Chapter 3 - I promise I will make it up to you

The next day, Arielle and Thomas’s alarms rang together.

After a lot of bickering and shouting, they had fallen asleep exhausted and in a bad mood. They both grunted at once before reaching for their phones.

Both jerked awake as they felt a human beside them instead of an empty bed.

“Oh, dear God!” She exclaimed.

“Damn!” He sighed.

Arielle turned off her alarm and yawned, “It’s too early to wake up while on vacation. Let’s get some more sleep.”

She fell asleep again without realizing that she had said it like they were a couple on vacation together.

Thomas, having realized it, curled his lips in a smile and pulled her in his arms before going back to sleep.

The next time he woke up when he heard a door close. His arms were empty, and he could hear movements in the bathroom.

He wrote a quick note and left, hoping she would still be there upon his return.

Arielle came out of the bathroom to an empty room. She spied a note that read, “I have ordered breakfast. Let’s eat together. I will be right back, don’t leave yet.”

She raised her brows and left, hoping to be back before he did.

Several minutes later, two lifts opened, and two people exited together. They froze seeing each other.

Thomas and Arielle had both showered and changed.

“You stay in the Presidential Suite. What a waste of money getting this room!” She said, not surprised at seeing him exit the elevator that led exclusively to the Presidential Suite.

“I did not know you stayed in the same hotel. No wonder we were both in the bar.” Thomas commented, ignoring her comment. He knew she was just making an observation and was not interested in him or his money.

They both entered the room and had a sumptuous breakfast amidst light-hearted conversation and increasing embarrassment.

“Listen, I am sorry about yesterday. I don’t know why it spooked me so much when I should have been privileged.”

Thomas mustered the courage to broach the topic and truthfully said what was in his mind.

“That’s alright,” Arielle replied honestly.

“It’s not like I was on a mission to do it. Anyway, it was nice meeting you. We should both go and stick to our itineraries.”

Arielle had calmed down and realized they were acting like idiots the previous night. It was not something bothersome.

“Let’s hang out. I promise I will make it up to you. You can ditch me any time you don’t have fun.”

Thomas proposed surprising her and himself.

Later at night!

Arielle lay on her back on the boat in the middle of the ocean amongst stars and waves. She could not help but think that he did more than makeup for the previous night.

It was the best day of her vacation so far. She had not thought she would enjoy herself so much. And he made a good company.

Thomas looked at her as she lay with her eyes closed. The serenity on her face was contagious.

He had never met anyone who was in peace with themselves as she was.

It was undoubtedly one of the most relaxing days of his life in a very long time.

Despite the ten-odd days remaining of his vacation, he thought his break was already a success.

He also laid back and closed his eyes in the comfortable silence.

The next day Thomas woke up to a goodbye note.

‘Elle’ thanked him as she wrote that she had a flight to catch and was off to another town. No names, no numbers.

Thomas was not surprised at her departure.

In the short day he had spent with her, he could tell that she was not the clingy type.

He was slightly disappointed about not getting enough time with her. Shrugging it off, he moved on ahead with his schedule.

**Two days later**

Thomas got off his private jet and walked towards the exit. He froze on seeing a familiar figure.

Arielle was focused on the phone, checking her itinerary for the day as she walked out of a plane. She felt someone staring at her and looked around, trying to find the source of her discomfort.

She saw a good-looking man staring at her from a distance, frowned, and walked ahead.

However, she froze with widened eyes only after two steps as she realized he was Tom. The guy she had almost slept with and spent a fun day together.

She turned around and looked around him to see a private chopper taking off.

Her estimation of him had been correct. He sure was a private chopper, presidential suits, and private chefs in a mansion type.

She saw him looking at her intently and walked forward with a smile. She walked towards him, almost covering half the distance between them.

But seeing that he had no intention of coming forward, she smiled, turned around, and went her way.

Thomas saw the green-eyed beauty glance around as if sensing his gaze. She frowned at him and turned around without any recognition.

But then he saw her freeze and look at him wide-eyed before she smiled. She must have recognized him then.

Thomas kept thinking about her and what a coincidence it was to run into her again. She would have walked away without seeing him if he had not stared at her intently.

He watched as she walked toward him. Almost halfway through covering the distance between them, she gave a soft smile, turned around, and, resolutely, left.

Thomas smiled.

She sure had high self-respect. Thomas’s estimation of her kept growing.

Years later, he would remember this little reaction. It accurately reflected Arielle’s thought process and unhesitating mindset.

Thomas did not want to miss the chance to enjoy his vacation with her.

 He ran towards her and held her hand.

“Hey there, stranger!” Thomas quipped.

“I was wondering if you are following me or if I am following you?” Arielle asked with a smile.

“Some coincidence, huh!” He spoke.

“Please tell me you are not staying in the Grand Orchid as well,” She squinted at him.

Thomas’s eyes widened, “Oh My God! I am indeed staying in the Orchid, though mine is the Royal Orchid.”

Arielle laughed, “Damn, you are turning out to be more and more of a presidential suite of seven-star hotels, private plane, personal chef, home theater kind of guy.”

Thomas shook his head.

“I did not know you had me pegged.”

She only laughed as she started to walk forward, “It’s right on the face. Nothing to peg.”