AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After a few minutes at the beginning of the day going in a circle and hitting their paddles against each other because they couldn’t figure out how to work in tandem, Maisy and Xander had come up with a system for dipping their paddles at the same time to move forward. It was, Maisy thought, a rather apt metaphor for the way they’d learned to work together during this honeymoon. From the anger of the first day to the surprisingly tender moment they’d shared on the mountain yesterday during their ATV ride, things really had changed between them.
If only they hadn’t. Maisy had been enjoying the honeymoon with Xander a little too much. He made her laugh, made her try new things, and made her feel better about herself than she had in a long time. He made her feel like she was enough, just as she was — sometimes nervous, a little shy, but always open for an adventure.
Things had really come to a head yesterday on the ATV ride, when Maisy had reached for Xander’s hand on top of the mountain. She had meant to comfort him, but the feeling of Xander’s hand in hers had been so nice that she’d struggled to let go. It was good that he had pulled away first and resumed his usual carefree, teasing attitude.
The evening after their moment on the mountain had been a little off. They’d both been cautious around each other as they’d finished the ATV ride and stopped in town on the way home to pick up some Kanalean takeout. As they’d eaten the traditional coconut rice with blackened fish and wild greens back at home, they’d chatted, but it had been very superficial, as their past conversations had been. After dinner, Maisy had faked a yawn and retreated to the bedroom early, claiming tiredness after an afternoon in the sun.
Luckily, things felt more normal today, and they both seemed to be enjoying the kayak session, despite the photoshoot that had taken up most of their time so far.
“Maisy, hold on!”
Maisy lifted her paddle out of the water and set it across her knees. “What?”
“Look at that big root ahead. Are those turtles?”
Maisy squinted at the root, then her eyes widened. Sure enough, three small turtles were sunning themselves atop a large mangrove root that rose out of the water.
“Wow, you’re right! Let’s try to get closer, but slowly, so we don’t scare them. Paddle on three. One, two, three.”
They glided closer across the water. As they approached, one of the turtles slid from the root into the water and swam away, but the other two stayed put. One lifted his head and looked at Maisy with what she felt was a suspicious expression.
“They’re beautiful,” Maisy said, her voice low. “I think this is close enough.” She rested her paddle across her knees again and they glided a little closer before coming to a stop.
“They look really different out of the water,” Xander noted. Maisy nodded. She wished she could see him, but her position in the front of the kayak made that practically impossible. Instead, she focused on the turtles.
“They do.” She bit her lip. “This is no ATV ride, but it is pretty cool.”
“It really is. And look left — through the trees; I think I can see something pink. Maybe a flamingo?”
Maisy looked for the source of the pink and chuckled. “Xander, I’m pretty sure that’s another kayak. But good catch anyway.”
“Maybe my eyesight leaves something to be desired.” Xander chuckled. “I was thinking — what would you like to do this afternoon? Safa said we don’t have any activities scheduled. I was thinking it could be a chance for another swim. But we’d have to go together.”
“That’s fine. Like I said yesterday, I’ve forgiven you. I can stand to be around you now.” Maisy grinned in anticipation of the response, even though she knew Xander couldn’t see.
“Oh, the praise. I feel so special. You can stand to be around me. Those are the exact words I’ve always dreamed of hearing from a woman.”
“I know. That’s why I said them. Shall we keep going?”
“Sure.”
“Three, two, one, paddle!”
As they made their way through a watery passage between two towering mangroves that must have been older than Maisy by at least a few decades, Maisy couldn’t help imagining what she might have liked to say. It wasn’t just that she didn’t mind being around Xander — she actually liked spending time with him. Some part of her even wondered if the twin swap might not have been a mistake. She was certainly enjoying this honeymoon more with the wrong twin than she would have with the right one.
But Maisy was still going to return to Aenicea to marry Niko sooner or later, so there was no way she could say any of that. In the end, she’d be married to the right brother, and Xander would be nothing more than her brother-in-law.
Clack! Maisy was startled out of her reverie by the sound of their paddles smacking together.
“Sorry!” She lifted her paddle onto her knees. “I got out of rhythm.”
“It could have been me, too. And I have to admit, sitting in this little plastic seat is starting to get uncomfortable. What do you say we pull over on that little island and take a break?”
“Sure.” On Maisy’s count, they paddled to the island Xander had mentioned. The tip of the kayak scraped onto the sandy base of the island, and Maisy hopped off and pulled the boat further onto land. Her feet were ankle-deep in the salty water, but she didn’t mind. She had sandals on for just this kind of thing.
Xander hopped out of the kayak as well, with a rather scary wobble, and waded in to shore. He’d gotten out in a deeper part of the water, so he was soaked up to his knees. Luckily, he was also in shorts and sandals.
“So, kayaking isn’t your thing?” Maisy asked as she crossed the sandy part of the island to sit on a large root.
