11. Paige
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.”
“Starving!” I reach for a handful of grapes.
The doctor returns with a kit. “How long were you guys out there?”
“Two days,” Travis replied.
“Three, really,” I correct.
“How did you guys get to us so fast?” Travis asks.
The doctor smiles. “We happened to be out, enjoying my new boat when a radio call went out for anyone in the area to make a rescue. We pulled up anchor and headed your way.”
“Thank you,” Travis says.
“Yes, absolutely,” I nod.
The doctor cleans Travis’s wound and then checks my eyes to make sure I’m not concussed.
“So, what happened?” the doctor asks. “Did your boat sink?”
I can’t help but laugh. “No, our plane crashed.”
They both stare at us, like they’re not sure if they believe us. “How many people were on board?” the doctor asks.
“It was just us,” Travis answers. “It was a private charter.”
The relief on their faces was obvious.
“You’re very fortunate,” the woman says.
“It will be about two hours until we get to the Big Island,” the doctor says. “We can take you below deck and let you clean up. If your stomach can manage it, we’ve got some basic sandwich making stuff on board. We were only planning on being out for the day and didn’t bring a lot.”
“Oh please,” I practically cry at the thought of sinking my teeth into a sandwich. “I would love a sandwich.”
“I’ll take you down,” the woman smiled. “I’m Marnie.”
“Paige,” I reply.
Travis introduces himself before we are led below deck. The below-deck cabin was cozy and inviting, with soft lighting and comfortable seats. I was shown to the bathroom to clean up first. The moment I look in the mirror, I’m horrified by my reflection. My hair is a disaster. My lips are chapped, and my eyes are puffy with big dark circles. I would love a shower and a change of clothes, but that’s going to have to wait. For now, I make do with a sponge bath to wipe away the sweat and sand. The bug bites that cover my body are ugly, but really the least of my concerns. Knowing there is actual food just a few feet away helps me forget about my appearance. I run my fingers through my hair, disgusted by the sand I can feel clinging to my scalp.
When I step out of the bathroom, Travis is sitting at the table with his head back and his eyes closed. I know the man must be exhausted. He didn’t sleep much at all, choosing to keep watch over me. He hears me coming, opens his eyes and smiles. “Feel better?”
“Much.”
He takes his turn in the bathroom while I watch Marnie busy herself in the small galley, preparing sandwiches and pouring a round of drinks.
“You’re very lucky you weren’t seriously hurt,” she says as she put a plate in front of me.
My stomach growls loudly. “I am extremely fortunate. Travis is an excellent pilot.”
“What happened?”
“I honestly don’t know,” I shake my head and reach for the sandwich. Good manners tell me to wait for Travis, but now that I see the food, I can’t stop myself. My hands shake as I pick it up. I’m weak, but also still riding an adrenaline rush from the rescue.
Travis returns and sits beside me at the table. “We had an electrical issue,” he answers the question. “We lost the instruments, then one engine and the second wasn’t far behind. We were falling fast. I tried to glide to the nearest airport, but we didn”t make it.”
Marnie frowns sympathetically. ”That sounds terrifying. But you”re right, you”re lucky to have survived.”
As we ate, the sailing continued smoothly. I couldn”t help but think about the luck that had brought us this far. Travis and I had been through so much in the last few days, and I wasn”t sure I could ever go back to my normal life without experiencing a sense of fear and anxiety every time I boarded a flight. But I was going to have to if I wanted to get back home.
Finishing our sandwiches in silence, we continued to watch the ocean pass by. Marnie went up on the top deck, leaving me and Travis alone once again. “Feel better?” he asks, brushing the hair from my face.
“I do. Although, I got a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The old me, the woman that boarded your jet, would refuse to get off this boat until I could put myself together.”
“And you now?”
“She just wants to get to a hotel, shower and sleep for days.”
“You know, I think you are prettier now than you were in your fancy little getup with your hair and makeup done.”
“You’re a horrible liar.”
His deep laugh makes me smile. As we approached the Big Island, Marnie informed us that she would contact the local authorities to inform them of our arrival and the situation. I can”t help but feel a pang of sadness as I realize it”s time to say goodbye to Travis.
It”s strange, feeling this way after only knowing him for a couple of days. But there”s something about him, something that makes me feel like there”s a connection between us, something more than just two strangers thrown together by circumstance.
Travis stuck by me through the interviews with the various authorities. A cab was waiting to take us our separate ways, but I found myself prolonging the goodbye.
”Maybe I could call you sometime?” I suggest feeling a little awkward.
He gives me a wink and leans in to give me a kiss. ”I”d like that,” he says softly. ”But I”ll need to buy a phone first.”
I start laughing, only then realizing I have my purse and nothing else. My phone may or may not work. That’s a shock to me that I don’t know. I quickly pull it out and attempt to power it on but the battery is dead. “Me too,” I tell him. “Just in case this doesn’t work.”
He points across the street to a market. “I’ve got my wallet. I’ll buy a phone for now.”
“And then what is your plan?” I ask. “I’m guessing our hotel reservations have been canceled.”
“I’m heading to the airport,” he says. “I need to get home and deal with the FAA, my investor, and the insurance company. There will be no Hawaiian vacation for me.”
The flimsy flip flops Marnie gave to me slap against the pavement as we cross the street. We both buy phones; more water and I find a pair of sandals that fit a little better. We go outside and sit on a bench, firing up the phones and giving each other our temporary numbers.
“Well, I guess this is it,” he says, making no move to leave.
“I’ll be here for a few days,” I tell him. “I need to call my office and find a laptop.”
He nods and for a second, I think that’s it, but then he gently cups my face and kisses me. It was a soft, lingering kiss, filled with a hint of longing and the promise of something more. After breaking away, he smiles at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
”I hope you will call me when you get back. I’d like to take you out to a real dinner. Maybe even try sex in a real bed.”
I can”t help but laugh, feeling a sudden surge of affection for him. During all our troubles, he never lost his sense of humor or his charm.
”Deal,” I say.
I hop in the cab and make my way to the hotel where my reservation was. Fortunately, the room I reserved was still available. I pull out my phone with the intention of texting Travis. As I walk into my room with thoughts of a hot shower on my mind and the lingering effects of Travis’s kiss, I’m not paying attention.
Out of nowhere, a man grabs me around the waist and drags me down the hall.