This is beyond amazing.
Scanning above, I get a glimpse of Elliot and Matt. And Sandra comes whooshing past us, the camera turned toward Ben and me. My grin is goofy.
“This is great!” I call out to Ben as we surf the sky.
I see Ben raise his wrist. We’re at 5,000 feet. He tugs at his rip cord and we slow immediately as above us a multicolored canopy unfurls. The nature of the dive changes from terminal velocity to slow motion, and all is quiet as we hang in the air. My anxiety evaporates, replaced by an inner calm that surprises me. I’m on top of the world, quite literally walking on air. Ben’s got this; he knows what he’s doing. And from somewhere deep in my mind, the thought materializes in my head: I hope that my marriage to Ana is this thrilling and this easy.
The view is breathtaking.
I wish she were here.
Though it would give me a coronary watching her jump out of a plane.
“Want to steer?” Ben asks.
“Sure.”
He hands me the risers; I tug on the left and we turn, slowly and gracefully, in a wide circle.
“Dude, you’ve got this,” Ben calls, patting my upper arm.
We do another circle before Ben takes the risers back in order to steer us toward the landing zone. The ground is approaching at speed, and I lift my knees as instructed as Ben gently drops us to the ground. We both land on our asses, and the ground team is there to welcome us.
Ben unclips his harness from mine and I stand, feeling a little unsteady from the adrenaline rush. Behind us, Elliot and Matt land, Elliot whooping like a gorilla again—his favorite form of expressing excitement.
I pause and catch my breath.
“How was it?” Ben asks.
“Man, that was sublime. Thank you.”
“Great!” He offers a fist-bump and I return it.
Elliot rushes over to join us.
“Fuck, man!” I exclaim.
“Rad, huh?”
“I was shitting bricks.”
“I know! It’s good to see you finally losing your fucking cool for once. It’s a rare event, bro.” Elliot laughs, but his grin reflects mine. “Better than sex?” he asks.
“No…but close.”
Fifteen minutes later we’re back in his pickup.
“Dude, I could use a drink after that,” I say, and I can’t shake my shit-eating grin.
“Me, too. Well, we’re going to part three of your bachelor party.”
“Fuck, there’s more?”
Elliot clams up. Smug asshole. He’s not telling me. I check my phone.
ANA
Home. We shopped till we dropped.
I’m going to have a bath.
Then get ready to meet Kate.
I haven’t heard from you.
You know I worry.
Axxx
We were SKYDIVING!!
from 12,000 feet. You were right to worry.
But it was amazing!!
Reminds me. You need parachute training.
If I don’t see you—enjoy your night out.
But not too much.
ANA
Skydiving. Wow!
Glad you’re safe.
Parachute training?
Didn’t we do that last weekend in the Red Room? ;)
I laugh out loud.
“What?” Elliot asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
Elliot drives back to Escala, though this time he lets me play some decent music from his phone. As we ride the elevator up to the penthouse he says, “You need to get changed. Something smarter.”
“What have you got planned?”
He winks.
“Asshole.”
“That’s a given.” He grins.
The doors to the elevator open, and I’m hoping to see Ana.
“My gear is in your spare bedroom. I’ll see you down here in half an hour. We’re leaving then.”
“Okay.” I’m hoping to catch Ana in the bath.
She’s not in the living room, and I worry that she’s left already, but I find her in the bedroom. Halting on the threshold, I watch quietly as she adds the final touches to her makeup.
Wow! Ana looks stunning. Her hair is styled in an elegant chignon. She’s wearing high heels and an off-the-shoulder black dress that shimmers. She turns, and is startled when she sees me. She takes my breath away. Hanging from her ears are her second-chance earrings. “I didn’t mean to spook you,” I whisper. “You look lovely.”
She smiles her warm, welcoming smile that’s full of love; it swells my heart, and she sashays toward me. “Christian. What a lovely surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see you.” She raises her lips to mine, and I give her a quick kiss, then pull back. She smells of heaven and home.
“If I kiss you properly, I’m going to mess up your makeup, and peel you out of that elegant dress.”
“Oh, that would never do.” She giggles and does a quick twirl. Her skirt flares up slightly, revealing a little more leg. “You like?” she asks.
I lean against the doorjamb and cross my arms. “It’s not too short. I approve. You look great, Ana. Who’s going to be there?” I narrow my eyes, feeling at once ridiculously proud that she’s mine, but also territorial—she’s mine.
“Kate, Mia, some girlfriends from WSU. Should be fun. We’re starting with cocktails.”
“Mia?”
Ana nods.
“I haven’t seen her in a while. Say hi from me. I hope there’s food on your itinerary.” I arch a brow in warning. “Drinking rule number one.”
She laughs. “Oh, stow your twitchy palm, Christian. We’re having a meal.”
“Good.” I don’t want her getting drunk.
She glances at her watch. “I’d better go. I don’t want to be late. I’m glad you’re back in one piece. I’d never forgive Elliot if anything happened to you.”
She offers me her lips once more and I get another swift kiss.
“You look gorgeous, Anastasia.”
She picks up her evening bag from the bed. “Laters, baby,” she says with a coquettish smile, and she struts past me out of the room, looking like a million dollars. I follow her out and watch her join Sawyer and Reynolds in the foyer. I salute them, and they all file into the elevator.