1
Leo
My first stepsonto the island were completely fiancéless.
After hours of being cramped in an economy seat, I was pleased to get some fresh air and stand on my own two feet. I milled around by the taxi stand while I waited for Terry. He had to work late so he ended up taking a separate flight. It wasn't ideal, considering we were newlyweds going on our honeymoon together, but it wasn't the end of the world. I'd forget all about this minor inconvenience when he finally showed up.
The minutes ticked by. No Terry. I sighed and checked the time. Even taking a flight delay into consideration, he should've been here by now. Maybe he got held up by security or something.
I pulled out my phone and thought about texting him. It was possible he'd already landed, but the plane hadn't disembarked yet. If that was the case, then his phone would be off airplane mode and he'd be able to at least message me back.
LEO: Where r u?
A few minutes passed. No response. I sighed again. The whole time, I'd been watching excited tourists leave the airport, huddle into taxis, and drive off to their destinations. Meanwhile, I was stuck here waiting for a man who should have been by my side this entire time. Honestly, what kind of newlywed couple flew to their honeymoon separately?
Oh well. It didn't matter that much. Terry was quite wealthy, so we could take another trip easily. And this time, we'd get seats together. On the same plane. And maybenotin economy this time.
In the back of my mind, I wondered why Terry hadn't purchased me a first-class ticket, considering he didn't fly any other way.
I shrugged it off. No big deal. I was just happy to be taking a nice vacation with a man I loved.
But as the minutes went by, I grew anxious.
He still hadn't answered my text. An hour and a half had passed since his landing time. Curious now, I ran inside and checked the flight timetables.
"What was his flight number again?" I mumbled to myself. I checked my messages and realized he hadn'ttold me what it was. "Crap..."
Determined to figure this out, I went up to the help. "Excuse me, do you know when any other flights from New York are landing?" I asked.
The woman at the desk smiled. "Sure! Let me see." After clicking away at the computer keyboard, she said, "Oh, the last flight in just landed about an hour ago."
Her statement hit me like a brick. That couldn't be right. Terry coordinated so that we landed at the same time. If my flight was the only one from New York, then where was he?
I gasped softly. Was it possible he hid the truth to surprise me and was actually on the same flight as me? That would explain why he put me in economy so we wouldn't accidentally run into each other and ruin the surprise.
I thanked the woman at the desk for her help and walked away smiling. Oh, Terry... That would be just like him. Always acting mischievous.
Still, I didn't think it was strange that he hadn't texted me. How long was the surprise supposed to go on? After all, the hotel room was booked in his name, so he had to be there with me while we checked in.
Unless… What if he pre-arranged with the hotel to let me in without him? But then, how was I even supposed to get to the hotel? He insisted on paying for everything, including cab fare, restaurants, and all travel related expenses. The only thing in my wallet was my ID and a credit card with a laughably low limit.
The smile on my face turned wobbly. Sure, a romantic surprise was nice, but Terry wasn't exactly the type to think things through all the way. I didn't want to think badly about my soon-to-be-husband, but I was starting to get an uneasy feeling about this.
Come on, Leo,I told myself.This is your fiancé we're talking about. Give him the benefit of the doubt.
I took in a deep breath and approached the nearest taxi. I was being ridiculous. There was no way Terry would put me on a plane to a remote tropical island and just abandon me. This was just one of his ill thought out grand plans. He must be waiting for me at the hotel. I was sure he'd cover my cab costs later.
The friendly-faced local in the driver seat gave me a lazy smile. "Where to, my friend?"
"To the Gryphon Palace Resort, please."
* * *
By the time I arrived,I became acutely aware of how little I had on my person. I packed lightly because Terry said he'd take care of all the rest. In typical alpha fashion, he had to do everything himself, and that included packing all the necessities. I guess he thought he was doing something nice for his partner so I wouldn't have to worry about anything on our honeymoon, but now I was feeling a little naked. All I had on me was my flimsy wallet, small carry-on bag, and the clothes I was wearing.
When I pulled out my credit card to pay the cab driver, his smile turned into a sympathetic wince. "I actually can't take card. Sorry, company policy."
My heart fell. I only had about forty bucks in cash. "Is this enough to cover the ride?" I asked.
