Arranged Love (Complete)

Chapter 15 - Arriving on the Island

Eva took a deep breath in and let it out before reclining her chair back and closing her eyes. Pretty soon she was asleep.

"Eva wake up. We're here," Paulo said, gently shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes and tried to focus as she sat up groggily, looking around, still half out of it.

"We're here?" she asked in a gravelly voice, blinking.

"Yes we're here. It's time to go," he said unbuckling his seat belt and standing up, heading towards the plane door that had already been opened. She couldn't believe that she had slept through the landing. She stood up and followed him, going down the steps of the plane and she saw Paulo talking to a man in front of a black jeep with very large floodlights and a deer guard attached to the front. The crew from the plane started loading their luggage into the back of it.

"I'll take you in my Jeep over to where the boat is docked. We'll take the boat out to the island and I'll drop you off and then I'll come back at the end of the week to collect you."

"Ok sounds good," Paulo said shaking his hand as the men finished loading their luggage into the back and shut the door. Paulo looked over at Eva and she could feel a weird awkward tension between them ever since he confessed that he had feelings for someone else. 

He climbed into the front seat of the Jeep without a word and she walked around and climbed into the backseat from the driver's side. As they drove down the long bumpy path with dust kicking up behind them Paulo talked to the driver the whole way while she sat in the back staring out at the jungle as they passed by. She finally saw a glimpse of the blue ocean with the light of the sun sparkling off of it and the Jeep came to a stop in front of a dock that had a small boat. 

They boarded the boat and Paulo sat on a long white plastic bench across from her and slipped on his sunglasses, leaning back and stretching his legs out, spreading his arms wide on the back of the bench. 

"So are you two brother and sister?" the boat captain asked as he untied the boat from the dock

Paulo laughed and said, "No, we just got married yesterday."

The middle aged man got a shocked look on his face and his eyes widened.

"I would've never guessed! You two don't act like any newlyweds I've ever met. They normally can't keep their hands off each other," he said laughing.

"Well it was an arranged marriage. We're practically strangers," he said, without even looking at Eva. 

"Ahhh. That explains it," the Captain nodded with a laugh and said, "That makes sense now. Man, I've heard of arranged marriages but I didn't know anyone actually still did that in this day and age. Who knows. Maybe a week stranded on this island alone together is just what you two need to fall in love!" he said optimistically.

"I doubt it," Eva said under her breath, with a sigh. He already had feelings for someone else.

When they finally got to the island the captain helped them bring their luggage onto the dock and he looked at them both and said, "You've got the whole island to yourselves all week. The refrigerator is fully stocked with the food and drinks you requested. There's spotty cell service and no internet but there is an emergency intercom system in case you should have a medical emergency. The house is right up over that hill down the trail. There's no streaming services but you'll find a DVD player and some DVD's in the hutch in the living room if you feel like watching a movie. There's also surfboards and boogie boards in the pool house. Any questions before I head out?" he asked. 

They both shook their heads. 

"Well then, good luck," he said, looking back and forth between them letting out a lighthearted laugh and saying, "and Happy Honeymoon!" before turning around and hopping back on the boat, driving away with a wave and a huge smile. Pretty soon he was gone in the distance, leaving Eva and Paulo all alone.