Page 28 of Escape To Paradise
Julian joined the guests at the breakfast table, and I busied myself finishing up breakfast. Kathleen worked fast, and she was halfway done with the lunch sandwiches. Zofia was serving the guests their breakfast. I scanned the itinerary for the day again.
Tet Paul Nature hike
Piton Falls
Sulphur Springs
I made a mental note to take two boxes of protein bars for the trip and make sure that the guests take two large bottles of water. Our guests would need it. They were younger, with the oldest couple in their late fifties. We even had teenagers in the group. But most looked fit.
The guests were told that the first batch should be ready by 9:30 a.m. Paul instructed them to bring sunscreen or sunblock, swimsuits, a change of clothes, towels, and good hiking shoes. Paul was going to be taking a few trips on the dinghy to transport everyone.
If we were going with the guests, we would have to carry the food in our backpacks. Zofia and Kathleen packed two large backpacks with the food and drinks. It was going to be bulky but not heavy. That’s why I only packed subway sandwiches, so it wouldn’t add more weight to our trip.
Zofia and Kathleen were part of the first batch to get to the shore. Julian and I were amongst the second batch of guests. Julian sat next to me and helped carry my backpack, which was full of snacks—protein bars, chocolates, and juice packs. The boat ride just took 15 minutes, and Paul calmly maneuvered the boat to the shore despite some slight winds.
Soon, Paul was leading the group to the two hired vans and their designated drivers. I was the only crew member in the second van. Paul and the girls were in the first. Julian sat next to me at the very back. He was wearing shorts, and I wore leggings with a white T-shirt. I also had my hair in a bun. He pressed his leg against mine, even though there was more room.
The guests were busy laughing and joking amongst themselves, with Julian joining in the laughter. I tried to shift my position so our legs wouldn’t touch. The van started moving, and it was fine for a while until we hit the bumpy parts. Once it did, I found myself not only pressed against Julian’s leg, but touching it, so I wouldn’t fall over. Julian smiled as I also touched his chest.
“Are you okay?” he asked. His eyes were mesmerizing. I’ve never been this close to him before.
“I’m good. I’m good.” I suddenly became self-conscious.
“Be careful. It might get rough again.” He said as the van started shaking.
The rough road went on for several more minutes until we got to our destination.
This would not be a lazy day for sure. Our first destination was Tet Paul Nature Trail, which was going to take forty-five minutes, the driver had said. He pointed us out to the local guide that was waiting for the group. Our guide’s name was Martin. He was a fit young local in his early twenties, who spoke perfect English. He told us to bring some water and food and to make sure we were not carrying too much load. Although the hike to the top wasn’t too strenuous, a lighter load would make our hike more enjoyable.
I handed out the water, snacks, and protein bars to the guests. It would be hard for me to carry all that load to the top. We left our sandwiches in the van.
The guests put sunblock on each other. Julian rubbed on himself, and then he asked me if I could put some on his nape and upper back. I was apprehensive about doing so at first but decided there wasn’t really anything to it. He was over six feet tall, and I was only five foot six, so he had to bend down. He had a very muscular, well-toned body, which I felt as I rubbed him with lotion.
After I finished lathering him, he offered to lather my back. I declined. That would have been too provocative. He offered to carry my backpack for me, and he was so insistent, I relented.
We followed the guide up the steps. The steps were carved from the ground, without using concrete, and there was a wooden rail on the side we could hold on to. The steps were not very steep, but as we ascended, my calves felt it, so I held on to the wooden rail.
The girls went up with the first batch of guests, so I was the last one. I was following Julian. After thirty minutes, I started breathing heavily. Julian could obviously hear me because he turned around and asked if I was okay.
“I’m okay. I’m just not used to hiking,” I said, pausing to catch my breath. I could still talk, but I couldn’t talk and breathe at the same time.
Julian stopped and offered me some water.
“It’s in the backpack.” I tried to hide the fact that I was breathless, but he could obviously see it. I was sweating. I wasn’t a very fit person. I had a slim frame and body, but I’d never really exercised or went on hikes. My life was centered on running my business.
Julian handed me the water bottle. I surprised myself by gulping the contents down quickly, leaving only a quarter of the water.
“You’re really thirsty,” Julian commented.
“I know. I didn’t expect that.” I laughed. “I’ll hold on to this.” I was going to take small sips on my way up.
When we reached the top, I was glad. The view was amazing. We could see the Pitons, the spiky mountains created from an ancient volcano. We could also see the islands of Martinique and St. Vincent in the distance. It was worth all the effort.
The guests started hydrating and eating their protein bar. Then, everyone took pictures. I whipped up my phone and took a selfie. Julian offered to take my picture, but I asked him to join in the picture instead. I also helped take his photo along with the photo of the other guests. Then the girls and I took a selfie of us making faces.
The girls were being girls as always, being happy and giggling. I noticed, though, that Zofia asked if Paul wanted a picture. Paul was always very uptight and professional, but he obliged. He joined us in our selfie. But he couldn’t make a silly face; he just smiled. Zofia’s body language changed around Paul. She walked close to him and kept touching him whenever they were talking. I asked Kathleen if there was something going on between the two.
“Well, it seems that way. There’s definitely chemistry there,” Kathleen noted.
