"Is that so?"
"Yep."
"Then, I'm guessing you're going to live forever, right? Does anything stress Lily St. John?"
Plenty, but no one wants to see a sad girl; always gotta be giving them what they want.She faked a cheery smile. "I like to look for the bright side of things. You know that saying, 'Choose your hard' well, I choose to spend my energy looking for the silver lining ratherthan the raincloud. Except for last night when the raincloud literally found me," she finished with a giggle.
He grunted some kind of response, though Lily wasn't sure it wasn't a burp or some kind of involuntary spasm either.
Heaven help me, my brain might atrophy if I have to spend two weeks with this grunting academic caveman.
Keep trying, Lily—everyone has a soft spot. You just need to find his.
"Looks like we've got some blue skies for company today," Lily chirped, brushing a lock of brown curls from her eyes. Her bikini top was a splash of hot pink against the backdrop of lush greenery—a defiant reminder of her sun-soaked California roots.
Alex scanned the horizon, a subtle frown marring his features. "We need to stock up on food," he said, the lines on his face set in determination. "I wasn't expecting additional company and there's only enough for one without rationing and adding to the stock."
She hadn't considered there might not be enough food. No room service or poolside snacks here—just the wild offerings of Mother Nature's pantry.
And Lily had apicky palate.
"So, what does that mean?"
"It means you're lucky the island has some fruits that we can eat but we have to go collect them." He eyed her bare feet before asking, "Did you bring any tennis shoes or hiking boots?"
She screwed her face into a frown. "Um, no. I brought heels and sandals. I hadn't planned on being stranded on the island that time forgot."
I'd planned on being delightfully tipsy on drinks that came with tiny umbrellas and dancing the night away at the tropical-themed night club.
But hiking? No.
He shook his head, leaving the porch to return with a grubby pair of tennis shoes. "They're probably too big but it's better than nothing," he said, handing her the shoes.
She grimaced but didn't complain. "Thanks." Slipping the shoes on, she tied them tightly and tested them out. "They're not winning any awards for cuteness but they'll work." After strapping her camera over her head, she said, "Lead the way, Dr. Carmichael. I'm ready for this tropical scavenger hunt," enthusiasm bubbling in her voice like a well-shaken soda can.
"Uh-huh," Alex grunted, skepticism etched into every syllable. He looked her over, taking in the pink bikini top and the short shorts, and his frown deepened. "You might want to put on something more... jungle-appropriate."
Lily glanced down at her ensemble. Perfect for a beach day, maybe not for foraging. But her smile didn't falter. "I'm all about the adventure, Alex. Trust me, I'll be fine."
"Suit yourself. Oh, and make sure I don't end up in any of your photos," he said, striding off the porch.
"Camera-shy?" she teased.
"Just private."
"Got it. Anything else I should know?"
"Watch out for the spiders. They're big enough to have opinions."
"Spiders? What do you mean, spiders?"
But Alex just chuckled and kept going, leaving her to follow or get left behind.
Lily's feet squelched in the damp earth as she hurried to catch up, her heart racing with the thrill of the unknown. This might not be an ideal situation, but she loved the possibilities. Oh! With any luck, there mightbe a waterfall she could snap some pictures of for her channel later.
The sun was a golden maestro orchestrating a symphony of light through the leaves, and the air was rich with the scent of wet foliage and freedom.
She felt like a character in a Tom Cruise movie where danger lurked around every corner, but, of course, she was safe because the hero had her back.
