Chapter 24

Callie squealed in excitement beside Alexa as Kauai came into view through the airplane window, the rugged mountains and cliffs a sharp contrast to the blue water below. “It’s gorgeous,” Callie breathed, squeezing her hand.

“It is. The view from the plane is always pretty damn spectacular,” Alexa agreed.

Wyatt had dropped them off at the airport earlier, telling Alexa that he’d talk with Austin. She’d called him last night, briefly saying goodbye, and he’d only told her to be careful. Her stomach churned with the knowledge that they’d had their first argument. It was hard to regret leaving Oahu, however, when an amazing few days awaited them. She needed to get away from the craziness of her life and could even use a breather from Austin at the moment. It hurt knowing he wasn’t excited for her trip because of the ongoing situation with Duke, but even more upsetting was the way he’d simply let her walk out his door last night. She didn’t want to argue with him, but he hadn’t even tried to convince her to stay.

“That was a quick and easy flight,” Alexa said as the captain made an announcement about their descent. She knew Callie had been nervous, having only flown a limited amount since the hijacking all those months ago. It had been sweet seeing her say goodbye to Wyatt this morning. It also made the fact that Austin wasn’t there all the more evident.

“He’ll come around,” Callie said, seeming to know what she was thinking.

“Yep. I hope so. This photoshoot is a big deal for me, but I’m not as excited as I would have been because of our fight last night.”

“Just think about all the amazing make-up sex you’ll have when you’re back,” Callie teased.

“Yeah. I guess,” she murmured, still feeling slightly uneasy.

Her client Melissa had texted her yesterday, coordinating the final details. While Callie would travel directly to the hotel in their rental car to check in, Melissa had arranged for private transportation for Alexa. The airport was nearly an hour away from Waimea Canyon, so it made sense to head straight there. There were multiple panoramic lookouts, and she already had a few places in mind for photos. Alexa would text Melissa as soon as her plane reached the gate, and then she’d be on her way.

“You sure you don’t want me to come along and help with your camera and gear?” Callie asked.

Alexa shook her head. “No. If you really don’t mind taking my suitcase to the hotel, that would be amazing. I’ll bring my backpack with my camera equipment. If we don’t hit any traffic, I’ll be a bit early, but that’s fine. I’ll grab a snack and get some shots myself that we can feature on your blog.”

“Sounds perfect. And we can tour around that area in a couple of days, like you mentioned, so I can see Waimea Canyon myself from the overlook.”

“Yes, I think that’ll work out best. You don’t want to be bored waiting around for me and my clients, and I’ve got a couple of hours to kill before we even begin. Get us checked in and order a fruity drink from the hotel bar.”

“Not a problem at all,” Callie said with a grin. “I used to travel by myself all over the place. I can hang by myself today. It’ll be fun to explore together tomorrow.”

The women got their suitcases down from the overhead compartment and then moved through the narrow aisle of the plane, saying goodbye to the flight attendants. They parted ways once they got inside the airport. Callie was wrangling both suitcases as she headed toward the rental car place but assured Alexa that she’d be fine.

Alexa’s phone buzzed as she looked at the signs inside the terminal, and she lifted it to her ear. “Hi Melissa. I just got off the plane. I’ll head to the area we discussed to meet my driver.”

“Change of plans, and I think you’re going to love it!” Melissa said excitedly. “My fiancé is a helicopter pilot, and he’s going to fly us out to Waimea!”

“What?” Alexa asked, pausing midstride.

“Yes, isn’t it fantastic? We can get some incredible shots from inside Waimea Canyon.”

“I’m not sure anyone is authorized to land there,” Alexa told her, frowning. She knew there were multiple helicopter tours of the island, but she wasn’t sure if they actually landed inside the canyon. A wave of uneasiness washed over her.

“Oh, it’ll be fine. He has permission, and I want to get the most incredible engagement shots ever. The overlooks are one thing, but this will be completely amazing and blow everyone’s breath away when we send out our announcements.”

“Um, okay,” Alexa said, her mind whirling. “Where should I meet your fiancé?”

“He’s headed your way and will guide you out to the tarmac. Don’t worry, he’s got a sign with your name on it so you won’t miss him. My sweetie is going to pick me up on the way, so I’ll see you soon. Thank you so much Alexa!” The call ended, and Alexa stood there, dumbfounded. They hadn’t mentioned anything about a helicopter before, but she’d already flown here. It wasn’t like she was the one calling the shots. They were paying her to do a photoshoot, and it would be a huge hassle to back out now and refund them.

Her phone buzzed again, and she was surprised to see a message from Austin.

Austin: I should’ve come after you yesterday. I’m sorry, Lex.

Austin: Got your flight # from Wyatt and saw that you just landed.

Tears stung her eyes. She wanted to talk to him but now was hardly the time. She needed to meet with her client and get to the photoshoot. She quickly thumbed a response.

Alexa: Let’s talk when I get back. They’re flying me out to Waimea Canyon on a helicopter.

The phone in her hand began buzzing again, and she saw Austin’s name on the screen as he called her. “Hey,” she said as she answered.

“Lex, who’s flying you on a helicopter?” he asked, sounding concerned.

“Um, Melissa’s fiancé. She said he’s a helicopter pilot.”

“Where’s Callie?”

“She’s going to check into our hotel. She already went to get the rental car. My client Melissa had arranged transportation for me. I assumed it was a car and driver, not a helicopter, but she just let me know. Shoot, I’ve got to go. I see a guy holding my name on a sign. I don’t want to miss him.”

“Lex—”

“We’ll talk later. I’ve got work stuff right now,” she said, feeling slightly frustrated. She’d been alone at her apartment all last night, and the goodnight call she’d made to Austin had been brief and terse. She’d had plenty of time to talk then.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,” Austin said, his voice thick. “I shouldn’t have let you go like that.”

“It kind of hurt my feelings, but it was my choice to go home. Just like it was my decision to come here.”

“I know.” A beat passed. “Be careful, Lex. I know you’ll do amazing things at your photoshoot and have fun with Calle, but promise me you’ll be aware of your surroundings, too.”

“I will, Austin. And I’m sorry, too. I wish we would’ve talked before I left. Shoot, I really do have to go.”

“Lex, I….” The line was quiet for a moment, like he’d swallowed whatever he’d been planning to say. “I’ll see you in a couple of days. Do me a favor and text me tonight when you’re back from the helicopter flight.”

“I will.” They said their goodbyes, and then she was moving toward a guy in a baseball cap, holding up the sign with her name. He looked to be maybe six feet or so and had sunglasses on, which seemed odd given they were still inside.

“Alexa,” he said, holding out a big hand. “I’m Doug. Great to meet you.” He took her backpack from her before she could protest, and then he was hustling her toward a secure area of the airport. “I’ve got a badge to get us through,” he assured her, guiding her down a corridor and then into Kauai’s bright sunlight. She glanced at the helicopter waiting in the distance, a strange sense of foreboding washing over her.