Escape From Reality Read Free Page B

chime she’d
heard earlier sounded again and Stephanie took her seat behind the closed cabin
door. Leila fastened her seat belt as the plane began to descend. Her grip on
the seat was less intense than earlier and she managed to keep her eyes open.
Out of the window, she saw trees and sand flashing by and then the wheels of
the plane touched solid ground. An involuntary sigh of relief left Leila’s
lips.
    The plane
taxied for a moment and then came to a stop. Stephanie rose and there was noise
and movement, a brightening at the front of the cabin as the stairs were
lowered. Leila retrieved her bags and stood, walking toward the front of the
plane.
    “Enjoy your
adventure, Leila. It’s been a pleasure.” Stephanie, her smile undimmed,
graciously indicated the stairs.
    “Thank you,
Stephanie.” She reached into her purse and located her passport.
    Leila stepped
out onto the top step and into the balmy warmth of a beautiful sunny day. It
had been hot and sticky in Austin that morning, cool and cloudy in New York,
but here in Miami the weather was perfect. She lifted her head, drew a deep
breath, and blew out a long sigh. And smiled.
    “Ms. Connors?”
    Leila looked
down at the man who spoke, standing at the bottom of the stairs. He was trim
and neat looking in a blue suit, his hand folded in front of him. The accent
was British, with a hint of something she couldn’t quite place.
    “Yes.”
    “Splendid. I
trust you had a good flight from New York?” He extended his hand as she
descended. She took it and he guided her to the bottom of the stairs.
    “I’m Mr.
Hayward. This way, please. I know it’s been a rather long day, but you’ll be at
your destination in just under two hours.”
    “Two hours? And
do you know where I’m going?” Leila asked out of habit, not expecting any sort
of helpful reply.
    “Of course.
It’s a privately owned island off the coast of Bermuda. Quite secluded, completely
private.”
    Leila stopped,
eyes widening. “You’re the first person who has had any idea where I’m going.”
    Mr. Hayward
laughed, a rich sound that floated on the soft early evening air. “Not
surprising. The owner of the island goes to great lengths to maintain
his—and his guests’—privacy.”
    “What’s this
mystery gentleman’s name?”
    Mr. Hayward
laughed again, this time shaking his head. “That, I’m afraid, is the end of
what I can tell you. The island, however, is called Eden. Aside from that…” He
spread his hands, palms upward, in an elegant shrug. His cufflinks caught the
sun, winking gold at his wrists. “I can assure you that in all my years here,
anyone who has traveled to this island has returned no worse for wear, and in
most cases, quite altered, and always for the best.”
    They’d been
walking at a steady pace across the tarmac towards a black limo. As they
approached, he opened the door and Leila hesitated briefly before slipping in,
surprised to see a handful of other people seated on the plush leather seats.
Six other people, to be exact, four men and two women, and they certainly didn’t
look like vacationers. Leila wondered if they, too, were headed to the same
mysterious island.
    She made eye
contact and one of the women, a curvy blonde, smiled at her warmly before
introducing herself.
    “I’m Darla,”
she said.
    Leila dipped
her eyes nervously before sweeping up to meet Darla’s gaze. She was very pretty
and very curvy with sparkling green eyes.
    “Leila. Leila
Connors.” She smiled in return. “And you’re headed to the island as well?”
    “Yeah,” she
replied. “We’re in a rock band.”
    Leila took in
the group, lingering on the gorgeous blonde that sat on the opposite side, and
she couldn’t help but think about what a great hero he’d make for a romance
novel.
    “And you?”
Darla’s question brought Leila back down to earth.
    “Romance
novelist.”
    “You write
romances? Contemporary or historical? Or some sub niche? Maybe I’ve read you!”