The Honeymoon Prize (10 page)

A snore sounded. Nick. He slept on the hammock. She’d never heard him snore. Not on the plane or last night. Maybe she hadn’t noticed or maybe he was that tired.

Addie glanced at the cell phone next to her. What was taking Emily so long to reply?

The Snapchat app, popular with teens, was new to Addie, and the only one Emily would use to answer questions about the honeymoon contest. After reading the posts so far, Addie understood why her friend would want the words to disappear.

She used her straw to poke at the sliced cucumbers, limes, and mint leaves floating in her water glass, then took a sip.

Wait until Nick found out the truth. A good thing he’d promised no violence or Emily would be a goner. Not really, but given the unease Addie felt, he was not going to be happy.

Nick stretched his arms over his head. His gaze met hers. She stared transfixed, as if connected to him by an imaginary string or cable. He didn’t say anything, but words didn’t seem necessary.

This was how they’d been in high school, but here the connection felt . . . different. Stronger, stirring a desire she’d never felt before. Strange given the amount of time they’d spent together then compared to now. Maybe this romantic setting was messing with her mind, making her want something she could never have.

A reply arrived from Emily. A stealthily taken picture of her boss followed by the words, “Gotta go.”

“Who was that?” Nick asked.

“Emily.”

“She’s been ignoring my texts. What did she say about the contest?”

Addie stared at her cell phone. The conversation was over. Messages would soon disappear.

“That bad,” Nick said.

“Depends on how you look at it.”

He hopped out of the hammock and joined her on the day bed. “Any chance of us getting arrested?”

“No.”

“Then I’m good.” He bent his elbow and rested his head on his hand. “So . . .”

“The honeymoon giveaway was a way to find a couple for the reality TV show so competitors wouldn’t know what kind of show the network was planning.”

“Emily couldn’t know this.”

“The network is one of her ad agency’s biggest clients. She’s on the account.”

Nick made a face. “This entire thing was fixed from the beginning.”

“No, they planned on using the real contest winners, but none of the entries appealed to the agency or production company. Too down home. Too urban. Too many piercings. The list went on and on. One person at the agency was fired. That’s when Emily was told to find a couple or else.”

Nick pointed to Addie’s water. “Mind if I have a sip?”

“Go ahead. Mama Lani made a pitcher of the stuff. It’s in the fridge.”

He drank. “So if Emily hadn’t found the right couple, she could have been fired.”

“Explains her excitement when we got engaged.”

“She kept her job by selling us out.”

Addie understood his harsh tone, but they hadn’t been sent to a swampy, mosquito-infested place. “We’re not exactly slumming it. Emily sent us on a luxurious free vacation and picked out our new wardrobes.”

“She has style and taste, but she used us to save her job.”

“You got married for your job.”

“That’s different.”

“Pot and kettle.”

“Not really.”

“Same thing. Emily apologized for not telling the truth, but she didn’t think we’d go if we knew about the reality TV show.”

“Damn straight we wouldn’t have come,” Nick said. “Forgot buying her a souvenir. She can take us to brunch at the Del when we get back.”

“No. In case you forgot, we’re lying to her about our marriage. If the truth comes out, she’ll be fired. Her job is her life. She’d be devastated.”

“So now two jobs are on the line with this marriage sham.” He half-laughed. “Unbelievable.”

“At least we know how we ended up on Starfish Island.”

“Yeah, and I’m glad you made us an appointment for another massage.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “My muscles are tightening again.”

Addie’s first instinct was to offer help. But her hands on his skin would not be a smart move. Random thoughts about Nick and her together kept popping up, but she needed to remember he might be her husband, but he wasn’t her Prince Charming. No matter how amazing his kisses made her feel. “I’ll see if I can get the appointment time moved up.”

T
he next few days, Nick fell into a comfortable rhythm each morning with a run followed by a swim. The exercise kept him in shape and let him burn off energy. He wasn’t used to relaxing for this long or pretending to be a husband. Nick didn’t mind, either. That surprised him. But hanging with Addie filled him with contentment, a way he hadn’t felt in a long time, so long he couldn’t remember when. Maybe he’d found the key to a happy marriage his parents had missed—marry your best friend and don’t have sex.

On the patio, he rinsed off the sand from his legs. A quick shower inside, a change of clothes, and he’d be ready for breakfast once Addie woke. After that, the work would begin.

Not really.

Playing “in love” honeymooners wasn’t a tough gig. He couldn’t believe they’d planned to go their separate ways during the honeymoon. That wouldn’t have been fun. Spending time with Addie was the best part.

Kissing Addie was his second favorite. Who cared if the kisses were for the camera? A kiss was a kiss, and she was a great kisser. He kept reminding himself not to get carried away again. Emotions were easier to push aside than the physical stuff.

He walked into the
bure
taking soft steps. After years of getting up at the crack of dawn, Addie preferred waking without an alarm clock. She’d also ditched wearing shoes and ponytails unless she needed her hair out of the way for an activity. All steps in the right direction.

Island life agreed with her. Her tired eyes and stress had disappeared. The weight she’d been carrying had lifted. She looked happier, more beautiful, without the baggage of the past dragging her down.

Nick glanced at the bed. Empty. “Addie?”

“Bula, bula, Mr. Nick.” Out on the patio, Mama Lani poked her head inside the
bure
. She carried an overflowing tray of food along with glasses of juices and two tall mugs with straws sticking out, most likely smoothies. “Your wife is in the bathroom. She woke up early. So excited to go snorkeling you’d think she’d never seen the ocean before. Reminds me of one of my grandbabies.”

Nick joined their mama
bure
outside. “Addie’s re-experiencing many things during this trip.”

Him, too. The feelings for her he’d buried back in high school kept coming back. But he wasn’t about to risk their friendship for something fleeting. All he had to do was hold on and stay in control until they returned to San Diego. His upcoming job assignments would give them some distance and let their friendship return to normal.

“Addie told me about her grandmother and what happened with the cottage.” Mama Lani set the table. “Such a shame family would do that to their own.”

“Greed makes people do strange things.” As if he were one to talk. He’d married a friend to keep his job. Maybe Emily and he had both sold out Addie for a paycheck. The realization didn’t sit well, though he knew she was getting something from the marriage, too. “But you can’t live without money.”

“The key is figuring out how much money you need. More isn’t always better.”

“Life is simple on Starfish Island.”

“Life is only complicated if you make it so.”

“I like simple.” Which was why being friends with Addie made the most sense even if her kisses set him on fire.

“Then live simply. Do work that satisfies you. Earn what you need. Enjoy what you have.”

“Then you’ll be happy,” he added.

Mama Lani’s gaze narrowed. “Happiness is a choice, Mr. Nick. Anyone who says otherwise is a fool.”

He had a feeling the woman thought he was a fool. That bothered him because Addie valued Mama Lani’s opinion. “I’ll be sure to choose happy. Easy to do with Addie around.”

“Take lessons from your bride. Addie is young, like you, but when you look in her eyes, you can see she’s an old soul.”

“She was always different.” He remembered when his mom had left the first time. Addie had found him at the playground and held his hand while he cried. She did the same thing when his mother returned and his father took off. “Even when we were five.”

“Is that why you proposed in kindergarten?” Mama Lani teased.

He hadn’t been able to imagine Addie not being in his life. She’d been a little girl but she was also the one constant in his unstable life. If he could have moved in with her and her grandparents, he would have. “Addie has always been a catch.”

“I have no doubt.” The amusement in Mama Lani’s voice matched the look in her eyes. “You were a smart young man to realize that.”

He straightened, pleased to receive a compliment from Addie’s new favorite person. “Thank you.”

“Nick!” Addie yelled from inside.

“On the patio.”

Footsteps drew nearer. “Close your eyes.”

He did.

“What color do you think we’re wearing today?” she asked.

“Black.”

“Nope.”

“Not purple.”

“No.”

He liked the playful tone in her voice. “Can you give me a hint?”

“I’m wearing my favorite color.”

Pink.
He swore under his breath. That was a step up from purple, but several rungs down from red or orange. “Please don’t tell me you’re wearing pink.”

“Okay, I won’t tell you, but you can open your eyes.” Addie fun pose in her bikini showed off her long legs and toned body. “Ta-da. Hot pink.”

Sexy. Healthy. Her skin had turned a honeyed color in spite of the sunscreen she’d been applying and the wide-brimmed straw hat she wore.

“You look amazing,” he said.

“You’re going to look hot in your swim trunks.”

Nick made a face.

“Hot pink isn’t so bad,” she said. “There’s a band of white around the waistband.”

“Well, that changes everything.”

“Not,” they said at the same time, then laughed.

“Jinx.” Addie pointed at him. “You owe me a Coke.”

“You don’t drink sodas.”

“Then you owe me a cosmopolitan. I think I’ll have a pink one. Not until later, of course.”

“Of course.” He noticed Mama Lana setting out the food. “Guess I’ll have to take one for the team and put on the hot pink.”

She grinned. “You’re the best fr . . . husband.”

Panic flashed on her face. She’d nearly slipped up with Mama Lani here, but Addie had caught herself.

“Don’t forget it.” He walked passed her, snagging a quick kiss. “But when you’re shopping for my birthday, Christmas, or anniversary presents, think manly colors.”

“Manly, huh?”

“Black, brown, navy blue, camo. Got my reputation to uphold.” He winked. “I’m going to shower, then I’ll be right back. Unless you care to join me?”

Addie’s face paled, his first clue he’d put her in a tough spot. Not intentionally. Crap. The words had slipped from his lips without much thought. Acting like husband and wife was becoming second nature, even when the cameras weren’t around.

Her wide-eyed gaze bounced from him to Mama Lani. “I . . .”

“Kidding.” Another wink he hoped would make up for his lapse. “You’ve showered and need to eat. Long day ahead.”

She nodded with a look of relief. “I am hungry.”

He was, too. For her.

Not the right response, but hard to feel otherwise. The bikini, he told himself, except he’d been staring at her gorgeous face and the smattering of freckles. “Save me some food.”

“Will do.” Addie’s lips slanted in a wry grin. “I’ll take a rain check on that shower, okay?”

Nick swallowed around a mango-sized lump in his throat. He knew she wasn’t serious, but a part of him wished she were. “Sounds perfect.”

Much better than the cold shower he would be taking this morning.

O
ut in the water that afternoon, Addie kicked her fins to keep up with Nick, who followed a school of bright green and yellow fish headed toward a colorful reef. She stared through her mask amazed at the world underneath the water. Snorkeling was becoming her favorite activity on the island. Next to kissing Nick.

For the camera only, of course.

But honestly, she had a good time with him no matter what they did. He was nothing but fun and games today, suggesting a challenge as they left the
bure
this morning. He wanted to see if they could outlast the film crew in the water. Unbeknownst to Brad and company. She’d agreed.

Game on.

Now her skin wrinkled from being in the water so long, but the amazing sights she’d snorkeling had been worth feeling waterlogged.

Wes, decked out in full scuba gear, swam below them filming. Bubbles rose from his regulator but his tank had to be getting low on air. He and Conrad, filming from the dinghy, had switched positions once.

Addie held Nick’s hand, their fingers laced together, as if they should always be that way, in the water or out. He gave a tug, then pointed with his other hand. A blue fish circling a red and orange plant a short distance away.