Page 86 of The Hitchhiker in Panama
He kissed me again.
“And one more thing,” I said.
Eivind raised an eyebrow.
“My parents are very supportive of me staying with you. So . . . when we get to New Zealand, we have to fly home to Australia for the holidays this year.”
He groaned and loosened his grip on me. “I have to meet your dad.”
“He’s not scary!”
“He loves you, and I am the man sleeping with his daughter. Of course he is scary!”
I grinned and pressed my cheek into Eivind’s chest. “I can’t believe this is going to be my life now. Months ago I was so nervous to leave home. Now I’m going to sail around the South Pacific with the man I love.”
He laughed, but then pulled back to look at me. “Are you sure this is the adventure you want?”
“Eivind,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his lips down to mine, “youaremy adventure.”
Epilogue
A Few Weeks Later
Eikglided along the still waters of Kauehi’s lagoon. The past few weeks had been a paradise of island hopping, from the beautiful, rugged islands of the Marquesas to the postcard-perfect atolls of the Tuamotus. Unlike the Marquesas, the Tuamotus were low, flat islands with sandy beaches, idyllic palm trees, and crystal-clear water. Less jungle exploration, more sandy beaches for bonfires and picnics.
Jonas was at the helm, lazily steering us along toward our destination—a beautiful and remote anchorage that we had hoped to have all to ourselves. Sailing boats were few and far between in these islands.
“Someone is already anchored there,” Jonas said, disappointed.
I looked up from my book and scanned the horizon, finding the mast of a sailboat just off the beach.
“Bummer,” I teased. “Company in paradise.”
I settled back down, my feet in Eivind’s lap. He squeezed my ankle and winked at me.
A few minutes later Jonas sat straight up in his seat. “Binoculars! Binoculars!” He frantically searched around the cockpit, upturning pillows. Eivind and I jolted into action, helping Jonas search the cockpit.
“Where are they?” Jonas muttered, and fired off what sounded like a Norwegian expletive.
My gaze landed on the binoculars sitting atop the helm station. “Jonas!” I said, exasperated. “Right here.”
He grabbed them from me, holding them to his face and aiming at the sailboat in the anchorage.
“What is it?” Eivind asked his brother, climbing out of the cockpit and shading his eyes to take a closer look.
Eivind was too far away to hear the whispered words that came from Jonas. “It isWelina.”
“Who’sWelina?”
“Welina?” Eivind repeated. “I do not know this boat.”
Jonas didn’t answer but kept watching through the binoculars.
“Jonas,” Eivind said firmly, “who isWelina?”
Finally Jonas pulled his eyes away and checked our course. “You watched their videos with me, remember? It is Mia and . . . Liam was her husband, but I heard things . . .” His voice trailed off.
Eivind contemplated the boat for a moment but then shook it off. Looking at me, he shrugged and headed up to the bow to prepare the anchor.
