Bree (Perfect Match Book 1)

by Raine English

  “Oh, no. That’s awful. What can I do for you?”

  “Nothing.” She heard the toilet flush. “Go back up on deck and enjoy yourself. I’ll join you when I can.”

  Bree felt so sorry for him. The bathroom on the boat was small and cramped and a terrible place to have to spend much time, especially when seasick. She doubted he’d feel better until they were back on land, and even then, it might take some time. The best thing was to return to the villa.

  Bree found the captain and explained the situation. He immediately turned the boat around. In a little over two hours, they were at the Blue Fin. Jayce had the “drunken sailor walk,” so she helped keep him on his feet by wrapping her arms around his waist. It wasn’t easy to prop up such a big man, but somehow she managed. Her biggest fear was that he’d get sick before they reached the villa. Luckily, that didn’t happen.

  She helped him to bed, then got him a glass of ginger ale and told him to take small sips.

  “I’m sorry I ruined the day for you,” he said softly.

  Bree sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t be silly. You didn’t ruin anything. I wanted you to have a nice time and experience something new. I’m sorry you got sick.”

  “I’m usually a tough guy.”

  She smiled. “I know you are. But even tough guys can get seasick.”

  He smiled back at her then closed his eyes. Bree took this as her cue to leave. She went up to her room, grabbed her laptop out of her carry-on bag, and then went out on the deck to try to get a little work done. After a few minutes, her mind started to drift away from hotels and golf clubs and onto Jayce. It was such a shame that they weren’t able to spend the entire day on the water. He would’ve loved snorkeling. The coral reefs were spectacular. But evidently, it wasn’t meant to be. She just hoped that he’d begin to feel better soon.

  Bree tiptoed into his room to check on him and was happy to find him asleep. Later, she brought him a cup of clear soup, and after that ate dinner alone on the deck. She sat there for a long time, watching the waves break on the beach and then ebb away. The rhythm was relaxing, and she found herself getting sleepy, but when she finally wound up going to bed, she couldn’t fall asleep. Could it be because she was beginning to like this man that Dawson had matched her up with?

  Chapter Ten

  When Jayce woke in the morning, he’d expected to be doing much better. Not feeling like he’d been run over by a truck. Whatever this was had to be more than seasickness. He groaned. Maybe he had the flu. What a way to spend a week in paradise!

  He forced himself out of bed but quickly realized that was a mistake when the only thing that kept him from hitting the floor was to grab hold of the bedpost.

  It wasn’t until the following day that he even began to feel human again. Poor Bree. She was quite a trooper. She stayed in the villa the entire time. He’d told her on numerous occasions that she didn’t have to stay with him, that she should go out and enjoy herself. But she refused, using the excuse of having work to do. Thankfully, last night, she’d decided to take a ride over to Jimbaran Bay, where her new resort was being built. At least that would get her out for a couple of hours.

  After she had him propped up on the couch with a steaming hot cup of tea, Bree was ready to go. As she headed for the door, his cell phone rang. Dally was giving birth, but it had been a full two hours, and nothing had been presented. Bree must’ve heard his loud response that it had to be breech because she spun around and came racing back into the living room.

  This was a dangerous situation for both mother and calf. If something wasn’t done quickly, Jayce could lose them both. Henry said the vet was on his way, but it would be another hour before he got to the farm. That was too long. By then it would be too late. The only thing to do was give Jimmy instructions on how to turn the calf.

  Jayce said a quick prayer, and then told Henry to put him on speaker phone so he could ask Jimmy if he could tell the position of the legs. Luckily, the young producer was able to determine that the back legs were half bent, indicating a partial breech. These were typically easier to correct and protect the bottom of the foot as it’s brought around to create a straight backwards calving. Otherwise, a hole can be formed in the uterus. However, the umbilical cord might be wrapped around the leg, and Jimmy wouldn’t know that until he started repositioning it.

  Beads of sweat broke out across his forehead. Bree brought him a glass of ice water, and he took sips while he waited for Jimmy to comment after performing each of Jayce’s instructions. Every minute that ticked by increased his stress level, and Jayce was beginning to think it might be too late for the calf. But it seemed his prayer had been answered when Jimmy shouted that the calf was turned and it was starting to show. With a little more help and guidance, Dally delivered her baby, and it was alive. They wouldn’t know for sure if any damage had been done to either one until the vet checked them out, but for now, the news was good.

  After Jayce hung up the phone, he closed his eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks. Bree sat down beside him and handed him a cool towel to use to wipe his brow, as sweat dripped into his eyes. He held it over his face, taking another minute to calm down. He couldn’t recall his heart ever beating so fast.

  “You’re a hero,” she said softly, putting her hand on his arm.

  He put the towel on the glass coffee table and noted the expression of admiration that showed in her eyes. “Not a hero,” he said humbly, “just a dairy farmer who loves his animals.”

  “Well, that makes you a hero in my eyes.”

  A warm glow flowed through him that she would think so.

  That night, they had a light dinner, and he told her more about his farm. He loved that she seemed genuinely interested and he wound up opening up to her more than he’d intended. But Bree was so easy to talk to, that made it easy to do.

  They were about to have dessert when Henry called back to tell him the vet had given both Dally and her calf a clean bill of health. For a day that could’ve turned tragic, it was ending well.

  “How about I take you to Wilson Cliffside Resort tomorrow? The terrain's a little more rugged there than here on Nusa Dua, but the fringed coastlines are home to some of Bali’s best surf spots, and the limestone cliff the hotel sits on is breathtaking.”

  “I’d like that a lot.”

  A smile curved her lovely mouth. “And then we could hike up to see one of the island’s ancient sea temples. If you’re up for that, of course.”

  “I’m sure I will be. I’m feeling almost back to normal now. By morning, I’ll be one hundred percent.”

  That night when he fell asleep, he was a happy man.

  Chapter Eleven

  Bree woke extra early so she could order a car and have it delivered by the time Jayce got up. She was excited to go to Jimbaran Bay. It was a short drive, only about twenty minutes, giving them the entire day to explore.

  Most tourists hire a driver for a full day of sightseeing. Road conditions tended to be dangerous. You had to share them with dogs, chickens, and cows. People changed lanes without notice. Scooters overtook anywhere there was space. And potholes were everywhere. But Bree knew the area well and had the required international driving license.

  She was glad to see that Jayce had on pants suitable for hiking and good rugged walking shoes. She stuffed a sweatshirt into her backpack along with the sarong that she’d put in there before, some bottles of water, and a few granola bars. “Here. Put this in your pocket,” she said, handing one to Jayce. “And be sure to bring your passport,” she advised. “We could get stopped and asked to show it.”

  She waited until he went to get it, then said, “Ready?”

  “Yep.”

  “All right. I hope you’re feeling adventurous today.”

  He laughed. “I don’t know about that. I’m thankful to be rid of whatever it was that had made me so sick, though. I haven’t felt that bad in years.”

  They made it to the site of the Wilson Cliffside Resort
by nine a.m. By the size and location of it, Bree did not doubt that it was going to be impressive. “Look at this view,” she said to Jayce, walking over to one of the limestone cliffs.

  He grabbed her arm, causing her to gaze at him in surprise.

  “Careful,” he said in low, gruff tone, and quite unlike his normal pleasant one.

  She noticed that his face had paled a little. “Are you afraid of heights?”

  He took a step back. “I wouldn’t say afraid; it’s more that I’m not crazy about them.”

  Bree took a step back too. He was afraid. But she didn’t mind that he didn’t want to admit it. She was sure it was his tough guy persona that wouldn’t allow it.

  They stood a comfortable distance from the edge and took in the magnificent view for a while, then headed back to the car and drove to the foot of the mountain that led to an ancient sea temple. When Bree got out of the car, she took the sarong out of the backpack, and then tied it around her waist. Visitors were required to have their knees and ankles covered.

  The serpentine path to the temple was fortified by concrete walls on the cliff side, but it was evident that Jayce didn't love it, and by the time they reached the top, the grey-green tinge had returned to Jayce’s skin. Only this time it wasn’t from seasickness. It was from fear.

  They sat on a bench for a few minutes to catch their breath, before going into the temple and were immediately surrounded by a bunch of monkeys. The forest was home to hundreds of them, along with hordes of grey long-tailed macaques. “Hang onto your sunglasses,” Bree advised Jayce. “Monkeys love to steal them.”

  “They’re not getting these.” He took them off and shoved them in his shirt pocket. “They cost way more than they should.”

  The temple was located at the edge of a plateau two hundred feet above the Indian Ocean and was thought to date back to the tenth century. The view was one of the best on the island. Behind the main shrine, in one of the courtyards, were carvings of leaves and flowers, along with a sculpture shaped like a human body, only it had an elephant head. They didn’t stay as long as she would’ve liked but understood how Jayce would be anxious to leave. It wasn’t uncommon for anyone afraid of heights to suffer an anxiety attack.

  Before trekking down the mountain, they had lunch at a small restaurant and dined on some of the best local cuisines she’d ever tasted. After watching a group perform a Kecak dance, Bree took off the sarong and put it in her backpack.

  To save Jayce from more stress, she decided to take a less traveled path to the car, and one not so close to the edge of the mountain. It was cooler too, being wholly canopied by trees.

  After about thirty minutes of hiking, they took a break. Bree set her backpack on the ground, handed Jayce a bottle of water, and before opening hers, bent down to retie one of her shoelaces. A second later, a monkey dove out of a tree, snatched her backpack and took off with it.

  “Hey! Drop that. My passport’s in there,” she yelled as she raced after the thief. Jayce was on her heels and soon ran by her. He sprinted onto a different path, one narrower and less frequently traveled. She made sure to keep him in her sight, but it was becoming rapidly more difficult to do as he was headed deeper into the forest. A shiver of fear swept through her. What if she lost him? Bree cast the thought aside and concentrated on running as fast as she could. A little while later, she caught up to him. He was leaning up against a tree with her backpack, snugly cradled in his arms. The monkey was a few feet away eating a granola bar.

  Bree leaned over, trying to catch her breath. In a raspy voice, she croaked, “I told you, you were my hero.”

  “Well, I came pretty close to disappointing you. If you hadn’t given me that granola bar this morning, that wily monkey would’ve gotten away.”

  “Looks like luck was on our side.” Bree scanned the forest, trying to figure out which way would lead them back to the right path, and hoping luck was still with them.

  Jayce took a bottle of water out of the backpack and handed it to her. She took a quick drink and gave it back. There were only two bottles left. They’d each dropped the ones they’d had while running after the monkey.

  He must’ve read her mind, because he put on the backpack, adjusted the belt, so it fit around his waist, then said, pointing to his right, “I think we need to go this way.”

  She couldn’t say one way or another if that were right, so she nodded and let him take the lead. After about fifteen minutes, it was clear that they’d gone the wrong way, and there were no longer any paths at all. They were in the thick of the forest now. Black fright swept through her. The sun was beginning to set. Before long, they’d be in complete darkness.

  They tried to go back to the spot where Jayce had caught the monkey, but it was pretty clear that they were merely going in circles. The forest was huge. It could be days before they found their way out… Or never. That thought caused panic as she’d never known before to well in her throat. “What now?” she tried to ask, but the words barely came out.

  “It won’t do us any good to wander around in the dark. What little light is left will be gone in a minute. We’ll try again when the sun comes up.” He offered her a half smile, but she saw that he was worried too.

  Jayce took her sarong out of the backpack and spread it out on the ground for them to sit on, then he handed her, her sweatshirt. She was glad she’d thought to bring it as it was becoming quite cold. After slipping it on, she sat down next to him. He draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. His nearness offered her comfort. But when the monkeys stopped chattering—they were quiet at night—the other forest sounds took over. Ones she was unfamiliar with. She began to shake as fearful images built in her mind.

  Jayce took his cell phone out of his pocket and turned on the flashlight. That helped but only lasted a short while before the battery went dead. Bree debated whether to turn hers on, but decided it would be wiser to try to conserve it.

  “We will find our way back tomorrow,” he said.

  She could feel his warm breath on her cheek. “I know we will.” She needed to say that, even if she didn’t honestly believe it, to keep the panic that was rising inside her from being unleashed.

  “You know when I said we weren’t a match?”

  “Which time?” she asked, glad he was attempting conversation. Anything to keep her mind occupied was helpful.

  He chuckled softly. “Every time. It was because my wife was from the city. Not one as big as New York City, but still a city nonetheless. We divorced last year. She couldn’t take being so far removed from civilization, as she said to me the day she left.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Thanks. But you don’t need to be. It was probably for the best. I guess if she’d truly loved me, it wouldn’t have mattered. At least that’s what my friends have tried to convince me of. Deep down, though, I know living on a dairy farm would be tough for most people. Especially for those who didn’t grow up in the country. My mom and dad did, and I’m sure that had a lot to do with why their marriage stayed so strong.” He paused for a moment before adding, “Anyway, I swore to myself that I’d never fall for another city girl.”

  “Do you think that’s fair?”

  “What’s fair?”

  “To think all of us are the same?” she asked, somewhat offended by that.

  “No. It’s not fair. And I’ve discovered that this week.” He ran his hand up and down her arm. “You’re not like that, Bree. Besides my mother, you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known.”

  Her heart began to beat faster. There was some tangible bond between them, and when his mouth covered hers, she didn’t resist. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, savoring the intense hardness of his lips. She almost forgot they were lost in the forest by his slow, drugging kisses.

  At some point during the night, she fell asleep in the comfort of his arms, and when she woke the birds were chirping and the monkeys chattering. It was morning.

&n
bsp; They each ate a granola bar and had a long drink of water before heading out to try to find the way back.

  It took a good part of the day, and they were near to running out of water, to say nothing of losing hope, when she spotted a path up ahead and a water bottle on the ground. “This is the path we were on when the monkey stole my backpack,” she exclaimed with intense joy. About thirty minutes later, they were at the car.

  Before they got in, Jayce gathered her into his arms. “Before we left the villa yesterday, you asked if I was ready for an adventure, and I said I didn’t know. And I also didn’t know if I was ready to fall in love, but I have.”

  Bree didn’t know what to say. She was developing strong feelings for him, but were they love? It was too soon to tell. Besides, where could this go? They lived twelve hundred miles apart. So instead of saying anything, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jayce studied Bree from across the table. She hadn’t said much since they returned to the villa, or since he told her, he loved her. He didn’t expect her to feel the same way. Not yet anyway. He knew it was too soon. But he hoped she’d come to love him over time. There was no doubt she had feelings for him. She wouldn’t be able to kiss him the way she had if she didn’t.

  He shifted his gaze out to the ocean. This was their last night on the island, and the last time he’d have dinner with her out on the deck. Heck, it would be the last time he’d have dinner with her anywhere if they didn’t make plans to see each other again.

  “I hope I didn’t come on too strong earlier today by telling you that I loved you. I didn’t plan for it to happen. You know that. But I’m glad that it did. You’re a fantastic woman, and any man would be lucky to have you in his life. I hope that it can someday be me.”

  Her cheeks colored under the heat of his gaze. “Jayce, I don’t know what to say. I care for you a lot. But is it love? I don’t know. I’ve never been in love and never expected to be. Dawson is my best friend. We grew up together. When he asked me to participate in his Perfect Match promotion, how could I say no?”