Chapter 19
The next four days were spent exploring the island, strolling through the forests, and hanging out on the beaches, especially the rock pools, which Karim loved to play in.
Libby couldn’t believe the change in Dan.
That grumpy, up-and-down guy from last week had gone.
Sure, she could tell he was still working through a lot of stuff.
Often, he’d catch his breath, a sign that his legs and hips had caused him a sharp and sudden pain.
And then there was that inhale, through gritted teeth, when he was frustrated at his lack of movement, even though he exercised throughout the day.
She’d hear him in his room, grunting and puffing out breaths in the early morning.
That was his bodyweight workout—as he’d told her in one of their interviews—and those strangled sounds were his stretches and physio.
Libby had quickly learned that Dan had viewed his body like a machine.
A high-performance vehicle. And all she had to do to make him talk freely and enthusiastically was to ask him a question about his training regime and techniques.
Plyometric drills, power and descending sprint workouts. She was learning a lot from him.
Talking about his accident was still understandably tough for him. And those first months of his recovery were still a tricky subject, too. Sometimes, when he looked out to sea, sadness lingered in his eyes. Were they the times when he thought about what he’d lost?
But he’d then blink away whatever had been running through his mind, and he’d nod, like he’d just come to a decision or conclusion.
Yesterday, when he did it again, her big mouth couldn’t stand it any longer.
“What were you thinking about?” she’d asked.
“My future,” he’d said.
Ah. Part Five.
His tone had been so final that she hadn’t asked any more questions.
Instead, she’d mentioned all the good work he could do, inspiring others with motivational videos, giving them titles like “Never Give Up” and “Keep Going.” On a huff, he’d muttered something about her being full of sunshine and rainbows.
Damn straight, she was.
She and Karim—and Dan—were having the best time on Atiu.
The locals were friendly, the scenery gorgeous, and tonight was the island dance.
The benefit, held at the church hall in the village, would also mark their last evening here.
They flew back to Raro tomorrow morning.
She was sad about that, but she had lots of happy memories of Atiu—and lots of great content for her website and channel.
And tonight, she couldn’t wait to experience the music, the food, and partying with the people who’d become friends.
Pretty much everyone they’d met on the island would be at the dance, including the kids next door—much to Dan’s feigned annoyance.
No matter how loudly he huffed, they still wouldn’t leave him alone, this giant of a man who was fun to razz and poke, like a grumpy, harmless bear.
“Let’s go, honey,” she said now to Karim. They were ready to leave for the dance. She reached for the stroller, but Karim shook his head and grabbed Dan’s legs instead.
“Dan-Dan, up high,” he said.
And here was another child who couldn’t leave Dan alone.
Karim was loving having a new playmate, and every time they splashed together in the shallow pools or tossed stones or looked for sticks in the undergrowth, those damn butterflies in Libby’s stomach flapped their wings.
So much so that they blew away all thoughts of the day when their time together in the Cook Islands would come to an end.
Which was definitely not a thought for party night.
Karim’s cute little giggles had her smiling immediately.
In one quick move, Dan had tucked him under his arm and was jiggling him around like a sack of potatoes.
When they stepped outside, he lifted a still-giggling Karim onto his shoulders.
With butterflies fluttering again and her heart skipping, Libby locked the door, and they headed toward the church.
Tonight was going to be so fun.
“I wonder what we’ll be eating,” she said as they made their way to the church.
She’d already given Karim his dinner, but she’d like him to taste whatever she had on her plate.
“It’ll probably be grilled pork and rukau—you know, those cooked taro leaves I told you about? That’s what Henry said, anyway.”
“And speak of the devil,” Dan said, nodding toward the church hall entrance. Henry was there, next to a group of older women, looking his and Libby’s way. “He’s already eyeing you up.”
Did she detect a little protective growl in Cranky’s tone?
The women next to Henry caught sight of them approaching too and nudged each other’s elbows with little snickers.
“For god’s sake,” Dan huffed. “This is like being back in the playground.”
“You should be pleased that Henry is being so obvious about his attraction to me,” Libby said.
“Why?”
“Because apart from us, he’s the only person on this island who actually believes I’m not your wife.”
As they entered the village hall, Dan was aware that even more curious gazes were on him and Libby.
Or rather, just on Libby.
She looked beautiful in that yellow dress, the same dress she’d worn to dinner with his mother and Malek. This time, she had flowers in her pink and purple streaky hair, tucked behind her right ear. She’d also pinned a small bunch with pink petals at the side of her generous cleavage.
“Where did Henry go?” she asked. Her glittery eyelashes caught the low light as she licked her ripe-berry-red lips. She was in full content creator makeup tonight. “I thought he was right behind us.”
“He, um…had to go and help out in the kitchen,” Dan told her.
Or that’s what he thought the colonel mumbled after Dan had glared at him, having caught the old guy helping himself to another eyeful of Libby’s breasts.
Not that Dan could blame the colonel’s wandering gaze.
Dan had been having trouble all week keeping his eyes off Libby.
Even though they were friends—and working together—he could still admire her great figure from afar.
Especially as it was made more beautiful by her sunny personality.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Jones,” a mock-solemn voice said behind them. It was Christopher Mac, who—by the sounds of it—was being extra annoying tonight. “I will show you to your table. Please, follow me.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” Libby said with a giggle, and Dan pulled a face, which amused her even more.
As they walked to their table, they greeted some of the islanders they’d met during their stay on Atiu.
There was Father Piri and the woman who ran one of the shops by the harbor.
Then Andrea—their hostel manager—who, despite the island’s size, they hadn’t seen since she’d collected them from the airport ten days ago.
She was collecting them again tomorrow morning for their flight back.
Leaving Atiu twinged something in Dan’s chest.
He’d begun to find himself again here, on the smallest piece of land he’d ever stepped foot on.
When he’d first arrived, he’d been shrouded in those thick, dark, suffocating clouds.
Now, he was shedding the dead skin of that physically and emotionally exhausted man he’d been.
He hadn’t quite left him behind, but he was getting there.
“We are here,” Christopher Mac said with a flourish of his hands to indicate the corner of a very long table. “This is where you’ll be sitting.”
“Thanks.” But Dan didn’t trust that toothy grin, nor the cheeky glint in the kid’s eyes.
Before he could grill the child about what he was up to, Rellina, Christopher Mac’s younger sister or cousin—Dan couldn’t remember which—came over to them.
She loved to play with Karim and took him by the hand to join some other kids about the same age.
Libby followed them, hovering close to her son like she always did, while she chatted to some of the other parents.
When it was time to eat, they took their seats where Christopher Mac had shown them, only to find that the whole gang had taken all the seats next to them.
“Haven’t you kids got to be in bed or something?” Dan huffed.
Libby cracked up. “I think it’s sweet how they follow you. You’re their hero.” Then she gave him a narrow-eyed look, like she’d just discovered a secret. “You’re gonna miss them, aren’t you?”
“No,” Dan scoffed. “I’d be glad to see the back of them.”
But he’d already written his email address out on a scrap of paper, ready to give to Christopher Mac in the morning, along with a couple of T-shirts the boy and one of his male cousins had said they’d liked when Dan had worn them. They’d grow into them one day.
Dinner was served soon after they were seated.
Heaped plates of grilled pork, taro, and rukau, just like the colonel had said, were passed along the tables.
Karim sat on Libby’s lap throughout the meal, nibbling this and that from her plate as he took in his surroundings.
With all the children around him, Dan felt like a giant at a kids’ tea party.
They were all talking over each other as they ate, just like at his own family gatherings at Mum’s house, with Femi and Gabi, his brothers-in-law, and all their children. Auntie Zeezee, too.