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I’m not sure how long I hid behind Cade’s back, eyes scrunched closed, waves crashing against my bare back, but it felt like an eternity.
“It’s clear,” Cade said finally, then started to move.
“Wait,” I cried, my hands coming to grasp his waist. Cade slowed his movements, allowing me to follow behind him out of the water.
When we were on dry land, and I was satisfied we were alone, I darted to my clothes and started to get dressed as fast as humanly possible.
A choking sound had my head swinging up as I pulled on my bikini briefs, and my eyes narrowed at the sight of Cade holding his stomach as he choked back laughter, still naked as a jaybird.
“Don’t you dare laugh right now, Cade,” I bit out, securing my top and placing my hands on my hips. “Nothing about that was funny.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Cade’s mouth opened and his laughter filled the air, and I heard it following me as I hightailed it back to the house, praying I didn’t encounter Cade’s parents along the way.
After yesterday’s skinny dipping fiasco, I’m ashamed to say I hid from Cade’s parents for most of the night. Sure, I came out for dinner, but I couldn’t make eye contact. I kept seeing flashes of their body parts dangling in the sun, and I swear my face was beet red throughout the entire meal.
Cade said I was overreacting, but I didn’t think so. I’d been basically mortified, and just needed a little time to get over it.
Today, when they’d said we were all going on a boat to go dolphin watching, my stomach hit the floor.
Boats scared the shit out of me.
Being out in the middle of the vast, dangerous ocean, where sharks and electric eels live, just wasn’t for me. Plus, I’d seen Titanic ten times when I was younger, and I knew if I went out on a boat, I wouldn’t come back alive.
“Lila,” Cade had said patiently when I tried to explain my fear. “We aren’t going on the maiden voyage of a large cruise ship. These guys take these tours out a few times a day, every day, all week long. They know what they’re doing, and it’s perfectly safe.”
“But … sharks,” I replied, thinking, ‘nuf said.
Instead of telling me he understood my feelings and I didn’t have to go, Cade shook his head and said, “Lila, you aren’t getting into the water. We’re going out to see the dolphins, then coming back to shore.”
“Cade,” I sighed, knowing that this may be another strike against me in the girlfriend column. “Please, I really don’t want to go. I’m scared to death of boats. I know Elin and Elena are really excited, so I won’t say that they can’t go, but I really, really am not going.”
“Okay, babe, but you’re missing out,” he’d said, kissing me on the forehead before going to break the news to everyone that they were leaving without me.
I wasn’t making excuses so I could avoid Cade’s parents for another day, honest. It was just a side benefit.
“Hey, Alani,” I’d called out when I saw Cade’s sister headed for the door. “I was going to head out to do some shopping, get some souvenirs for my girlfriends back home, do you want to go? You could show me that bakery you were talking about.”
Alani paused, her eyes shifting to the side for a moment, before her face brightened and she said, “Yeah, that sounds fun. I just have somewhere to go first, so I’ll drive.”
“Perfect, let me just grab my bag.”
Once I was ready, we hopped in Alani’s old Nissan and headed out. Although I was skeptical, we made it up that hill with no problems. The issues came once we were out on the road.
Alani is a terrible driver.
I mean bend over and kiss your ass goodbye terrible.
She was all over the place. Weaving in and out of cars, slamming on her brakes, and never once did she use her turn signal. I was holding on to the Oh Shit handle like it was my lifeline, because it was.
“The bakery is right over there; I’m just going to meet up with someone real quick and then we’ll head to the market. They have perfect souvenirs.”
I nodded in response, still unable to talk after the terrifying experience I’d just had.
We got out of the car, and I started off in the direction she’d pointed, then, trusting my gut, I turned and followed Alani.
I still hadn’t spoken with her about what I’d overhead the other night, and something still seemed fishy to me.
I waited until she rounded the corner of the building, then hurried over and peered around the corner. Alani was standing on the steps, talking to a man who was a step above her. It looked like she was pleading with him, and he wasn’t having it. His expression was almost indifferent, as if she were a problem he didn’t have time for.
