He shook his head and then chuckled. “Alright. I guess that’s fair.”

  He shook his almost dry hair and stood next to his board, bringing his hand up to the rail. He jokingly threw up the hang ten sign as Zoe snapped the picture, giggling. She looked at it, once again chewing on her lip. She felt him pull her to him and lifted the camera up.

  “Didn’t you say we needed to take a selfie together?” he asked, chuckling as he snapped several pictures.

  She laughed and stepped away from him as he proceeded to slip his board in its protective cover. She glanced at the pictures he took and fought the sadness developing within her. She was going to miss him. She was going to miss what could have been.

  “I’m going to start loading up.”

  She nodded. Twenty minutes later they were on the road. They didn’t talk the entire way back to Surfer’s Ridge Hotel, only holding each other’s hand. Both had their minds elsewhere. As he pulled up in front of her room, he turned to her, leaning in to kiss her.

  “I won’t forget anything about my time with you,” he said honestly.

  He let his fingers run down her cheek. Zoe felt a tear slip out before she could stop it. His thumb popped up and wiped it away. He wanted to say that he thought he might be in love with her, that he wished she would reconsider seeing him in New York. He wanted to tell her that he was hurting as well and that he didn’t want what they had to end. But, he couldn’t do that to her. He wouldn’t make her feel bad about the choice she made.

  “I’m going to… miss you,” he said, his voice straining with his unspoken emotion.

  Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck, the tears freely flowing. “I’m going to miss you, too.”

  Masen held her tightly, feeling the steady rise and fall of her chest. His hand went to the back of her head as he buried his nose in her hair. The tears fell from his eyes as well. His heart was breaking along with hers. He had never felt this way before and he questioned whether he would again. Time was against him though. He desperately wanted to sit with her longer but he knew he had to leave. He had exactly two hours to get to the airport and check all his equipment. Much to his dismay, he had to go. He pulled back from her and held her tearful face in his hands.

  “You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.” He kissed her softly on the lips before saying the words he knew would alter him forever. “Goodbye, Zoe.”

  She swallowed and nodded, kissing him quickly, one last time. “Goodbye, Masen.”

  She quickly snatched her bag from the back seat and ran her hand through her hair. She started walking toward her door, forcing herself not to look back. She couldn’t see him drive off. As her hand touched the door knob, she heard the car pull away. Only then did she allow herself to glance back. He was merging out of the parking lot and on to the main road. She looked down and took a deep breath, wiping her eyes once more before opening the door.

  “Summer?” Zoe called out.

  Summer looked up and saw that Zoe’s eyes were red. The minute she saw her, Zoe burst into tears. Summer leapt up and ran to her. Zoe wrapped her arms around her friend and let the tears fall as did Summer. Both women dropped to their knees and sat near the door, holding each other. Zoe crying over the man she surely loved that she had been forced to reject and Summer crying over the man she loved that had rejected her. The islands had given and then taken away just like the waves hitting the rocky shore.

  16 Last Hurrah!

  T he cool breeze blew Zoe’s hair out of her face. This was their last day on the island, but in reality, Zoe’s last day was the day Masen left. The girls had spent all of yesterday inside. Zoe had told Summer all about her time with Masen and how hard it was to not take him up on his offer to see each other in New York. Of course, Summer had her own issues to deal with. She had told her friend everything that had transpired with Ethan. How they had really connected with one another but that he had found out about her working for Webster, Inc. and thought she was another gold digger that couldn’t be trusted.

  The reality was that neither Summer nor Zoe felt like they wanted to be ‘in’ the Bahamas anymore. Summer was desperate to get back to New York. She was confident that if she and Ethan could sit down and talk that they would find a way to work things out. Zoe wasn’t so sure about that. She also wasn’t as confident in her previous decision related to not pursuing a relationship with Masen. She was already second guessing herself and wondering if she jumped the gun. She didn’t know what she wanted anymore. Her mind had been flooded with ‘what if’ scenarios since she and Masen had said their goodbyes.

  What if they started dating and he was forced to do something illegal? What if they started dating and he got bored with her or left her for some other woman? What if she had never met him, would she still be as miserable as she was right now? What if on her way to Starbucks she ran into him, would she talk to him, act like they hadn’t spent three incredible days with each other or would she throw herself into his arms and kiss him passionately? She heard movement inside the room and saw Summer flittering about.

  “Summer,” Zoe called out, rising to her feet.

  Summer looked up as Zoe entered the living room.

  “Let’s go to the beach,” she said excited. “This is our last day here. Then we are back to New York.” She placed her arm around Summer’s shoulders. “Back to smog.”

  “And Starbucks,” Summer added.

  “Back to the train,” Zoe continued.

  “And shopping,” Summer smiled.

  “Back to loud noises and people everywhere,” Zoe smirked.

  “And Chinese Food,” Summer giggled.

  Zoe laughed, Summer and her Chinese food were legendary. The local Chinese restaurant near their apartment, Ming’s, seemed to have her order ready before she even called it in. They know her by first name and actually send her gift cards for her birthday. Yes, Summer adored her Kung Pao chicken, her pork dumplings and special rice. Zoe shook her head and rolled her eyes.

  “The point is, we won’t get the opportunity to actually be on a perfect beach again for a very long time because, girl, it’s gonna take years to save up for another trip like this,” Zoe finished with an arch of her brow.

  Summer laughed. “That is so true.”

  They had indeed used up most of their savings account on this trip. So much so that she was probably going to have to forfeit her clothes allowance for the next few months just to make up for some of the costs. But it was worth it. She had met, and lost, Ethan. But she wasn’t going to dwell on the lost part, only the met part.

  “Sounds good, Zoe. We have time for one last hurrah in the sand,” Summer said determined.

  “Damn right!”

  The girls spent the next twenty minutes gathering their things before making the trek to Surfer’s Beach. They found a spot fairly easily and set up their umbrella and blanket, preparing for a leisurely day before they had to pack and head home. They enjoyed the sun for several hours. Taking in the rays and chatting about what they planned on doing when they got home. It was decided that once they got back to Queens they would be hitting up Ming’s because Summer needed her fix big time. As far as Zoe was concerned, she would enjoy the comfort of her own bed and her morning Starbucks on the way to work. In a way, all she really wanted was to get her life back to normal. She didn’t want to think about Masen and what they had here on the island or what they could have had in New York. It was a moot point so why belabor it.

  “Hey, Zoe,” Zoe heard above her and opened one eye.

  She smiled. “Hey, Cory.”

  He kneeled down next to her. “Not surfing today?”

  Zoe laughed. “No, no board and,” she added solemnly, “I lost my teacher.”

  “I could go with you.” Cory offered.

  Zoe leaned up on her elbows and glanced over at Summer who was eyeing her speculatively. As much as Zoe would love to get on the waves again she couldn’t bring herself to say yes. That was something special she had with Masen and she felt strange doing it with someone else. She shook her head and laid back down, closing her eyes.

  “Thanks, Cory, but I’m just gonna soak up the sun on our last day,” she finally said.

  He laughed. “Alright, hey we are having a cook out tonight, you ladies should come by.”

  Zoe opened her eyes and smiled. “Maybe we will.”

  “You know where we’re at,” he said rising to his feet again and heading back to the shoreline.

  “So is that the Cory from near Masen’s cabin?”

  Zoe nodded and rolled over, observing Summer. She had told Summer all about her time with Masen. At first, she hadn’t wanted to say anything seeing as her time with Ethan had ended badly but Summer insisted on knowing every detail of their encounter. Summer loved it. She thought that Masen and Zoe had something special, something that was meant to be. She also thought that Zoe should see Masen in New York regardless of his family's ‘connections’.

  “So, do you want to go over there tonight?” Summer continued.

  “If you want to, we can.”

  “Oh God, Zoe, come on, let’s do it. I’ve been moping around about Ethan for four days now. Let’s go to a party.”

  Zoe laughed and nodded. “Alright, alright. We’ll go.”

  ~*~

  Zoe’s heart beat fast as they pulled up to the cove. She wasn’t exactly sure how to get to Cory’s other than walking along the path that Masen had taken her. She parked in front of the cabin that she had shared with Masen. She half expected to see him burst through the door in board shorts and an undershirt. But of course, he didn’t. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and quickly got out of the vehicle. She came around the car and smiled at Summer, taking her hand as they walked past the cabin and towards the shore.

  “Oh Zoe,” Summer said stopping.

  The beach was stunning with the sun setting above it. Zoe looked in the direction that Summer was and involuntarily smiled. She had seen four sunsets with Masen, all of them completely amazing and memorable. Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement and looked toward the shore itself. She breathed in deeply as she saw her and Masen walking hand in hand, on the last night they were together.

  She and Masen were headed back to his cabin. She could tell that she had not given him the answer he had wanted to hear. Hell, she hadn’t said the answer she wanted to say either. He was walking in silence with a contemplative look on his face when suddenly he brought her hand up and lightly kissed her wrist. A motion that immediately sent chills across her skin. He moved her hair behind her ear, smiling that smile that made her insides do back flips, and made her wonder if she was making the right choice.

  “I wish I had my camera to capture just how beautiful you look right now.”

  Zoe crinkled her nose, embarrassed and then playfully nudged him. “We’ll have to do a selfie together because months down the road I’ll think this whole thing was a dream.”

  He stopped walking and leaned down, kissing her. It started out gentle and sweet but turned into so much more. Pulling her closer to him he allowed his hands to move up and down her body until finally picking her up and cradling her bridal style as he kissed her again. Zoe rested her head on his shoulders as he carried her up the path to the cabin.

  “Zoe, this is so beautiful,” Summer said, nudging her slightly, effectively bringing her out of her memory.

  Zoe nodded, trying to find her voice. “It is,” she finally said woefully.

  “Are you okay?” Summer asked concerned.

  She took a quick breathe and tried to muster a smile. “I will be,” she replied confidently. “Come on, let’s go eat. Cory and the guys really know how to throw down.”

  “Well, that’s good because I’m starvin’.” She tugged on Zoe’s hand. “I think we should both enjoy ourselves, don’t you?”

  “Indeed.”

  They continued along the path until they reached a cabin with a lot of people milling about. There was a fire in the pit outside and another couple already in the lounge chair that Zoe and Masen had previously occupied. They could hear music coming from inside as well as laughter and a lot of dialogue amongst various people.

  “Zoe, you made it,” Cory greeted them.

  “Cory, this is my best friend, Summer.”

  “Nice to meet you, Summer.”

  “Likewise.”

  “Food’s in the house, drinks are over there,” he said motioning toward a huge tub filled with ice and beer.

  “Thanks,” they both said in unison.

  Summer and Zoe made their rounds, talking to a few people along the way. Many Zoe recognized from the party she and Masen had attended. Idle chit chat ensued as they nibbled on food and sipped on beer for several hours. Unfortunately, everywhere Zoe looked she could see Masen. He was like a ghost, haunting her, reminding her of what she gave up, and what she could never replace.

  “Did Masen show you his photographs?” Cory asked leaning against the counter near Zoe and Summer.

  “Yes, he did. He’s a brilliant photographer,” Zoe stated proudly.

  “He never showed me anything of the island but I saw some of his work in Time magazine.”

  Zoe nodded, not sure what else she should say. She glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. “Thanks for inviting us, Cory. I think we’re going to head out. We still have to pack and get ready to leave tomorrow.”

  “Maybe I’ll catch ya around sometime.”

  Zoe smiled at him. He was really sweet but she couldn’t imagine seeing him around anytime soon. She took Summer’s hand as they started to make their way to the door. She was desperate to leave. There was just too much of Masen here which was making it difficult for her to focus.

  “Zoe!” Cory shouted, stopping their movement.

  Zoe turned to him as he started walking toward her.

  “I know what Masen was looking for when he came to the island. We joked about it before but that night you two were here I could see that it wasn’t what he intended it to be.” He kneeled slightly so he could look in her eyes. “He really cared about you. You weren’t a game for him. I wanted you to know that.”

  Zoe’s eyes watered as she nodded. She wasn’t sure how to feel about what he said. She was simultaneously heartbroken and euphoric. She was glad to know that she wasn’t a fling to Masen but that didn’t suppress the ache she felt inside. Summer wrapped her arm around her friend and smiled at Cory.

  “Thank you,” Summer mouthed to him as they stepped out of the cabin to make the long trek home.

  ~*~

  “I think we got everything,” Summer exclaimed happily.

  Summer was done with the Bahamas. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy her time on the island but she had business to take care of in New York and the sooner she got home, the sooner she could make things right between her and Ethan. Zoe made one more cursory look throughout their room before grabbing her bags and heading to the car. Before leaving though, she found herself walking toward the path that led to the beach. Once there, she could see people surfing. She could see… Masen. It was as if he were really out there on the waves, moving effortlessly on the water, putting on a clinic to all observers, graceful and utterly gorgeous. Zoe sighed and looked to the ground. When she looked back up he was gone. No truer truth had been told.

  “Goodbye, Masen.”

  17 New York Minute

  S ummer held Zoe’s hand as they stepped out of JFK International Airport. The two friends smiled as the sounds of the city blasted around them. Car radios played at full volume, people were directing traffic, and two cab drivers were conversing in a foreign language, Hindi perhaps, all while business men spoke into their smartphones, trying their best to look important. It was loud, it was busy, it was incredibly humid, and it was … home.

  “Come on, woman, let’s go home,” Zoe said, watching Summer nod thoughtfully.

  Zoe hailed a cab and they made their trek to Queens. Zoe felt incredibly content as she watched the hustle and bustle occurring outside her window. She breathed in deeply, absorbing all the sights and sounds of the city she loved so much. The island was amazing. Her time with Masen was like a dream, a fantasy come to life, but this, New York, was reality, this was her truth. She knew that she would never forget Masen or the time they shared but she had to let him go. It was the only way.

  “That will be forty-eight dollars.”

  Zoe heard a deep voice in the front seat say. Summer handed him some cash and they gathered their belongings. Summer and Zoe lived in a nice two-bedroom apartment in Jackson Heights, across from several diners. It costs them a pretty penny, but it is worth it. They also weren’t far from the E Train, so it was a quick trip into Manhattan where Webster, Inc. was located. The girls took the stairs two at a time, both excited to finally be home, and when they reached the fourth floor they both bent over catching their breath.

  “I beat you,” Summer huffed between breathes.

  “Whatever, my bags landed first.”

  “As if, besides, that’s cheating.”

  “Funny, you don’t say that when you toss your purse ahead of me claiming it’s an extension of your arm.”

  Summer laughed. “Fine, you won, barely.”

  “Sore loser.” Zoe stuck out her tongue and proceeded to unlock their door.

  “Home sweet home,” Summer stated as both girls slid into the apartment.

  “Sure is,” Zoe replied, looking around their place.

  She nodded as a sense of security washed over her. She gathered her bags and brought them to her bedroom, placing everything on the bed. Taking a seat on the edge, she opened her satchel which held her computer. She set her computer on her desk and went back to withdraw the pictures that Masen had taken. She looked them over, focusing on every minute detail of the scene depicted. Every picture served as a distinct memory of her time with him. She felt an errant tear slip out and quickly wiped it away, sighing. Rising, she went to her dresser and laid them down.

  “Your usual, Zoe?” Summer hollered from down the hall.