"I am very sorry, Madam." 

Chloe winced. Why is everyone bloody apologising?

"I have checked the system and the tracking indicates your baggage has not arrived at the airport." She tapped at the keyboard once more. "Fortunately, it looks like it's still at Heathrow."

"Fortunately?" Chloe closed her eyes for several long seconds, attempting to find the elusive calm but failing miserably.  Finally, she muttered, "For fucks sake."

"Again, I am very sorry, Madam."

Chloe grimaced. Why can't things just go to plan?

Instead, she had been apologised to so many times in the past ten minutes that the words were starting to lose their meaning. She didn't want an apology. She just wanted her things. Yet, even first-class tickets didn't exempt her from flight delays and lost baggage.

"If you can fill in the lost baggage form and provide forwarding information, we will ensure your suitcase is delivered to the hotel as soon as it is located."

Her stomach lurched.

"Is that it? Are you actually fucking kidding me?" Chloe groaned loudly, her fingertips digging into her temples as she attempted to grind away the tension headache.

The change was instant. The woman's painted smile remained in place but it turned brittle. She stood taller, her chin lifting in defiance as if preparing for a battle. A battle that would never come.

Instead, Chloe's shoulders slumped.

It was meant to be a trip of a lifetime. It was supposed to be a chance to rest and recuperate. Yet it already felt like a bloody disaster.

She should be excited. Happy. She should be enjoying the trip of a lifetime with her best friend.. Instead, Chloe was deflated, defeated, and completely alone.

I just want to go home.

Chloe rested her elbows on the counter. Then, with a sigh, she dragged her hands tiredly over her face. The remnants of her makeup smeared down her cheeks in the process. 

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me."  Chloe said, taking a deep breath before offering a weary smile. "I know you're just doing your job. It's just this is my first trip abroad in five years and it's all going to shit." She winced. "Shit, I'm sorry. Oh, God. Sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm going to have to put so much money in the swear jar when I get home."

The woman's lips twitched up, the hint of a genuine smile breaking through, before she swiftly fell back into her mask of professionalism. "We aim to return the baggage to you within twenty-four hours but, depending on the circumstances, it could take longer. You can track your baggage claim via the app or our website."

Chloe swallowed. "Great. Wonderful."

She sighed and accepted the single sheet of paper.

Fuck.

God, she was going to have to watch herself when term started back up again or she'd be getting complaints from parents.

Chloe tugged at the neckline of her long-sleeved t-shirt before glancing down at her body. "24 hours?"

"That's our aim."

"In the meantime, what am I supposed to do? I have no clothes. I'm not exactly dressed for the weather."

Chloe waved at her jeans and trainers. She was dressed for a British Summer. It had been fifteen degrees and cloudy when she had left home. There had been a tactical change of clothes in the front pocket of her suitcase. The very same suitcase that was still in Heathrow, or possible on its way to anywhere right now.

"I am sorry, Madam. We do have a range of shops in the airport." There was a brief pause before a small card slid its way across the counter. "We apologise for the inconvenience caused. This gift card should assist with buying the essentials."

Chloe didn't even attempt to hide her gratitude or pretend that she didn't need it. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome. Enjoy your stay."

*

Twenty minutes later, Chloe staggered out of the terminal shop with a pounding heart, a bulging paper bag, and a scarily large transaction on her credit card. So much for a free holiday. Even with the gift card, she had had to fight back the wince as she typed in her pin number into the card reader.

The automatic doors of the airport terminal parted quietly as she approached and Chloe stepped out into bright sunshine. A wall of heat wrapped around her like a blanket. Her dark hair, which had already been making an escape from her hair tie, immediately started to expand outwards in a frizzy halo. Her new and completely ridiculous 'I love Maldives' t-shirt clung to her curves in all of the worst places and the bright pink shorts rode a little too high. Yet, despite her discomfort, she couldn't find it in her heart to care.

A warm breeze brushed past causing her loose hair to flutter around her face in a dark cloud. Chloe smiled even as it tickled her nose.

She had made it.

She was really here.

Pulling out the little golden envelope, Chloe frowned at the instructions within. Surely not. Yet, the instructions were clear.

After a few missed turns, she arrived at the docks, a parade of small white boats waiting to taxi tourists from place to place.

Chloe's breath left her as she looked past them towards the sea, sunlight glinting off of the crests of the waves.  She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, the sun warming her cheeks. She took in a deep breath, breathing in the salty sea air.

"Leah, you would have loved this." She murmured, enjoying the brief moment of peace.

She opened her eyes, taking in one last glance at the view. Then, Chloe peered over the railing.

She breathed a sigh of relief to find her boat bobbing on the water below, just as instructed. The 'Heart of Maldives' swirled across its side in bright blue font, two people moving about on board. A narrow ramp wound its way down to the floating docks below.

Adjusting her grip on her purchases, Chloe headed towards the ramp. She had barely taken a few steps before she found herself pushed to the side. Chloe sucked in a sharp breath as pain shot through her, her hip smacking into the metal handrail even as her free hand shot out to catch her balance.

Glancing up, she scowled.

She should have known. It was him.

Tall, dark, and broody stormed past her in his familiar cloud of expensive cologne.  Her paper bag snagged on his case as he passed. Then, almost in slow motion, it was yanked from her grasp. The paper split open with a loud tear, the contents spilling out over the floor – underwear and all.  

"Hey, watch it." Chloe shouted at his back, a warm flush spreading up her neck as she scrambled to pick up her knickers.

She need not have worried. His steps did not falter for even a second.

"Arse." She muttered under her breath, her eyes lifting long enough to see him exit the bottom of the ramp.

A breeze whipped past her, dragging her clothes towards the edge of the ramp. With a curse, Chloe rushed to grab the rest of her overpriced purchases.

Then she stood, her clothes clutched tightly in her arms 

"Good bloody riddance." She muttered, watching his hasty retreat.

He may be an arse, but he also had a great arse, she conceded. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the way his trousers clung to his body before drifting to the rest of him.

His long hair had been tied into a bun on the top of his head and his black leather jacket had been tucked through the handle of his suitcase leaving strong arms exposed to the sun, tattoos wrapping around his hands and strong forearms. Yet, despite the additional skin on show, he exuded the same amount of 'fuck off' energy as he had at the airport.

His jaw was tense as he stomped along the docks, his eyes hidden behind a pair of tinted aviators.

Wait a minute.

Tall, dark, moody strode towards the boat – her boat – and immediately began issuing demands.  A young man leaped to attention, jumping onto the dock and making quick work of the suitcase as the boat's engine rumbled to life.

Within moments, tall, dark, and moody was climbing onboard with practiced ease. The young man rushed to release the ropes.

"Wait!"

Chloe shook her head. Clutching the bundle of clothes to her chest, she hurried down the ramp. The wood bounced beneath her feet with every step, her stomach churning at the bobbing motion.

"Hey, wait." She called out, a stream of brand-new clothes trailing over the ground in her wake. "That's my-."

"Piss off. No fucking autographs." Tall, dark, and moody barked at her, his eyes hidden behind the reflective tint of his sunglasses. "Groupies really need to learn when to quit."

At his words, Chloe's steps slowed. Autograph? Maybe he was famous. Maybe he was just an entitled arse.

More than likely he was both.

"I don't want your autograph. That's my -."

He turned away from her, giving her his back, and held out a bundle of crisp notes towards the younger man. "Get me out of here and this is all yours."

The young man in white simply nodded, whistling sharply towards the skipper.

"Wait, no." Chloe hurried the last few feet towards the boat, stumbling over the long skirts tangling around her legs. Yet, those precious seconds made all of the difference.

The young man in white leaped on board just as the boat started to pull away from the dock. Chloe briefly contemplated copying his actions.

She could make it.

Maybe.

She quickened her pace. Yet, the bravado was fleeting. I can't make it.

Her feet skidded to a stop on the edge of the docks, the toes of her shoes hanging over the edge. For a second, she wobbled, a t-shirt falling from her arms and into the water.

Chloe's stomach lurched, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

The boat was already picking up speed, cutting through the choppy waves with ease. All she could do was watch. Tall, dark, and moody raised a hand, a victorious smile playing across his lips.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity fuck." Chloe stepped away from the edge before dropping the pile of clothes onto the docks and slumping down beside them. She peered mournfully at the pink shirt floating on top of the waves before pressing a hand to her face. "It was all too good to be true."

Clearly, her luck had run out. The competition was just a fluke that was coming back to bite her. She never won anything. At least, not until now. The universe was clearly righting its mistake. It was the only explanation.

"Everything okay, Madam?"

"No, I am not okay. I missed my boat." She said, her gaze still trained on the white boat that was growing smaller by the minute.

"I believe these are yours."

She turned her head to see an older man, his skin leathery from years working in the sun. In his arms, he held   held a bundle of brightly coloured clothes. Her new clothes. The tags were still dangling from the garments.

"Oh no, I'm sorry. Thank you for collecting them. I don't know what I was thinking. "

"We've all been there."

Chloe snorted and shook her head, collecting the bundle of clothes from the floor and pushing to her feet.  "Really?"

The man shrugged and grinned, the lines around his eyes deepening in the process. "Maybe not this exactly but what is life without a few surprises, eh?" He held out the bundle of fabric and nodded his head to the bench over to the side. "The next shuttle is in half an hour. If you take a seat, another boat will be along."

"Are you sure?" He nodded. "Really? Oh, thank God. And thank you for this." She accepted the additional clothes with a grin. 

They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Chloe staggered the few steps across the gently swaying dock. She collapsed down on the bench with a sigh.

All she had to do was wait. Wait, and hope that she never ran into tall, dark, and moody again.

Yet, as she watched the white speck disappear over the horizon, she knew she wasn't that lucky. She would see him again soon. She was sure of it.

And when she did? She was going to give him a piece of her mind.