“Yeah, he looks like a good dog, Tyler. I'm going to go get us some life jackets and turn in your waiver.” I let the fake smile drop as soon as I was behind Tyler. Of all people on all the possible islands, Logan Hayes had to be on my vacation island. And if he was jet-skiing here, then he was staying at this resort. Not just visiting from one of his various mansions. No, he was probably with one of the travel agencies touring the resort. That would just be my luck. I would have to see him the entire week.
I handed the waiver to a hotel employee sitting at a desk by the dock. He went into the storage shed and pulled out two life jackets and handed me the key to a jet-ski.
“Do you need any instructions? We offer free beginner lessons,” he asked in a thick accent as I shrugged into my life jacket.
“We're good, actually. I've done this since I was a kid and I was here yesterday to practice,” I told him. He checked a list and smiled. I had actually stopped by the day before to find out how a jet-ski could be environmentally friendly. The ones at the resort were a brand new type of watercraft that used an electric engine. They looked a little different and so I had to try it out
. The smooth ride and quiet of the engine had been fantastic and a big part of how I had been able to convince over-protective Maddy to let me take Tyler.
“Of course, ma'am. Be careful out there today. The wind is picking up and making waves. If it continues, we'll send a signal out to come back in. Safety is very important here.” The man smiled again and nodded to the waiting jet-skis. “Yours is number four.”
I nodded and thanked him before going back to Tyler. Logan was on his knees rubbing the tummy of the very happy dog. Tyler was giggling as the dog wiggled and made happy dog noises.
“Let's get your jacket on and get going, Tyler,” I said, trying my best to ignore Logan. I had managed to mostly avoid Logan Hayes for almost two years despite working in the same city. I could do it on an island. Tyler stood up quickly and took the life jacket from my hands. I helped him tighten the straps and situate it properly across his bony shoulders.
“So, are you riding with Olivia or driving yourself, Tyler?” Logan asked, apparently not done with talking to Tyler. The dog had rolled back onto its stomach and Logan was scratching his ears.
“I'm not old enough to drive myself yet,” Tyler answered with a shrug. I tightened down another strap.
“You'll have fun with her driving, though,” Logan mused, his eyes on the dog. “Where are you two headed?”
“None of your business,” I said quietly. I hated the way my body was warming at the sight of his muscled arms. Apparently, my body hadn't gotten the memo that we wanted nothing to do with him, because my insides were wanting the something he had given me before.
“The reef over there,” Tyler answered at the same time, pointing to a spot a little ways out.
“I've heard there's some good snorkeling there,” Logan responded, pretending to not hear my comment. “You have your gear, right?”
“Yup. Aunt Liv even got me better goggles, just for this trip.” Tyler pointed to a mesh bag at his feet with his snorkel gear in it. I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him gently toward the dock.
“Time for us to get going,” I told him.
“See you later, Logan!” Tyler waved to the taller man. “Bye, Dog. I'll see you when I get back.”
He scratched the ears of the mongrel dog one last time before grabbing his bag and bounding down the dock to our waiting jet-ski
“Have fun,” Logan told me, rising gracefully to his feet. Sand stuck to his knees and the hem of his board shorts. It wasn't fair how good those shorts made him look. Why did the man have to be such an ass? I ignored him and hurried after Tyler. I was not going to let the presence of Logan Hayes ruin my vacation. If I just pretended he wasn't there, perhaps he would leave and make it a reality.
Tyler was already on the jet-ski with a grin that threatened to split his face in half. He had been looking forward to going out on the ocean on one of these new jet-skis since he had seen them in the brochure. I stepped off the dock and onto the jet-ski in front of him. Tyler wrapped his skinny arms around my waist and squeezed. I looked back, surprised at the hug.
“You ready?” I asked. He nodded, relaxing his grip slightly and grinning with excitement.
I revved the engine and took off. He shrieked with delight from behind me as I moved us out into the open water. He whooped as I sped up and bounced us between the waves. I spun us in circles and pushed the jet-ski through its paces. I had spent most of my summers growing up on jet-skis, so I was comfortable even with the new engine.
“Go faster!” Tyler cried out as we bounced over a wave. The wind was making the waves slightly rough, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I hit the gas and sent us hurtling forward. Tyler gripped me tighter and I could feel his laughter rather than hear it.
When Tyler's shrieks of delight started slowing down in frequency, I brought the jet-ski to the edge of the reef. We had been instructed on how to enjoy the reef and still preserve it upon arrival to the resort, so I made sure to keep the jet-ski clear of the delicate coral.
“You ready to snorkel?” I asked, turning off the engine. “There's some cool-looking fish down there.”
I pointed down into the clear blue water. A long, thin fish flitted under us and into the safety of the reef.
“Yup,” Tyler said, putting his mask over his head. He looked even goofier as the back strap ruffled up his light brown hair like an exotic bird crest. “Are you coming in?”
I shook my head. “Nah, I think I'm going to stay up here and enjoy the sun a little more. If you see a really interesting fish, though, I'll come look.”
“Okay.” He grinned and jumped into the water. His orange life jacket bobbed in the waves as it kept him afloat in the clear, blue water.
I took off my own life jacket and hung it from one of the handlebars on the jet-ski. The sun felt so good on my skin. I hated winters in Chicago, and while November didn't technically qualify as winter, it was still too cold and dreary for my taste. Sunshine was so much better.