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CHAPTER 1
Sarah
The hot island air has me sweating in seconds as I step out of the airport terminal and onto the sidewalk. The bodice of my shift dress sticks to me like saran wrap and I huff in a breath, puffing my hair off my forehead.
A car pulls up alongside me and a man rolls down the window on the air-conditioned vehicle. “Hey, lady! You need a ride.”
I close my eyes in relief. Dragging my heavy suitcase, I shuffle over and lean closer to the heavenly air coming out of the window. “I do. I’m going to the Paradise Beach Hotel.”
He scrunches his nose. “Are you sure that’s where you want to go?”
“I am. I’ve got a reservation there.”
He sighs and unlocks the doors, hopping out to pop the trunk lid. “Okay. Gimme your bag and I’ll get it. Hop on in the back seat.”
With relief, I open the back door and clamber inside, trying to keep myself from shivering when the leather interior hits the back of my steaming legs. Shivering, I curl up on myself. It’s fucking hot but not in here.
He slams the trunk and pops in the front before giving me a huge smile. “It’ll only take us a couple of minutes to get there. Just get comfy.” He starts some kind of app that feeds into his bluetooth and the ride starts. We pull out into traffic and immediately he has to jam on the brakes and he’s good-naturedly smiling in the rear-view mirror. “Don’t worry about it. We’re good.”
I glance back at the car he cut off and another driver is staring at me out of the front window of his jeep, his blue eyes laser-focused on my face. It’s obvious he’s livid and his mouth is open, silently mouthing something that I’m sure isn’t very polite!
I spin around, my face red and fidget with my hands as the driver chats happily with himself, not even waiting for me to answer him.
“Here we are!” He hollers happily, hopping out of the car and striding quickly to the back to get my bag. It feels like seconds but it’s probably been more than a few minutes. I just can’t seem to focus anymore. I spend half my time in a fog of emotions that I can’t seem to wrap my head around.
I step out and suck in a shocked breath. This place looks nothing like what I expected. The online information showed a much newer, clean place. This place is a bit overgrown and the outside of the building appears like it’s been cracked and worn. I glance over at him. “Are you sure this is the right place?”
He grins and shrugs his shoulders. “Yeah, I’m sure. I asked you if you were sure this is where you wanted to go.”
I nod my head, dismayed. Then I pull my shoulders back and ignore the tiny niggle of unease that trickles down my spine. This is the hand I’ve been dealt. I’ve said that same phrase an awful lot in my head over the last year.
“Yeah. This is where I need to go.”
I made a reservation here and for now…this is my home.
Odd words I know for a hotel but the fact of the matter is, I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing anymore.
This is the one-year anniversary of the worst day of my life so…this is it. I need to clear my head, clear out my heart and start over again with a new life somewhere. I just need to get it all straight and this is my chance.
The guy sets my bags down beside me and I sigh, pushing my out-of-control curls behind my ear. This kind of weather is gonna be murder on my short, curly blond hair. I can already feel the corkscrew curls coiling up as if they’re alive.
Smiling, I hand the man a tip and he grins. “You know you don’t have to do that. It’s included in the fare.”
I shrug and push it back at him. “Doesn’t matter. You work hard. You deserve it.”
He takes the money, salutes me, hands me a card and hops back into his car. “If you need anything while you’re on the island, just let me know. I’m always around.”
Smiling, I wave my hand. He’s been really sweet and a helluva distraction with all of his chatter. I could do worse than calling him for a ride, I’m sure.
“Thank you!”
He yanks the wheel and pulls back into traffic and I wince as another car honks at him. He is a bit of a wild card with the driving though.
The other driver looks across at me and his eyes widen. I glare at him, recognizing the jerk from the airport.
His blond brows dip down and he glares right back until something catches his attention and he pulls away, laughing loudly.
My belly twists when I see the pure love and happiness on his face. He looks transformed from a hot devil into a happy-go-lucky, beautiful angel of a man.
