Peace. That's what Elizabeth Thatcher felt as she stood with her toes deep in the warm white sand, a beautiful Hawaiian sunset covering the sky. The creator of the universe had spared no expense on the night's view. The top of the sky, closest to the heavens was a deep, rich blue. Below that, the sky transitioned into the most vibrant shade of violet Elizabeth had ever seen. Lastly, as the sky touched the horizon the sky became a warm orange cream. It was breathtaking.
"Take a walk with me?" A deep voice spoke from behind. His warm arms embraced her body making her feel safe and loved.
Taking his hand, they walked along the water's edge, letting the tide wash over their sandy toes. Could there ever be anything more perfect than this? The idea of love had always intrigued Elizabeth. Was it like the movies and books portrayed? Was it less? Was it more? If this moment and all the others they had shared were any indication, it was so much more. More beautiful, more sensual, than anything she could have ever imagined.
Near a leaning palm tree, he stopped and turned to her. As he brushed her windblown hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear, she looked deep into his eyes. In his sage colored eyes she could see his love. It was raw and true. The kind that would last forever. She held her breath as he leaned in. His hot breath against her skin making her knees feel weak. Their lips met and….
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*
Elizabeth shot up in bed, gasping for air. What the heck had just happened? She looked around the room as the alarm continued to blare its obnoxious tones. She was home in her apartment in Phoenix, Arizona. Reaching across to her night stand, she turned the alarm off.
"It was a dream. Just a dream." She huffed before flopping back down on her queen sized bed. Glancing upwards, her eyes landed on the beautiful Hawaiian lei she'd draped over the corner of her upholstered headboard. It wasn't "just" a dream.
Taking hold of her grey down comforter and lavender sheets, she pulled them up over her head, not ready to deal with anything the day had to offer her.
It had been three weeks since she and her friends had returned from their tropical vacation. For years, Elizabeth and her roommates Clara, Faith and their college friend Fiona had talked about doing a girl's vacation to Hawaii. They had all met at Stanford University and been the best of friends. After graduation, Clara, Faith and Elizabeth found themselves in Phoenix, while Fiona ended up in New York City. Now at the age of 24, they decided this was the year to do it. At some point they might each be married and then it would be harder to travel as much. They spent over a year planning the trip. In the end, they got seven unforgettable days in the Hawaiian sun.
Then of course, for Elizabeth, there was Jack Thornton. The man who'd occupied her heart and mind for the past few weeks since their chanced meeting in Maui. Ever since they'd said goodbye on the beach that last morning, Elizabeth struggled to understand her heart. Was it really love? Or just a fleeting island romance?
Picking up her phone, Elizabeth scrolled through the folder of pictures she had of the two of them. The whole week had been perfect. Then their last night together ended with a surprising twist. A line crossed. Elizabeth had been struggling ever since to make sense of it all.
She looked up, hearing a knock on her bedroom door.
"Elizabeth?" It was one of her roommates, Clara. "Are you awake? I'm making some coffee. You want any?"
"Sure. Be right out." Dragging her tired body out of bed, she pulled on a pair of shorts to go with the warn old t-shirt she had slept in. One she'd stolen from Jack on the trip. Wearing it made her feel comforted, loved.
"Morning, sunshine!" Faith smiled from the kitchen table. "You sleep okay?"
"Kind of." Ever since they'd returned, a decent night sleep evaded Elizabeth. She couldn't fathom why. It wasn't like she wasn't tired enough. "You guys off to work in a bit?"
"I am," Faith said. "I'm working a normal shift at the hospital today. They've got me back on the pediatrics floor again now that there isn't a shortage of nurses for the ER. Thank goodness. Should be home around dinner. You want to do something together?"
"Sure." Elizabeth smiled. "What about you, Clara?"
"I'll have to get back to you on that. I've got client meetings all day." Clara was an associate at one of Phoenix's most called upon interior design firms. "If I can though, I'd love a roommate dinner."
"Perfect. I'll cook." Since Elizabeth had summers off from teaching, she tried to lend a hand more than she could doing the school year.
Faith got up from the small kitchen table and placed her cereal bowl in the dishwasher. "I'm gonna be making a run to the grocery store after work. Either of you need anything?"
"We went two days ago," Elizabeth teased. "What did you forget?"
"Tampons," Faith rolled her eyes. "My monthly friend came to visit with a vengeance this month."
"Already?" Elizabeth asked, surprised. The three women had been living together so long, they knew each other cycles. It was a good thing. They all knew when to give each other some space due to stupid hormones.
"What do you mean 'already'?" Faith questioned. "It's right on time. One good thing about being on the pill for my skin is that my cycle is pretty predictable. No surprises here."
Clara handed Elizabeth a cup of coffee in her Beauty and the Beast mug and asked, "Did yours not hit yet?" She sat down.
"No." Elizabeth walked over to the wall calendar.
"It's the trip," Clara said over her cereal bowl. "All that traveling can throw you off. Mine was a couple days late this month. It's not like you have anything to worry about. One of the many benefits of waiting till marriage. You always know a late period is just that."
"You're probably right, about the trip I mean." Elizabeth walked back to sit at the table with Clara. She stared down at her coffee mug as if something was going to jump out and bite her.
Faith watched Elizabeth intently. She had a few questions for her friend. Ones that would have to wait to be asked, unfortunately. "So about the store, no one needs anything?"
"Actually…" Elizabeth started. "Could you grab me a pint of Ben and Jerry's?"
"Cherry Garcia?" Faith smiled knowingly. Elizabeth nodded. "You know, it might be easier on your waistline if you just call him."
"No," she blurted out with an uncharacterized harsh tone. Her response surprised both her roommates. They glanced at each other and then shrugged.
"Just so you know," Clara began. "Jesse says the poor boy stares at his phone waiting for you to call."
"Why are you talking to Jesse about us?"
"I'm not, he was just checking in. That's all. He's one of Jack's best friends and he cares about you too."
"He barely knows me."
"He knows you enough."
Elizabeth knew her friends where just trying to help. "Sorry," Elizabeth sighed. "I didn't mean to get so emotional about it. I'm just figuring it all out, okay?"
"I get it. I mean, I don't really. But I trust you. You do what you need to do." Clara walked over and hugged Elizabeth where she sat.
"Thanks."
Faith stood there fiddling with her coffee mug. Worried she'd say something she shouldn't, she decided to exit the room. "I'm gonna go change for work."
Clara grabbed her purse and fabric sample books. "I'm heading out. See you ladies tonight."
"See ya!" Faith waved. "Beth, I'll be right back."
"I'll be here."
Once Clara left for work and Faith was in the other room, Elizabeth poured the majority of her morning coffee down the drain and went back to bed. Laying in the center hugging one of her large throw pillows, her mind raced, but never settled on any one thought. It was like a hurricane in her head with no sanctuary in sight.
"Is it possible?" she thought, moving one hand to her flat stomach. "Who am I kidding, of course it's possible."
"Knock, knock?" Faith stood in the doorway dressed in her light blue nursing scrubs. "You okay?"
"I'm fine. Just tired."
"Is that all?" Even though she asked, Faith felt she already knew the answer. "You can talk to me, you know?"
"Faith, we've known each other for years. Of course I know that," Elizabeth smiled. "There's just nothing to talk about right now."
"You know, I could come home on my lunch today. We could… test something?"
Elizabeth sat up on her bed. "Faith…."
"You don't have to decide now. I'll have my cell. Just, text me if you want me to come, okay?"
Elizabeth sighed. "Okay. Thanks."
"Of course." She walked over and hugged her weary friend. As she left the room to go to work, she turned back. "And maybe think about calling him? Just a thought."
"Have a good day at work, Faith."
"I'll do my best. Love you."
"Love you too, girl."
Elizabeth waited till she heard the front door close and lock. Knowing she was alone, she covered her face with the pillow and screamed. Flopping her back down against the comforter, she sighed. She was a meticulous planner. Always had been, but she had no plan for this right now.
"How did this all get so messed up?"
….
Across the country sitting behind his desk at the Newark Police department, Jack Thornton sat spinning his pen with his fingers. He picked up his cell but quickly dropped it back down on the desk.
"Call her," his friend Mike Hickam sang from the desk in front of him. "You know you want to."
"I know I do. That's not the point."
"Alright." Mike leaned back in his chair. "Then what is the point?"
"She asked for time, I'm giving her that."
"Yeah, about that, I don't understand. How'd you go from what you two had on the island to her saying she needed time? It doesn't add up."
"It's nothing. Things just got… complicated."
"Complicated? What? Did you do something wrong?"
"No… I mean, yeah. We both sort of did but…. Oh nevermind. She'll call when she's ready. I know she will."
"Okay. If you say so."
"I do." Jack grabbed his keys out of the desk drawer and stood to leave. "Come on, Captain assigned us to patrol sector 3 today."
"Great," Mike rolled his eyes. "Every time we get assigned sector 3, something weird happens. It's like a bad omen."
"What?" Jack turned to Mike and laughed.
"Just think about it, man. Two months ago, there was that guy selling drugs out of the trunk of his car hidden in kid's toys. The month before we had the naked guy who thought he was a street performer."
"Ah, yes. Mr. Pink Cheeks. That was a nightmare."
"Right. Lord knows what's waiting for us out there today."
"Let's hope it's nothing too exciting. I don't like surprises."
"You and me both, my friend."
They grabbed their things and headed out to their patrol car. Jack gave Mike the keys, telling him to drive. His head wasn't clear. It had been 3 weeks since he'd seen or heard from Elizabeth. He was dying inside. Even though they'd only spent one week together, it was enough for his heart to fall head over heels for her. She was it, the one.
As they drove down the street Jack made a plan. If he didn't hear back from Elizabeth in the next week, he'd call her. Yes, she'd asked for time, and he was doing his best to give that to her, but did it really need to be like this? Even though things got carried away, his feelings were the same. They'd fallen in love. Heck, those feelings were a big part of why things ended the way they did. There was no going back now, but he was willing to try to move forward if she was.
"Earth to Jack?" Mike spoke loudly. He'd been trying to get Jack's attention but failed. "You wanna stop for coffee first?"
"Yeah, sure. Sorry, I was just…"
"Thinking about Elizabeth. I know. Dude, just call her. You have to be on your game on the job, okay? I don't wanna get shot because of you." Mike said it jokingly, but at the same time, he meant it.
"I know. I'll think about it."
…..
Elizabeth felt antsy sitting alone at the apartment. She counted the weeks on the calendar six times. The answer was the same. She was late. She was never late.
Not ready to deal with anything, she'd dressed and went for a three mile run along her usual trek. There was a nice neighborhood not far from her apartment complex full of little culs-de-sac and the cutest little stucco homes in a variety of shades. She used to dream about living in one of those homes. Maybe even having a dog, and pool in the backyard. Seemed perfect. Right now though she couldn't think about what the future might hold.
When she got home, she showered and tried to distract herself with mindless chores like laundry and dusting. It was no use. Her friends were right. She should call him. She missed him terribly. The sound of his voice was like a soothing tea on a cold winters day. What was she thinking avoiding him like this? She loved him. Walking into her room with her cell, she pulled up his number.
"I can't." She tossed the phone into the pillows. "Not now. Not until I know."
….
At 12:15 Faith headed toward the nurse's locker room at the hospital to grab her lunch. Her day was half over but she was more than ready for it to end. As she turned the corner she found herself standing in front of one of her least favorite people.
"Jeez!" she groaned. "Joel, what's with you?"
"Sorry. I was looking for you."
"Why's that? I'm not working with any of your patients today."
"No, but… I was wondering, has Beth gotten any of my messages?"
"She has. I'm pretty sure she's even responded to a few of them."
"Right. I was thinking…"
Faith rolled her eyes. She know exactly what he was about to suggest. Dr. Joel Marsden wanted Elizabeth back. The two had met the previous fall and started dating not long after. Things seemed to be going well. It wasn't all fireworks and magic, but he was nice, and Elizabeth enjoyed his company. Then he had to go and do something stupid. In Faith's mind, there was no returning from that.
"Joel, you need to move on. She is."
"Right, but is she seeing someone?"
"She's… kind of."
"Kind of? What does that mean?"
"It means you don't have a chance okay? Now excuse me, I'd like to enjoy what's left of my break." She hurried down the hall and into the locker room. "What a jerk," she groaned. Opening her locker she pulled out her phone to check her messages. She didn't carry her phone with her on the floor. Anyone who would need to get ahold of her in a hurry knew to call the hospital and have her paged.
As she scrolled through her messages, she noticed two from her mom, one from this adorably cute, yet shy guy she met on their trip to Hawaii, Mike Hickam. She responded to his sweet message asking how her day was by asking him what he was up to as well. Just as she was about to put her phone away, she got a message from Elizabeth.
"I'm ready to do that thing we talked about."
Faith asked the nurse next to her to cover her patients. She agreed, so Faith texted Elizabeth back.
"I'm coming! And I'm bringing supplies!"
When Faith arrived back at the apartment, she found Elizabeth pacing in the living room. She hurried over to help Faith with the bags.
"What all did you get?"
"Everything I could think of. I got ice cream, cookie dough, watermelon seltzer water, chocolate, those potato chips you like so much, Kleenex and…." She pulled out a little pink box. "This. Look, its digital!"
"Why do you say that with such excitement?" Elizabeth asked taking the box from Faith.
"I don't know. I thought it was cool. You don't have to stare at it trying to decide if it's one line or two. The answer will be clear."
"Clear is good, I guess." Elizabeth stared at the box. "Faith…"
"Hey, whatever it is, I'm here for you."
Elizabeth grabbed the seltzer water and retreated into the shared bathroom and closed the door. Faith paced outside waiting.
"How's it coming?" she asked through the door a moment later.
"Faith, I'm trying to pee on a stick. I don't know what more to tell you."
"Sorry. Just impatient, I guess."
When the door opened, Elizabeth came out and nodded. "Now we wait ten minutes."
"Alright." Faith looped her arm through Elizabeth's and the two walked into Elizabeth's room and sat on the bed.
"How was work?" Elizabeth asked, looking for something to take her mind off the fact that her life could possibly have taken such an unplanned turn.
"Just another work day."
"That's good."
"Yeah."
They sat in silence for the remaining eight minutes. When the timer on Elizabeth's cell went off, she got up and walked back into the bathroom.
"Well?" Faith asked nervously as Elizabeth walked back into the hallway. "What does it say?"
Four days later…
Jack returned to his apartment after pulling a grueling double shift. Still no word from Elizabeth. He wasn't giving up. Not a chance. Tomorrow was his much deserved day off. After getting a good night sleep he would call, pour his heart out to her and make things right. Whatever it took.
As he walked through the lobby of his apartment building, he stopped by the mail room to check his box. The area was one of the things he loved about his old style apartment building. The boxes had tiny keys and looked like the kind you would find in an old 1920's building. He juggled his paper coffee cup in his hands as he opened the small rectangular door and began pulling out the envelopes inside.
"Yes!" He shouted, nearly spilling his coffee. He did manage to drop all his mail except for the letter that caused all his excitement. It was from Elizabeth.
Quickly Jack ripped it open and began reading. Praying it wasn't some sort of "Dear John" letter. As he read each word, his eyes grew wider.
"Oh, my God…" The coffee he'd carefully balanced, tipped and began to spill all over the floor and his shoes. "Oh, Beth…."
A month before….
Elizabeth Thatcher's first grade classroom was buzzing with last day of school energy as she did her best to help her students gather all their belongings before the final bell rang. The end of the term was bittersweet for the second year teacher. Elizabeth had taken the job at Madison Elementary in Phoenix, Arizona right after graduation. She started as a kindergarten teacher with a one year contract. Now, she was a first grade teacher with permanent position. About half of the students in her class this year she had had for two years now. All nineteen of her students were a delight and meant so much to her.
"Alright students, one more thing before the bell rings." She moved to stand in front of the door as the kids lined up for dismissal. "I want to thank each and every one of you so much for this past year. It was a pleasure to be your teacher and I look forward to seeing you all around the halls next year when you're second graders! You each are very special and I hope you have a great summer!"
The bell rang and one by one her students gave her a hug and hurried off down the hall towards the buses and carpool area. When the last child had left, Elizabeth let out a contented sigh. It truly had been a good year professionally for her. She was feeling confidant in her abilities as an educator and knew this was her purpose in life.
She checked her watch and began the daunting task of cleaning up her classroom. Her students had been a big help taking down their artwork and name tags to take home. Most of what was left for Elizabeth was tidying up whatever was left behind. The fact that she would be teaching in the same classroom again in the fall made it a lot easier. She wouldn't have to pack up her posters or books. Even her desk could remain as it was. She did however grab a framed picture of her with her siblings and another of her four best friends to take home with her.
After packing up all that she needed for now, she headed out to her blue Subaru Crosstrek and headed home. Traffic wasn't terrible, making her drive from school to the front gate of her apartment building only 20 minutes.
The complex she lived in was a nice mix of Italian and desert style with the classic stucco siding that was so familiar around the south west. It was well landscaped with cacti and palm trees, rock gardens and even a few areas of grass and flowers. She climbed up the stairs to the third floor with her bag over her shoulder and a box of her things in her arms. When she reached her door, she struggled to maneuver the box to reach her keys. Instead of putting the box down, she kicked the door three times, hoping one of her roommates were home.
"Coming!" she heard Clara Stanton call from inside their apparent. The door opened and her smiling, dark silky haired roommate reached for the box. "Beth! Are you excited?! Of course you're excited!"
Elizabeth laughed at her bubbly friend. "Are you referring to me being on summer break or our trip?"
"Both! In a few short days we will be on a plane to paradise! Are you all packed?"
"Just about. I need your help picking another bathing suit though."
"Oh yes. Let's do that! We're meeting Faith and Fiona for a celebration dinner at seven. Let's see if we can finish packing before that."
"Sounds good to me. I want to actually sleep tonight."
Fiona, the fourth member of this best friend group had flown in the night before so that they could all fly out to Hawaii together. Right now, she and Faith were out shopping for last minute items for the trip.
As Elizabeth hurried towards her room she noticed a large display of roses sitting on their small kitchen table.
"What are these?"
Clara winced. "I'll give you three guesses, but you'll only need one."
"Jellybeans!" She took the flowers and dumped them in the garbage before continuing to her room. "Why does he keep doing this?"
"Um, did you just say Jellybeans? I'm sorry, are you twelve?" Clara laughed. "You are allowed to swear, you know."
"I don't like swearing and you know it."
"True. You are good like that. So about Joel, he is a surgical resident and busy. Are you sure he realizes you broke up?"
"Oh, he knows. In fact, it was his call remember? He said he needed less distractions in his life. Though somehow that still meant going out with Bridgette from Pediatrics. Faith saw them after her shift one night looking very… chummy. I guess she called off whatever was going on though because two weeks after he started with this flower routine. I've been dealing with this for like a month now!"
"Are you alright with where things are?"
Elizabeth nodded. "I am. Except I wish he'd stop sending flowers or candy or whatever. We honestly weren't right for each other. You know, he used to tease me? Calling me a good girl as if it was a bad thing."
"Really? Ugh, you don't need that in your life."
Elizabeth sat down at the edge of her bed. "You know what I want? I want someone who's kind and funny. Someone I can talk to for hours who doesn't just get bored with me. Someone who can give me goosebumps with a single smile."
"That sounds amazing. You'll find that, Beth. I know it."
"I don't know. I'm beginning to think that sort of thing is just in the books I read."
"No, I think it's there. The timing just hasn't been right yet."
Elizabeth nodded. Walking over to her dresser she pulled out two one piece bathing suits. "For now I need to focus on something else. So, which one? Blue or floral?"
….
"Heads up!"
Twenty-five year old Jack Thornton opened his eyes just as a 32 oz. bottle of water came flying at his face. With ninja like reflexes, he caught the bottle an inch away from his face.
"Nice catch, my friend," Jack's friend Lee Coulter said with a gleeful grin. He tossed the remaining bottles to the other guys sitting at the LAX airport terminal with them, Jesse, Mike and Lucas.
"To Hawaii!" Lucas said as he lifted the bottle of water into the air. "To our friend Lee who's decided to tie the knot with the most eccentric woman we've all ever met, and to us. Friends to the end! Let's go have some fun!"
"Here, here!" Lee, Mike and Jesse cheered.
Jack silently raised his own bottle in the air and closed his eyes again. Jesse Flynn plopped down in the seat beside his friend.
"What's up, man? Aren't you stoked? Ten days of vacationing in an island paradise with your best bros. Aren't you even a little excited?"
"I'm very excited. Just tired. I pulled a double shift yesterday remember?"
"Yeah, I remember," Jesse winced. "Sorry to give you a hard time."
"No worries."
Jack worked for the Newark Police Department with Mike and Lucas. Lately with Lee, his roommate, moving out and getting ready to marry, Jack felt antsy. He worked extra hours over the past month and now had a pretty good chunk of vacation time set aside. Not to mention a little extra money in the bank.
Lee came over and sat down on the other side of Jack who sat up more and slapped the groom-to-be on back.
"Ready, my friend?"
Lee nodded. "You know I thought I'd be nervous but I'm not. I'm really excited to be starting this life with Rosie. It's time."
"It is, I'm happy for you. And that's not just because you getting married means we get to spend a week away."
Lee laughed, "Of course not."
"This is perfect, Lee," Lucas said taking a big gulp of his water. "Jack here needs to live a little."
"What are you saying?" Jack leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed.
Lucas looked him square in the eye. "I'm saying all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. You got to live a little, man!"
"I live just fine, thank you."
"Oh really? When was the last time you went out on a date?" Jack threw back his head as he thought. "Exactly. It's time."
"If you say so."
"I do and when we get back I'm setting you up with a woman from the club. She's a friend of mine. You'll love it." Lucas moonlighted as a bartender at a night club in the city.
"No way. Not one of your friends," Jack laughed.
"Why not? Are you suggesting my friends aren't respectable ladies of society?"
"Not at all. The whole setup thing though, it's not for me. Okay?"
"Jesse, help me here. This is your best bud we're talking about here," Lucas asked, feeling as if he was losing the battle.
"No can do, amigo. I'm with Jack."
Lucas sighed. "Am I the only party animal left in this group?"
"I don't know," Lee teased. "There's still Mikey here."
Mike Hickam, the shyest of them all choked on his water. "Nope. Not me."
"Good grief…" Lucas laughed. He was happy for Lee, but had no plans of ever being tied down himself.
Jack on the other hand couldn't have been happier for his friend. He'd known the moment his roommate met the theatrical Rosie LaVeaux two years before that he was a goner. If anything, he was a little jealous. He wanted that for himself. He wanted to meet someone and fall head over heels for them like the way his Dad always talked about when he met Jack's mom. Maybe it was a fairytale, but it happened for them. Maybe it could happen for him too.
Lucas was right though. He didn't get out much. His job as a Newark City Police officer scared away a lot of good women. Besides that, he'd yet to meet someone that gave him that spark. That shock of lightning that went straight to the heart. Even if he did meet someone now, he worked too much.
That's what this trip to Hawaii was all about. His friends would be getting married under an island sunset the day after they arrived. After that, the guests were free to enjoy an adventurous vacation. Jack, Jesse and the boys had mapped it all out. A week full of jet skis, snorkeling, surfing, and hiking.
Jack needed this trip. He needed a break from the chaos of his job. As much as he loved what he did, he felt ready for a change. Not in occupation, but maybe in location.
After graduating Penn State with a degree in criminal justice, Jack got a job with the police department in the State College community. It was a dream. After his first year on the job however, he got the call no one ever wants to receive. His mother, Charlotte Thornton, had been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Jack put in for an immediate transfer back home to New Jersey. Thankfully, it was granted without delay.
Even though he was leaving behind the city he'd come to know and love, he had no regrets. Spending that last year of his mother's life with her was a gift. His younger brother, Tom lived in Boston and came home as often as he could. After Charlotte passed, Jack stayed in New Jersey to be close to his dad. The man had lost his best friend, his true love. It was a loss Jack couldn't even imagine. His father had no regrets though. As sad as he felt, he still smiled whenever he thought of his wife. Jack wanted that. That all encompassing, eternal love.
Soon the gate agent was calling the first two zones for boarding the flight to Hawaii.
"Here we go, gentleman!" Lee said as they all grabbed their carry-ons. "It's wedding time!"
….
Three day's later, as the girls plane began its final descent into the Kahului Airport on the island of Maui, Elizabeth and her friends started packing up their magazines and other carry-on items back into their bags.
"Elizabeth, you arranged a car, right?" Faith asked.
"Yup. We've rented a Jeep Wrangler for our stay. I know its a little cliché to drive a Jeep in Hawaii but I figured, why not?"
"Oh, I'm so into this!" Fiona squealed. "What color is it?"
"You know, I didn't specify. Just told them we needed room for all four of us and our bags. All of our names are on it so we can all take turns driving."
Before long they were settled in their white Jeep Wrangler heading down the highway to the resort.
"Oh wow, I could get used to this." Faith hung her golden locks out the side of the open Jeep, soaking up the sun.
"Are you kidding me?" Fiona laughed, her feet propped up on the dash. "I'm already used to this."
Elizabeth smiled at her friends. The GPS on her phone told her they had about another 15 minutes before reaching the Wahi Lani Resort. Until then, they'd drive along the ocean road and let the wind and sun kiss their faces. After all, this trip was all about enjoying life.
…..
Out on the water, the cool ocean breeze hit Jack's face as he sat straddling his rented surfboard. He'd let the last two good waves pass him by. Jack was in no hurry today. He liked the feel of being on the water, his hand gliding over the surf as the sun beat down on him.
The day before, Jack stood beside one of his oldest friends, and roommate as he promised to love, honor and cherish the woman he loved till his last breath. Jack wanted that. To love someone so much you couldn't bear the thought of being without them. Someone who is your perfect partner in every way. Lee had found that. Maybe he could too. He'd always felt like when he met her, he'd just know somehow.
"Hey, man," Jesse paddled up next to Jack. "You good? You look like your head's somewhere else."
"I'm good. Just thinking."
"Oh, yeah? What about?"
"Life, love." Jack grinned.
"Ah, the big L's." Jesse laughed. "Right now, My only thought is where my next meal's coming from."
"Simpleton."
"Hey, I'm happy!" They laughed. "My life is good. Why rock the boat wanting more?"
"Maybe you're right."
"I am, but for me. If you want more, nothing's wrong with that. You think this has anything to do with Lee getting hitched?"
"It's not new, but maybe that's why I keep thinking about it. Problem is, when I think about the future, there's no face to place next to me."
"Give it time, my brother. Give it time."
Jack nodded. Seeing the next wave, he began to paddle out, diving under the water at just the right moment and riding the wave with skill all the way back towards the shore.
"Woohoo!" Jesse yelled. "Nice one!" Jesse caught the next wave and went over to Jack. "What do you say one more and then we go meet the guys?"
"Two more. Race you out."
"You're on!"
…..
Elizabeth drove up to the main entrance of the Wahi Lani Resort. She handed the keys over to the valet and then started unloading the Jeep of their luggage. The resort's lobby was even more beautiful than the pictures they'd seen on the internet. It's high ceilings with exposed beams had fans that had wood palm leafs for fan blades which gave an additional breeze. At their feet were marble-like floors so clean you could see a bit of your reflection in them. In the center was a four tiered fountain framed perfectly by the carved archways along the back wall which lead right out to resort's pools and five star restaurant.
"All checked in!" Faith said coming back to the group with their keys. They followed the friendly bellhop up to the fourth floor. He left the cart with their bags in the hallway between the two adjoining rooms that they had. Faith and Elizabeth took one, while Clara and Fiona took the other.
"What do you think?" Faith asked Elizabeth.
"I think…" she looked out the window. "This is amazing."
As Elizabeth walked out onto the balcony of their room, she couldn't help but let out a girlish giggle. The view was something out of a dream. From their balcony she could see the white beach and the bluest water she'd ever laid eyes on. "Yup, totally amazing."
Faith came out to join her. "This is nice. We even have patio furniture out here."
"I know, doesn't it seem like the perfect place to read?"
"It is. As long as that's not all you do this trip."
"It won't be. I promise." Elizabeth looked back out along the shore. She saw a couple walking hand in hand where the water crashed against the sand. "Look at that."
"I can only imagine how romantic it would be to be here with someone you loved."
"Maybe you should keep it in mind for your honeymoon," Elizabeth suggested.
Faith laughed, "What honeymoon? I haven't been on a date in months."
"I meant someday when you do meet the right guy."
"Sure, if I ever meet him. The only people I see are patients, medical staff and you gals."
"Well it's a huge hospital.
"I'd prefer not to date someone from work. So my dating pool is small."
Elizabeth nodded and looked back out at the couple strolling out of sight. She wanted that. Her mother had told her she was too picky. That no guy would match her high standards. Elizabeth didn't think her standards were that high. She just wanted someone who would love her, honor her, and cherish her. It wasn't like she was waiting for Mr. Perfect. Just Mr. Perfect for her.
A knock on the door connecting their rooms pulled her from her daydream. Faith opened the door and welcome their friends inside.
With a little jump, Clara laid down on the plush bed closest to the door. "We should call and make reservations for dinner at the beachfront restaurant here for tonight. What do you think?"
"Sure. I'll call down." Elizabeth dialed the number on the hotel phone. "Huh, it's busy. I'll change quick out of my travel clothes and walk down and talk to them."
"I'll go with you." Clara slid off the bed before slipping on her flip flops. "I want to get a closer look at that pool anyway."
"Alright. We'll be back. You ladies need anything?" Elizabeth asked Faith and Fiona.
"Nope, all set. I think I may just live right here!" Faith called back from the balcony.
….
Elizabeth and Clara stepped off the elevator into the lobby. Elizabeth was feeling completely refreshed. She redid her hair and threw on a red knee length sundress with white and black flowers. Her gladiator sandals added a great flare to her outfit.
"I have to say," Clara started. "I'm a little surprised you didn't already have reservations made for us."
"Why do you say that?"
"I don't know. You're a meticulous planner. I half expected itineraries and all that for this trip."
Elizabeth gasped, "I'm not that bad!"
"Oh, come on, admit it. You're a planner. Which is totally fine by the way. I have a feeling this trip would not go as smoothly if it wasn't for you."
"But you said it as if it was a bad thing."
"I'm sorry," Clara gave her a side hug as they walked. "I didn't mean to. It's cute really. You have your lists, your five and ten year plans."
"Fiona says I need to let go and relax more."
"Maybe, but not so much that you stop being you."
"I'll try." She smiled. Rounding the corner, Elizabeth ran straight into something hard and warm, falling straight to the floor. "Ouch!"
"Shoot, you alright?" a male voice asked.
Elizabeth looked up into the sage green eyes of quite possibly the most attractive man she had ever seen.
"Here, let me help you up." She took the hand he offered as he carefully helped her to her feet. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Elizabeth dusted herself off, feeling about as red in the face as a ripe strawberry. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, I guess."
"That's okay. I wasn't either. I'm Jack. Jack Thornton."
"Elizabeth Thatcher. Hi."
"Hi."
The two stood there staring at each other for a moment until Clara stepped forward extending her hand to the man standing beside Jack. "I'm Clara, Elizabeth's friend."
"Hi, Clara, name's Jesse. Jack's friend." He chuckled at himself.
"Elizabeth," Jack repeated just above a whisper. He couldn't stop himself from staring at the beautiful woman he'd just plowed into. Her eyes were an enchanting shade of blue, not unlike the water they'd just been surfing in. Her wavy caramel hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail off her shoulders, which were left bare except for the one inch straps of the dress she wore. A dress that in Jack's mind, seemed to hug her every curve perfectly. Suddenly noticing his fixation, he blinked rapidly and spoke again. "Hi."
"Hi." That seemed to be the only word Elizabeth could muster. She was just as fixated on him as he appeared to be on her. "We were just… trying to make a reservation for dinner. We should get back to that."
"Were you guys thinking the place right here?" Jesse pointed in the direction of the resort's restaurant.
"Yeah, is it good?" Clara asked.
"It is. Our buddy's rehearsal dinner was there the other night. I hear it gets pretty packed though."
"Oh, well do you have another suggestion in case they're full?" Clara asked. "We just got in a little bit ago. How long have you been in town?"
Jack stood there speechless so Jesse carried on. "Just a couple days, but we got the lay of the land pretty quick. Jack here likes to have a plan, so we came into this well informed."
"Ah, another planner." Clara laughed, looking over at her friend. "Beth here is the same."
Elizabeth turned her eyes from Clara to Jack. He stood there tall and strong with a dimpled smile that could melt an iceberg.
"We're going to this place right on the water tonight. It's called Lava Lava. They've got the tables right out on the sand. Food's pretty good too. Would you ladies care to join us?"
"Oh, we wouldn't want to intrude," Elizabeth quickly stated, feeling very flustered. "Besides, it's not just us. We've got two other friends here with us."
"That's not a problem. So do we!" Jesse grinned casually. "Tell you what, check and see if there's any availability here at the hotel restaurant. If there's not, join us instead."
"Deal!" Clara agreed before Elizabeth could pretest.
As the girls walked up to the main desk to try and place their reservation, Elizabeth could sense Jack's eyes on her. It was as if they were burning a hole into her exposed back. Part of her didn't mind, the other part felt nervous.
Sitting in the lobby while they waited, Jack watched Elizabeth with great intent. "Wow," he whispered.
"I know. Did you see that girl Clara? Dang. I could forget my name looking in her eyes." Jesse looked over at Jack. "Something tells me you only noticed her friend though. What's her name again?"
"Elizabeth. Yeah, she's beautiful."
"Dude, here they come." Jesse smacked Jack to gain his attention. "Let's see if luck's on our side tonight."
The girls seemed deep in discussion as they approached. Clara was the first to speak to them.
"The earliest reservation they could give us was 10 tonight. I think we're gonna want to eat sooner than that."
"Great! So you'll join us?" Jesse grinned.
"I don't know…" Elizabeth started slowly. "We don't really know you. I'm not sure we should be going out with you like that."
"Smart," Jack spoke. "Not that you can't trust us," he quickly added. "I'm a police officer back home. One of the things I do is teach a safety class. Going anywhere with people you don't know is one of the first things we tell women and young adults not to do."
"So you understand?" Elizabeth said with a sigh of relief.
"I do. So, what would you want to know?"
His question took her off guard. "Know?"
"Yeah. What would help make you comfortable enough to go out with us?"
Jesse did his best to hide his surprise at his friend's forwardness.
"I…. I don't know." Elizabeth spoke softly. She gave a playful sort of grin before continuing. "Are you really a police officer?"
"I am." Jack pulled out his wallet and showed her his license and a picture of him in uniform with two other officers.
"I see." She blushed, thinking how good he looked in that photo.
"We're in town for our friend's wedding. He got married yesterday. Now we have the week just for a vacation. What about you?"
"Girl's vacation!" Clara said with her fist pumped into the air. "What about you, Jesse? What do you do for a living?"
"I'm an EMT," he said proudly. "Our friends Mike and Lucas work at the police department with Jack. Though Lucas moonlights as a bartender too. Both are good guys. We're all single, no criminal records. So what do you say? Join us for a fun, low key dinner?"
Jack saw the hesitation in Elizabeth eyes and added, "What about we meet down here later, all of us? If you're uncomfortable at all, we'll understand."
"You're a very understanding guy, Jack?" Elizabeth smiled uncontrollably.
"I try to be."
Elizabeth looked to Clara. It seemed like she and Jesse where sizing each other up in a flirtatious, yet still appropriate manor. As she glanced back over at Jack, his hands shoved in the pockets of his board shorts, an innocent smile on his face, she couldn't deny she wanted more time with this guy.
"Sure. What time?"
After firming up plans, the girls quickly headed back up the stairs.
"Change of plans, ladies! Tonight we have dates!" Clara sang as they got back to the hotel room.
"What?" Faith laughed. "How on earth did that happen?"
Clara explained the whole ordeal from Elizabeth literally bumping into the handsome stranger to the end where they now had dinner plans."
"Trust me," Clara added. "We will not regret this!"