Illumine Her (20 page)

They shifted over dry pebbles until the stream widened, and they were forced to wade in water. When the water dipped low into miniature cascades, Alana and Chase moved along the side of the bank. The noise of chattering and laughing from their group slowly faded away, replaced by the river’s gurgling and soft trickling of water over rocks and fallen branches. Alana began to wonder where they were going. The ache in her foot was building in intensity, and she shuffled one in front of the other to make the journey as comfortable as possible. She stifled a pained moan when it came in contact with a concealed rock.

“How much further?” she asked, breathless.

“About half a mile.”

Her face fell. There was no way she could last that much longer. Biting her lip, she straightened her spine and kept up the pretense. She was sorely regretting her decision to follow him, and after they trailed in silence for ten minutes, she couldn’t take it anymore. She gasped and doubled over. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over, and she ducked her head so her hair covered her face.

Without a word, Chase lifted her gently, as if she weighed nothing, encircling his arms to support her back and legs.

“I’ve got you,” he spoke softly.

Alana shrilled. “What are you doing?” She was horrified and embarrassed that he was right there, holding her against his chest, leaving little space between them. She also knew her weight didn’t equivalent that of a feather, and she panicked. “Put me down, Chase, right now!” She struggled against his arms which only made him tighten his stronghold.

“Your little stubborn tantrum has gone on long enough,” he quietly scolded as he stood firmly and started walking along the stream. “Your pride is big enough to fill that entire pool. You don’t have to prove your strength by going on hurting yourself over and over again. I got the message loud and clear.”

“I can walk just fine!” she protested.

“There you go again with your honesty,” he deadpanned, his strides never faltering.

“I don’t need you or anyone else to rescue me,” she whined. “I’m a strong and independent woman.” Alana ignored the fact that she sounded more like a petulant child at the moment.

Chase exhaled on a chuckle, his breath warming her forehead. “I have no doubt that you are, Alana. But the fact is, your ankle is sprained and being the kind-hearted friend that I am, I’m simply helping you out.”

She furrowed her brows and pinched her lips. She didn’t know what to say to that. She became all too aware again that she was cradled against his exposed torso, and his skin warmed her through her damp swimsuit and shorts. She was so close to him that if she leaned into his firm chest, she could probably hear his strong heartbeat. Alana cut off that train of thought immediately.

“Besides—” his mouth turned into a grin “—I’m flattered you fell head over heels for me. This is the least I can do since I was the cause of your injury.”

Alana gasped and smacked his chest. Chase threw his head back and laughed freely. She stared up into his exposed neck and observed how handsome he looked when he was jovial. His laugh was a deep rumble, carefree and contagious, and she couldn’t help the first stirrings of a smile. When she giggled, Chase stopped and looked down at her, his joyful blue eyes piercing through her. Alana sucked in a breath, and his smile softened.

“That’s better. You know, it’s okay to laugh at yourself now and again.”

Her smile developed into a groan, and she swatted him again in the arm as humor danced in his eyes.

“Oh God that was so embarrassing,” she mumbled into her hands when she took them to cover her face.

“I thought you fell with grace,” he teased.

She groaned again.

“We’re here,” he said, nodding ahead.

Chapter 15

A
lana dropped her hands and looked around. A quaint little cove greeted her. A small pool of water was surrounded by wild shrubbery with tropical vines dangling over the water’s stream. A cascade of water fell softly and formed a small waterfall that wrapped around the edge of the pool. Alana inhaled sharply. It was one of the most breathtaking places she had ever laid her eyes on, and she was puzzled that Chase knew of its existence.

“I didn’t know this was here.”

“Not many people do.” He walked along the edge of the pool until they were beside the trickling water where he ducked through, soaking them both.

They emerged inside a cave nestled in darkness, accompanied by the echo of dripping water. The cave’s roof was tall enough that Chase could stand upright without hunching over. He lowered Alana onto a smooth rock and went to stand on the opposite side of the wall.

“This place is beautiful. How did you find it?” she asked.

He shrugged. “A few years back. It used to be a popular water hole for the locals until the sliding rocks were discovered.”

Alana eyed him speculatively. “How many times have you been to Samoa?”

“I've made quite a few trips,” he answered vaguely, looking beyond the cascade.

Chase settled himself on a rock with his legs bent and elbows resting on his knees. They were sheltered in a cavern that was illuminated softly by the light that came through the waterfall. Darkness loomed in a hollow tunnel to Alana's left that stretched further than she could see. She was curious where it led but didn’t have the energy to get up and find out. Nor did she want to come face to face with any black mammals with wings she was sure would flutter out if they got spooked by intruders. The cave was significantly cooler than the outside, and Alana visibly relaxed in its cozy atmosphere.

“It’s peaceful here. Exactly the kind of place I would come for solace. Except next time I’d probably pack a few books, some snacks, maybe a mat to sleep on,” she said smiling.

She was already in love with this little slice of heaven and could see herself visiting again. Her pleasure showed on her face as she drank in their surroundings.

“I thought you might like it,” Chase said watching her. “After all, I was starting to get a buzz kill from your vibes back there,” he added. “Thought you might need a change in scenery before you killed yourself.” He nodded towards her foot and Alana snorted.

She had forgotten all about the dull ache in her ankle that now stretched lazily in front of her. She looked away uncomfortably and contemplated his story. Chase was a puzzle, and she was slowly putting together the pieces by what he had revealed to her, but it wasn’t enough. She had so many questions and now was the perfect time to get down to the answers.

“What types of books do you read?” His question was unexpected, startling her out of her thoughts.

She smiled.
Nice try, attempting to deflect me
, she thought. Chase grinned slowly at her realization. Alana paused and decided to humor him for a little moment.
If only to gain his trust
, she silently concluded.

“I read everything. From the classics to mystery, chick lit to paranormal,” she answered. When he nodded, she was encouraged to continue. “I’m going to sound like such a girl, but I suppose my favorite books are ones with a love story.”

Chase shrugged at her confession. “Some of the world’s greatest stories are born from love—between a parent and a child, a couple, two best friends. It’s an emotion guaranteed to be there at the beginning and at the very end of life.”

Alana eyed him curiously. “And the rest?”

Chase shrugged. “Well, that’s up to us to fill that void. Through our choices and decisions.” She was quiet, contemplating his statement.

“What’s your favorite quote?” he pressed on.

Alana sighed. “Where do I begin? There’s too many that have impressed me to this day. But I guess if I were to go with one relevant to my life right now, it would have to be ‘The world owes you nothing. It was here first,’” she said dryly.

“Mark Twain,” Chase acknowledged.

Alana gave him a tight smile. “Life sure isn’t a box of chocolates or a bouquet of flowers,” she said tonelessly. “It churns you around and spits you out when you’re at the most vulnerable. Then it steps back and asks, ‘Did you learn something from that? No? Then let’s do it again.’”

Chase examined her silently. “Is that how you view your life?”

Alana shrugged nonchalantly. “I'm sure you’ve heard the cliché ‘Life’s a struggle, life’s a climb.’ Well, my hike has been more like a slippery muddy slide where I accomplish more face plants than anything.”

He regarded her with a thoughtful expression. “Nothing that’s dished out to you goes beyond your capacity.”

Alana snorted.

“What? You don’t believe me?” he asked with a grin. “You’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”

She was quiet before her mouth twitched into a smile. “Did you just quote Winnie the Pooh?”

Chase returned her grin. “Christopher Robin in fact.”

She laughed out loud, sending an echo throughout the cave. “Okay, enough with the cheesy quotes already!” she exclaimed. “I’m not even going to ask how you know Pooh Bear stories. I have little cousins so that’s my excuse.”

“Okay then.” He smirked. “What’s the one thing you want to do but fear you won’t ever achieve?”

Alana eyed him with bewilderment. “What is it with these deep questions?”

Chase extended his arms effectively puffing out his chest in the process. “Call it curiosity. You interest me, Alana, and I want to know what gets to you.”

Alana sat back and contemplated his question. She couldn’t remember a time when she had a conversation like this. When someone asked her questions, it rarely went beyond the usual “What did you have for lunch?” or “Did you watch Star Search last night? Wasn’t that girl’s voice
pa’ulua
?” Plus it wasn’t in her nature to talk about herself in this manner. It was always something she kept inside; her dreams and aspirations were never topics she would openly talk about with people beyond her immediate family. This didn’t mean she lacked hopes and goals or that she never thought about them. She thought about them all the time, being the dreamer that she was. But to share them aloud with someone she barely knew? Never.

Chase watched her intently as her mind worked. Alana gazed back at him and frowned.

“I thought you could just read it through my aura,” she pointed out.

“Yes, I can see your emotions. When you’re angry, upset, joyful, hurt. Believe me, it’s entertaining.” His lips tugged upward when he spoke. “But I want to know what goes on in that pretty head of yours to make you feel the way you do.”

Her face heated. She couldn’t help it. The man was forward, if not persistent. She considered his question seriously before she spoke.

“For the longest time, I was driven to study hard and graduate from nursing school, to make my parents proud, to make my extended family proud, to be an example for my younger cousins—a role model if you’d like. It’s not easy to win a scholarship in this country, but I worked hard, and when I was awarded one, I was ecstatic. My parents were thrilled. When they’re happy, I’m happy. I could finally go overseas and achieve my academic dreams, and then I graduated and came back. The pressure to succeed has always been there and also the fear of losing something I’ve worked so hard to gain. Now, I serve my community by paying off my scholarship bond, I help my family by supporting them financially whenever I can, and I assist my mother with whatever errands she needs to get done.”

Chase sat back. “That’s very honorable, Alana,” he commented. “I’ve always admired the family dynamic and sense of community in this country. The Pacific Islands have always shone when it comes to family obligations—sacrificing one’s life to serve their parents and extended family. It’s admirable, but I can’t help but wonder where the individual fits into it all; the line blurs easily between the community and the individual. Where do you fit into this, Alana?”