Charlie: Guessing you discovered my follow then?
Derrick: I did. It was a nice surprise.
Charlie: It was? Not creepy or weird, especially after I did a kiss and dash on your birthday.
Derrick: Was a birthday highlight, rather unexpected.
Charlie: Was unexpected for me, too, but I just um … well … felt the need to kiss you, for your birthday.
Derrick: It was my only birthday kiss, so thank you.
Charlie: Really? But you’re so …
Derrick: What?
Charlie: Hot.
Derrick: Thank you. I think you’re pretty hot too.
Charlie: You do?
Derrick: Didn’t know I had a cowboy kink till then.
Charlie: Wow. Glad I could have been of service.
We’ve been talking ever since, but over the couple of months, it’s turned from flirty to friendly. I look forward to his messages every day, it’s a highlight. We only ever text, there have been no phone calls, no FaceTime. He’s become a great sounding board to me, maybe because he’s turned Jackson’s job offer down and decided to stay in Montana, I can be real and vulnerable with him because I know I’m never going to run into him, and I think he feels the same way, too. We’re like pen pals. We’re text pals. And it works. Jackson’s words keep running through my head, so anytime there is even a semblance of flirting, I kind of shut it down. I don’t want to lead him on or do anything that could cause his recovery back to civilian life to slip.
What did Isla and Finn say? I was daydreaming. “What do you mean, you’re just going to throw a dart at the map?”
“We can’t decide where to get married,” Finn states.
“What happens if it’s somewhere horrible?”
“Then it’s going to make for an interesting wedding, isn’t it?” Isla laughs.
“I don’t think my heart can handle this stress. Where are your brothers, Finn? I think I need mouth-to-mouth assistance,” I tell him.
Finn ignores my theatrics. “Okay, are you all ready?” The room falls silent. This could either be epic or a complete failure,but hey, if this is what they want to do then so be it. I will grit my teeth and wish them well, even if it’s in Timbuktu. “Do you want to do the honors?” Finn asks Isla, and she shakes her head. I don’t blame you, girlie, at least this way you can blame him if he picks a shitty destination. Too much pressure.
“Don’t blame me, okay?” Finn tells her.
“Make it good, otherwise …” Isla warns him.
Finn then closes his eyes and holds up the dart. My heart is thundering in my chest, I can’t handle this. Just throw the bloody thing. We all watch in slow motion as the damn dart sails through the air and lands with a thud into the map.
“No way!” I scream in shock.
“Hawaii? I hit Hawaii,” Finn says excitedly. He can’t believe it, none of us can fricken believe it. Isla looks relieved as do their families.
“I can’t believe it.” Isla squeals.
“Thank fuck.” I groan. “Where did it land in Hawaii?”
Finn leans in. “Kauai, it looks like.”
Cool. Never been there.
“Isn’t that where they filmed Jurassic Park or something. It’s all rainforests and waterfalls,” Evan states.
