Chapter 64 - Sun Is Out (2)
Angela leaned over the rail of her balcony, a small smile painted her face as she looked over the view in front of her. Meanwhile, Gael stood next to her—his view was her.
His stare traced the outline of her side profile, from her brows and long lashes to her rosy cheeks, pointy nose, and soft lips—it was as though he wanted to memorize every detail of her.
A part of him didn't want to answer her question, but he had to. "Yes."
"Really?" Angela finally turned to face him seemingly excited, her eyes looking dazzling. "So I can go home now?"
"What about your ex?"
"He's probably already gone by now. My brother told me I can go back as long as I take the flight that arrives late in the evening."
It took him a few seconds before he could ask, "You really want to leave?"
Angela was baffled, unsure of what he meant by his question. "Well… I can't really stay here forever. Although I did say I could stay longer... but seeing the weather right now, I honestly can't wait to go home."
Gael turned his head and scanned the beachfront. It was indeed a wonderful day today. Different hues of green, blue, and yellow brightened the entire place—such a huge contrast compared to the past few days. Taking a deep breath, he looked at her again and met her waiting gaze. There was something with the way she looked at him that he couldn't decipher. And he didn't understand why it was tugging at his chest.
"Spend the day with me." He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Our last day on the island before we go back to our lives. I'll forget about the book and then I'll bring you home tonight. What do you say?"
A mixture of emotions rushed through her body because of what he said and how he held her hand whilst not knowing exactly what he was asking for. And as if she was caught under his spell, she returned his gaze and nodded. "Okay…"
…
Angela felt a flutter in her stomach and her mind raced as she processed what just happened. Gael asked so nicely and there were no traces of his usual cockiness.
The room service that she ordered had arrived right after she agreed to his request. Then, he excused himself and told her that he'll be back in an hour, so she could take her time to eat.
She was in a trance when she agreed, and it was only after he left her suite when she was able to question what that was about. However, all she could think about now was how he wanted to "spend the day together". After what happened last night, she didn't know what to expect later.
…
True to his words, Gael showed up an hour later. Contrary to how his expression looked unreadable earlier, he seemed to have returned to his usual self. With a lopsided grin on his handsome face, he extended his hand towards her and asked, "Ready?"
Angela glanced at his waiting hand and hesitated, so she kept her hands to her side and smiled. "Where are we going?"
"I have no idea." He grabbed her hand and started walking towards the elevator with her in tow.
"Wha—Wait… What do you mean you have no idea?" She gulped, feeling the gentle warmth of his hand on hers.
The elevator car arrived right away. They stepped inside and he pressed a button as he responded, "Just like what I said. I have no idea. I haven't explored the island before... I guess I'll do that now." Gael saw her staring at their hands and he cocked a brow in question. "What?"
"Is this… Is this really okay?" she asked. "Wouldn't there be anyone who will get mad?"
He was seriously confused at her questioning and it was evident by the furrows between his brows. "Why would anyone get mad? Are you gonna get mad?"
Angela lifted her gaze at him and she shook her head. "No…?"
"Well, I'm not either." He shrugged.
She wanted to ask him a question that's been bothering her, but deep inside, she knew that it scared her to know the real truth. What's more, he sounded so confident just now that it made her think he wasn't seeing anyone. Maybe he really wasn't.
Reaching the entrance of the hotel, she saw two beach cruiser bicycles parked in front—one was black and the other was off-white. "Oh, how cute!" she commented, a smile forming on her face as she thought how nice it would be to ride on one around the area.
"Pick one," he said.
Angela snapped her head towards him. "Wait, are you serious? These are for us?" She chuckled when he nodded and her eyes sparkled as she suddenly got excited for wherever they were headed to.
She picked the off-white beach cruiser bicycle, so Gael naturally had the other one. Because she was wearing a tank top and a pair of short shorts, she made sure that she wore sunscreen before leaving her suite knowing that they would be out in the sun the whole afternoon. With this in mind, Angela handed a small bottle of sunscreen to him which he hesitantly received at first but gave in and applied it to his skin anyway.
Soon, they pedaled out of the resort and into the main road of Hillberry Isle. And just like that, her worries vanished, feeling nothing but pure joy and excitement as she and Gael rode their bikes.
The long road was clean and there were no cars in sight. Green grass stretched on their left while the blue waters to their right sparkled under the sunshine. Enjoying the smiling sun and the cool breeze by the sea, their afternoon definitely started right.
"Angela, coffee or tea?" Gael asked as they cruised side by side.
She gave him a side-eyed glance. "Do you really have to ask?"
"Cappuccino it is." He could only shake his head in surrender. "I heard there's a cafe ten minutes ahead."
The corners of her mouth curved up into a bright and beautiful smile—it was almost blinding. "Then I'll race you there! Last one's paying!" she exclaimed just as she sped up and left him behind, laughing when she heard him call her a cheater.