Page 4 of Always Another Sunset

JC laughed too, loving the sound of Bella’s excitement, and feeling herself getting caught up in Bella’s energy.She’s acting like we climbed Mount Everest or something, she thought, before a realization made her pause.Maybe somehow, she has.

Feelingthe rise and fall of the kayak on the waves, Bella’s heart raced with the exhilaration of being alive.Not that I really worried I could die,she thought.Not entirely.

“And now we only have to paddle ourselves over to that island,” JC said, interrupting her thoughts. “Slow and steady, I’ll keep us headed in the right direction.”

Bella nodded. “Right,” she said as another bit of laughter bubbled up. “We still need to paddle.” Starting to move the paddle again, she struggled for a moment to find purchase on the water. Waiting for JC to comment at any second on the pathetic attempts she made, when nothing came, she glanced over her shoulder. It was impossible to see JC entirely while they were seated, but out of the corner of her eye, Bella saw the even stroke of the woman’s movement.And maybe a glimpse of a proud smile?she thought.I forgot how patient she was in college. No matter how much I struggled with something, she never seemed frustrated. Just there for me.Gathering confidence in the absence of pressure from anyone, Bella concentrated on what Blake and JC had taught her. After a few tries, Bella felt a rhythm to her strokes. The kayak started to move with a little more power.I’m doing that,she thought.I’m actually helping us get there.

“You’re doing great, Bella,” JC said as if to reassure her that what she thought was true. “I think you might be a natural kayaker.”

Bella laughed. She felt far from anything natural when it came to athletic activities. “I’m not sure I quite believe that,” she said. “But thank you.” There was a minute as they paddled with only the sound of the ocean around them. Bella worried things were about to become awkward, her mind racing to think of something witty or clever to say. Anything to fill the void and not be boring.

JC interrupted her panic. “Bella, can I ask you a question?” JC asked before Bella could land on anything. “And you don’t have to answer it, but I’m curious.”

“Okay. What is your question?”

There was a pause, and Bella wondered if JC had changed her mind, but then she went ahead and asked. “Why did you come kayaking today?

It was Bella’s turn to hesitate, both because of the actual question as well as why JC asked her. Clearly, Bella’s discomfort with the situation was showing. “Uhm,” she said. “I guess I wanted to try something new. Something completely different than anything else I’ve done. Why?”

“Don’t take this wrong,” JC said. “But you seem a little…” Her voice trailed off.

Bella smiled. “Terrified?” she said filling in the word for her. “I can’t explain what motivated me other than I have horrible writer’s block.” She slowed her paddling. “I don’t know. Maybe I thought a radical shock to my system would help.”

“Ah, I see,” JC said. “Well, I have to tell you, I am very impressed. Especially coming out here alone. Was that part of your test too? To try kayaking on your own?”

Not sure how best to explain why she was alone in paradise, Bella started back into a rhythmic stroke. “Something like that,” she murmured, ready to change the subject. The last thing she wanted was for JC to know what a sad case she was—all alone in Hawaii, sitting inside her condo all day trying to write.And failing at it miserably,she thought with a sigh.Time to get off this subject. “And now I get to ask you a question.”

“Okay, shoot,” JC said, sounding as if there wasn’t a question in the world that would catch her off guard.

Bella tried not to feel a little envious. Everything caught her off guard it seemed. “How did you end up working at a kayaking adventure company in Hawaii?” Bella asked. “You never talked about anything like it.”

JC laughed. “Well for starters, I don’t work for Oahu Paddle Adventures, I own it.”

Bella’s eyebrows went up. “JC, that’s fantastic,” she said. “But it still doesn’t explain how it happened.”

“That’s kind of a funny story,” JC said with a smile in her voice. “I came over here about three years after we graduated on vacation with my girlfriend.”Girlfriend?Bella thought, hearing nothing else. A flame of hope she didn’t realize she was holding died.Of course, she has a girlfriend. She’s fun, intelligent, great body, and has her own business in paradise. “Bella? Are you okay?”

Bella snapped back into focus. “I’m sorry. What’s wrong?”

“You stopped paddling,” JC said. “What happened?”

“Oh,” Bella said, starting to paddle again. “Just a little cramp. I’m okay.”

“You’re sure?”

Nodding, Bella simply wanted to move past the girlfriend reference and forget about her fantasy that JC was single. “I’m sure,” she said. “I’m really proud of you, JC. You’re as amazing as I always thought you would be.”

6

As they paddled toward the small island to catch up with Blake and the others, JC wasn’t happy with the increasing choppiness of the water. Although they rode easily enough over the waves in the kayak, her years of experience crossing to the island let her know things could quickly get rougher. Scanning the horizon, the sky was still cloudless, but there was definitely something beyond that was affecting the ocean. She no longer had any doubt that the weather forecast was accurate.Let’s hope the storm holds off until everyone enjoys their morning on the island, she thought. She wanted to show Bella a few sites that made the location so special. Although there wasn’t much to give her a sense Bella was into wildlife or outdoor activities, even she would have to be impressed with some of the views.

The option they always offered to customers was to swim in the lagoon on the west side of the island, but again, JC felt that might be a stretch for Bella. She seemed a little tentative around the ocean. Still, that didn’t mean she didn’t like swimming in general. Many people she encountered were fine in a manmade pool and could handle the lagoon but found the greater ocean daunting. All of which was totally unlike JC who couldn’t get enough of the sea whether on it, in it, or under it.

Looking ahead, she watched as Blake and the other couple landed on the beach, making it look easy when they slid up on the sand. JC appreciated the experience the newlyweds brought to the kayaking excursion. It allowed her to focus on Bella, and she would be happier once they were on land. The lack of conversation from Bella for the last few minutes had her concerned. As if the woman wasn’t feeling well.Seasick?she wondered.That seems unlikely.Even with the rougher water, getting sick on a kayak was unusual.

For some strange reason, JC was having a tough time keeping a conversation going with Bella. After JC’s quick story about ending up with a business in Hawaii, Bella had gone quiet. Usually for JC, conversation came naturally with her clients.But being around Bella makes me a little tongue-tied, she thought.I just don’t want to screw anything up.All she could do was hope things would come more easily once they were on the island taking in sights.

“Okay, Bella,” JC said, maneuvering them near shore. “You can stop paddling and lift your oar, and I’ll take us in from here.”

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