by Mila Nicks
“Nope. I don’t have the time or patience for Alex’s shenanigans. I’m sorry she called you.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Preston set his sights on the end of the street. “But you know what does?”
She shook her head.
“Us making the most of today. I booked us a sailboat tour.”
“Preston, that sounds amazing!” Her features expanded, eyes big and mouth wide.
“Yep. But we’ll have to get there first.”
“I’m sure there’s a pedicab around here some—”
“Actually,” he interrupted, intwining her fingers with his, “I was thinking we’d get ourselves there.”
It dawned on Juliette what he had been staring at down the street. Nerves jittered in her stomach as she eyed the collection of mopeds. A posted sign advertised rental specials for tourists. She shook her head ‘no’ and Preston nodded his ‘yes’. His irresistible grin coaxed her, crooked on his rugged, handsome face. Soon she was smiling too despite the shakes of her head. Ticklish tremors replaced the nerves in her stomach and she caved with a laugh.
“Fine! You win. Mopeds. I hope you know how to drive one!”
“How hard can it be?”
“You say that now before the crash.”
“It’s gonna be fun. Just watch.”
Hand-in-hand they trailed down the street toward the moped rentals. The clerk on shift launched into his sales pitch without hesitation. He explained the different models and features and special packages for the month of July. Preston asked a question or two, in the end selecting a standard seater that shone cherry apple red.
Juliette swung her leg over the seat, helmet in her hands. Preston sat with his arms stretched onto the handles and he peeked at her from over his shoulder.
“Hold on tight.”
“You are definitely coming with me to kickboxing now.”
Preston's rasped a low laugh. “Can’t argue that. Ready?”
Juliette buckled her helmet and clutched him around the middle like a human safety belt. “Ready.”
She couldn’t help the wild scream that escaped her as Preston pressed the gas and they bolstered forth at high speeds. Immediately her adrenaline started pumping through her veins. She opened her eyes and drank in the zig-zagging journey down the narrow streets.
They’d traveled them in pedicab. By moped was a different experience entirely. She clung to Preston, morphed into one with the racing moped, dipping in realtime for every sharp turn and maneuver. Behind them the heart of the island faded from sight, its cramped streets with confectioners and craft shops and crowds a thing of the past.
The road opened up, shouldered by sand and ocean and palm trees. They journeyed to the far-end of the island which they had not been, the exact opposite from the Brosman’s. Zooming down the road with only the occasional fellow moped passing them by or wanderers on the beach, Juliette tilted her head to the sky and savored the freeing ride.
It felt like she was flying, soaring across vast beaches with the summer warmth on her skin. Preston was with her and they were happily together and the wedding was two days away. Things couldn’t have been more perfect…
The engine bumbled, sputtering in its own mechanical cough. Preston eased up on the gas and pressed the break. They lost speed, the wind no longer whipping against them. He pulled over on the side of the road and got off to check the moped.
“Just when we were going places.” He reassured her with a grin.
She smiled back, tugging off her helmet. Even technical difficulties couldn’t ruin her mood. In fact, it only added another unexpected layer to their unbridled adventure.
“Is it out of gas?”
“Seems to be the motor.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“Nope. Not good at all.”
11
Preston opened the flap on the flap on the side, crouched low to study its mechanics. She hung back and used the moment to check out their surroundings. They had another couple miles before reaching the destination for their sailboat tour. On their left was a public access entrance onto the white sands. Across the road on the right was green. Palm trees and grass scattered across the area, trailing off into another path that led to what happened to be…
“Another moped shop!”
“Huh?”
“There’s another moped shop over there. See it? Over the trees and bushes…”
Preston rose to full height. Sure enough, as Juliette pointed out, another moped shop awaited their business. The shop confused them shaped like a life-sized coconut. Called Coco 4 Mopeds, its shaved brown walls and roof rimmed white resembled the milky fruit.
“Guess it’s worth checking out.”
“I’m missing the connection between coconuts and mopeds,” said Juliette, eyes thinning in thought.
On closer inspection, the coconut-shaped shop had a direct connection. They brushed past the palm trees and shrubs and spied the dual purpose of the business. On front end were the moped sales with the modest five or six bikes parked in a line. The coconut association was in the bar window carved out its side. ‘All drinks $5.00’ was scribbled across a chalkboard above and then a list of coconut drinks followed.
Preston and Juliette processed the strange sight, but an overeager man sidled up and interrupted. By appearance alone, he looked friendly. He’d combed over his auburn hair to hide a balding spot and wore the usual floral monstrosity for a shirt and he flashed teeth at them when he smiled. He seemed happy to finally have customers.
“Welcome to Coco 4 Mopeds! We have several specials. Want to hear about the specials? I’ll tell you about the specials,” he recited avidly. “We have the islander special, which includes a two day standard moped rental—color of your choice—with unlimited coconut drinks starting from the time of pickup. Good for any of our four locations on the beach. Then there’s our wander special. That’s a good deal. You get two mopeds, two unlimited drink passes, and bonus t-shirts!”
Preston glanced at Juliette and she contained her laugh with a subdued snort. He ignored her to keep from laughing himself, and replied, “We’re, uh, actually here to ask about a moped we already rented. It’s motor conked out. Do you do repairs here?”
“Houston, we have a problem!” yelled the coconut-themed shop owner. His dramatics balanced his humor as he next laughed. “That’s a yes. For a nominal price. Betsy! Get my toolbox. Betsy!”
It was when they noticed the tiny woman behind the bar counter. She dived beneath and retrieved the metal box, bopping around the coconut’s circumference to deliver his trusty tools. Like her husband, Betsy beamed ear-to-ear. If Juliette didn’t know any better, she’d guess they were their only customers of the day.
“I’m David, by the way,” said the man, shaking Preston's hand. “You two visiting Paradise Key?”
“We are. Here for a wedding.”
“Ahhh…the big Brosman shindig, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Davy, look—they’re engaged too!” Betsy gushed. For as small in stature as she was, she seemed to have five times the energy necessary. She grabbed Juliette's hand and appraised the beautiful Brooker heirloom. “Look at that beaut! You can tell it’s worth a pretty penny.”
“Bebe, how about we don’t scare these folks off, yeah? Keep your hands to yourself.”
Betsy let go of Juliette's hand with a pout. David turned to Preston.
“Now, where’s this conked out moped? Lead the way!”
The men disappeared amongst the palm trees and shrubbery. Betsy rocked on her feet and burst at the seams to speak. Juliette decided to break the ice further and prod the shop owner along.
“So this is your family business?”
If possible, Betsy’s beam brightened. “It sure is! Want a drink?”
Juliette hesitated an answer. The abrupt offer threw her off.
“Free of charge because…because why the hell not!”
“Okay,” said Juliette with
a small laugh. The women wound up at the bar, Betsy behind the counter mixing up two fresh Pina Coladas. Juliette thanked her when she slid the cream-colored drink in her direction. “I’ve been curious about the people who live on the island. It seems like the perfect place to retire and live forever in paradise.”
“That’s me and Davey!”
“You two retired and moved here?”
Betsy slurped on her drink. “We’ve been married twenty-four years—can you believe it? Met each other after we’d both been through the ringer. I was at a low. Who would’ve thought I’d meet a guy like Davey? It was luck!”
“That sounds sweet. I love hearing about couples who have been together for so long,” said Juliette in earnest.
“We started off close friends. I’ll save you the drab details, but I had lost someone special to me. So had Davey. We were attending the same therapy group and bam! There he was, my own Prince Charming, and I didn’t know it. Took us years to realize,” Betsy mused, bony elbows on the counter. “But I’m happy with how things worked out. We finally decided on our 20th, why the hell shouldn’t we move to paradise and live out the rest of our days? He loves mechanics and I love hospitality, so we combined both services!”
Juliette smiled. “It works.”
“Sure does. How about you and your fiancé?”
“He’s my good friend too,” Juliette confessed, cheeks going hot. “I’ve known him for a while now. I never would’ve guessed we’d end up like this, but…here we are.”
“You two are a match! People laugh when I say I can always tell. When’s the wedding?”
“Oh. That. We…We haven’t thought too much about it,” Juliette fibbed. “We’re going with the flow.”
“If you do get married here on Paradise Key, I want you to come back and look for Betsy and Davey. We’ll need to have drinks to celebrate.” Betsy held up her glass for a cheers and Juliette copied. “You can’t celebrate real true love too many times, am I right? It doesn’t happen often.”
Juliette's heart soared thinking about how much it meant to have Preston in her life. She couldn’t wait to discover what their evolving relationship would bring. “No, I suppose it doesn’t, does it?”
“Nothing too serious,” David said, cranking a wrench against a bolt. “We’ll have you back on the road in fifteen minutes tops.
“Thanks. We appreciate it.”
“It’s what I do. Especially for folks like you. You two are crazy about each other, eh?”
Preston knelt beside David watching him fix the moped and his chest ballooned with a sensation he couldn’t place into words. It was a pleasant feeling, light and airy, and it roused a lovesick grin out of him. He scratched his head and breathed, trying to calm down from his thoughts about Juliette. Whenever she came to mind, especially in the last couple days, he wanted to do the silliest things. Things others would say were uncharacteristic for brooding Vice Detective Preston Brooker.
He wanted to hug and kiss her and touch her. He wanted to lie in bed with her, silky heaven grazing his own skin, and curl up together in sweet serene comfort. He wanted to spend as much time with her as he could and he couldn’t wait for their next walk in the park with Tank. He wanted to do other things to her, naughty stuff that made his ears go red and his second head down below twitch.
“Preston, you there?”
“Huh?”
“You’re looking zoned out.”
“Oh. Sorry. I was, uh…”
“Thinking about her. I get it. Betsy still makes me feel that way. Even after twenty-something years.”
Preston considered the shop owner’s revelation. “So I’m stick this crazy for decades?”
“Pretty much. But it’s fun if you’re a glutton for punishment,” David joked cavalierly. He packed away his tools. “I’ll never forget the first time I realized I was in love with Betsy. It was a boring Sunday. We were at the grocery store and it hit me. I had gone off to grab cat food. Well, I get back to the aisle and there she is, juggling three different soup cans in her hands, studying each label—which is the better tomato soup? She looked up at me and smiled and I was a goner. I just knew. I loved that woman.”
“And you’ve been together ever since.”
“That’s right. Sometimes it’s when you least expect it. Look at us now. Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Sixteen minute later, Preston leaned against the moped and grinned at the sight of Juliette emerging from between the greens. They were back on the road in no time, picking up where they left off as if the interlude with David and Betsy hadn’t existed.
Preston steered them along the wide curves, loving how snugly Juliette's arms wrapped around him. The tip of her chin rested against his shoulder and her sharp in-takes of breath during the ride’s faster parts tickled his ear. For the hesitancy she’d shown earlier, she ate up the exhilaration.
At their destination, the moped rested against a rack filled with others parked by their owners. Preston checked his watch and held up his wrist to show Juliette how they’d managed to arrive in the nick of time.
“So the Pina Colada was worth it,” Juliette bragged.
“I’m glad one of us can say that.”
The angular sails taught against the ocean breeze came into view. In a leisure drift by the coast, their boat called their names. The Pegasus was a forty foot long dreamboat pristine to their eyes. Their captain waved them aboard, beginning the chapter of the next adventure.
“Ahoy, matey’s, I’m Jerry! I’ll be your daring captain for the next hour and twenty two minutes. Ready for a high-sea adventure?”
Juliette buried her face in Preston's chest, muffling her laughter. He held her, grinning, and stared above her head at the generously-sized captain.
“Hey, Jerry. I’m Preston.”
Jerry coughed the word, “Captain.”
“Excuse me?”
“Captain Jerry. It’s sorta my thing,” he said brightly, manning the helm of the boat. “But enough yammering! Let’s set sail—you two are just in time for sunset!”
As the only two on the tourist sailboat, Preston and Juliette had their pick of seats. They chose a front row view on the bow’s cockpit. Seated against the plush cushions, the crystal blue waves touched the horizon and beyond. Preston stretched his arm along the back of the cushiony seating and Juliette fit in the crook at his side. No words were needed gazing at the water, watching the sun begin its slow descent off-the-grid.
Jerry switched gears, shifting the sailboat from anchored to a gradual drift away from the coast. He operated the helm with a finesse developed over years of experience, moving from one duty to another, flipping switches, tugging on ropes and steering the wheel. He launched into his usual captain spiel.
“There’s an open mini-bar stocked with whatever you like. Most couples going for the romantic experience at sunset stick to champagne and strawberries, but we have blueberries, blackberries and boysenberries too,” he explained. “Of course, we have harder stuff if you’re looking to get really hammered. I wouldn’t recommend that being on the water—never know when you might yak.”
“Champagne and strawberries sound fine,” snickered Juliette.
Preston's hand fell onto her lap, fingers gripping her thigh. They were hopeless. He knew that much. He couldn’t stop looking at her. She couldn’t stop giggling at him. The champagne and strawberries were a bonus; they were already drunk off of each other.
Jerry idled the boat for a couple minutes and served them. He handed Juliette her bubbling flute first and then, like the rest, spotted the diamond on her finger shimmering at sunset. If possible given his already jovial demeanor, he perked up.
“I knew it!” he exclaimed, pouring Preston's next. “You two just got engaged?”
Juliette's silky soft flesh under his palm, glancing for another look in her eyes, made Preston smile. “Yeah, something like that.”
“That’s awesome. Just got engaged myself last week.”
�
�I love to hear that. Congrats!” Juliette replied.
“My girl Nabila lives on the island too. You been by Wrapped in Love? It’s her scarf and accessory shop. She’s the pretty lady always smiling at the counter.”
“You should have a toast with us, Jerry,” said Juliette.
Preston chimed in. “Yeah, celebrate too.”
“I’ll pour myself one and have a tiny sip. Got some captain-ing to do.”
The three clanged their glasses together and cheered to the good fortune in their lives. Jerry kept to his word, swallowing a taste. Juliette greedily savored both the champagne and strawberries. Preston brought his glass to his lips and he counted his blessings.
It was hard not to sitting next to a wonderful woman like Juliette. He’d recognized her greatness for years as friends. He’d long admired her prowess as Assistant District Attorney, sometimes working with her in a professional setting. Off-work, he saw another side of her. She liked to laugh and she was easy to talk to—probably the only one who routinely got him to open up without even trying. She loved blowing off steam with beer and wings and trying things like kickboxing and in her free time she could be found on her sofa with a good book. He hadn’t thought about it much, but he knew her like that back of his hand.
She was his one and true friend, and now she was something more.
Preston drank his champagne under these thoughts that others probably would consider sappy. That those at work or his distant relatives would even say was unlike him. He didn’t care. When it came to Juliette, she had that effect on him.
“This couldn’t get any more romantic, Preston,” Juliette told him softly. They’d started venturing the waters again, Jerry steering them for the optimal view of the sunset on the horizon. “Thanks for bringing me.”
She set down her champagne flute and leaned deeper into him for a kiss. Preston's hand came up to cup her cheek, holding her face and keeping her in place against him. The moment transcended into something surreal, the vivid details unforgettable. The crash of the water into their wandering sailboat and the salty scent caught in the air. Her luxe, full lips tasting even sweeter than the strawberries in their glasses. How his scalp tingled from the slow sift of her fingers in his hair. All of it sent him reeling, eager for more.