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“Yeah,” I said. “Or something.”
CHAPTER 23
CHANEL
“Hey, Tommy!”
Ana took off for Tommy as he opened his arms to her. Rhett smiled at me as I watched Ana being picked up off the ground. Tommy swung her around in his arms as I grinned. I felt Rhett approach my side as we stood on the ground in Aruba, the saltwater air wrapping around our bodies.
“They look happy,” I said.
“I’ve never seen Tommy like this before,” Rhett said.
“I thought you said he was a playboy.”
“He is. I thought you said Ana was only here to get as much of hers as she could.”
“She is. Or, she was,” I said. “But I’ve honestly never seen her like this with anyone before. It makes me happy, but it’s also kind of strange. Is that a bad thing?”
“Not really. I’m happy for Tommy. He needs someone who grounds him, but it is a swift change in his personality.”
“Well, we better not tease them too much. This could be real for them. You never know.”
The Aruba sunshine was beating down on us as the four of us walked around. Ana and Tommy were holding hands, laughing between themselves. Rhett was walking by my side as we ventured toward the coast, finding ourselves a little slice of heaven. There was a private beach with an alcove and its own personal waves. It was a beautiful sight, one that reminded me of all those paradise movie getaways.
“It’s beautiful here,” I said.
“It is,” Rhett said. “You want to hang out awhile here?”
In a flash, I saw Ana and Tommy run past my eyes. They were holding hands and running toward the water, their bathing suits clinging to their bodies. I threw my head back and laughed as they disturbed the mirror-like waters, splashing and kicking water at one another like a couple of kids. Ana dunked Tommy, and Tommy pulled her under. The waves were bobbing them in the ocean as the fish began to scatter. They were holding onto each other and yelling at us to come in.
“The water’s great!” Ana said.
“You guys gonna stand there like idiots?” Tommy asked.
“You want to walk around or swim?” I asked.
“It’s up to you. Wherever you want to go, I’ll be there,” Rhett said.
I grinned up at him before I started shedding my clothes. I tossed them into a pile on the powdery sand before I started for the water. Rhett jogged up beside me, his movements swift and his body strong. I picked up my pace to keep up with him, and soon the two of us were running and diving into the water.
It felt so refreshing, like the ocean was washing the stain of the past few days off me. I could feel the fear Luke had instilled in me leaving my body. I could feel myself being born again as I emerged from the water. It was crystal clear, and I could see my toes digging into the ocean floor. Fish were swimming around our ankles, rainbow fish and clown fish, big fish that were curious about us and small fish that were searching for their mothers. I was mesmerized by the aquatic life this little alcove harbored, and I smiled as two turtles made their way to the shoreline.
“Think they’re gonna work on their tans?” Ana asked.
“I’d rather be in the water,” Tommy said.
“Oh, really? And why’s that?” Ana asked.
“Because I get to do this.”
Tommy’s hands grasped Ana’s ass and pulled her closer to him. Ana yelped, playfully slapping his chest as Rhett pulled me close. The water was bobbing us around as the waves broke against the shoreline, and even though Ana and Tommy’s voices were echoing off the stone walls, it was still peaceful. This was how I wanted to spend my time in Aruba today. I didn’t want to spend more money or walk around more shops. I didn’t want to break a sweat trying to catch a bus or be crunched for time to get back to the ship. I wanted to take in the beauty of the island from where it mattered most. I wanted to gaze out along the horizon and dream about a better life for myself.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Rhett said.
“Just thinking about what happens after this cruise,” I said.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
