Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
C heyenne
Cheyenne walked toward the pier at the public beach, anticipation coursing through her. This would be the first time she had ever gone parasailing. It was exciting—a small thing, maybe, but something she had wanted to do for a long time. Samantha wouldn’t be there to experience it with her, which dampened her excitement, but Cheyenne knew she had to follow through.
Micah Stone’s face flashed in her mind, uninvited. It was so arrogant of him to assume she’d want him to come just because she had an extra ticket. Sure, she’d called earlier and found out the ticket was nonrefundable, but she was confident there would be a group of people she could enjoy the experience with. She didn’t need him.
As if reading her thoughts, Samantha called just as Cheyenne reached the check-in point.
Cheyenne paused and answered. “Hey. I wish you were here with me.”
“You’re telling me,” Samantha said, a note of regret in her voice. “I’m with Grandma, and I’m grateful for that, but I hate that I’m missing parasailing. Is it as beautiful out there as I’m imagining? FaceTime me.”
Cheyenne pressed the FaceTime button without hesitation. Instantly, she was face-to-face with her best friend. “I love you so much,” Cheyenne said.
Samantha pouted. “I love you too. Show me everything.”
Cheyenne turned the camera around, starting with the parasailing booth. “I haven’t checked in yet, but that’s probably the boat we’ll take out next to the bigger one.” She showed Samantha a sleek boat tied up at the dock.
Samantha groaned. “I wish I was there!”
Cheyenne felt a pang of guilt for having thrown herself a pity party the night before. “I wish you were here too.”
“Oh my gosh, look at that beach! It’s stunning.”
Cheyenne smiled, flipping the camera back to herself. “We’ll come back, I promise. But I need to check in now, okay? Love you.”
“Right, don’t miss parasailing because of me. I’ll pay for the ticket next time,” Samantha said with a laugh.
Cheyenne shook her head. “No way. Take care of your grandma. Bye!”
“Love you too. Bye!” Samantha ended the call.
Cheyenne tucked her phone away and let out a small sigh. Guilt still lingered, but she didn’t know what else to do.
Just as she looked up, someone stepped into her line of sight. “Hey. Are we ready to parasail?” a familiar voice asked.
Startled, Cheyenne met the piercing brown eyes of Micah. “What are you doing here?” she asked, annoyance creeping into her voice.
Micah crossed his arms, his broad shoulders on full display. “Come on. These tickets are pricey. Sell me the ticket, and we’ll go together.”
Cheyenne narrowed her eyes. “Is this because someone sent you to babysit me?”
Micah shrugged, unapologetic. “Yep.”
At least he was honest. “Well, you’re not coming,” she said flatly, walking past him without looking back.
When she reached the check-in counter, she gave her name to the attendant.
The man frowned and glanced around. “You’re supposed to have someone with you. The other group canceled today, and we can’t take solo passengers—it’s a liability.”
Cheyenne’s jaw tightened. “What do you mean? I paid for this trip.”
The man shrugged. “Like I said, we don’t take solo passengers.”
Behind her, someone cleared his throat. “If you sell me the ticket, I can go with you,” Micah offered again.
Cheyenne was shaking her head, but the attendant pointed at Micah. “Do you know him? If you do, we can take both of you.”
Cheyenne glared at the man. “It shouldn’t matter who I come with. I paid for this ticket, and you promised I could go out today.”
The attendant smirked, clearly used to these conversations. “The contract states that we need a certain number of participants to run the activity. Since your ticket was purchased as part of a pair, we can’t take you alone. Your options are to take him or reschedule.”
Micah stepped closer, casually raising a hand. “Come on, Cheyenne. I’ll pay you for the ticket right now.”
Cheyenne wanted to throw the five-hundred-dollar ticket into the ocean just to spite him, but she knew she couldn’t afford to. Begrudgingly, she relented. “Fine. Here’s my Venmo.”
Micah pulled out his phone and transferred the money with a few quick taps. “All set.”
The attendant grinned. “Great. Head over to get fitted for life jackets. We’ll be heading out shortly.”
Cheyenne’s mood brightened quickly. She couldn’t believe she was finally about to check off one of her bucket list items.
She and Micah boarded a small motorized raft that would take them to the larger boat out at sea. The sky was a brilliant blue, the sun warm but not too hot. The waves sprayed water against the sides of the boat as it sped along, making Cheyenne laugh despite herself.
Micah laughed too, a sound that grated on her nerves.
She turned to him, narrowing her eyes. “What are you doing here? Surely there are easier ways to spy on me than spending two hundred and fifty dollars on something you’ve probably done a hundred times.”
Micah smirked, his eyes meeting hers. “Actually, I’ve never gone parasailing before, but I’m glad I came.”
Cheyenne frowned, caught off guard. “How could a South Port native never have gone parasailing?”
Micah leaned against the side of the boat, the sun catching his tousled blond hair. “I surf, not parasail. Trey taught me when I was sixteen. It’s always been my thing.”
She studied him, curiosity piqued. “That probably makes you a good Navy SEAL—being in the water all the time.”
Micah let out a hearty laugh. “I’m not a good SEAL yet. But hopefully I will be soon. The truth is, surfing doesn’t make me a good SEAL. Discipline, commitment, and maybe a little ego—that’s what it takes.”
“Yeah, I can see how a little ego might help.”
Micah grinned. “It doesn’t hurt to have someone to impress, either.”
Cheyenne raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying you’re trying to impress me?”
“I’m saying it doesn’t hurt,” Micah said, his tone playful.
They reached the larger boat, and the rest of the parasailing trip was a blur of adrenaline and laughter. Cheyenne found herself unexpectedly enjoying Micah’s company as they soared high above the ocean. By the time they returned to shore, she was laughing so hard her cheeks hurt.
When they stepped off the boat, Cheyenne realized this had been one of the best days of her life.