There’s no opportunity to respond, to ask what she means aboutbefore, because she walks forward to meet the helicopter pilots and the tour company manager. Doug gestures to the camera gear, and Sofía pulls a small notebook from her bag.
The pilots nod along, pointing at whatever’s on her paper, and I stand back.
What does she mean men have raised their voices at her before? Was it her family or a significant other? The lack of clarity eats at my insides, as does the kernel of trepidation that it was someone who she believed loved her.
Molly appears at my side. “How was the tent? I haven’t had time to ask how that went.”
“About as well as you could expect.”
“So you two got freaky with it?”
I choke. “Molly,” I hiss. “That’s not appropriate.”
She shrugs. “Doug and I did, in case you were curious.”
“You know I don’t want to know that information. Ever.”
“But it’s so fun making you blush,” she teases. “Oh, would you look at that, your bunkmate is calling us over.”
I snap my head to Sofía, who is waving to get our attention. Molly kicks it into high gear, smiling wildly as she leaps into thehelicopter in the seat beside Doug. She wraps an arm around his bicep, and he places a kiss on the crown of her head.
“Hi, baby,” he mutters, the endearment always turning her cheeks a soft pink.
The pilot extends a hand to help Sofía up, and jealousy rips through me, making me double my pace. “I got it,” I say, placing a hand on the small of her back to help her up.
An odd look crosses her face, and I shuffle in behind her, trying to wrangle the green beast that magically appeared in my chest. I don’t get jealous—I’ve never had a reason to—but I’m not fond of the idea of someone else helping Sofía. Not when I’ve only just convinced her to let me.
Her bag sits between us as she buckles in. I give her a thumbs-up, and she gives me a wobbly one in response. The helicopter rotor whirls, and after a jerk, we’re airborne.
Sofía’s hand flies out, patting around until she finds mine and clamps down on it with impressive strength. “I lied,” she screams, “this is terrifying!”
Her eyelids screw shut, and I have to stifle a laugh. “Open your eyes and look out the window.”
“No, thanks.” Brown hair whips around when she shakes her head. “I’m quite happy with the darkness.”
“Trust me. Open your eyes. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”
Hesitantly, she parts her eyelashes, revealing the fear swirling in her irises. I jerk my chin at the window, and when she turns, she lets out a small gasp, releasing my hand to move closer to the glass.
Turquoise water sparkles below us, melting into a darker navy at the horizon line. The white sand swirls where the shore meets the ocean, and from this height, stunning, verdant greens make up the forest surrounding Airlie Beach.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime view.
The pilot maneuvers right, and we coast along the shoreline. Doug unpacks the equipment, handing me my camera and a long-range lens before assembling his own. He shifts in his seat to get a better angle and films without need for direction.
We grab a few minutes of film where the footage dissects down the middle: one side the alluring ocean, the other the expansive forest.
“If you look north,” the pilot says through the mic piece, “there are two humpback whales.”
Sofía plasters her face to the window. “I don’t see them,” she shrieks.
I tip her chin in the other direction. Two black dots glide through the water on the far edge of the reef, and Sofía squeals, smacking my bicep.
“Look at them!”
I resume recording, alternating between the view and Sofía’s reaction. Patches of coral form swirling tan shapes, stark against the contrast of the teal and turquoise water. We arc farther out to sea, and I set the camera aside to appreciate the view before we reach the heart-shaped coral, one of the iconic spots on the reef.
It was the reason we booked this helicopter flight.
