Chapter 26 #2
The sun beats down on the catamaran’s deck, its sleek hull cutting through waves as if it’s in a hurry to leave the mainland (and Brody) behind.
I’ve changed into my wetsuit, waiting for Nate to do the same as I stand at the rail, gripping it so tight my knuckles are white.
Despite my ponytail, strands of hair whip around my face, salty and wild.
I take a deep breath of ocean air, trying to force my nerves into submission.
Behind me, I hear the soft thud of footsteps approaching. Nate. I’ve gotten used to the sound of his stride—steady, like he’s never in a rush but never really standing still either.
“You okay?” His voice is low, as if the question’s a secret just for me, despite our personal mic packs.
I turn and find Nate standing close, the brim of his sponsored cap shading his eyes. He smells of citrus and sage with a layer of coconut sunscreen and salt—a mixture that’s pure tropical vacation. All we’re missing is one of the blended drinks he likes so much.
“I’m good,” I say, trying to inject confidence into my voice. My stomach is doing nervous little flips, but it’s impossible to tell which part of today is the cause. “Mostly.”
His gaze sharpens as he looks me over, and I can tell he’s choosing his next words carefully for the cameras. “You’re not getting cold feet on me, are you?”
It sounds like he’s asking about the excursion, but the question is just as much about him. Us, or what we could be if given the chance.
“No cold feet.” A lie because I can’t stop thinking about that look on Nate’s face when his brother showed up. How quickly things escalated from there.
“Okay, good,” he says on an exhale that could be mistaken for relief if he weren’t still searching my face for a clue. “I know my brother’s presence might have thrown some things off.”
“It hasn’t.” Another lie, or at least not the complete truth. How could Brody’s presence not be a complication? He may have manipulated me, but he also flew halfway around the world to get me back.
Then I remember another thing from last night. How Brody got to Fiji with Nina’s help. My ex might be the more prominent one between us at present, but Nate is forgetting I could have the same concerns about him wanting her back, even if she’s changed.
There’s a conversation we need to have, and this is the closest we’ll get to being alone with Brody in Fiji and the crew clamoring to make the most of our last day of filming.
“Do you think your brother wants to get back together with his ex?” I ask, careful not to reveal too much when we’re miked.
“No, definitely not,” Nate says. If he’s bothered that I’ve brought up something personal about him on camera again, he doesn’t show it. “He’s getting the key back from her as soon as he gets home.”
“What if he doesn’t?” I take a breath, steeling myself for the next part. “What if he no longer wants to?” What if Brody’s arrival shook up Nate’s feelings as well?
“Trust me. He will, and he does.” The way he says it, I believe him. “Even so, the lock has already been changed.”
He can’t say more, but I know he’s talking about the lock to him rather than his home. My heart flutters at the thought I may have the only copy of that particular key.
That Nate and I could still be okay after all of this, if I let us.
As we near our destination, the boat slows, and the engine’s hum drops to a low purr. The water here is impossibly clear, revealing bursts of coral beneath the surface, like a hidden world waiting for us to explore.
The boat crew distributes snorkeling gear, and I try focusing on that instead of the buzzing in my head as I slip on the heavy rubber fins, not sure if they’re more of an anchor or a lifeline.
Trading my sunglasses for the mask, I shove away my mounting nerves.
I can do this. I have to do this—not for the show, or Sarah, or the brothers who brought me here, but for myself.
Proof that something here has changed me so completely that I’ll never be quite the same Abigail again.
Corbin and another videographer get into the water first, and then Nate and I head to the stern of the boat. We sit next to each other, our flippers hanging over the edge, kissing the water’s surface. Around us, turquoise water shimmers like a bright jewel.
Nate and I can’t exchange words with our snorkel gear already on, but Nate’s expression speaks volumes. You ready?
I nod, finding that I actually am.
Behind us, Jamie counts down from three.
When she gets to one, Nate and I slide into the water together.
The salt pricks my lips and the exposed skin on my cheeks; its touch is a bracing wake-up call.
I take a deep breath through the snorkel, and the sound of rushing air is amplified in my ears, as if it’s the only thing keeping me tethered to the world above.
I take another deep breath and tilt my face downward, letting the underwater world rush into view.
It’s like plunging into another universe, one that’s vibrant and alive in ways I’ve only ever seen on TV.
Schools of fish dart around us, their scales catching the light like sequins at a Taylor Swift concert.
An iridescent fish swims so close I can almost touch its shimmering green scales, but then it flicks its tail and disappears into a thicket of coral.
I lose myself in the beauty of it all: the colors and textures, the strange, otherworldly quiet. Then something dark and sleek moves in my periphery, and my heart stutters. Sharks—the real “thrill” behind this excursion.
Every muscle in my body goes rigid. The water, which seemed welcoming enough a second ago, presses in on me from all sides, kneading air from my lungs.
I’m on the verge of panic when I feel Nate’s hand slide into mine, squeezing once.
Underwater, everything is muffled, but the warmth of his touch cuts through the cold rush of fear like a beam of sunlight through murky water.
I tighten my fingers around him, and he gives me this look through the mask that says, I’ve got you.
There’s no doubt in my mind he does.
Nate pulls me forward, gently guiding me closer to where the sharks are gliding.
Their bodies slice through the water with the same ease as birds through the sky, but they’re smaller and less threatening than I initially thought.
There’s an elegance to their movements that’s almost hypnotic.
I half expect them to turn on us, but they keep moving, unbothered by our presence.
Nate’s hand remains wrapped around mine, tethering me, reminding me I’m not alone. Everything else falls away—the past, my fears, even the thought of Brody waiting for us back on shore. It’s just Nate and me suspended in the blue, weightless and free.
When we finally surface and unmask, I can’t help but laugh. The sound echoes across the water. “I can’t believe I did that!”
Strands of wet hair worked loose from Nate’s bun are pasted to his face. His smile is broad and beautiful, and just for me. “You were incredible,” he says. There’s a hint of the other night in his eyes that makes my breath catch.
Before I can second-guess it, I press my lips to his. When we pull apart, his expression is impossibly brighter. Then we both register movement on the boat, reminding us of who and where we are.
Dave gives a whooping cheer. “The studio is going to eat this up, Brody!”
With the true Brody back on shore, the spell shatters. Nate manages a wave back to Dave, but his smile falls as soon as his hand does. The air between us becomes so heavy I can hardly breathe.
“Abigail,” Nate says softly, his voice raw. “You can’t have both.”
My throat tightens. “I know. I just need time.” More time than the mere 12-ish hours I’ve been given so far. I want Nate, but I can’t ignore the fact Brody came here for me. That choosing either brother will hurt the other.
Nate’s jaw clenches, and it looks like he wants to say more—something that might tip everything one way or the other. But then he puts his mask back on and swims away with a splash that feels like a goodbye.
My heart splinters into a thousand pieces as I watch him go. Because if we don’t get this sorted soon, I’m going to lose Nate before I ever really had him.