Chapter 2 Love at First Flight

Lucia stepped off the plane and inhaled deeply, the salty breeze from the ocean air hitting her with a refreshing force. Her shoes clicked against the pavement as she walked towards the private car waiting to whisk her away to the luxury resort she had booked for the next two weeks. Sunlight poured down over the island, and for a brief moment, she felt a rare lightness in her chest.

This vacation was long overdue, she thought, sinking into the backseat of the plush car, her eyes darting over the island's picturesque scenery as the car wound down the narrow roads. Despite her carefully curated career and lifestyle, her life in New York had become overwhelming-a constant battle of boardroom meetings, shareholder interests, and endless media scrutiny.

Her divorce from Trey was the final push she needed to take a break, and while she rarely admitted it, she felt drained. This island escape was supposed to be a reset-a place where she could be anonymous, disconnected from the world, and far from the drama of Carrington Enterprises and her personal life.

The car pulled up to the secluded resort, and the façade took her breath away. The Carrington Residence had nothing on this-a sprawling estate with lush greenery surrounding villas that nestled quietly against the pristine white sand beaches. Lucia stepped out, a porter already approaching to take her bags.

"Welcome, Ms. Carrington," the concierge greeted her warmly as she approached the front desk, clearly well-versed in her status. Lucia gave a nod, appreciating the discretion. They handed her the key to her villa, a private suite overlooking the ocean, exactly as she had requested. She just wanted to be left alone to relax, read, and clear her mind.

"Your villa is on the west side, Villa 16," the concierge said as they handed her the keys. "We hope you enjoy your stay. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call."

Lucia took the key card, her fingers brushing over the cool surface. This is it, she thought. Two weeks of nothing but peace and quiet. She started toward the direction of her villa when the unmistakable sound of a familiar voice cut through the tranquility.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Queen of the skies herself."

Lucia froze mid-step, turning slowly toward the source of the voice. Standing casually by the entrance, leaning against a marble column, was David-the same David from her flight. His easy smile was wide and teasing, and his eyes twinkled with amusement, as though the universe had pulled some grand cosmic joke at her expense. His tailored button-up shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, and relaxed trousers gave him a sophisticated, yet easy-going look. He didn't look like someone who just spent hours on a plane-he looked like someone who thrived in situations like this.

She narrowed her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me."

He straightened up, walking towards her with that relaxed gait she had noticed earlier. "I could say the same thing. Of all the resorts on this island, and we both end up here? What are the odds?"

"Clearly, not low enough," she muttered, holding up her key card as she turned to walk away. "I'm sure we'll be able to avoid each other."

David laughed, a rich, easy sound that seemed to annoy her further. "Avoid? Why would we do that? I was thinking we could continue our plane conversation. I was just about to grab a drink at the bar. Care to join?"

Lucia kept walking, her heels clicking with authority against the polished stone floor as she headed toward her villa. She wasn't about to let a man like David-a complete stranger who already had a knack for pushing her buttons-disrupt her carefully planned solitude. She could sense the kind of man he was: confident, playful, and charming. The type who probably had women falling at his feet with little more than a wink and a smile.

Not me, she thought.

But David was persistent. "You don't have to be so cold, you know. We shared a flight, and now we're staying at the same hotel. It's almost like fate."

Lucia stopped abruptly, turning to face him. "Fate?" She raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Fate had nothing to do with it. It's called coincidence."

He stepped closer, his smile never wavering. "Fate, coincidence, call it what you want. But if I remember correctly, we did agree on something back on that plane."

"And what was that?" Lucia crossed her arms, her patience wearing thin.

"That we'd be tagged as 'Love at First Flight,'" he said with a playful wink.

She rolled her eyes, the heat rising to her face despite herself. "I don't recall agreeing to that."

David chuckled, leaning slightly closer. "Well, you didn't exactly disagree either."

Lucia let out a sharp breath, unwilling to let him get under her skin. She turned on her heel and continued walking toward her villa, refusing to let his playful demeanor distract her. But as she reached her villa, she heard footsteps behind her. David, of course, had followed.

"Is there something you need, Mr. ... what was it again?" She shot him a glance over her shoulder, her tone icy.

"David," he said smoothly. "Just David."

She blinked. "Right. Just David." She finally stopped at her villa's door and inserted the key card, the lock clicking open. "And if you'll excuse me, I have a relaxing vacation to get to. Alone."

As she stepped inside, David leaned casually against the doorframe, clearly in no rush to leave. "Relaxation? Sounds nice. I hope you enjoy it." His voice dropped to a low murmur, and for a second, Lucia felt a twinge of something... unsettling. But not in a bad way. It was the kind of unsettling that came with feeling something-an emotion-she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a long time. Curiosity.

"Why are you here?" she asked, turning to face him fully.

David's expression shifted from playful to something more thoughtful. "Why are any of us here? To get away. To think. To breathe."

Lucia studied him, trying to decipher what was behind his cool exterior, but he wasn't offering much. Not yet. "And where exactly are you staying?"

He grinned. "Funny you should ask. I'm just a few villas down. Villa 19."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding."

"Not at all. Looks like we'll be neighbors for the next two weeks. I guess the universe really does have a sense of humor."

Lucia shook her head in disbelief, stepping further into her room but leaving the door ajar, signaling the conversation wasn't over. "So, let me guess-no family? No work to worry about? You're just here to... relax?"

David's smile widened. "Something like that. I like to keep things simple."

She could feel her frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "Well, enjoy your simplicity, David." She moved to close the door, but not before throwing him one last glance. "Just... don't make a habit of showing up everywhere I go."

He laughed softly, stepping away from the door as he raised his hands in mock surrender. "I wouldn't dream of it, Ms. Carrington. But then again, who knows? Fate might have other plans."

Lucia shut the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment as she exhaled. She had come here to escape-escape her thoughts, her past, her ex-husband-and yet here was this man, injecting himself into her quiet retreat without her permission. He was charming, infuriating, and entirely too comfortable with making her feel... something.

As she walked toward the window, looking out at the serene ocean view, her mind raced. She had a feeling that this vacation wasn't going to be as quiet or as peaceful as she had hoped.