When Bees Sing - Part 1

Chapter 6

Half a day later, Sadie returned to the lobby. A navy two-piece suit under her shorts and tank top and the hotel bag with sun essentials looped over her shoulder. She'd spent the morning lounging by the pool, reading her book, and ignoring her growing anticipation at hanging out with Derry again. A waste of time. By ten o'clock, she'd given in and admitted her restlessness had nothing to do with her two cups of coffee. She wanted to see those dimples again.

When Derry arrived five minutes past twelve, his facial expression did not disappoint. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself. You look happy."

"I had a great morning. You ready?"

A dirty old jeep, tortured by years of off-roading, waited for them outside. He opened the door for her. "Borrowed this from a friend. I wanted to show you one of the island's daytime wonders and it's sort of off the beaten path."

"Isn't everything with you?" She called out as he circled the vehicle and climbed inside.

He smiled and switched on the ignition. They drove a few miles on the paved road; then he veered a sharp left into lush vegetation. "Hold on."

The jeep bounced along the dirt road and Sadie concentrated on making sure she didn't bite her tongue or shatter her teeth. Off the beaten path was an understatement. When they finally came to a stop, she brushed the hair out of her eyes and looked around.

She heard it before she saw it. The roaring sound of tons of water crashing into itself. Pure power. The noise surrounded her and she couldn't orient herself to its source.

"It's overwhelming, isn't it? The echo?" Derry grabbed a large bag and blanket and waved her out of the jeep.

"It's so loud."

"Not when you get closer. Something about the rocks and trees amplifies the crash. Come on."

They picked their way through the dense forest and there it was: a forty-foot waterfall surrounded by sunkissed boulders and exotic flowers of every color. Paradise.

Sadie sighed and murmured, "This is what I want my heaven to look like."

Derry placed the blue canvas bag on a rock and sat down. "Hungry?"

She pulled her eyes away from nature's gift and watched him unload Tupperware, plastic utensils and a bottle of white wine onto the large quilt. Her stomach growled. "I guess I am."

"Courtesy of my landlady. Chicken curry salad, fresh homemade bread, fruit and two pieces of strawberry cheesecake."

"Landlady? You're not staying at a hotel?" She bit a piece of watermelon, the juice cold in her teeth.

He didn't respond, but popped a piece of pineapple in his mouth. "Wine?" He used an opener to uncork the Riesling.

Sadie ate the delectable meal and sampled the wine. When she was done, she lay back on the warm quilt, resting on her elbows. She wasn't sure if it were the scenery, the crisp full-bodied beverage or the company, but she felt relaxed and content. The soreness and tension that had been stationed in her shoulders and neck for months were gone. Even the hour massage Kayla had forced her into hadn't done that. How could she feel so comfortable with someone she'd just met?

"You have such a reflective, peaceful look on your face. What are you thinking about?" Derry broke her reverie.

Sadie stretched out like a cat waking up from a nap in the sun. "How I haven't felt this good in a long time."

"That was the plan."

She rolled onto her stomach and held her head up with her hands. "You know what I find funny though, we know nothing about each other. Not our real names, where we live, what we do for a living. I have no idea about your family, if you're married or if you've ever been arrested for a heinous crime. You could be a serial killer who likes to lure women off the beaten path or a famous somebody seeking refuge from his latest tabloid downfall. Actually that's not the funny part."
"It's not?"