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Beyond impressive in uniform, she loved his casual vibe too: black board-shorts, white T-shirt, cap, and sunglasses shading his eyes. She wished she could see those eyes, read them, get a feel for his mood after last night. She hadn’t seen him on the ship this morning, and while she was relieved, a small part of her couldn’t help but wonder what he had planned for today.
Taking a deep breath, she headed down the gangway, half of her looking forward to the tour of Suva he’d promised her after she’d stepped in to save his butt at the aerobics class, the other half wondering how far her confidence extended when he started charming her again, as he inevitably would.
“I thought you’d stood me up,” he said, his smile doing strange things to her insides.
Tipping her head forward, she looked at him over the tops of her sunglasses. “Why would I do that? I’ve been looking forward to the tour.”
“I’m very good, you know.”
“Ever heard the phrase ‘self-recommendation is no praise’?”
He grinned and gestured to a small four-wheel drive parked nearby. “Come on, I have a car waiting for us.” He bowed low. “Your chariot awaits,” and pulled off his cap with a flourish.
“You’regoing to drive?”
She glanced at the chaotic scene on the dock: cars darting between pedestrians and street vendors, horns honking constantly as people jumped out of the way of moving vehicles in haphazard fashion.
He laughed at her horrified expression. “Don’t worry, I’ve done this before. The car belongs to Raj, a friend of mine. He often lends it to me if I want to tour around. Once we leave the dock area and head out of town the roads quieten considerably.”
Her doubt must’ve shown, for his grin widened. “Don’t you trust me?”
“Your driving skills, maybe.” She quirked an eyebrow. “The rest, not on your life.”
He clutched his heart. “You’re a hard woman. Now come on, get in the car before I change my mind.”
She chuckled, surprisingly chill as they got in the car and headed out of town. She’d expected some awkwardness after last night but Zac kept up a steady flow of casual chatter as they wound around the island and he pointed out interesting landmarks. Content to sit back and watch the stunning scenery, she admired the sapphire ocean lapping at pearly sands, the beaches fringed by swaying palm trees, and wondered when she’d last felt this relaxed.
After half an hour, they stopped at a roadside café.
“Do you like Indian food?”
She nodded. “Love it. The hotter the better.”
“Good. Raj put me onto this place years ago and I always drop in if I have time. They make the best chicken tikka this side of India.”
“What are we waiting for? I’m ravenous.”
As they entered the open-air café, the proprietor, a tall Sikh wearing a maroon turban, rushed over.
“Hello, Mr. Zac. Welcome back.” He pumped Zac’s hand vigorously. “And you have brought a beautiful friend. Welcome to Sujit’s place, Miss.”
Zac smiled. “Sujit, meet Lana.”
He bowed over her hand. “Welcome. Now, what can I get you?”
She deferred to Zac. “You order. You’ll know the specials.”
“How about the usual, Sujit?”
“Most definitely, my friend. Coming right up.”
Lana glanced around, surprised by the restaurant’s cleanliness considering it was open to the elements. As for the sand floor, it would be a breeze to clean up.
“Adds to the island ambiance, huh?”
She nodded, surprised Zac could read her thoughts so easily, secretly pleased. “What’s with the lack of table settings?”
“Wait and see.”
