Chapter 95

Shivers ran through me as I thought about the plan Alma and I had made and how soon I was about to begin it. It wouldn't be easy to change my mind once I'd started down this path.

I was standing in front of a small carrying case. All I was taking with me. It had everything I was going to need and a few things I'd only need if Jack accepted me. Only an hour earlier, I'd finished the last of my interviews, and I was supposed to be heading to the airport to get on a plane back to the UK.

But I wasn't going home. Instead, I was flying somewhere very different.

Grabbing the case and slipping my phone into my pocket, I made my way to the waiting car and found Alma already inside, Kai with her.

"Hey, Juno. Alma tells me you're up to something but not to ask questions, so just let me say, if you can put a smile back on Jack's face, I'm willing to help you with whatever you need."

"I need to get onto Jack's island and into the house without him knowing," I replied without missing a beat.

Kai exhaled as Alma grinned and looked between us. I'd already told her some of my plan, but not all of it. And I didn't plan to mention anything more to either of them.

"That's quite an ask. Jack's island is his safe space, and it's already been tarnished recently with the storm, and…" Kai trailed off.

"If Jack asks me to leave, I'll leave without a fuss, but if I'm going to show him how sorry I am and offer him what I should have done from the beginning, I can only think of one way to do it. I need to be in the house before Jack even realizes I'm on the island."

"All right," Kai replied. "I'll keep him busy at the right moments while Alma gets you where you need to go and sweet-talks everyone else into not noticing you, but you'll have to get to the Bahamas before us. We can't get you on the jet, even if we can get you on the boat."

"I've got another boat to do the drop-off onto the island," I replied. "Alma helped me organize that part already. I'll be on the island before you if you can delay the boat for half an hour."

"Half an hour?" Kai asked, lifting his eyebrows.

"Yeah. My boat is almost as fast, but I need time to get off it without being seen."

Once again, Alma grinned.

"All right. But I'm only doing this because I want Jack to be happy. You ever make him not happy, and I'm going to take it personally."

"Noted," I replied, a shudder of fear and anticipation running through my spine. I was about to do the craziest thing I'd ever done, and I didn't know if it was going to work.

Thankfully, Kai and Alma were their usual awesome selves and managed to help me focus on something else while we drove to the airport. However, there was nothing they could do while on the plane, both of them heading to join Jack and his party.

Now that everything on the island was fixed, Kai and Alma had convinced Jack to let them all return for a couple of days to "help with the finishing touches," and I was taking the opportunity to surprise him while others could help smuggle me into the house.

The whole flight, I ran through the plan again and again, trying to imagine his reaction. In my mind, it was everything from flat-out rejection and hatred to full humiliation, but the moment I thought about the possibility he would accept me and take me back, every fear and negative outcome seemed worth it.

I hurried from the plane as soon as I could, grateful that I didn't have to wait by the luggage carousel. My carry-on bag was all I had with me. There was a slight holdup outside the airport, and I noticed the car for Jack and the others was already there and waiting for them.

Panic filled me at the idea that I might be seen before I could even get to my boat, but a taxi pulled up only a minute or so later. I quickly got inside and gave the driver instructions to take me to the harbor.

Feeling even more nervous as we approached, I tried to focus only on what I knew of the boat and its captain. Alma had given me the instructions on how to find it after setting it up for me, but it was up to me to find the right one. And I was against the clock.

The taxi ride only grew more tense when we hit some traffic, and I was at the mercy of the streets and the driver. I could only hope it held Jack and the others up just as much, if not more, as I finally got through it and was dropped off at the harbor.

I made my way to the jetty Alma's instructions indicated, and I was partway along it when someone stepped off a boat that was ready to leave, the engine running and someone ready to throw the last rope out to it.

"Are you Juno?" the man asked, his accent almost too thick for me to understand the question.

"Yes. Are you Ralph?" I replied.

"Aye. Come aboard. I understand you need to get to one of the islands nearby in a hurry."

"Yes. I've got to set something up before the owner arrives." I moved toward the boat, and thankfully, the captain pulled back and offered me a hand to get me on board.

It wasn't a large boat, and I wasn't entirely sure how they'd get me to shore on Jack's island, but I wouldn't object. They seemed to know what I was doing and where I was going, and I was quickly offered a spot at the table below or on deck.

After stowing my bag somewhere safe, I opted to sit out on deck, hoping that seeing the crew working and possibly having people to talk to would distract me from my nerves. The closer I got to Jack's island, the more I felt as if I was going to throw up or scream or do something even more embarrassing.

There was no turning back now. I had booked a one-way trip to Jack's island abode, and I was going to be on his island and at the man's mercy soon enough.

Although I was sure he wasn't a cruel man, I knew there was a good chance I would be rejected and slung back out again in front of everyone else on the island.

It wouldn't be easy to do what I needed to do, but I had a feeling sitting on a boat and waiting to reach the island was going to be the worst part.

Thankfully, the crew seemed to be talkative, and the boat moved faster than I had expected. I had to be careful about what I told the sailors when they asked who I was, but thankfully, none of them appeared to recognize me, and I simply implied I was there to help set up something for the party they were about to have and that I would return on Jack's yacht.

Some of it was sort of true. I did have to set up. But I wasn't there for anyone else.

Several times, I looked at my phone, wondering how far Alma and the others were behind me, but I had no signal this far out from civilization, and I knew I wouldn't until we were actually on the island. Hopefully, Jack's small mast and satellite dish would be up and running again, and I could hook onto the internet and signal to find out.