and enjoy because my wedding cake, like
everything else about that day, had gone to waste.
I glanced over the itinerary and once
again hated the fact that I had little to no control over the
vacation. My lawyer, under the instruction of my departed mother,
had set everything up. I was a stickler for detail and enjoyed
carefully planning the agendas for every trip I went on, right down
to the minute. Now, I had no involvement in how we would spend our
time, and that bothered me.
To make matters worse, I was worried
about the boutique and what would become of mine and Nadia’s grand
plans. I had a new business I was trying to get off the ground, and
I wondered if it would even be possible for me to relax.
As I tapped away on my laptop, Jake
looked over at me. “Mind if I ask what you’re doing?” he
asked.
“ It’s none of your
concern,” I said as politely as possible.
He gazed over and stared at the
computer screen.
I let out a huff. “If you must know,
I’m writing a long-overdue post on my fashion blog.”
“ What’s the post
about?”
“ Um…knowing more than just
fashion. It’s about how anyone in fashion design also needs to be
aware of all the aspects of marketing, product design, and
production. It also requires a good head for business and a good
label to market a fashion line.”
“ Interesting.”
“ If you don’t mind, I need
to get back to work.”
He nodded, put his earbuds in, and
started watching some kind of adventure movie starring a
swashbuckling, fedora-wearing hero who would never have left his
lady abandoned at an altar.
When the plane finally set down, we
took a boat over to the island, where we checked in to our lodging.
Covered walkways connected the guestrooms to the reception area and
private guest facilities. There was an elegant restaurant and bar,
and a lounge area overlooked the shimmering pool. The little island
was beautiful, just like the brochure promised, and when I walked
out on the balcony and gazed around at the lush tropical
rainforest, I had to be thankful for the opportunity to see it.
According to the brochure, most visitors to the island would leave
by three, so those of us staying at the resort would have the
entire island to ourselves.
I quickly unpacked and hurried out the
door to explore the spectacular isle. At one thirty, I attended a
show at Marineland. I watched in awe as a crocodile was fed; I
couldn’t believe that half-ton, seventeen-foot reptile was so
agile, able to launch itself completely out of the water to gobble
up an unsuspecting chicken. I even held a baby crocodile named
Cuddles and had my portrait taken with the scaly, toothy little
creature. The park was home to at least forty crocodiles, from
giants to newly hatched babies.
The aquarium boasted 100 species of
sea life, from stonefish and cute clownfish to epaulette sharks,
turtles, lionfish, and giant painted crayfish. I loved the bright
and colorful tropical fish and the coral. At a fish-feeding, I saw
even more tropical fish in an even more brilliant rainbow of
fluorescent and neon colors.
After I marveled at George J. Craig’s
amazing private collection of primitive ancestral artifacts and
maritime relics, I took the nighttime nature walk and saw turtles
resting near the shore. It was simply remarkable, an unforgettable
tour. Before heading back to the resort, I stopped in the gift shop
and bought some coral and gemstone jewelry, as well as a genuine
shark tooth, hanging from a black cord and fashioned into a
necklace.
When I returned, Jake met my gaze, and
I couldn’t stop my heart from thudding hard inside my chest. He was
as amazing as any animal I’d seen that day, as strong as the
crocodiles, as cute as the babies, and as beautiful as the colorful
fish and coral. As much as I loathed him, there was no denying how
hot he was in his ivory button-down shirt, khaki shorts, and
sandals. He’d left a few buttons open, and the peek-a-boo view of
his chest was mesmerizing.
everything else about that day, had gone to waste.
I glanced over the itinerary and once
again hated the fact that I had little to no control over the
vacation. My lawyer, under the instruction of my departed mother,
had set everything up. I was a stickler for detail and enjoyed
carefully planning the agendas for every trip I went on, right down
to the minute. Now, I had no involvement in how we would spend our
time, and that bothered me.
To make matters worse, I was worried
about the boutique and what would become of mine and Nadia’s grand
plans. I had a new business I was trying to get off the ground, and
I wondered if it would even be possible for me to relax.
As I tapped away on my laptop, Jake
looked over at me. “Mind if I ask what you’re doing?” he
asked.
“ It’s none of your
concern,” I said as politely as possible.
He gazed over and stared at the
computer screen.
I let out a huff. “If you must know,
I’m writing a long-overdue post on my fashion blog.”
“ What’s the post
about?”
“ Um…knowing more than just
fashion. It’s about how anyone in fashion design also needs to be
aware of all the aspects of marketing, product design, and
production. It also requires a good head for business and a good
label to market a fashion line.”
“ Interesting.”
“ If you don’t mind, I need
to get back to work.”
He nodded, put his earbuds in, and
started watching some kind of adventure movie starring a
swashbuckling, fedora-wearing hero who would never have left his
lady abandoned at an altar.
When the plane finally set down, we
took a boat over to the island, where we checked in to our lodging.
Covered walkways connected the guestrooms to the reception area and
private guest facilities. There was an elegant restaurant and bar,
and a lounge area overlooked the shimmering pool. The little island
was beautiful, just like the brochure promised, and when I walked
out on the balcony and gazed around at the lush tropical
rainforest, I had to be thankful for the opportunity to see it.
According to the brochure, most visitors to the island would leave
by three, so those of us staying at the resort would have the
entire island to ourselves.
I quickly unpacked and hurried out the
door to explore the spectacular isle. At one thirty, I attended a
show at Marineland. I watched in awe as a crocodile was fed; I
couldn’t believe that half-ton, seventeen-foot reptile was so
agile, able to launch itself completely out of the water to gobble
up an unsuspecting chicken. I even held a baby crocodile named
Cuddles and had my portrait taken with the scaly, toothy little
creature. The park was home to at least forty crocodiles, from
giants to newly hatched babies.
The aquarium boasted 100 species of
sea life, from stonefish and cute clownfish to epaulette sharks,
turtles, lionfish, and giant painted crayfish. I loved the bright
and colorful tropical fish and the coral. At a fish-feeding, I saw
even more tropical fish in an even more brilliant rainbow of
fluorescent and neon colors.
After I marveled at George J. Craig’s
amazing private collection of primitive ancestral artifacts and
maritime relics, I took the nighttime nature walk and saw turtles
resting near the shore. It was simply remarkable, an unforgettable
tour. Before heading back to the resort, I stopped in the gift shop
and bought some coral and gemstone jewelry, as well as a genuine
shark tooth, hanging from a black cord and fashioned into a
necklace.
When I returned, Jake met my gaze, and
I couldn’t stop my heart from thudding hard inside my chest. He was
as amazing as any animal I’d seen that day, as strong as the
crocodiles, as cute as the babies, and as beautiful as the colorful
fish and coral. As much as I loathed him, there was no denying how
hot he was in his ivory button-down shirt, khaki shorts, and
sandals. He’d left a few buttons open, and the peek-a-boo view of
his chest was mesmerizing.
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