Page 51 of My Kind of Trouble
The four days and three nights on the exhibition to El Nido had truly been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They’d met so many new people, and Noa couldn’t remember the last time she had felt as free as she had here. Any real world problems just seemed to fade away when they were sailing through the ocean with no real itinerary, merely a final destination in mind. Not having a plan had never felt so good. Despite the growing tension and desire between her and Alex, they had both managed to keep it on a leash long enough to focus solely on this experience and nothing else.
After her diving lessons in Koh Tao, Noa felt much more comfortable underwater, allowing her to make the most of every single swim stop on their journey. Every island they stopped at on their way was so different. She snorkelled around every single one, exploring anything from the huge coral reefs,which were home to an abundance of marine life, to old shipwrecks, which blew her mind.
The water was like nothing she had ever seen, an endless expanse of a kaleidoscope of blues, only highlighted by the sun beaming down on it. The peacefulness of every secluded island they stopped at brought with them a stillness that one could only dream of experiencing. Or so Noa thought. It truly was like experiencing a slice of paradise, and ‘grateful’ did not even begin to describe how Noa felt about her time there.
They played games, cooked barbecues, dived off rocks, explored sand banks, and drank out of enough coconuts for a lifetime. Each night, they either pitched up tents or stayed in quaint little wooden huts, and it was like something out of a fever dream. If heaven was a place on earth, this would be it. A tropical nirvana.
From the white, sandy cove where they had docked for the evening, Noa watched their boat bob up and down, guided by the rhythm of the waves. Her breathing seemed to have slowed to mirror the same rhythm, and she felt at peace. Colourful birds, that Noa assumed were parrots, flew overhead toward the various rock formations covered in non-deciduous plant life, that jutted out of the water.
Laid back, sprawled in a hammock between two palm trees, Noa closed her eyes and enjoyed the shade they provided. The day was creeping into evening, and everyone was getting ready for their group dinner of local Filipino dishes. So, Noa was enjoying the quiet this time allowed. She could hear nothing but the lapping of waves against the shoreline and the constant singing of cicadas from within the shrubs. The gentle swaying of the hammock had nearly lulled her to sleep when she felt water drip onto her chest.
Is it raining?Opening one eye to look up, she was blessed with the sight of a shirtless man towering above her. Not only that, but a shirtless man currently sporting a wet-hair look that was pushed back out of his face. His broad chest was covered in water droplets that she wanted to trace with her finger as they trickled down, down, down. Her eyes stopped in a place they probably shouldn’t before she quickly lifted them back to his. Alex smirked at her, and she knew she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
‘Evening swim?’ she asked like it wasn’t the most stupid question in the world.
That much was obvious, but she was clutching at straws to try to distract from gawking. She was flustered and couldn’t think of any other words, but he allowed it and, luckily, didn’t tease her about it. She didn’t think her brain could think of one witty comeback right now.
Choosing to ignore her question, he asked her one of his own, and it was something Noa was not expecting.
Nodding his head over to the opening in the cabins where the rest of the group seemed to be huddled around the barbeque, Alex started, ‘Looks like dinner will be ready soon, but I was hoping, maybe, you’d like to join me to watch the sunset on the beach this evening. It’s not quite a viewpoint like on your list, but the view is incredible. And we could lie and watch the stars for a bit afterwards. There’s no light pollution out here. I don’t think you’ll find a better stargazing spot, even if you tried.’
He paused as if expecting her to protest before he continued, ‘Two things ticked off your list for the price of one.’
Noasmiled up at him.
‘Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak so many words at once,’ she joked, because if she didn’t make light of the situation, she might throw herself into his arms for how thoughtful he was being.
This man had supported her at every turn, and she hadn’t realised how much she had needed that. She had always wanted to be her own person, to be able to stand on her own two feet and not need anyone to hold her up. But he never made her feel like that. It was like he just wanted to be there beside her whilst she worked on her goals, and to be there for her to lean on if she asked.
He rolled his eyes at her teasing and kicked the sand, ‘Do you know what? Forget it. Maybe Lola’s free. She’s better company than you anyway.’
Noa gasped in mock offence and let her hand hit her chest.
‘You will never get better company than me, Alex Fletcher, and it’d benefit you not to forget that.’
‘Don’t I know it,’ he replied.
The look on his face was so sincere she knew he really meant it. This man valued her and enjoyed spending time with her for exactly who she was.
‘Well, okay then,’ she said. ‘But I am starving. So, let’s go fill our bellies, because even my sunshiny personality has its limits when I’m hangry. But, after that, I am sure I can move some things around so I can spend the evening with you, seeing as you asked so nicely and all.
She winked at him as she moved from the hammock so that that they could do exactly that.
Chapter 31
Noa
Since shortly after finishing dinner, Noa had felt off. Her stomach seemed to be protesting about something, and the churning she felt there had bile rising up her throat on numerous occasions. Was she getting sick? Regardless, she refused to let it ruin this time with Alex. Was it stupid that it almost felt like they were on a date? After all the time they had spent together whilst on their trip, this one night shouldn’t have felt any different.
But it did.
They sat shoulder to shoulder on the chalky sand. The cove they occupied felt sheltered, adding to theintimacy, with the rocks jutting out of the island around them and continuing into the water, the waves licking at the base of them.
If only she could get her increasing nausea to settle, then the night would be perfect. She shoved it down, choosing to ignore the sweat starting to gather at the nape of her neck.
They watched the most incredible sunset. A mirage of colours illuminated the sky like a wildfire rising from the still serenity of the dark sea. Watching it brought a calmness over both of them. They simply sat there, in each other’s company, letting the sun make its final retreat for the day.
Once night descended, they laid back on the soft sand that warmed their backs and were easily swept into deep conversation. Alex asked her questions about her life since she’d left town and her dreams for the future, listening attentively like everything she said was the most interesting thing in the world. She never once felt like she was too much, too boring, too emotional, or any of the other things she had felt when talking to men in the past. He made her feel seen and important.
