Sarah
The jeep lurches over another rocky outcrop, jolting me. I grip the seat, trying to steady myself as we bounce along the rugged terrain. The engine's roar fills my ears, but it can't drown out the deafening silence between Matthew and me.
I want to hold his arm to steady myself, but what if he swats it away right in front of Vanessa and Mark, embarrassing me?
I sneak a glance at him from the corner of my eye. His jaw is clenched, hands gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles are white. The muscles in his forearms flex with each turn, and I can't help but admire the strength evident in every line of his body. It's a strength that both attracts and terrifies me.
"You okay there, Sarah?" Vanessa's cheerful voice breaks through my reverie. "You're looking a bit green around the gills."
I force a smile, grateful for the distraction. "Just not used to such a bumpy ride, I guess."
"Oh, honey, you should have seen the roads in Thailand last year," she laughs, launching into a story about their previous travels.
I nod along, trying to focus on her words.
"Sarah," Matthew says. "Pass me the water bottle."
I reach for it and hand it to him. Our hands brush, and a jolt of electricity shoots through me.
"Thanks," he says curtly, breaking the contact.
I turn back to Vanessa, desperate for a lifeline. "So, um, what was your favorite part of Thailand?"
As she chatters on, I try to lose myself in her stories. But my mind keeps circling back to the man beside me.
Suddenly, the jeep lurches violently, the engine sputtering and choking. My heart leaps into my throat as we jerk to an abrupt halt, the final gasps of the engine fading into an ominous silence.
"What the hell?" Matthew growls, his eyes narrowing as he scans our surroundings.
The oppressive heat hits me like a wall as the air conditioning dies. Sweat immediately beads on my skin, and I can feel panic rising in my chest.
Did the Jeep just stop running?
"This can't be happening," I whisper, more to myself than anyone else.
Matthew's jaw clenches. "Of course it is. Because nothing on this godforsaken trip could possibly go right."
His words sting, but I force myself to take a deep breath. "Maybe it's just a minor issue," I suggest, trying to infuse my voice with an optimism I don't feel.
The driver jumps out, slamming the door behind him. We watch as he circles the jeep, muttering under his breath. When he reaches the front tire, he gives it a swift, frustrated kick.
"Godverdomme!" he shouts, the Dutch curse cutting through the heavy air.
Despite the tension, I can't help but let out a small, nervous giggle. I glance at Matthew, surprised to see the corner of his mouth twitching upward. Our eyes meet, and for a moment, I see a flash of the man I fell for – sardonic humor mixed with begrudging amusement.
"Well," I say, my voice light, "at least we're getting the full adventure experience."
Matthew snorts, but there's less venom in it than before. "An adventure in incompetence, maybe."
He reaches for the door handle, and I follow suit. As we step out into the blistering heat.
Mark and Vanessa clamber out of the jeep behind us. I watch as Mark stretches dramatically, his easy grin never faltering.
"Well, this is quite the predicament, isn't it?" he chuckles, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I do hope we don't end up as tiger chow out here in the middle of nowhere."
I feel Matthew tense beside me. "Very funny, Mark," he snaps.
But I can't help it – a giggle escapes me before I can stop it. Mark's ridiculous comment has broken through the tension, and suddenly, the absurdity of our situation hits me full force.
"Oh come on, Matthew," I say, nudging him gently with my elbow. "It's either laugh or cry at this point."
He glares at me, but I see a flicker of something softer in his eyes. Is it possible he's fighting back a smile?
"Besides," Vanessa chimes in, her voice warm and reassuring, "I'm pretty sure there aren't any tigers in this part of the country. Leopards, maybe…"
"Oh, well, that's much better," I retort, rolling my eyes but grinning. "Leopard food sounds far more dignified."
For a moment, just a moment, I swear I see Matthew smile. But then his mask of irritation slides back into place, and he turns away to survey our surroundings.
"Is everything okay, sir?" Mark calls out to the driver.
The driver grumbles something in Dutch before switching to English, his accent thick with frustration. "Not okay. The engine overheated, and the radiator cap…how do you say…broke." He gestures angrily at the smoking hood of the jeep.
"Fantastic," Matthew mutters, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Stranded in the middle of nowhere because someone forgot to maintain their vehicle."
The driver shoots him a sharp look. "You think you can fix it? Be my guest." He throws up his hands and steps away from the jeep, muttering curses under his breath.
"Calm down," I say softly to Matthew, trying to ease the tension. "Getting angry won't help."
He exhales sharply, his hands on his hips. "We're miles from anywhere. How exactly do you propose we stay calm?"
"We make the best of it," I reply, summoning as much positivity as I can. "It's an adventure, remember?"
"Some adventure," he mutters. He looks at his phone. "And there is no signal. Perfect."
Vanessa claps her hands together. "Well, at least we have water and shade," she says brightly, motioning to the sparse, spindly tree.
Mark nods, unbothered. "Could be worse. We could've broken down in the middle of a desert."
I glance around. Isn't this close enough to a desert? The dry, cracked earth and the scrubby vegetation aren't exactly inviting.
"Great. A survivalist's dream," Matthew mutters, stuffing his phone back into his pocket.
I step toward the tree, fishing a water bottle from my bag. "We'll figure something out," I say, half to him and half to myself. I lean against the trunk, the bark hot against my back, and take a swig of water.
The heat is suffocating, the kind that seeps into your bones. Sweat trickles down my spine, and I catch Vanessa fanning herself with a guidebook.
The driver rummages through the jeep, pulling out a toolkit that looks older than the vehicle itself. He kneels by the engine, muttering to himself while the rest of us exchange uneasy glances.
"Should we try to walk somewhere?" Mark suggests, shading his eyes with one hand as he squints at the horizon. "There's got to be a road or a house nearby."
Matthew shakes his head sharply. "We don't know where we are. Wandering off could make things worse."
"True," Mark agrees.
"So, newlyweds. How did you two meet?" Vanessa asks.
The question catches me off guard, and I feel a flush creeping up my neck that has nothing to do with the heat. I glance at Matthew, wondering how he'll respond.
His eyes meet mine for a fleeting moment before he looks away, his expression unreadable. "Work," he says curtly.
"Oh, how romantic!" Vanessa gushes, either oblivious to or ignoring the tension between us. "Office romance, huh? I love it."
I force a smile, trying to match her enthusiasm. "Yeah."
If only that was true.
Not as romantic as you think," Matthew mutters under his breath. I shoot him a look, but he's studiously avoiding my gaze.
Mark, bless him, seems to sense the awkwardness. "Well, however it happened, you two make a stunning couple," he says with a wink.
Matthew makes a noncommittal noise, and I feel a pang in my chest. Will we even make it to our first anniversary?
I'm saved from having to respond by a triumphant shout from the driver. "I think I fix it!" he calls out, waving us over.
Relief washes over me as we gather around the jeep. The driver slams the hood shut and wipes his greasy hands on his shorts. "Let's continue," he says to us.
"Oh, thank god," Vanessa sighs, fanning herself dramatically. "I thought we were going to have to resort to cannibalism."
Mark laughs and helps her into the jeep. "I don't think we're quite there yet, babe. But it is good to know where your mind goes in a crisis."
I giggle at Mark's remark, feeling Matthew's eyes on me at the same time. He is staring at me intently.
~-~
By the time we get back to the resort, it is already nighttime.
Vanessa leans toward me. "You guys should totally come hang out with us at the beach tonight."
Mark pipes up from the front, his voice light and carefree. "Yeah, come on! It'll be fun, a little sand, some drinks, and no more vehicle disasters."
Matthew looks unsure. "I don't know. We had a long day, so I was going to call it a night."
"Come on, Matthew. Don't be a spoilsport. It's not even that late. What do you say, Sarah?" Mark asks me.
I hesitate. "I guess a few drinks wouldn't hurt," I say quietly and look at Matthew. "If you want to stay back, I wouldn't mind," I say.
Matthew's eyes flash. "You will go without me?"
I meet Matthew's gaze, a sudden surge of defiance rising within me. "Why not? I am not even tired."
His jaw tightens, a muscle twitching beneath the surface. "I will come too."
"Great! Meet us in the lobby in an hour," Vanessa declares.