Outrageous Proposal (A British Bad Boy Romance) (2 page)

B
ali
.

Clarice could barely believe how gorgeous the little island paradise looked from the windows of the private jet. It was like a glowing emerald jewel rising from the crystal sea. The sun sparkled on the water so bright that it was like being in a dream. Less than twelve hours ago she had been waiting on a curb in New York in the dark early morning twilight. Now here she was on the other side of the world, cruising high over coral reefs and lush volcanic islands.

Trudy hadn’t been kidding when she said this was going to be the trip of a lifetime.

“See? She’s not even nervous, now,” said Liz from the seat next to Clarice’s. “Champagne fixes everything.” She patted Clarice’s knee with a giggle and gave her a wink.

“I was
distracted
,” said Clarice, as she turned from the window with a mock angry look. “By the gorgeous view all of you are missing, by the way.”

“But the champagne didn’t hurt, right?” laughed Liz as she sipped at her own glass of bubbly. The girls had been drinking it nonstop, all the way across the glittering blue expanse of the Pacific. Initially in the first-class commercial cabin that had brought them from New York, and now again, in this small but lavish cruiser meant to take them to their secluded resort. Even though it was so much smaller, the interior of the cabin felt like being inside of a tiny, plush pearl, all cozy and luxurious.

Clarice had to shrug. The morning buzz was nice. “Touché. We are on vacation, I suppose.”

“To be honest, the only view I’m interested in is the view of some beautiful shirtless bros on the beach,” said Sophie from across the narrow aisle. She rapped some knuckles on her window. “Plus, it’s just ocean out here on my side. I can’t see shit.”

“Thanks for this, ladies,” said Clarice with a sigh and a smile. Muscles loosened throughout her body. “Sorry I fought you so hard, but now I think this was a really good idea.”

“Of course, it was
my
idea,” said Trudy from next to Sophie. Trudy was closer to Clarice than any of the girls, and she leaned forward to meet her best friend’s eyes with a witty smirk. “I know what my girl needs, and girl, you need this.”

The girls had refused to let Clarice participate in any of the planning of the trip. Having known them since high school, she knew there was no point in trying to stop any of them individually — never mind when they all ganged up — and so she tried her best to go with the flow, despite the anxiety in her muscles that just wouldn’t fully fly away.

But it was just a matter of time, she hoped. “Who doesn’t need some time on a beach?” she mused.

“Oh, it’s not just that!” said Sophie in a sing-song voice as she flipped through a leftover magazine. She let out a little squeak when Trudy elbowed her in the shoulder and shushed her.

Clarice narrowed her eyes at all three of them. Liz only averted her eyes and tried not to burst into a smile, but she was too buzzed to pull it off.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Clarice. The way the girls had been giggling amongst each other since they picked her up bright and early this morning, she knew they were up to something. They’d been friends for far too long for shenanigans like that to work. Clarice thought it was adorable that any of them thought they could hide anything from one another anymore.

But knowing something was up and getting it out of them, well, those were two different challenges. This whole trip had been one big mystery. Trudy had only told Clarice when to schedule her vacation with work, and refused to tell her anything more or let her help with the plans. “You need this,” Trudy had said, her hands on Clarice’s shoulders, when Clarice had tried to protest all the unnecessary mystery. “Just trust me.”

“Nothing!” said Sophie, her eyes bright and smiling with the secret. “Only that maybe… they will have… taco carts on the beach? Wouldn’t that be great?”

“Taco carts?” said Clarice with a scoff. “In Indonesia?”

“Hey, this is a global civilization we’re living in,” said Trudy. “I’m sure the Balinese are very cultured on the ways of tacos, enchiladas…”

“Literally none of you are fooling me, you know. I know you’re up to something and I’m going to figure out what the deal is with you bitches,” said Clarice, narrowing her eyes and pointing her finger slowly at all three of them. “Just you wait.”

The girls pursed their lips and exchanged glances, giggles bursting like air bubbles through their closed mouths. Soon all four of them started laughing, too buzzed and high from the travel excitement to contain it. Trudy waved the nice blonde stewardess over for another round of champagne and together they clinked their glasses together.

“To vacation,” said Clarice.

“To the future,” added Trudy.

“To hot men!” said Sophie.

“Hell, I’m just here for the booze,” said Liz with a laugh.

I
t was
a short van ride from the tiny local airport, used mostly by private planes, to the resort that Trudy had found for the trip. The ride itself was stunning as the van wound around the island’s outer curves, hugging the beach where perfect palm trees swayed in the warm Pacific wind. Beautiful tanned bodies mingled in the glittering white sands.

This side of the island was almost nothing but resorts and hotels of varying quality, but it was hard to imagine any spot would be bad in this paradise. The sun shone down in beaming rays that Clarice found hard not to smile into.

“This place is going to be amazing,” Trudy said to the girls, turning around from the passenger seat. “The resort purchased the parcels of land around the buildings so that it’s extra private, plus it preserves the ecology for hikes and such. And we won’t be sharing our beach with anybody who isn’t at our resort.”

Liz whistled softly, watching the green jungle race by her window. “It does sound pretty fancy.”

“Worth every penny,” said Sophie. “They have stores, restaurants, a full-service spa, I can’t
wait
. Ugh. We’ve been working so hard on the October issue that I haven’t even had time to get a manicure.” She frowned at her nails.

“We all need this,” said Clarice, and she meant it. “I haven’t been on a vacation since…” Since she broke up with Tanner, she was going to say, but she didn’t want to say his stupid name. That it constantly repeated in her head like a tragic Greek chorus was already bad enough. “Well, it’s been a while.”

“This is going to be a new beginning for all of us, ladies,” said Trudy with a triumphant and full sigh from the front seat. “A reset button on the last shitty year.”

“Amen,” said Liz. “I am determined to go one full school year without getting puked on, starting now.”

“Your job sounds so gross,” said Sophie with a squished nose.

Liz opened her mouth to argue, but she shrugged instead. “Nah, you’re right, it is gross.”

Listening to them banter made Clarice extra happy. It seemed like it had been forever since they had all been together on a trip like this. Every minute that passed made her realize how badly she really needed the recharge.

Trudy wasn’t kidding about the privacy of the resort, Clarice discovered. The van had to be led through a patrolled security gate before heading slowly down a smooth paved boulevard, lined with highly manicured foliage and symmetrically planted palm trees. The flowers in bloom were unlike anything Clarice had ever seen, and she could already smell them from the vehicle’s open windows. Sea birds cawed in the distance, and somewhere on the wind, the smell of smoking spiced meat flowed.

Stepping out of the van at the resort lobby was like sensory overload. Warm sunshine and wind, the sound of the ocean, the smell of the fresh island, all of it combined to instantly light up the faces of all four women while they stood together in a gaggle, watching handsome young bellhops collect and organize their luggage. The soft fabric of Clarice’s sundress spun around her legs, as if the place was welcoming her with a warm, sunny embrace.

“Jesus, Sophie,” Liz said, shaking her head. The bellhop was pulling bag number 6 belonging to the fashionista from the back of the van, all in the same gorgeous matching shade of Tiffany blue. “You looking to rent here?”

“Oh hush up, we’re here for a whole week!” said Sophie. “How would it look to anyone who knew me if I didn’t come prepared? I’m not letting some fun little getaway wreck my reputation.”

“Are you expecting a lot of fashion icons to spot you at this private resort, halfway around the world?” laughed Clarice.

“You never know who shows up at these things!” Sophie said, playfully lifting the beautiful curled ends of her stylish bob with her palm.

“I thought the whole point of this place was I didn’t
have
to be dressed,” said Liz. Almost as soon as the words had left her mouth, she went pale as a ghost, and turned with wide eyes to Clarice.

Clarice froze, blinking at her friends. All of them looked like they had just been caught sneaking booze from their parent’s liquor cabinet.

“What the hell is
that
supposed to mean?” asked Clarice, suspicious. “Did you bring me to a nudist colony?”

Trudy laughed just a little, the way she did when she was nervous but had nowhere to hide. “Well, not technically, you see…”

“Don’t ‘technically’ me, missy,” said Clarice. “Your lawyer tricks aren’t going to work. What’s going on, you guys?” She looked around at the gorgeous landscape and few milling people; everyone seemed to be fully dressed and normal looking. “Where the hell did you bring me?”

After a few seconds of tense silence, finally Liz blurted out, “It’s a sex resort, okay? It’s a sex resort, Clarice.”

Clarice’s face flushed with heat and color. The bellhops didn’t even seem to be listening to them, but she was mortified nonetheless, and scooted closer into the group towards her girls. “What the hell? Are you serious? What the heck is a sex resort?”

Trudy was clearly upset her surprise had been blown so crassly. She rolled her eyes. “It’s called a
hedonistic
resort, Liz, don’t be crass. It’s a place where hot, young, successful single people such as ourselves come to relax and get away and… get laid by other hot, young, successful people. It’s not like you have to have sex, it’s just implied that everyone here is, well… down to clown, as the kids say.”

Sophie made a face. “Why would the kids say
that
? Ugh.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” said Clarice. “This was your bright idea to get me out of my funk, Trude?” She pointed a finger towards the resort. “You want me to just bang a bunch of random dudes on a beach halfway around the world? I couldn’t get up the nerve to do that at
home
, what makes you think I’ll do it here?”

“Look, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” said Trudy, putting her hands on Clarice’s shoulders. “It’s not like someone’s monitoring us making sure we meet the fuck quota or they’ll send us packing. This is just a place where, you know… a lot of the guess-work is removed. It’s like going to a buffet instead of trying to cook for yourself at home. Basically everyone here is DTF.”

“Except me,” said Clarice, folding her arms.

Trudy sighed. “Except you, apparently.”

“I can be extra DTF for her,” said Sophie.

“Like you need the help,” quipped Liz with a smirk.

Clarice sighed. “I don’t know, guys… this feels really… big… and I’m uneasy. I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

“Who is ever ready for anything?” said Sophie. “You think I was ready for that promotion? I sobbed in my shower every night the first week!”

“I have literally never been ready for any day in my classroom,” agreed Liz, before she leaned over to the bellhop reaching for the last of the bags and asked him if the bar was open yet.

“Tanner was a douche, and he broke your heart,” said Trudy. “And you’ve been wallowing about it for over a year now, Clarice. Wasting time in the prime of your life! You’re a hot, young, successful professional, and you should be
drowning
in eligible bachelor penis. Instead, you’re like, prepping for your future as a cat lady and favorite aunt. As your friend, I won’t have it anymore. So you don’t have to fuck anybody here, but for me, will you at least try to have a good time and relax? This place has everything you could need.”

Hearing Tanner’s name out loud somehow made things seem much more real and awful to Clarice. Trudy was right; she had been wallowing. She was aware that she had buried herself in work during the days, hoping to get tired enough to fall right to sleep as soon as she got back to her empty apartment. Some nights she didn’t, and those were the worst. Those were the nights when Trudy often got sobbing phone calls waking her from the middle of sleep, and talked Clarice down from the emotional edge, where her heart seemed to permanently live. She knew she had been drinking too much wine lately, but it helped her sleep, and sleep helped her through the next day.

That’s all Clarice seemed to be focusing on lately: the next day. Not the long-term future, not the joy of her work or looking forward to spending time with friends. She just tried to make it through the regular days without having a disaster or feeling like she couldn’t take it anymore. Her funk had, she was realizing, transformed into something more like full-blown depression, and that wasn’t good for anybody.