The Honeymoon Prize (3 page)

“Mimosas and peanuts coming right up.” The flight attendant walked to the front of the cabin.

As if on cue, Addie blinked open her eyes.

He looked away so she wouldn’t catch him staring.

She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “Are we there yet?”

“A couple more hours.”

She glanced out the window. “It’s daytime.”

“It’s also tomorrow. We crossed the dateline.”

“Fiji is nineteen hours ahead of San Diego.” She spoke softly, her tone hushed no doubt due to the other passengers in first class still sleeping.

“Someone’s been using Google.”

Addie shrugged. “Figured I should know a few things about where we’re going. It’s better if we stay awake now that it’s daylight.”

“Why?”

“So we’ll be ready for bed five hours earlier than normal.”

“You always have a plan.” Addie had been making plans for as long as he’d known her, from earning money at Coronado’s Fourth of July parade, selling water bottles from her wagon to working as a waitress at a coffee shop on Orange Avenue to pay for college. Money she ended up spending on property taxes and other expenses for her grandmother’s bungalow instead.

“Not really. I’ve given up planning. Seems like all mine fizzle out. Case in point, Grammy’s will.”

The resignation in Addie’s voice bothered him. “Choosing not to challenge the will wasn’t a fizzle. You made the best choice for yourself.”

“And my bank account.” She shook her head. “Who knew lawyers could be so expensive?”

“A lawsuit would have taken time and energy. You cut your losses and walked away. No shame there.”

“I suppose.”

He wanted her to have a positive outlook and be happy. The way she’d been when they were younger. “Times are changing for the better. No more worries. You have a place to live, food to eat, medical insurance, and tuition. I’ve ordered you credit cards and a debit card. Everything will be covered. I promise, it’s going to be okay. You’ll get your nursing degree the way you’ve talked about and find a great job at a hospital somewhere.”

The edges of her mouth curved slightly. “You’re such a good friend.”

Nick would have preferred a grin, but he’d take a half-smile . . . for now. “Feeling’s mutual.”

Teresa returned with the mimosas in hand and her apron pocket full of peanut packages. “Your drinks and snacks.”

Nick took the champagne flutes and handed one to Addie. Teresa placed the peanuts on the wide armrest then walked away. He raised his glass. “May our marriage be exactly what we want it to be.”

Addie tapped her glass against his. The chime hung in the air above the monotonous drone of the engines. “I feel like a CD with a scratch, but thanks again.”

A good thing he wore a seatbelt. Otherwise, the gratitude in her eyes would have knocked him to the floor. A funny feeling tickled his stomach. No one had ever looked at him like he was the sun in their world, but he was glad Addie did. He wanted her to be happy. “You’re welcome.”

They were doing their own thing on the island, but he hoped they could spend time together, share a meal or two, something they hadn’t done much of since high school. “What’s the first thing you want to do when we arrive?”

“Shower.”

“After that.”

She tilted her chin as if deep in thought. “A walk on the beach.”

“You did that almost every day growing up in Coronado.”

“In California, not Fiji.”

“Point taken.”

“What do you want to do first?” she asked.

Spend time with her. “Swim.”

Addie leaned toward him, eyes bright and dancing with excitement. “How about you swim while I shower, then we switch? You shower and I go for a walk.”

“You realize you came up with a plan.”

She straightened. “I did, didn’t I?”

“This trip will have you back to your old self before you know it.”

“I’d rather be a new self.”

“I don’t see any need for a new you.”

And he didn’t. Addie was . . . special. Just the way she was.

A
fter landing and a layover at Nadi International Airport, Addie and Nick boarded a floatplane. Flying on the smaller aircraft made Addie feel like she wasn’t on her way to a vacation, but off on an adventure. She wiggled her toes, more excited than nervous now.

The seaplane made a pass around Starfish Island, giving her a bird’s eye view of her vacation home for the next ten days. She stared in wonder at the gorgeous sights below: white beaches, several hidden among rocky coves, lush greenery and rolling hills on the island’s interior and clear, blue water all around. “This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I need to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

Nick leaned over her shoulder, as if wanting a better look himself. They were the only two passengers on the small plane. “Welcome to paradise, Addie. This vacation is going to be good for you.”

She nodded. “I want you to enjoy this, too.”

“I will.”

But Fiji was nothing new to Nick. He traveled the world, working in exotic locations and staying in luxurious accommodations. There might be more sun, sand, and downtime, but the island wasn’t that different from what he was used to. Still she hoped he had a good time. Maybe they could do something fun together—snorkel or fish. She missed hanging out with him.

“Starfish Island has twenty-three private beaches for you to enjoy,” a fifty-something guy named Mitch, with long bleached-blond hair, said from the pilot seat. His window was partly open letting in the fresh, sea air. “The staff will help you decide which beach fits your needs best. All are secluded, but some are better suited for honeymooners.”

For sex.

Mitch meant sex on the beach.

“We were hoping for some . . . privacy,” Nick said.

I’m only human, babe.

She remembered what he’d said on the transpacific flight this morning. If their marriage were real, she and Nick would be making the most of those hidden coves. Swimming, kissing, making love . . .

Sexy images formed in her mind, ones starring her and Nick. Addie’s cheeks warmed. She focused on the scenery below.

So what if this was their honeymoon? Sex was so not happening between them.

Not on this trip. Not ever.

Thinking about the possibility, even abstractly, was a bad idea. Like their marriage, the honeymoon wasn’t real. No need to fantasize about Nick. She would only be spending enough time with him so people believed they were newlyweds, then she would let him loose to do . . .

Whatever Nick did.

All are secluded, but some are better suited for honeymooners.

Yeah, sex. Nick liked having sex. That was no secret, but he would be discreet if he met a woman and not go crazy. He enjoyed hooking up, but he wouldn’t embarrass Addie. He was too good a guy to do that.

Maybe they would both meet people. Fall in love. Okay, that might be a bit much while on their honeymoon, but meeting a man and getting to know him wouldn’t be bad. She hadn’t dated in a long time. She wasn’t sure she remembered how to flirt. Maybe Nick could give her tips and she could practice on the island. Though he’d been protective of her whenever she was around his friends.

Funny, because she’d never paid any attention to his friends. None compared to Nick in his board shorts with water dripping down his chest and flat abs. She wet her lips.

What was the matter with her?

Nick was gorgeous, but a heartbreaker. Being friends had been the safer choice then. Being friends was the only choice now.

“We’ll be landing in a minute,” Mitch announced.

Her excitement grew. “I can’t wait.”

“When was your last vacation?” Nick asked her.

“Cancun.”

His eyebrows knotted. “Our high school graduation trip?”

“I started taking care of my grandmother my freshman year of college.”

“That’s right.” He got a faraway look in his eyes. “Cancun was a fun trip.”

Except he hadn’t kissed her like she thought he would. Oh, well . . . Based on the wedding kiss, she hadn’t missed anything. “Fun until you told me you’d enlisted in the army and would be leaving the next week.”

His tight squeeze on her shoulders brushed aside the memories and gave her more than a thrill. A heat sparked low in her belly. Maybe a goodbye kiss between friends wouldn’t have been so bad.

Uh-oh. What was going on? She needed to stop thinking about kissing.
Honeymoon in name only, remember?
She couldn’t lose herself in a fantasy.

“Sorry,” he said. “But that seemed like the right time to tell you.”

“I needed to know. That was as good a time as any.” Addie looked down at the clear, blue water. She wanted to put the past behind her, be someone different, someone new, someone off on an exciting adventure. If not a real marriage and honeymoon, then another kind of beginning . . .

Time to focus on the present—a paradise full of beaches and sun and fruity drinks with paper umbrellas. She could swim and sail and participate in the forty-seven other activities the resort offered or read one of the novels she’d brought.

“What are you thinking?” Nick asked.

“That I deserve this lovely island.” She raised her chin, buoyed by a resolve she hadn’t felt in . . . years. “I’m going to make the most of the next ten days. Let my hair down and dance in the sand. Who knows when I’ll get to do something like this again?”

Nick’s eyes darkened, turning serious. Something rare for him. He started to speak then stopped himself.

“Your turn,” she said. “What are you thinking?”

“This is only our first vacation. You’re not going to have to wait another nine years for another one, okay?”

The raw emotion in his voice sounded nothing like the Nick she knew, but the determination behind each word warmed her heart. “Okay.”

The plane landed and motored across the water toward a long wooden dock that led to a pristine curved strip of white sand beach. Two paddleboards lay by the shore’s edge. Palm fronds blew in the wind.

Her breath caught in her throat. “It’s like a postcard.”

“Only better. This is real life. The island is ours for the next week and a half.” Nick motioned to the people on the dock. “Looks like we have a welcoming committee. Show off your pearly whites. I see cameras.”

A group of people milled about, some dressed in matching blue shirts and white shorts—the resort uniform, perhaps?—and others in tropical shirts and shorts.

Addie looked down at her cutoff capri-length sweats and Dollar Store flip-flops. Comfortable, yes, but not fashionable. She sighed. “I should have put on different clothes while we were at the airport.”

“You look fine.”

“Says the guy who looks like a model for a Nautica photo shoot in your polo shirt and shorts.”

He grinned. “Our new clothes will be waiting for us at our room. You can change when we get there.”

The pilot cut the engine. “Enjoy your stay on Starfish Island. We locals like to think of this place as a tiny slice of heaven on earth.”

Addie would agree.

The plane’s small door opened. They stepped outside. A fresh breeze blew across her skin and played with the ends of her hair. Waves lapped against the dock, a sound she knew well but held a different echo here, like the air was lighter. Music played on the beach. Two men strummed guitars surrounded by colorfully dressed singers.

Warmth pooled in her head and heart. Who was she kidding? She felt warm all over.

The hours of travel had transported Addie to another world, to a place where she could escape reality and relax. The problems and troubles of the past no longer mattered. Her entire body felt as if it were smiling. “Wow! We’re not in San Diego any longer.”

Nick stood next to her, a wide smile on his face. “Don’t think about San Diego while we’re here.”

Good advice she intended on following. She wouldn’t think about anything but what was happening right now.

A woman dressed in a long blue dress held flower leis. “
Ni Sa Bula
.”

“That’s the way they say welcome in Fiji,” Addie whispered to Nick. “
Bula
is less formal.”

He motioned to a camera crew. Two men carried cameras. A third had sound gear. “Maybe we’ll get a DVD to take home.”

“I want pictures, video, whatever they’ve got. I want to remember every minute of this vacation.”

“Excited?”

She tapped her toes. “Yes.”

He leaned closer. “It’s going to get better.”

Anticipation spurted through her. Addie felt free, no rules to follow, no one needing her, nothing holding her back. She couldn’t wait to experience everything the island offered.

A man in a white button-up short sleeve shirt and ivory shorts stepped forward. His bleached-blond hair added to his monochrome look. “Welcome to Starfish Island, Mr. and Mrs. Cahill. I’m Brad Hammond with Winning Star Productions.”

His name wasn’t familiar, but Addie knew no one in Fiji except Nick.

“Our production company sponsored the honeymoon contest you won.” Brad’s blinding smile must have taken three boxes of whitening strips. “We know this is a special time for you. The crew and I will be as inconspicuous as possible during your stay. You’ll have at least an hour or two of private time each day, but we need to make sure we have enough footage to put together the show.”