Page 52 of Anyone But You

“No,” I responded immediately as I trudged towards her suitcase. I unzipped it and selected a piece of fabric and a hair clamp.

“What are you doing?” she shrieked when I ripped the fabric in half.

“I’m being innovative and making you a veil.”

“You ripped my bathing suit cover-up,” she accused. I shrugged.

“So? What do you need to cover up for? I’ve seen everything multiple times. Turn around.” She complied, but not without a few under-the-breath grumbles that I knew she wanted me to hear. “Can you shut up already? Damn,” I said as I fashioned the makeshift veil in her hair. I spun her around and flipped the veilover her face to see if it would produce the desired effect, and it did.

“Knox…we can have a painful marriage or a pleasurable marriage. It’s your choice.”

I flipped the veil back to reveal her grumpy face.

“What if I want a little bit of both?” I teased. She was about to respond when I cut her off with an aggressive kiss. I picked up the bouquet I made for our date, shoved it in her hands, and dragged her to our “wedding venue” caveman style.

* * *

We were silent as we trudged through the jungle to the special place I’d discovered. I threw sideways glances at Victoria as we journeyed, trying to get a read on her, but she was a blank canvas. I wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but fear held me back. The last thing I wanted to hear was that she wasn’t nervous or worried about our island wedding because none of it was real. It might be a case of escapism for her—a blip of excitement to break up the monotony of wake, fuck, fish, wash, fuck, and repeat. But it was real to me.

We may not be making vows in a church before God, but one thing I’ve learned since being stranded on this island is that God is everywhere.

“You’re quiet—too quiet,” she said suspiciously.

“I could say the same for yourself,” I answered, guiding her off the familiar path that carried impressions of our feet from continuous travel. “Care to share?”

“I’m thinking of my vows.”

Well…that was unexpected.

“I see. I’m expecting something along the lines of, ‘Knox Frederick Ramsey, I’m only marrying you because you’re the last man on the planet.’”

She laughed and bumped her shoulder into mine. “Damn…now I have to start from scratch.”

“I’m sorry I stole your thunder.” I laughed.

Thunder erupted in the distance as if I had just pronounced gloom and doom on our nuptials. We were further inland, but I could still smell the sharp, salty scent of the ocean. It had stormed quite a few times since our arrival, and I welcomed it most times. It was another chance to cuddle with the woman I loved.

“Do you think it’s going to rain?”

I scanned the sky, but I couldn’t see far out due to the vegetation. “Probably. Let’s get a move on.”

Another thirty minutes of walking led us to a cave.

“Yeaaaah, I’m not doing this,” Victoria declared.

“What? Why not?”

“I watchedThe Descent.I don’t do caves.”

“Victoria, there’s nothing harmful in this cave. Do you trust me?”

We gazed at each other while I waited for her response.

Please say yes.

“I trust you with my life, Knox,” she whispered.

That’s a better response than I expected.