She blushed at the thought. It wasn’t just him. It was the scuba experience. It was turning out to be her new favorite hobby. Maybe a little bit him. But mostly the scuba.
She knew she shouldn’t think about him that way. She shouldn’t be so eager to spend time with him. After all, she barely knew him. He could have summer romances all the time, a different tourist each year. She didn’t quite get that read off him, but one never knew these days.
She stood up and grabbed her clothes. She stepped into the shower, breathing in the comfort of the warm water. She let it wash over her as she mulled over her choices. What kind of special tour did he have in mind? With an island that small, yet so populated, was it possible for there to be any private hideaways?
She took her time, making sure her body glowed before she stepped out. She dried off, slathered on sunscreen and got dressed in her swimming suit before pulling a soft, flowing dress over it. She dried the excess water out of her hair, brushing it and giving it a quick styling before she decided she was ready.
She headed over to Cassie’s door and knocked. “Cassie, are you awake yet?”
“Mhmm…come in.” Cassie certainly sounded sleepy.
Hanna leaned into the bedroom. “Hey Cassie, what do you think about going scuba diving again today?”
Cassie lifted her chin and tilted her head. She blinked a few times to get them to open properly. “Well, I mean…it was fun, but we did that yesterday. Don’t you want to see other parts of the island?”
Hanna shrugged. “I just really enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun, and I thought maybe you’d be interested.”
Cassie tapped her forearm. “I don’t know if I’m in the mood to do it twice in a row. But if you want to fly solo, you can. I want to lounge around and enjoy the sunshine today. Maybe I’ll lay around at the hotel pool and enjoy myself. We did a lot of aerobics yesterday, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t exercise on vacation.”
Cassie’s plan was hardly surprising—it sounded just like her—but Hanna hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“I’m fine. Besides, I brought my sketchbook with me. I’m working on a new painting in my head, and drawing out a few sketches would get the wheels turning.”
“Okay, if you’re sure…”
“Is Josh excited to see you?”
Hanna opened her mouth, then closed it. “What do you mean?”
“I’m sure him being there doesn’t hurt, right?”
“He’s cute, sure, but I’m interested in the dive.”
“Sure, girl. Sure. Say hello to him for me.”
“If I see him, I will.”
Cassie made a noise through her lips. “You’re ridiculous. You know that? I’m going to drink three daiquiris poolside, just for you.”
“Three? But that’s not an even number. I thought you were drinking for the both of us.”
“Please. You’re a lightweight. Two for me and one for you. Well, the one is in your honor. So, really, three for me.”
“And they said you weren’t good at math.”
The next thing Hanna knew, she was dodging a pillow thrown from Cassie’s direction.
“Get out of here before I mess up your pretty hair,” Cassie said. “What will Josh say?”
“Oh, I suppose he’ll have to manage. If I see him. Do you need me to pick anything up while I’m out?”
Cassie shook her head. “I’ll survive. There’s plenty to eat here at the hotel, and if nothing else, I know where to get ice cream.” She smiled. “Have fun. Get your scuba diving fill, okay? Because tomorrow, I get to pick.”
Hanna nodded. “I think I can handle that. As long as you don’t choose anything too crazy.”
Hanna felt a tinge of guilt for going it alone. This was supposed to be a vacation for the two of them, but being in Hawaii was too invigorating for her to just lounge around by the pool. There were pools back in Coopersville, and she’d have plenty of time to sit around remembering her Hawaii adventure.
She went back to her room to grab her things, trying not to dwell on the fact that, from Cassie’s point of view, this would be the last time she’d get to see Josh. It made sense—they hadn’t come to Hawaii just to go scuba diving—but she wasn’t sure a day full of scuba diving would be enough.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel a tug of wild abandonment at the prospect of a day with him, especially being just the two of them. There would be others around, of course, but Cassie wouldn’t be there to notice her every move and tease her about it later. It was kind of freeing to go out on her own like this.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Cassie called out as Hanna left.
Hanna planned on grabbing breakfast, then making her way down to the dock. Maybe, just maybe, he’d have a booking available for her to fill. Then she could spend her day in the sunshine and beneath the waves. She couldn’t wait.
The walk to the dock didn’t take long at all. Checking her phone, Hanna was surprised to find that it wasn’t even noon yet. It was early, especially given how long she’d already been awake. She supposed her excitement probably had something to do with her waking up as early as she had. She certainly hadn’t set an alarm, yet here she was, all but rushing out the door.
It was dim inside the scuba shop, and she didn’t know whether or not Josh was there. She peered around, suddenly wondering if she should’ve called first. Things might get awkward if he was busy. For all she knew, he might not be open for business today as she didn’t really know his business hours. It was stupid to just show up unannounced like this.
“Hanna!”
She turned around to see Josh walking toward her. “I thought that was you. What are you doing here?”
“Oh. I just…you said to come by and we could go on a ride. The special tour you mentioned. Hideaways and nooks and all that.” She shifted her weight. “Did I hear you wrong?”
“No.” He glanced at his watch. “Not at all. I definitely made the offer, and I want to do it with you. I just thought you’d call ahead when you were ready.”
“I’m sorry. I probably should’ve. I know I should’ve. Now I do, anyway. I’m not quite sure what I was thinking. You probably have tours lined up all day. Especially with how nice the weather is.”
“You know, let me check something inside. I think it’ll be fine. Can you wait a minute?”
“Considering I showed up unannounced, I can wait a bunch of minutes. Least I can do.”
“Great. Let me talk to someone and check the schedule book. I’ll be right back.”
She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and made a circle around the waiting area inside their office, which pretty much just comprised of a few chairs, some magazines, and a TV mounted on wheels for the safety videos. Nobody else seemed to be around other than the two of them, which probably meant everyone was out on a dive.
A voice came from the back. Maybe there was someone else. She could pick out Josh’s voice, but the second male voice was someone she didn’t recognize. Either they were talking loudly or the walls were thin, and she imagined it was the latter. They were just clear enough that some bits and pieces made it her way.
“Why are you trying to change things when…”
“Just cover me for this…owe me after…I helped you out that day.”
“You’ve got to run this by…how things work.”
“…make it up to you. I promise.”
She realized she shouldn’t be overhearing, although it took her that long to move away. Could they be talking about me and our outing? She wasn’t quite sure what to think about that, Josh going out of his way so much, and all because she couldn’t lift a phone to call ahead.
He came out a moment later, holding a sheet of paper. He was smiling, and she felt a flutter in her stomach. She didn’t think he’d smile like that if he was booked solid. “So, I had a look at today’s bookings and I’m free until late afternoon.”
“Completely free? It’s a good thing I came by then. Sounds like you�
�d be bored otherwise.” She glanced up to check his expression.
“I am glad you came by, yes. Let’s grab you some gear, and we’ll head out. You know, we could go anywhere, since it’s just you and me. I mean, I have to keep the customer happy, right? So if there’s anything you’ve been wanting to see…”
The thought crossed her mind that she was about to hop in a boat with him. He could literally be taking her anywhere. But somehow, she wasn’t concerned. She had no doubt he’d bring her back, safe and sound. “How about you show me the sights? Not the touristy places. I want to see the hidden bits of the island, where the real beauty is, like you said.”
“I know just the place. I’ll show you a favorite spot or two, and then you can decide for yourself whether they’re better or worse than the normal ones.”
“I’d like that.”
For a moment, she met his gaze, and it felt genuine. It felt more solid than a work week full of number crunching or fighting with her coworkers over parking spots in front of the building.
It was a short ride over to the dock, and he led them to one of their small boats. He helped her on and got everything set up for pulling away from the dock, double-checking that the gear was all packed before they set off. He turned to her, and for a moment, she swore that she could see the reflection of the ocean in his eyes.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
For a second, she had trouble answering. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done something this impulsive.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She felt her pulse pick up as she stepped onto the boat, steadying herself as soon as she got in. She hoped he was as good of a boat driver as he was as an instructor.
He double-checked everything one last time before he brought the engine to life with a roar and drove the boat out into the sea. She felt a sense of freedom as they pulled away from the dock. They could literally go anywhere. She had no idea how much gas was in the tank, but maybe they could make it to another island in the thing. The one they had come from certainly looked smaller the farther they went.
“So where are we heading?” She looked back at him, and he shrugged.
“Honestly?” He chuckled. “I don’t know. I thought we’d go on an adventure…if that’s okay with you.”
There was delight in his voice, and she wondered when he’d last taken a trip that excited him, a trip that was tailored around adventure and excitement rather than one scripted around a bunch of tourists aboard his boat. She wondered when he’d last been able to truly enjoy the ocean. That might be why he enjoyed being with her—it gave him an excuse to enjoy it again too.
“That’s more than okay with me.” She smiled back at him. “Like I said, take me where a local would want to go. Show me the sights most people don’t get to see on their vacation.”
“I think I can work with that.” He looked so handsome there with his hair whipping around. He looked right at home.
She sighed as he took a turn, bringing into view a beautiful crest in the curve of the island.
“I don’t usually go this way,” he said. “The reef out here isn’t quite as flashy, so we’re not going to get a lot of traffic. That’s the great thing about going out this way, you know? You don’t get a lot of people, and you certainly don’t get a lot of tourists. No offense, but most tourists want the fast food menu—the quick peek around—and then they move on. I’m happy to oblige, of course. Heck, I make my living from it. It’s just, when it comes down to it…” He paused for a moment.
“I guess I like to take things a little slower and really enjoy the experience. It’s one of the things I don’t like about Hawaii anymore, how commercial it’s all become. Sometimes, you have to take the thorns with the rose.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry to complain. You probably don’t want to hear my sob story.”
She reached over and rested her hand lightly on his arm. “It’s okay. I understand.” She didn’t know why she was reassuring him, but she knew it was the right thing to do. “I think I understand, at least a little. And I don’t see anything wrong with slowing down and really getting to know something.” Or someone. “I think that, by rushing, you sort of miss all of the best parts, you know?”
She smiled, feeling almost shy at her own words. Suddenly, she realized why he’d brushed his own words off so quickly. It felt uncomfortable, being so vulnerable with someone you barely knew. But she felt that there was a connection between them, growing just beneath the surface. It was special, and just like the ocean, deeper than it looked.
Gradually, he slowed down the boat until the engine’s hum ebbed into a hum. Finally, he flicked the engine off, and there was nothing but the soft sounds of the ocean and the steady lap of waves against the sides of the boat.
She turned to him, feeling the wind rush through her hair. It pulled it away from her face and left her breathless. For a moment, it was as though the ocean had overwhelmed her and stolen her breath completely, but there was something right about this moment, something that she’d never felt before—something she was eager to explore, eager to experience. She could almost taste it. She looked at him and knew, in that moment, that he could feel it too.
He double-checked everything, making sure they were ready to start. “Okay, here we are.”
She looked around. It didn’t look especially magical or even particularly interesting. They weren’t even anywhere that seemed especially secluded, yet he’d said this was the place.
“So…what makes here so special?”
He leaned forward. “Some things are without needing to explain.” He was closer than he’d ever been to her, save for when they were underwater. She could see the highlights in his eyes, the way they shone as they looked at her.
Then he shifted, and the moment changed. “How about we start?”
For some reason, she found that she trusted him, even if she didn’t understand why he’d picked this spot. “I’m ready.”
* * *
“So how are you getting back to your hotel?” Josh asked as he docked the boat after they were done. She could be wrong, but he seemed genuinely concerned about her.
“I’ll probably walk,” she said.
“I’ll give you a ride, if you’d like.” There was something sweet about his offer and how careful he was not to hurt her feelings. He knew she didn’t need help, but he wanted to give it to her all the same.
“If it’s not too much trouble…” She wasn’t about to turn down an offer to spend just a little more time with him. She usually didn’t accept rides from strangers, but he certainly didn’t feel like a stranger anymore. They had shared experiences that went beyond ones she’d shared with some people she’d known for years. Things with him felt free and easy, flowing in a way she didn’t really understand.
“It’s no problem. I’ll grab my car.”
Moments later, he was pulling it up to the end of the boardwalk for her to step into. She felt like royalty, and she couldn’t help but feel that he was going out of his way to be nice to her. It wasn’t something she was used to. There were plenty of guys back in Coopersville who had expressed interest in her, but it had always seemed terribly shallow. This was different—the way he smiled at her, the way he gazed her way, the way he shared his feelings. Guys usually pushed the envelope and made her feel like sport being hunted down, but Josh had a way of showing his interest and yet being casual about it at the same time.
“Thanks.” She stepped in, sitting down and getting comfortable. The car smelled like the ocean, which wasn’t really an insult. There was sand in the grooves of the mat under her feet and a touch of rust here and there, which she figured couldn’t be avoided on an island in the middle of the ocean. She could easily believe the car belonged to him. It fit.
He looked around with a shrug. “It’s not the fanciest thing, but it gets me around.”
“Oh, no. It’s fine. I’m not one to expect something fancy.”
“Are you just saying that because I’m giv
ing you a lift?” he teased.
“Oh yes, definitely. I’m in the habit of saying things I don’t mean—you caught me.”
He chuckled. “Okay, fair enough.” He pointed out the front windshield. “The main hotel downtown, I’m guessing? Tourist central?”
“You got it.”
He didn’t even use its official name, and part of her resented that she was so predictable.
He parked outside of the hotel, and she opened the door and got out. “Thanks again, Josh. Today was lovely.”
“I had a great time too.” There was something in his voice that made her pause. Am I supposed to invite him inside for coffee or something?
He let her off the hook with a smile. “See you around, Hanna.”
She wasn’t sure he would—the next day would be Cassie’s to arrange—but she smiled and waved goodbye as he pulled away and drove off back toward the ocean. She stared after his car for a long moment, wondering why she had this lingering, nagging feeling in her chest, wondering if maybe, just maybe, she should have said something more.
Chapter Five
“Hi. Are you Hanna?”
Hanna turned to see a man walking toward her. She felt like her heart might stop just looking at him even as a blush rose to her cheeks. He was absolutely dreamy, gorgeous like no one else she’d met before.
His hair was blond from the sun, his skin a light tan color that seemed to glow in the light. He looked like he’d just gotten out of the water. He wore a pair of green shorts and a long towel hooked around his bare shoulders, and she saw the water dripping down his defined muscles. She found herself drawn to him. She wondered what it’d be like to be close to him, to stand near him, those muscled arms around her, drawing her closer…
* * *
Hanna woke from a dream about when she’d first met Josh. The hotel phone was ringing, apparently what had jolted her awake. It jingled at her, its normally pleasant sound unusually jarring in the morning light. She felt annoyed at having her dream disrupted, even when it hadn’t really been him and she’d known what would happen next. Sleepily, she pushed herself out of bed and wandered over to the phone. “Hello?”
Finding Paradise Page 4