did it make you feel when you first got together with my mom? I mean, clearly you understood how much she loved and missed my daddy. Did that bother you at all?”
“That’s a loaded question.” Water lapped the side of the kayak. Tom hesitated, contemplating his answer. “I find it somewhat easy accepting the love your mom and dad shared. Why do you ask?”
She smirked shamefully into her mask as she cleaned it. “I think I’m a little jealous of his…of Annie.” She cringed. “Is that normal? Did you feel that way about my dad? I’m sorry if this is uncomfortable, but I don’t know who else to ask.”
“Sure, I think it’s normal to feel that way. You know your mom and I believe everything happens for a reason. I choose to look at it as your dad took really good care of her until we met and fell in love. Fate, JC.” He let her absorb that for a moment, giving her a wise endearing grin. “Reed’s not going to love you less, JC. This is your path. Your journey of love together with Reed.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you know why I brought you out here?” he asked decisively, motioning to the particular snorkeling spot.
She shook her head curiously. “No. Why?”
“Your mom brought your daddy’s ashes here to Bora Bora years ago in a teakwood box. It had a manta ray intricately carved on the lid.” He nodded, knowing she’d heard the story. “That was the day we met.”
“I remember that box.”
“I bought this island for your mother as a wedding present, JC, because the manta rays come here almost daily to be cleaned. This cavern is like a carwash for them.”
Her eyes darted, searching the depths of the water below.
“The manta rays symbolize your father, so I purposely picked this motu so she could be near him. She can see him or talk to him whenever she wants.”
JC blinked back
yet another round of waterworks. “You did that for her?”
“I did. That’s how much I love her. Enough to accept the fact she was madly in love with him.” A smile broadened across his face. “And now she’s pretty crazy about me.”
Her eyes widened, darting beneath the surface. “Is that why you brought me out here? To talk to my daddy?”
“Yep. I thought you might have a few thoughts to share with him.”
Her chest burned with gratitude. She nodded.
He adjusted the mask over his eyes. “Come on.”
Tom guided her further out into the channel, giving her the chance to view the most colorful fish she’d ever seen. Drifting in the current, they hovered above schools of different sorts, turtles, sting rays and even several black tip reef sharks.
Before Tom had time to point out the giant creatures, JC swam toward the dark shadows rising from the deep. He grabbed her flipper from behind, gesturing Easy! Slow down.
Her heartbeat accelerated rapidly as five magnificent manta rays danced smoothly through the water, like a flag waving in a slight breeze. They rolled in a summersault rhythm, exposing their white bellies.
Tom tapped her shoulder, signaling for her to dive on the count of three. When he pointed his third finger, she inhaled in a big breath of air and dove deep, coming side-by-side with the creature. As if in a trance, pulled by the presence of her father, she extended her arm, briefly touching the wing.
Running out of air, she surfaced long enough to draw in another gasp of air, filling her lungs before diving again. JC kicked her flippers, swimming beside the twenty-foot wingspan as long as possible before they returned to depths of the cavern below.
In that precise moment, in the presence of the two men she most admired, her daddy and Tom, all she could think of was the man who mattered more than anything. Reed.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Climbing into her Prius parked at the LAX airport, JC had so much adrenaline and excitement flowing through her she suspected she might be able to outrun her car. Driving along the bluff that seemed to go on forever, her heart pounded in anticipation.
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