Chapter 8

Ashort time later they got off the ferry and were met by one of the island's outfitters.

"Kelsey and Isabella?" a woman asked, walking up to them with a smile.

"That's us," Isabella said.

"I'm Sylvie," she said. "I'll be taking you to the trailhead."

They followed her to a Jeep with the doors off. Once they were settled inside, she put the Jeep in gear and off they went.

"I have your snorkeling equipment," Sylvie said. "You brought your lunch from Coral Bay, right?"

"Yep," Kelsey said. "We have that and a few other things here."

"Great. Spend as much time as you'd like on Honeymoon Beach. I'm going to give you my number. If you text me when you start the hike back, I'll be waiting for you when you get to the trailhead. From there you can decide what you want to do next."

"Carmen mentioned something about biking around the island and then we're going to a bar," Isabella explained.

"You're not going to just any bar." Sylvie grinned. "You're going to Peaches. The owners are friends of mine and you won't find a better place on all the islands."

Kelsey turned around from the front seat and exchanged a look with Isabella.

"Maybe we'll skip the bikes and go to Peaches after the beach," Isabella said with a chuckle.

"You're my kind of people." Sylvie laughed.

It was a quick ride to the trailhead and Sylvie helped them to manage their gear. The snorkeling equipment was in a backpack that Kelsey slipped her arms into.

"Let me have our lunch bag. I can sling it over my shoulder, too," Kelsey said.

"Wait," Sylvie said. "I think it will fit in the backpack."

Kelsey stood still while Sylvie opened the backpack and pushed the lunch bag inside. "Just right," Sylvie said. "Is it too heavy?"

"Not at all," Kelsey said.

"I'll wear it on the way back," Isabella said. She put their bag with the other items over her shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Text me when you leave the beach and I'll be waiting for you," Sylvie reminded them with a smile.

"Let's go," Kelsey said as she started down the trail.

It took them about twenty minutes to make the hike over the trail. There were a few rocky places here and there, but it was mostly easy going.

"Oh my God, Kelsey!" Isabella exclaimed. "Look at this!"

The path opened up to a white sandy beach that met the most beautiful bluish-green water Kelsey had ever seen.

"Look at those leaning palm trees!" Kelsey looked around, amazed. "It's like a postcard, but better."

"Let's go down this way," Isabella said, walking along the sand past a few other people who had their things spread out on the beach.

"No wonder they call it Honeymoon Beach. Wouldn't this be a great place to begin your honeymoon?" Kelsey said, letting the backpack slide down her shoulders.

Isabella took a large towel out of the backpack and spread it on the sand near one of the leaning palm trees. Kelsey helped her set up their area and reached into the lunch bag for two bottles of water. She handed one to Isabella and smiled.

"What do you want to do first?" Kelsey asked, taking a drink.

"Can we sit and just enjoy this for a while?" Isabella asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Absolutely." Kelsey sat down on her side of the towel.

Isabella shimmied out of her shorts and took her shirt off then sat next to Kelsey.

"You didn't answer my question," Kelsey said once Isabella was settled. "Don't you think this would be a great place to honeymoon?"

"Oh, I didn't know it was a question. Yes, this is another slice of paradise." Isabella nodded, gazing at their surroundings.

"Where did you go on your honeymoon?" Kelsey asked. "Did you go to a beach?"

"No, we went to Las Vegas. Neither one of us had been and there was a lot to do," Isabella said flatly. "It wasn't the greatest trip."

"Oh, sorry."

"What about you? Have you ever thought about where you'd go on your honeymoon?"

"I've never even thought about it," Kelsey said.

"Oh, come on. Surely you dreamed of a wedding and a honeymoon at some time or another," Isabella said.

Kelsey sighed. "People in love have dreams like that."

Isabella looked over at Kelsey. "Are you saying you've never been in love?"

"Hmm, I had a girlfriend in college. I loved her, but I'm not sure we were in love. At least we weren't in love enough to have a life together after graduation. We were in different places in our lives, I guess. I was ready to start my career and have kids, but she wasn't."

"And there hasn't been anyone since then?"

Kelsey looked over at Isabella and gave her a sad smile. "I've dated several women, but honestly most of the time it led to a date or two and then sex. After a few of those kinds of—you can't even call them relationships—I thought, what's the use." Kelsey looked back over the water. "I'm not one to have casual sex. It's not for me."

Isabella ran her hand over Kelsey's back. "I'm not surprised, Kels. I bet you're an attentive partner and that your love language is doing nice things for the woman you love."

Kelsey looked over at her and furrowed her brow. "My love language?"

"There are like five love languages and one is doing things. I think it's called acts of service."

"Why do you think that's me?"

"Because," Isabella said.

"Because?" Kelsey watched Isabella as she looked away.

"Because you've done nice things for me. Like helping me with my luggage and other things. You probably don't even notice you're doing it," Isabella said.

"What about you? What's your love language?"

"For me, it's quality time. When I care about someone, I love spending time with them," Isabella said.

"What are the others?"

Isabella looked back at Kelsey and smiled. "Let's see, there's physical touch, saying nice things, and I forget… Oh, gifts."

"Like giving gifts?" Kelsey asked.

"Or receiving. You know how it makes you feel when you receive a gift."

Kelsey leaned back on her elbows. "Well, I may like to do things for others, but there's nothing wrong with nice words and touching."

Isabella looked at her and chuckled. "You're not wrong."

"You say nice words to me, Bella. Quality time isn't your only love language."

"It's easy to say nice things to you. I love to see the surprise on your face then the shyness that usually follows," Isabella said.

Kelsey chuckled. "I guess I'm not used to it." She paused. "And it's nice. It feels nice."

Isabella nodded. "I know. It feels nice when you do things for me."

They sat in silence for a few moments, enjoying the breeze and listening to the gentle waves.

"Were you in love with Spencer?" Kelsey asked quietly.

Isabella let out a deep breath. "I loved Spencer and I still do as a friend, but you know, I'm not sure I was ever in love with him. I suppose I thought I was or I wouldn't have married him." Isabella turned to Kelsey. "What is being in love like to you?"

Kelsey took a moment to ponder Isabella's question. "I think she would be the last person I thought of at night and the first person I thought of each morning. You know, not having to consciously think of them. Thoughts of them would always be there, in my head and in my heart," Kelsey said softly. A smile crossed her face just thinking about ever feeling that way about someone. "What about you?"

"It would be feeling the other person's heartbeat. Not just with your hand over their chest, but you could feel their love beating inside of you and your love beating inside of them. You could feel their love in a look, a touch, or even a thought. Not so much knowing what they're thinking, but I would hope they could feel the love in my heart for them. I know that sounds dumb, but I think when I fall in love, my heart will know their heart."

"That's not dumb at all!" Kelsey exclaimed. "I get it. My heart knew my girlfriend didn't want the same things I did and those other women were not forever for me. I could feel it in my heart, just as you explained." She reached over and squeezed Isabella's hand. "Honeymoon Beach has turned us introspective, I think."

Isabella chuckled. "Yeah, what's wrong with us? We should be snorkeling and laughing."

"Let's go," Kelsey said, getting up and holding out her hand to Isabella.

"Wait, Kelsey, look at me," Isabella said, holding onto her hand.

"What?"

Isabella smiled. "Your eyes are blue now."

"They aren't as blue as yours."

Isabella furrowed her brow. "What?"

"Yours are as pretty as the water. Mine aren't the only ones that change. Yours get brighter blue and then other times they're a little darker."

"Damn, we are beautiful women," Isabella said.

Kelsey laughed. "Own it!"

They got their snorkels and fins then waded into the water. Kelsey held Isabella's mask and snorkel while she put her fins on then Isabella did the same for Kelsey.

"I'm not sure about this, but let's see what it's like," Kelsey said.

They put their faces in the water and off they paddled. From time to time they'd stop and excitedly talk about what they'd seen.

"Let's turn around and go back," Isabella said after a while.

It didn't take them long to get back to where they'd started and they traipsed back to their towel, both breathing hard.

"That was incredible," Isabella said.

"I can't believe we actually saw a sea turtle," Kelsey said, pulling the lunch bag out of her backpack.

"This has been the best day and we haven't even been to Peaches yet!" Isabella exclaimed then laughed.

They dug into the food the resort had packed for them and talked about all they'd discovered in the water.

"Let's go again," Kelsey said. "Only this time we'll go the other direction."

"Okay. I'm ready when you are," Isabella said. "I can't stop smiling."

Kelsey chuckled. "Why would you?" She watched Isabella for a few moments and it struck her how free and alive she felt. For so long Kelsey had done what her girls needed, but right now she could do what she needed. As she gazed at Isabella she couldn't help but wonder if she felt the same way.

"You look so beautiful," Kelsey said quietly.

Isabella looked over at her and laughed. "Oh, I'm sure I do. My hair is plastered to my head and there are marks on my face where my mask rested."

"That doesn't matter. You should see how radiant your smile is and how bright your eyes are."

"Thanks, Kels," Isabella said. "Now that I look at you..."

"What?"

"You're right. We may look a mess in some ways, but it's just us. We have no real responsibilities except to enjoy this day. That's what's on our face. It's joy," Isabella said.

Kelsey nodded. "It's joy," she said, staring at Isabella.

They stayed like that for a moment, simply staring at each other and smiling.

"Are you ready to go again?" Isabella asked.

"Let's go," Kelsey replied, getting up and reaching for her snorkel and fins.

They waded back into the water and, feeling more confident this time, they swam in the other direction. There were so many brightly colored fish and another sea turtle.

Once they were back at their place on the beach Isabella said, "We have to take a picture in our masks and snorkels."

"We're not working on the blog yet," Kelsey said.

"I know that. We have to take a picture for us!" Isabella exclaimed.

Kelsey put the mask back on and sidled up next to Isabella. She took several selfies then put their gear into the backpack.

"Stand by the leaning palm, Kels. I want a picture of you," Isabella said.

"We both should be in it. Maybe we could get one of them to take a picture of us," Kelsey said, pointing to a small group walking down the beach.

Isabella waved them over and a woman was happy to snap a few pictures of them by the leaning palm.

"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a cold beer," Kelsey said, sitting back on the towel.

"Oh, that sounds heavenly. Should I text Sylvie and tell her to come get us?"

"Let's lie back and soak in this beautiful place for a few minutes. Then we can go," Kelsey said.

"I want to remember everything," Isabella said, leaning back on the towel next to Kelsey.