Free The Parking Space by Angela Archer Page B

glanced around the plane. Each face, unknown and known, beamed with joy—a little too perky for the dark cloud that hovered over my own head.
    I had been looking forward to this moment ever since I stepped inside the San Francisco airport. Heck, I’d been looking forward to it since Lisa told me about the possibility at lunch that one day, and now that it had arrived, my thoughts were on Reece and how she’d ruined everything.
    I can’t think about her. Not anymore. I can’t. She’s not going to ruin this vacation.
    With a deep inhaled breath, I wedged myself in between the other passengers, following Lisa and Ben while ignoring Jeff and Tracy behind me who continued to explore each other’s mouths with their tongues.
    Ben and his parents, along with Lisa and her parents, all disembarked in front of me. Their oohs and ahhs as they exited stirred in my excitement.
    As I stepped through the door, I put on my sunglasses. Heat from the sun warmed me through my jean shorts and chiffon button up shirt. Salty sea air swept through my blonde curls and filled my lungs, leaving a beautiful tranquility that inched across my skin.
    Down each step, I fought the battle of watching where I placed my feet over taking in the beauty of the island around me. Nearly barren as it had been from the sky, the island’s runway still awakened my soul. A desolation that soon gave way to the flowered bushes, sand, and palm trees surrounded the hut-like building of the Aeroport de Bora Bora, with its shake-style roof and stucco siding.
    “Is this the hotel?” Tracy’s nose crinkled as she squinted and popped her gum.
    “No, babe, this is just the airport. We shuttle over on the boat, remember?”
    “Oh, that’s right. Well good, because I was about to freak out. Pay all this money and this is the resort. Uh, I don’t think so. But as long as it’s not, then it’s okay.” Although the utter repugnance in her voice faded, her nasally voice grated on my nerves.
    Ben exhaled a deep sigh and shot his brother a glare as we all made our way to the luggage cart—equally annoyed.
    After locating my bags, I tugged on the handles. The wheels rolled behind me drowning out the sound of Tracy’s stiletto heels clicking against the cement walkway and the clanking of the dozens and dozens of gold hoop bracelets around each of her wrists.
    Another typical woman Jeff always seemed to find. Ones with the IQ of a gnat who followed the money instead of followed the man. Not that I thought having your only mission in life to find a rich man to support your every whim would be a bad thing. That just wasn’t me.
    Of course, given my relationship status and the lack of potential for one, perhaps they were the smart ones.
    Lisa glanced over her shoulder and winked as Ben held the terminal door. The bounce in her step mimicked the excitement on her face as she reached for my hand, dragging me onto the uneven cobbled floor inside the building. Air conditioning cooled my skin as I spun in a few circles and examined the thick, stained ceiling beams.
    Ben’s parents, Lisa’s parents, and the make-out twins walked in behind me, all equally taken aback by the size and the relaxation that seemed to flow from the room.
    While Jeff found a corner bench and sat down, Ben, his dad, Bob, and Lisa’s dad, Allen approached the front desk. They pointed to our group a few times while they spoke to the clerk.
    “So, Helen, how have you been?” Nancy, Lisa’s mom asked, her hesitation obvious by her tone after hearing Lisa on the plane. “The last time I saw you was . . . well, I guess was just before your . . . wedding . . .” She let her voice trail off then cleared her throat.
    Didn’t quite think about that sentence before you started speaking, huh?
    “I’ve been great, actually.”
    “I hear the housing market is really good in San Francisco right now.”
    “Yes, it is. There are so many beautiful homes available. It’s really a buyer’s market right