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“Shit.”Chris rubs his hand over his face. “I forgot that I set that for our take off to the harbor. We don’t have to go if you aren’t up for it,” he says.
Quickly, I shake my head. “No,”I say a little loudly before lowering my voice. “I mean, I’m fine. We can totally go. I want us to be right on schedule.” Then, I drag myself off the bed and hastily shove my feet into my slippers. “I should go… um… freshen up.”
I rushinto my room without sparing a backward glance at him. My heart pounds from the reality of what would have happened seconds ago if the alarm clock hadn’t interrupted us. Christ, I almost kissed my best friend’s father and even the thought of it fills me with so much more excitement than shame.
In the bathroom,I stare at myself in the mirror as I trail my lips with my finger. It had been very brief, but his lips had touched mine. I wonder if he regrets what happened, if he wants to take it back.
Sighing,I realize that it’s very possible for what I’m feeling to be one-sided. Hadn’t Thomas said I was one of Chris’ play things?
“Afterall,he never really keeps the likes of you around for long.”
The first timewe met in the men’s room, he had flirted with me and we had been so close to kissing too. But then, he found out who I was and everything changed. Why would a man like him be interested in someone like me anyway?
The excitementfrom our almost-kiss fades with each thought that crosses my mind, until all that is left is apprehension and embarrassment.
I suck it all in,refusing to dwell on it any longer. Then, I get dressed in a long sleeve white blouse, blue jeans, and sturdy boots. I pull my hair up into a ponytail and braid the end so it won’t be at a disadvantage with the wind when we get on the boat.
My suitcase is packedand ready. After the kinds of things I’ve experienced within a few hours in this hotel, I honestly can’t wait to leave. At this point, the only thing I am looking forward to is seeing the ocean and finally arriving at the undersea lab.
Chrisand I walk side by side as we exit the hotel, with the bell boy leaving in front with our suitcases. Throughout our walk to the parking lot, neither of us speaks although it’s clear that Chris looks like he has something to say.
He keeps lookingin my direction and loosening his jaw like he’s about to say something, only for him to clamp it shut all over again and avert his gaze. Our ride away from the hotel is nothing like the one to it.
I haveno strength to find the beauty in the magnificent sunrise or the clear blue skies. Even the tourists walking around and having a good time irritate me to no end. Beside me, Chris just sits perfectly still, neither of us talking about what almost happened back in the room.
The rideto the harbor takes about an hour and I feel immediate relief the moment we arrive. I step out of the car as soon as the driver opens the door for me and this time, I marvel at the enormous ships that are scattered across the harbor.
Within seconds of our arrival,a middle-aged man with the kindest smile approaches us and bends to his waist. He rises as his gaze falls on Chris. “Mr. Young, your boat is ready,” he says but his smile quickly turns into a frown when he looks behind us, searching for something.
“What’s wrong, George?”Chris asks, concern written all over his face as he tries to decipher the reason behind the man’s sudden change in mood.
George hesitatesfor a second before speaking. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave today, sir.” He says, leaving us wondering what is going on. However, we don’t wonder for long before he explains himself. “Your crew is yet to arrive and it doesn’t look like they will even be coming today.” I’m too stunned to restrain myself from yelling out the word, “What?” I turn towards Chris, panicking deep down at the thought of having our plans for the day canceled. My day will take a real plummet if we have to return to the hotel after coming all the way over here.
Chris’eyebrows furrow. “What do you mean it doesn’t look like they’ll be coming today?” He demands as he shoves his hands in his pockets.
“Err…”George looks nervously between Chris and I. “All flights to Hawaii have been canceled, sir. Apparently, there's going to be a big storm later in the day. If your crew isn’t already here, then I’m afraid they won’t be able to make it in time.”
Chris runshis fingers through his hair as the implication of what George just said settles deep within us. “Shit,” he mutters and I can practically feel his frustration radiating all over him. Without the crew, it’s highly unlikely that we will sail the boat today. Not only do we need a team with expert skills on board, but it’s also kind of a requirement to have a sailing crew with us on an expedition like this one. However, we are also on a very tight schedule and failure to adhere to it could derail our entire plans for the next three months.
I stare helplesslyat Chris and it looks like he recognizes my cry for help.
“I’ll fix this,”he says and it’s a promise. Then he pulls out his phone and dials a number. “Hey, Sheila…” he trails off as he walks a few feet away from me. I can’t hear what exactly he’s saying to his assistant, but he looks really pissed off. At one point, he stops talking, only for him to yell, “Get Ryan on the damn phone.” He walks further away from me, speaking rapidly into the speaker of his phone.
That iswhen my phone buzzes and I pull it out to see Ava’s name on the screen. “Hey, Bestie,” she screams in my ear as soon as I pick up the call. “How’s it going?”
I sigh heavilyand relay everything that has happened since we got here to her.
When I getto the part about Thomas Knight, she releases a long string of curses. “I always knew there was something creepy about that man,” she says.
“Tell me about it.”I sigh.
“I’m justglad my dad was there to keep you safe. I can’t even begin to think of what could have happened if he wasn’t there.” She sounds distraught and her words make me shudder because I’ve thought about it as well.
In order todistract myself and put what happened yesterday in the past, I intentionally omit the part where I almost kissed her father and proceed to our latest predicament. “Now, we are practically stuck at the harbor with the crew members nowhere to be found. George says if they aren’t already here then the possibility of them arriving today is very low.”
Ava rageson about the incompetence of others. “They should have called at least,” she says and I make a sound of agreement. “Although…” she trails off.
“Although what?”I ask, sensing that she’s about to come up with one of her classic act-before-you-think solutions.
