Page 46 of Meet Me in Tahiti

“So yeah,” Malik said. “I’ve got your back. I always will. But you gotta tell me something straight.”

Malik paused. Russ looked up, his muscles tensing.

“Is she worth it, boss?”

Russ didn’t waver. “Yeah. She is. But don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

Malik studied him for a second longer, then nodded once. “I hope so.”

Russ stayed behind a moment longer, staring into the shifting torchlight as his friend walked off.

The soft thumpof a drum signaled the start of the show about half an hour after Tessa had taken the photo with Russ.

She’d taken her seat along the long, L-shaped table set close to the outdoor performance area, with Avery and Drew on one side of her and Marin and Kyle on the other. The scent of grilled pineapple and sizzling pork drifted on the warm night breeze as torches flared, casting flickering shadows across the palm-fringed terrace.

Drums thundered. Tessa glanced down the table at Russ, who sat on the end where she could glance at him easily, despite the side-by-side seating arrangement. He’d been so thoughtful to step in and take the photos with her. He’d risked a lot doing it. But he didn’t seem to mind. And the pictures, which they’d sent to her phone, had turned out great.

She smiled and raised her glass to him. He raised his in return, and her heart warmed again. They both sipped, eyes glued to each other.

No one seemed to notice. Her friends were too busy chatting, drinking, and eating. And even Malik’s and Jules’ gazes steadied on the drummers.

The mood was high. Tessa felt a surge of excitement. Talk about bucket-list material and someone special to share it with, even from afar. Besides her friends, of course.

Her attention was drawn to the dancers that stepped onto the floor next, their hips rolling in rapid rhythm,colorful skirts fluttering, headdresses bobbing with every movement. Music pulsed from traditional wooden instruments, a beat that was both primal and beautiful, echoing across the open-air venue like the heartbeat of the island itself.

When Tessa glanced over at Russ again, just to get his reaction to the show, their eyes met across the flickering candlelight, lingering a little too long once more, making her heart flutter each time.

He smiled, probably glad she looked to be enjoying this so much. She wished they could’ve sat together. But this was almost as good. They probably would’ve been too obvious about their feelings for each other if they had, and that wouldn’t have gone well for him.

Marin leaned over and whispered something to Tessa that made her giggle. Kyle gave Tessa a warm smile and threw an arm around Marin.

Tessa took another few bites of her meal. Delicious grilled fish in banana leaves. Roasted taro root. Tropical fruits she couldn’t name. Sweet rum drinks in frosted glasses that made everything glow just a little brighter.

She spoke into Avery’s ear—loudly because of the drumming—and Avery returned with something amusing. Tessa laughed and caught another glimpse of Russ chatting with Jules and Malik.

Tessa tried to soak it all in—the lights, the laughter, the pulse of the music, the sparkle of the stars overhead—wanting to freeze it in her memory.

Because she would miss this.

And she’d miss him. More than she could even imagine. Because what if she never saw him again?What if all of this was… just a moment in time? A short, unbelievably good moment in time? One that would never continue into the future? What if this was all they had? All they’d ever have?

A lump formed in her throat. She swallowed. Don’t think like that, she scolded herself. He’d get the job. He’d be in Florida in a few months.Have a little faith.Right?

They had a future.

She’d been telling herself that same thing all week. But with every beat of the drum, every hour ticking down toward Sunday when their plane would leave for Miami, it was getting harder and harder to believe.

What if he was just telling her everything she wanted to hear so he could have a meaningless fling for the week? What if none of this was real for him? What if he met someone else after she left?

Still, when she looked up and saw Russ watching her, his eyes warm and filled with something that looked a lot like the same longing that she felt, her heart whispered: maybe.

Maybe this wasn’t just a vacation? Maybe this wasn’t just a trip to paradise? Maybe this was something with a future.

Chapter

Fourteen

Russ sat,watching the crowd gathering on the dance floor, sipping his drink as he leaned in toward Malik. Candles flickered down the long table where their guests were laughing and enjoying the feast.

---