couldn’t stop herself from wishing Michael was here with her. She knew she was going to feel that way for the rest of her life, but at least she’d gotten on a plane. It should have been something that was going to encourage her, not hinder her.
It was hard, incredibly painful, to let go, but as she wiped a tear sneaking down her cheek she knew she was saying good-bye to him in a way. She didn’t want to let go, but she couldn’t exactly scream at the pilot to turn the plane around. Moving forward was her only option. She’d drink the holiday away if she couldn’t handle it. Or take the next flight back.
She knew she wouldn’t do that, but it was an option.
The pilot came on the intercom and told them that they were coming in to their first destination. Leslie felt her nerves rising, a tingling that overtook her, and as she chatted with her new friends the anxiety began to build.
This Caribbean resort was completely new to her. She and Michael had never left the States, aside for a trip up to Vancouver, Canada one wild week. What if Amber and Josie found guys here or made other friends, and they completely abandoned her? What if the boat ride to the island they were destined for turned out to be attacked by pirates or something? It happened in her books, why not real life? What if there was a venomous snake in her room? Every stupid possibility that popped up in her mind was completely ridiculous, and she knew she was overreacting, but that was what she was now: A crazed, drama-brained, homebody.
The wheels of the plane touched down and they were officially in paradise – where all the worries and the troubles of the world should be washed away, forgotten, and no longer a concern while on holiday. Leslie swallowed hard and vowed to make an effort to do that. It was time for her to let her hair down, show some skin, and let the sun and alcohol remind her what all the good stuff in the world was about.
They debarked and the sun washed over her, bathing her in golden warmth that didn’t judge or hurt her. There was a sense of calm and excitement that hit her… a strange feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time, nothing that she had felt since San Francisco. It was powerful. It was beautiful. She wanted to soak up every last drop of sunlight that warmed her bones. Walking down the runway toward the little brightly painted airport, she couldn’t help but smile.
Palm trees. Tall emerald reeds and grass, and beautiful people were all ready to embrace the exciting and the daring side of life that the warm sunshine and the cloudless skies offered them. Leslie took a deep breath, smelling the salt off the ocean and listening to the gulls overhead. Not to mention, there was laughter all around her. She turned and grinned at Amber and Josie, laughing beside her. “I think this is going to be a fun holiday.”
“You bet your ass it is,” Amber said and raised her arms, spinning around. “I love you, mysterious island!” she yelled.
Josie rolled her eyes but didn’t stop Amber. Neither did Leslie.
It wasn’t long before the three of them found themselves in a cab, making their way down to the marina. Grant had sent Leslie an email explaining that they were going to be taking a luxury ferry out into the cerulean waters of the Caribbean while hunting down their exotic island, where they were going to be treated like princesses, living a lifestyle so royal and lush that it was going to make them feel like they were robbing the entire world of its happiness.
Leslie looked around at the beautiful town full of vibrant colors, beautiful people in bikinis and shorts, and realized everything looked happier here. It did seem like paradise living here.
She stared out the window, watching as they wound their around to the other side of the island where everything looked just as incredible, but this time the view was overlooking the ocean and the roll of the surf as it lazily lolled up toward the shore. It was the kind of
It was hard, incredibly painful, to let go, but as she wiped a tear sneaking down her cheek she knew she was saying good-bye to him in a way. She didn’t want to let go, but she couldn’t exactly scream at the pilot to turn the plane around. Moving forward was her only option. She’d drink the holiday away if she couldn’t handle it. Or take the next flight back.
She knew she wouldn’t do that, but it was an option.
The pilot came on the intercom and told them that they were coming in to their first destination. Leslie felt her nerves rising, a tingling that overtook her, and as she chatted with her new friends the anxiety began to build.
This Caribbean resort was completely new to her. She and Michael had never left the States, aside for a trip up to Vancouver, Canada one wild week. What if Amber and Josie found guys here or made other friends, and they completely abandoned her? What if the boat ride to the island they were destined for turned out to be attacked by pirates or something? It happened in her books, why not real life? What if there was a venomous snake in her room? Every stupid possibility that popped up in her mind was completely ridiculous, and she knew she was overreacting, but that was what she was now: A crazed, drama-brained, homebody.
The wheels of the plane touched down and they were officially in paradise – where all the worries and the troubles of the world should be washed away, forgotten, and no longer a concern while on holiday. Leslie swallowed hard and vowed to make an effort to do that. It was time for her to let her hair down, show some skin, and let the sun and alcohol remind her what all the good stuff in the world was about.
They debarked and the sun washed over her, bathing her in golden warmth that didn’t judge or hurt her. There was a sense of calm and excitement that hit her… a strange feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time, nothing that she had felt since San Francisco. It was powerful. It was beautiful. She wanted to soak up every last drop of sunlight that warmed her bones. Walking down the runway toward the little brightly painted airport, she couldn’t help but smile.
Palm trees. Tall emerald reeds and grass, and beautiful people were all ready to embrace the exciting and the daring side of life that the warm sunshine and the cloudless skies offered them. Leslie took a deep breath, smelling the salt off the ocean and listening to the gulls overhead. Not to mention, there was laughter all around her. She turned and grinned at Amber and Josie, laughing beside her. “I think this is going to be a fun holiday.”
“You bet your ass it is,” Amber said and raised her arms, spinning around. “I love you, mysterious island!” she yelled.
Josie rolled her eyes but didn’t stop Amber. Neither did Leslie.
It wasn’t long before the three of them found themselves in a cab, making their way down to the marina. Grant had sent Leslie an email explaining that they were going to be taking a luxury ferry out into the cerulean waters of the Caribbean while hunting down their exotic island, where they were going to be treated like princesses, living a lifestyle so royal and lush that it was going to make them feel like they were robbing the entire world of its happiness.
Leslie looked around at the beautiful town full of vibrant colors, beautiful people in bikinis and shorts, and realized everything looked happier here. It did seem like paradise living here.
She stared out the window, watching as they wound their around to the other side of the island where everything looked just as incredible, but this time the view was overlooking the ocean and the roll of the surf as it lazily lolled up toward the shore. It was the kind of
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