Chapter Five #2
Later that afternoon, as Jay emerged from the arrivals door, Zara’s face lit up like a sunbeam as she ran towards him.
He quickly closed the distance and, picking her up from the floor, he spun her in a dizzying circle as they embraced, their hearts beating in unison and their connection grounding them amid the bustling crowd of travellers.
Familiar lips meeting, they kissed as if they needed each other to breathe.
And he could almost bring himself to believe that was true.
The scent of her, the sound of her laughter, the way she fitted so perfectly within his arms — it was all so much more profound in person.
When they broke away from each other, her eyes glistened with unshed tears of joy as she took in the sight of him standing before her.
Jay returned her regard with passion, his gaze full of adoration and a sense of belonging that only she could inspire within him.
‘Oh, Jay, I can’t believe you’re actually here.’ Clasping her hands beneath her chin, she jiggled adoringly on the spot.
‘I can’t believe it either,’ he said with an unstoppable grin, brushing a strand of hair away from her face and behind her ear. ‘It’s going to be a wonderful few days together, I’m sure.’
‘Damn straight it is, I’m going to make you wish you could stay here forever.’ Her grin was triumphant, as if she already knew her plan had the power to work.
‘I already want to be here forever.’ And although he knew it wasn’t that simple, he meant it.
‘Aw, you’re the sweetest.’ She stood there for a moment, as if caught up in their bubble of a world. ‘So, my handsome man, I’m really looking forward to you meeting the Suzanne I know outside of work at dinner tonight.’
‘Me too.’ He was equally eager to make a good impression.
‘Great, I can’t wait to have all my special people at one table.’ Her smile spread even further across her pretty, freckle-dusted cheeks. ‘Is Mark still going to pop in for a drink, seeing as he’ll be flying in from Singapore and overnighting it here?’
‘Yes, I think so. I gave him your number. He said he’ll call by five and let us know.’
‘Awesome, hopefully he’s not too tired.’ She waved them onwards. ‘Now come on, let’s get out of here, and into the magnificent yonder of Cairns.’
‘Lead the way, Monroe.’ His smile widened as he followed Zara through the airport, his hand finding hers naturally as they navigated the arrivals hall.
That afternoon, right on sunset, they arrived at a cosy seafood restaurant facing Trinity Beach, where the enticing scents of butter and garlic enveloped them like a warm hug.
Suzanne sat waiting at a table adorned with a white tablecloth, and upon spotting them her bright green eyes sparkled with the mischief Zara had spoken about as she rose to greet them.
‘Jay, this is Suzanne, my favourite sister, my partner in crime, and the purveyor of older-sibling wisdom,’ Zara said with a twinkle in her eye.
‘It’s an honour to finally meet the man who’s captured Zara’s usually vaulted heart,’ Suzanne said warmly, shaking Jay’s hand with a genuine friendliness. ‘And just for the record, I’m her favourite sister because I’m her only sister.’ She shot Zara a playful expression, then cackled with laughter.
‘Even if I had siblings, you’d still be my fave, Suz,’ Zara countered with a grin as she sat in the chair Jay had just drawn out for her.
‘Aw, you were telling me the truth, Za, he really is a gentleman,’ Suzanne said with an agreeable nod, then a smile in Jay’s direction. ‘And a rare breed you are.’
‘She deserves to be treated like a queen.’ His reply was earnest, and Suzanne’s cooing expression told him she knew that.
For the next couple of hours, over plates of succulent garlic prawns, tender rings of salt-and-pepper calamari, and delicately steamed fish with the flavours of coconut and lime at the core of the dish, stories flowed freely like a meandering river, carrying with them the joy of camaraderie.
And as Jay courteously took the stage when there was a lull and shared a particularly hair-raising experience from one of his flights, Suzanne’s laughter rang out like music, her joie de vivre contagious.
‘Your turn now, Za, tell him about the time we got stranded on Magnetic Island and had to hitchhike back to Townsville!’ Suzanne nudged Zara with that contagiously mischievous glint in her eyes.
Zara laughed, her eyes sparkling with fond memories.
‘Oh, gee whizz, that really was quite the adventure, wasn’t it, sis?
’ She took a sip from her glass of chardonnay and then continued.
‘Suz and I thought we could hike around the whole island in a day, but we severely underestimated the distance and got caught out after dark.’
Jay leant in, captivated by her tale. ‘Okay, then tell me, how did you end up hitchhiking?’
Suzanne chuckled. ‘Well, let’s just say we were lucky enough to flag down a friendly local fisherman who took pity on us and gave us a ride back.’ She snorted a chuckle. ‘It was definitely an experience we won’t forget any time soon.’
‘Too right.’ Zara rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. ‘How could we forget a quest like that.’
Jay was captivated by the easy banter between the two women and the shared history that wove them together.
And as Zara went on to describe their teenage antics and some narrow escapes from disaster — including an almost burnt-down kitchen when a can of caramel exploded at Suzanne’s house, and then another tale about a trek into the rainforest where they’d met face to beak with a very angry cassowary — he felt a deep sense of belonging settling in his chest. This was where he was meant to be, surrounded by laughter and love, embraced by this extraordinary woman he was head over boots for, and her wonderful soul sister, Suzanne.
And as the rest of the evening progressed just as charmingly, marked by cumulative moonlight and the receding tide of diners, in the comfortable lull between conversation and reflection, amid the gentle clinking of cutlery and the sound of waves lapping against the shoreline, he found an unexpected kinship not just with Suzanne, but also with the very essence of this tropical lifestyle.
Catching sight of his best mate and fellow pilot wandering towards the balcony area of the restaurant, he offered him a wave to catch his attention.
‘Hey, bud, over here.’ Pushing his chair back, he stood just as Mark arrived at their table.
‘Zara, you once brought him his meal in the cockpit, but let me officially introduce you to Mark,’ Jay said with a grin that crinkled the corners of his eyes.
‘Mark, meet the woman of my dreams, Zara Monroe.’
‘Nice to finally meet you properly, woman of Jay’s dreams,’ Mark said, greeting her with humour and sincerity in his voice.
* * *
‘The pleasure is mine,’ Zara replied, immediately feeling at ease in Mark’s presence.
There was something about him that exuded confidence and experience, yet there was no hint of arrogance or pretence — it was no wonder he was Jay’s best mate, with like attracting like.
‘I can’t believe we’ve worked for the same airline for a few months now, but only crossed paths once,’ she said as they sat.
‘And you didn’t even notice me because you only had eyes for this guy.’
Zara laughed and introduced him to her friend across the table, and he offered a hand to Suzanne. ‘Hi, Suz, nice to meet you too.’
‘And you,’ Suzanne replied with a smile that spoke of how handsome she found this new stranger.
‘Don’t forget he’s a man spoken for,’ Zara whispered into her ear, as the two men caught up. ‘With a baby on the way.’
Suzanne gave Zara’s arm a little slap. ‘I know he is, but that doesn’t mean I can’t admire a good-looking fella.’
‘Yes, true.’ Zara knew Suzanne wasn’t a homewrecker. ‘Admire away.’
‘Oh, don’t you worry, I will.’ Suzanne grinned then took a sip of wine.
More easy-going conversation flowed within the newly formed friendships, with laughter aplenty.
And as Mark recounted adventures from the cockpit alongside his captain and flight pal, Zara looked on in admiration at the camaraderie between the two pilots who had been best of mates before they’d even left high school.
It was clearly a bond forged by trust and mutual respect, and for her, that spoke volumes about the man Jay was.
Good. Decent. Loyal. Moral. Dependable. And so worthy of being greatly loved.
She was a very lucky woman to be the one falling deeply, impossibly, irrefutably in love with him.
And she held this realisation close to her heart as they begrudgingly left a closing restaurant and caught a cab home, where they reluctantly parted, Zara to the bedroom and Jay to the couch.
* * *
The next morning greeted them with a clear blue sky and a gentle breeze that promised new chances.
Zara and Jay decided to skip a trip up to the Daintree and instead lazed the hours away doing nothing much but eating, lounging and chatting, and time flew past until they found themselves at the beach, ready to welcome in a glorious sunset before heading home to cook dinner.
Their fingers tangled together, they strolled along the edge of their world where lush green land met sparkling sapphire water, and the sun-dazzled horizon stretched out before them like an endless gleaming dream.
Palm Cove was certainly putting on a glorious show, and Zara was grateful for Mother Nature’s strong heartbeat in her sultry corner of Australia.