AllFreeNovel
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We both sat on the beach, eating the last of our snacks and anxiously staring out at the water. I refuse to imagine what might happen if the boat doesn’t show up. We’re consuming the last of our supplies. Travis said we wouldn’t live longer than a couple of days if this was it. They had to come. There was no way a plane could land on the island. A helicopter, but I have no idea how far from land we are.
“They’ll come,” Travis says, hugging me close. “Pretend you’re on a tropical beach. If you’d feel better, strip down to your panties and pretend you’re in a bikini.”
“Very funny,” I smile.
We fall silent once again. Now that rescue is a possibility, I realize this might be it. This man that was a total stranger to me three days ago has become my hero. I realize he saved my life. He is an excellent pilot. He was right that another pilot wouldn’t have been able to pull off that crash landing. A near-death experience was not on my Bingo card for the year.
But here I was. Alive and well and battling the emotions that came with parting ways with the man that had come into my world unexpectedly but now, I was having a tough time imagining my life without him. Spending every minute of the last couple of days with him changed me. My priorities felt different. After imagining my own funeral, I knew I wanted to make some life changes.
As the minutes ticked by, my mind races. Travis's quiet confidence kept my hope alive. “What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get to the hotel?” he asks.
I know he’s trying to distract me. “Eat and shower. I’ll eat while I’m in the shower.”
“Me too,” he laughs. “And sleep. What are you going to eat?”
“Oh man, everything. I know it’s going to sound weird, but I’m craving a sandwich. I never eat sandwiches, but that’s what I want. Something with lots of meat and mayo. You?”
“Steak. Steak and potatoes. Bacon.”
“You’re such a man,” I tease, nudging his arm.
Travis chuckles, his eyes focused on the horizon. "Can you blame me? After living off tiny bags of nuts for days, a big juicy steak sounds like heaven right now."
I nod, feeling a pang of hunger at the thought of real food. I squint, trying to make out any signs of an approaching boat or helicopter. Suddenly, a distant sound catches our attention. Travis sits up straight, his gaze locked on a speck on the water growing larger by the second. My heart leaps into my throat as the unmistakable shape of a boat.
“Can they come ashore?” I ask when I realize just how big the boat is.
“No. They’ll have to send a skiff.”
“What if they don’t have one?” I panic.
“They do,” he assures me. “The pilot would have told them where we are and the situation. I’m guessing we’re close to the Big Island. It didn’t take the boat long to get here.”
“So close, but so far,” I murmur.
As the boat arrives to rescue us, I breathe a sigh of relief. Travis stands up, wiping the sand off his hands and reaches a hand down to help me to my feet. I can see the relief in his eyes. He takes a deep breath and turns to face me, giving me a reassuring smile. "We made it, Paige. It's going to be okay now."
Tears spring to my eyes, which seems silly. I’m rescued. The time for tears is over. Travis pulls me into his arms, his hard, warm body comforts me. He kisses the side of my head. “You’re good. You’re a strong, capable woman, Paige. I am glad it was you I was stranded with.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Be honest, you wanted to drown me more than once.”
He chuckles and steps back. “Nah. You’re too hot to drown.”
I slap at him, laughing as the boat pulls up to the shore, I can see two men waving at us. "We're here to take you back! Is everyone okay?"
Travis smiles and waves back. "Yes, we're fine. Just down to our last snack."
The men help us aboard. I stare at the island as we pull away. The ordeal of being stranded on that deserted island is finally over. I still can’t get my head around the situation. Travis’s arm hangs around my shoulders as the boat bounces over the waves, speeding to the larger boat bobbing up and down on the water.
We’re quickly taken aboard. A man with a casual button-up with a hospital log on the chest approaches with two bottles of water. “I’m Doctor Jones. Here’s some water to help you guys’ hydrate after your trip. Are you injured?”
Travis takes the water, thanking the doctor before looking at me. “I think we’re both fine. Some bumps and bruises, but fine.”
He reaches out and touches Travis’s forehead. “That should have had stitches, but it’s too late now. I’d like to clean it up.”
"Okay,” Travis nods.
Another person approaches with a tray of fruit. “I’m not sure if your stomachs can handle food, but I imagine you’re hungry.”
