It was a nice boat, Zoey decided, standing by the rail looking out at the rapidly receding island hotel where she wouldn’t be getting married tomorrow. Stretching out from the main island itself was the long wooden bridge out over the water that led to twenty or so individual hotel suites on stilts, looking as if they almost floated on the waves.
It was an incredible place, Zoey had to admit. Under other circumstances, she’d be sorry to leave.
As it was...
She sighed and turned away, back to where Ash was steering the boat. And frowning. A lot.
‘What’s the matter?’ she asked, drawing closer. ‘Having second thoughts?’
He flashed her a smile. ‘I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be asking you that.’
Zoey considered, taking a reading on her internal feelings. A lot of guilt, as usual—and, really, who had a ‘usual’ for a situation like this?—but no regrets. No second thoughts.
She might regret letting her relationship with David reach this point, but not walking away. Her whole body sang with the rightness of that decision.
But that didn’t explain Ash’s frown.
‘I’m absolutely fine. What’s up with you?’
‘Not me,’ Ash said shortly. ‘The weather.’
Zoey looked up and saw the sky ahead was a different colour to the sky behind. And, from Ash’s expression, it wasn’t just the usual gradients of colour of sunset in paradise.
‘A storm?’ she asked.
He gave a short nod. ‘A squall, at least. Basically, out of the frying pan...’
‘Into the dangerous weather systems.’ Hadn’t someone at the hotel said something about incoming weather that morning? Yes! They’d been talking about possibly having to bring the ceremony in from the beach into the hotel itself. David had been furious. She’d been so caught up in her own doubts and concerns she hadn’t listened. She’d tuned out the way she always did when David was rude to someone he considered less important than himself. Which was basically everyone except his father. And her own parents, actually, which was probably why they liked him.
For someone who could be so sweet when it was just the two of them, he didn’t go over so well with other people. Something else she should have considered sooner.
Maybe she was just an incredibly lousy judge of character. That would explain a lot.
But personal revelations didn’t change the past. Or the squall in their future.
‘I knew it was coming,’ Zoey berated herself. ‘I had a conversation with the wedding planner about it this morning—well, David did. But I was there. I should have remembered.’
‘You’ve had a lot on your mind,’ Ash said drily, but Zoey could feel the wind lifting her hair, and saw the way Ash gripped the boat’s controls.
It was coming.
Looking over the side, Zoey could see the waves rising higher, crashing against the side of their boat. How on earth was she going to explain to David that she’d not only run out on their wedding but also destroyed his boss’s boat in the process?
Maybe this was divine retribution. Fate taking its revenge for her messing up other people’s lives and plans one time too many; taking control of her future for her, since she couldn’t ever seem to stick to any of the decisions she made herself.
Maybe she deserved it.
‘I should have checked the forecast before bringing you out here.’ Ash’s knuckles were white, Zoey realised, and his face pinched. Strain, fear or both? ‘You should get down in the cabin. There’s not much space down there, but it’s a lot safer than up on deck.’
Or maybe fate was a load of bunk, and the future was hers to control.
‘I’ll stay here with you.’ Zoey grabbed a hold of the railing beside Ash, planting her feet firmly on the deck. ‘I mean, I have no idea how to drive a boat, so you’ll have to tell me what to do so I can actually help you. But it’s my fault we’re out here. I’m not leaving you up here alone.’
Ash looked at her, his gaze steady despite whatever fear he was feeling. Zoey gazed back just as evenly, so he’d know she meant it.
Then the wind kicked up again and a wave crashed into their side, making them both stumble a little.