Chapter 3 - Part One

The Carrero Effect

~ The Holiday: Part 2 ~

Jake was searching under the water, too dark to see anything and scrambling with his hands at anything that felt like it could be Daniel. Panic gripping his stomach as he frantically surfaced for air and dove again. He had hit the water without a thought the second he knew Danny was in here. No cares that he was maybe too drunk for this and just endlessly searching despite his muscles aching and being so heavy he could barely move anymore. It felt like it had been hours instead of minutes and he still hadn’t found him. He wouldn’t give up on him, he wouldn’t lose his best friend this way.

Surfacing for air quicker this time he took a moment to drag more into his burning lungs and wipe the water from his eyes. He could hear yelling from the deck, crying from Leila and other voices but he was fully zoned-in on the surface of the water looking for any signs of him.

“He’s here, Mr. Carrero,” yelled out one of the crew from the speed boat nearby and he felt his body lose all fatigue and started swimming their way frantically. He could see them hauling a lifeless body into the boat under the moonlight and a sickness swept through him, a fear that maybe they had been too late which only made him swim faster to his friend’s side

* * *

The hospital had given Jake some dry clothes to wear, he hadn’t really thought about anything when he had jumped into the air rescue chopper holding Hunter’s hand, only that he had to be with him at all costs. It had all passed in a blur of drama and chaos. Daniel’s lifeless, pale face lying still and closed-up on the stretcher below him, he felt like he had barely breathed in that entire journey to the mainland hospital.

Hunter had been breathing on his own but still wasn’t conscious and the paramedics had been messing with tubes and ventilators while Jake curbed his panic the best he could. He had lost a friend this way once before, saved them from drowning only to have them die later from too much fluid intake.

It had felt like an eternity sitting in that hall waiting for word, his stomach churning itself in knots and his hands trembling and cold when they had got here. The ship’s captain had been sent back to the boat as daylight had broken. He wanted him to take care of Emma in his absence, it was the only rational thought he could formulate, focusing on her to give him some peace.

He hadn’t given himself much chance to think about what had been happening with her when Daniel had fallen overboard, he had been focused on him and what was going on, the fear and agony of searching for Hunter. Anytime she had come into his head he had pushed her back down, wanting to analyze it later, not tarnish the happiest moment of his life with possibly the worst. Until he knew Hunter was going to be okay, all thoughts were on him. Losing Danny would be like losing Arrick, he was as close as a brother and would never forgive himself if he died.

“Mr. Carrero? Mr. Hunter is asking for you.” A young female voice drew his attention, looking up at a young nurse in blue scrubs beckoning him to follow, so he did without hesitation. She smiled his way warmly.

“He’s okay? He’s going to be okay, I mean?” He tripped over his words, half relief and half exhaustion. Walking behind her and trying to drag his heavy weight with him. He felt about a hundred years older suddenly.

“Yes, he will be kept in for observation of course but he’s fine. His father has been notified and on his way.”

Jake sighed, relief washing over him and a sudden ache to wrap arms around Emma shocked him. He didn’t have his cell with him to call her. He’d gotten here in soaked clothes, a shirt, and chinos, not even wearing shoes.

Jake was ushered into a side room that resembled every hospital he had ever been in, a lot like that time he had gone with Emma to Chicago. A single bed that was tilted into a comfier position, surrounded by white curtains and a bunch of machines and Hunter sitting grinning at him from the middle of it all like a fucking asshole. Dressed in a hospital gown and tucked in like a goddamn child under blue sheets and a blanket.

“Dickhead,” Jake grunted at him but still moved in for a shoulder to shoulder man-hug and patted his best friend on the back with sheer relief.

“You’re my hero, baby, hear you swam your little lungs out like Aqua Man trying to find me.” Daniel winked at him, but he had the urge to just punch him in the face for being so fucking normal.

“Fuck head. At least pretend to be remorseful or at least injured, right now you’re making me want to hurt you and I wouldn’t feel any guilt at all.” Jake flicked Hunter in the forehead in agitation then hauled a seat over and slumped down ungraciously.

“Charming! You look like crap … Tired and definitely not like a guy who got laid.” Hunter eyed him up warily and Jake only stuck the V up at him.

“Yeah, well, whose fault is that?” he growled at him grumpily, rubbing his face and feeling several layers of fatigue hitting him all at once. Relief was a funny thing, it let loose everything he had been holding back for hours and all of a sudden, he was drained in the worst kind of ways.

Goddammit, he was beyond tired and no longer anywhere near drunk at all.

“Sorry, bud … So, how far did you get with little miss icy pants?” Hunter grinned but Jake only glared at him coldly.

“Don’t call her that. Danny? How the fuck did you fall off the boat? There are safety rails for that specific reason and even a drunk asshole like you couldn’t just tumble over them.” Jake shifted in his chair trying to find a comfier spot but couldn’t. His body aching and desperately in need of sleep.

“Misdirection! Interesting … So maybe started something but didn’t finish it huh?” Daniel smirked his way and got another finger aimed his way.

“How?” Jake repeated.

“Okay, I’ll go first if you go second … no bullshit from either of us … deal?” Hunter looked sheepish and peaked Jake’s attention. He obviously had something juicy he was hiding. He sighed and then nodded knowing Hunter wouldn’t give this topic up.

“I saw Richie trying to coerce Leila into my wild little party, pulling at her dress and trying to haul her back … She was saying no, and I just saw red. I flew for him but being drunk as fuck I misaimed and went straight over the rails. I don’t think they were even looking my way so everyone thought I’d just jumped up and Superman dove into the ocean.” Hunter shrugged, a little color rising up his cheeks with embarrassment and Jake couldn’t do anything but burst out laughing. He leaned into his knees and just gave in to the worst kind of hysterics.

Relief, pent-up emotional trauma. Who knew? But he laughed so much his sides started to ache, and tears poured down his face, when he stopped he realized Hunter was laughing too. Just how ridiculously close he had been to death in trying to save Leila from an orgy he had started. The whole thing was completely crazy.

“Jesus, Danny … for the love of God please tell the fucking girl you love her for fuck’s sake!” Jake hauled his arms around his ribs to stop the ache, but Hunter just raised a knowing eyebrow at him. They knew it wasn’t that simple.

“Touche!” He winked at Jake but was met with another heavy sigh.

“Yeah, whatever.” Jake shrugged and once again pushed thoughts of Emma away, he didn’t really want to think about this right now.

“So?” Hunter pushed at him with a finger and Jake glared back. Telling him was inevitable and a part of him wanted to talk about it. Let it out of his head.

“We kissed … for a while … would have been more if some idiot hadn’t nosedived off the fucking boat.” Jake shrugged and tried to relax but talking about this had him tense and edgy. He couldn’t pinpoint why. It had been everything he had thought it could be, more, but now in harsh daylight and sober as hell he was worried as to what would happen now. How Emma would feel. Maybe not getting to sex had been a saving grace instead of a calamity.

“You don’t think she wants more do you?” Hunter was eyeing him up intensely, reading his best mate effortlessly as he always did.

“No.” Jake hated to admit it, saying it out loud hurt like hell but something deep down was telling him he was crazy to think someone like her would even want more with someone like him. His past, his lifestyle, and all the shit he had done even while she was his PA. He had fucked it all up by not realizing from day one he should have been showing her he could be a guy worth more. Not a playboy asshole with a string of fuck buddies and a long history of wild parties and reckless acts. It was no wonder Emma never looked beyond friendship, the chemistry was there for both of them, but he was an asshole to let her see into all that he had been so easily. Last night had been drunken fun for her, he was stupid not to realize that.

How could he win over a girl like her, a pure and sweet angelic girl when he had done nothing to deserve her?

“Look, man, you know how I feel about this … If you think there’s no future in it you need to be the one to cut ties.” Hunter was frowning at him and he knew what he meant. Firing Emma so they didn’t work together anymore was the last thing he would ever do. He couldn’t imagine not having her in his life.

“I can’t … I won’t,” he said firmly, his no-nonsense tone that even Hunter knew not to argue with.

“Then you need to cut ties emotionally. If she wants to be just friends and co-workers, then you need to get up and go back to who you were until she doesn’t mean anything anymore.” Hunter was watching him, laying back on the cushions a little helplessly.

“Has that worked for you?” He regarded him thoughtfully.

“It helps. Over time, I hope I feel nothing for her, but over the last couple years I find it easier to put her out of my head.” Hunter shrugged again, and they both looked up at the ceiling to contemplate the craziness that was Hunter’s love for Leila. Jake tried to imagine doing the same thing and couldn’t. He was far worse than Hunter in terms of how he felt and his relationship with Emma wasn’t exactly something he could just drop and run off to the other side of the world from. He was her boss and love aside, he did actually need her at work. She was amazing at what she did, and he didn’t have the heart to look for another PA. He didn’t want another PA.

Jake got back to the boat in the early morning, a long drive from a passing farmer he managed to flag down and then having to persuade a boat trip out to the moored yacht from a local when he got to port. Not having his phone or any form of money on him had been brutal, but he was glad to be finally climbing the silver ladder onto the back deck of the boat. Hunter was being kept in for forty-eight hours to make sure he would have no lasting effects and some minor antibiotics to make sure he didn’t catch any bugs. He would come back to the boat in due time, so Jake was happy to leave him. Seeing one of the crew approaching at his arrival he beckoned him over.

“Go to my room and get some money from the vanity and pay the guy for the ride … Just take whatever’s there.” He patted the crewman on the back knowing he was trustworthy and left him to speak the native tongue of the local to pay him for the kindness. Jake was too tired to deal with any more, he wanted to find Emma and check she was okay, tell her that he was back and then go to bed. He was exhausted and almost dead on his feet.

“Ricardo?” He turned to the young man quickly “Where is Miss Anderson?” he asked pointedly.

“Up on deck, sir, she was on the loungers about five minutes ago.” The young man nodded his way, receiving a pat on the shoulder as way of thanks and Jake headed for the stairs to the upper deck. It was early even for an early riser like Emma, suggesting she had probably waited on him all night and that didn’t make him happy at all. She would be as tired as him.

“Emma?” he called out as he got to the top of the deck and could see her laid out on the double lounger like an angel resting on the clouds. God, she was a sight for sore eyes, and just being back within ten feet of her relaxed every taut muscle in his body. He felt like he had been tense waiting to get back to her and could finally breathe now that he could see her.

“Hey.” She smiled shyly from her position on the lounger as he walked forward intently, she just looked too inviting to not go to her and all thoughts of anything else swam from his fuzzy head. She was like a constant lure for him, pushing sense aside. He slid down beside her on the lounger with a satisfied sigh, his body giving way to the comfort of lying down. He sprawled alongside her, not caring if he draped all over her, too fatigued to move, and lay on his front. He buried his face in his arms to block out the light and felt like he could fall asleep instantly beside her, the smell of her and her nearness was like being home, and now his brain was shutting down with relief.

Despite his brain closing down slowly, he could feel her breath on his arm and her eyes on his profile, silently looking at him. He could sense her, her shyness at saying anything vibrating his way and as much as he wanted to just sleep he wanted her to be okay about last night too.

“I’m still awake,” he mumbled, sliding an arm out across her waist with his eyes closed, pulling her to his side so he could snuggle into her and kill this insane need to stare at her. He wanted to know what she was thinking, but he didn’t have the energy to do anything about it. He moved his face nearer her neck so he could tuck his forehead against her hair and inhale all the sexy goodness and subtle tropical scent that was just her. He had missed her like crazy.

“You smell good,” he muttered almost incoherently, still with eyes shut and sleep trying to overtake him. He could feel her slowly beginning to tense her body, her breathing becoming shallower and the tell-tale signs of Emma going into PA mode, all business and no emotion.

Fuck, he didn’t need this version right now.

“Thanks,” she muttered a little tightly. Jake sighed internally that she wasn’t even going to give him five minutes to rejoice in last night before ripping this to shreds for him. He smiled against her naked skin with a little hint of defeat, smiled because he knew her only too well.

“Are you ever going to just learn to let go, Miss Anderson? When you’re sober.” He sighed again, wishing she was still drunk for at least a little while.

“What do you mean?” She sounded irritated, maybe a little surprised.

“I can feel you … stiffer than a board … why so formal after last night?” He smiled again. Teasing her might be more fun than an argument right about now, not that he could do much. He had no use of his limbs anymore. He felt her movements and the tell-tale motion of her twisting her hair anxiously, her cute little annoying habit of nerves on show.

Goddammit, Emma.

He reached up, covered her hand in his and pulled her fingers away from that soft, beautiful hair.

“Relax, I only want to sleep,” he mumbled, returning his arm to its previous throw across her waist casually. “Stop thinking and sleep with me … you look tired.” He commanded a little more than he meant to, but he wanted this last time with her before reality set in and she found every reason to rip his heart out. He felt her eyes on his face again and knew she was probably glaring at him for pulling her fingers out of her hair like she always did. Truly a return to her uptight former self and not even a hint of carefree holiday Emma left on show.

“I’m not tired,” she huffed childishly, feathers ruffled for whatever reason and whatever he had done this time. Hungover, Emma was on show and even though it was normally cute, not so much today when he actually cared about what had happened between them last night. He felt her slide out of his arms, leaving him feeling a little empty.

“I’m going for a swim,” she added as she rose, voice all cool and very PA and Jake could only sigh at her return. Last night had obviously pushed her further than she was comfortable with and here she was reeling it back in again with a vengeance. Jake lifted his head to look at her walking away, sexy and cute all rolled into one perfect little package of sheer angelic beauty. He felt that ache of longing at knowing this would never be what he wanted, and she was already closing down on him.

“Don’t drown … I don’t have the energy for a repeat of last night.” He sighed, watching her leave with a serious bout of regret at leaving last night, as much as he was glad to stay by his best mate’s side he couldn’t help but wish he had stayed with her and seen through whatever last night had been. More now than ever seeing as cold and closed off Emma had made a grand return. She was back in work mode, and he was not too happy about that at all.

When Emma had left the deck Jake hauled himself up, the lounger no longer appealing without her on it and dragged himself back to the confines of his own room to sleep in peace away from the death rays of the sun.

Leaving it dark and only kicking the door semi-closed he collapsed face down on the bed, barely managing to haul the covers back with his heavy fatigued body and passed out immediately.