Page 6 of Paparazzi Perfect
I nodded in agreement as we suited up.
“Archie would be proud of us.” I grinned as we headed out to the track. “Who knows, maybe we’ll even manage to crack twenty-five miles an hour.”
Dyson laughed. “He was such a fanatic all through school. Should have known he’d end up in F1.” He pulled his gloves on before we strapped in.
“His dad probably bought McLaren just so he could drive for them.” I smirked and gripped the wheel. “Don’t stress, I’ll take it easy on you.” I slammed down on the throttle, the car leaping forward as I took the lead.
Dyson cut inside at the next corner, flying past me with a wave. We traded the lead a few times before grinding to a halt, climbing out and pulling off our helmets.
“You bastard,” he said, slapping my back.
“Sorry,” I laughed. “Couldn’t resist.”
“Let’s go again.” He was already back in the driver’s seat.
We spent the next hour tearing around the racetrack, pushing harder through every corner as we tried to outrun each other before finally heading back to the car.
“I found a cool spot online where we can go for a swim before lunch,” Dyson said, swinging himself into the seat before firing up the motor.
“What are we waiting for?” I cranked up the A/C to max.
A few minutes later, he pulled up under a cluster of palm trees. “Now this is what I’m talking about.”
“Nice. You struck gold.” My gaze followed the stretch of untouched white sand. “It’s like our own private beach.”
“Who knew sometimes the reviews are actually right?” He dropped onto his towel, tossed his cap over his face, stretching out beneath the sun. “I’m chilling.”
I threw my towel onto the sand and jogged toward the water, wading in before diving beneath the surface. The not-quite-cool water wrapped around me like silk, soothing my hot skin.
I lay back, staring up at the endless blue sky as the gentle waves carried me.I’ve got months of this ahead of me...This was the part I’d worked toward and counted down to.
No expectations.No schedule. Just freedom.After this, everything ramps up again.
I wondered who we’d meet. Who might become part of it all, and what life would look like for me beyond college… beyond working for my father.
After swimming back to shore, I crept up behind Dyson and shook my wet hair all over him.
He jumped up and tackled me to the sand. “You jerk!” We wrestled, laughing like complete idiots.
“Race you!” He broke free and bolted toward the water.
***
It’d been a hell of a week on the island…
Swimming and eating like kings. Sleeping whenever we felt like it and exploring every chance we got.
Now we stood on the deck of the scuba boat in wetsuits, tanks, masks, and fins, eager for our first reef dive.
“Good thing school insisted we get our diving certification, even if training with Mr. Faulkner was pure torture.” I cringed at the memory.
“Hell yeah, he was a tyrant,” Dyson said as our dive instructor approached and introduced herself to the group as Kareena.
She looked around our age and had a soft Spanish accent. Dyson was done for the second he saw her. I smiled as he shamelessly tried to catch her eye while she briefed the group.
As we moved to the edge of the boat, I gazed out into the vast blue wilderness and exhaled. Out here, there was nothing to think about except the ocean stretching endlessly around us.
I braced myself—mask in place, regulator secured—then pushed off. The water swallowed me whole. I steadied my breathing, then dropped beneath the surface… into another world.
