Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Wes asked, “Will you join us for breakfast?”
“I’d love to.” We said good night, and he hugged both of us before heading to reception to find his room.
Once we were back in our bungalow, we stripped down and fell into bed. “What an incredible evening,” Wes said. “I still can’t believe I spent it partying with my granddad.”
“He’s a great guy. You’re a lot like him.”
“Thanks for saying that.” He got out of bed and opened both sets of doors, then climbed back under the covers and murmured, “That’s better.” A gentle drizzle had started up again, and a cool breeze carried the scents of rain, flowers, and the sea into the room.
I settled into my boyfriend’s arms, and after a few moments, I whispered, “I’m going to miss this place.”
“Me too,” he said softly, “but I promise to bring you back here.” I knew he meant it.
The next morning, Wes swam his laps in the lagoon while I started packing our things. Once we were showered and dressed, we stood out on the deck and took in our beautiful surroundings one last time. The sun was out, the sky and water were both impossibly blue, and the main island across the lagoon looked like Neverland, too gorgeous to be real.
After a while, he kissed my forehead and said, “Come on, let’s get you some coffee.”
On the way to our favorite restaurant, Wes glanced at his phone and grinned, then showed me the messages Camille had sent. Apparently Jack and Warren were both totally butt-hurt that Davis had blown off their wedding and spent the night partying with us instead. That told me the photos I’d posted on social media had reached their intended target, and I couldn’t be happier.
She also told us the wedding had been a disaster. They’d had to move it into a cramped indoor space because of the rain, everyone was cranky and miserable, and the grooms had started arguing during the reception. She might have been exaggerating to make us feel good, but it worked and I was thrilled. Even Wes, who was far less petty than I was, seemed just a little smug.
After breakfast with his grandfather, we checked out of the hotel and accompanied Davis to the airport, where his very efficient assistant was waiting for us aboard a sleek, modern private jet. Wes handed me my prescription and a bottle of water when I started to get panicky, and when I took half a pill, he asked, “Don’t you want that last pill, so it’ll knock you out?”
“No. I don’t want to miss this.”
He thought I was talking about my first flight on a private jet, but what I actually meant was the view of Bora Bora when the plane took off. He held my hand as I murmured, “Would you look at that? This has to be the most beautiful place in the entire world.”
The islands got smaller and smaller, until they finally disappeared into the endless, blue ocean.
I managed to fall asleep on the flight, and it was jarring to wake up in San Francisco. We said goodbye to his grandfather, who promised to be better about staying in touch. For Wes’s sake, I really hoped he meant it. Then we climbed into our waiting town car and headed home.
I’d always loved San Francisco, but it suffered in comparison to Bora Bora. What wouldn’t, really? I sighed quietly as I watched the city rolling past my window. I missed the green and blue landscape, the fresh air, the water, and the wide open sky. And I already missed all the time Wes and I had to just be together, enjoying each other without a care in the world.
Actually, I missed Wes too, even though he was right there beside me. He was focused on his phone, muttering about all the emails he’d let pile up and all the calls he had to return. He was due back at work first thing in the morning, and he was already transitioning into his normal, day-to-day life.
When we pulled up in front of my building, I grabbed him in a hug and whispered, “Thank you so much for everything. There are no words for what the past nine days meant to me.”
“It meant the world to me, too.”
Both of us hesitated, unsure of what to do next. Finally, I asked, “Want to have dinner tomorrow night? I know you’ll have a lot of work to catch up on, but maybe we could grab a quick bite.”
What I really wanted was to invite him upstairs, but that seemed so needy. He had things to do, after being away for so long.
“I’d like that.”
I felt like crying, which was ridiculous. This wasn’t goodbye. Not by a long shot. We were even making plans for the next day, so I just really needed to get a grip.