Wanderlust Ch. 03

Welcome to the third and final installment of Wanderlust. If you haven't already, you really must read Chapters 1 and 2. It'll add to your enjoyment, I assure you! As always, I appreciate any comments you may have. They help me be a better writer. Cheers, Petitmort

Roxanne and Olivia sat in silence as their car wound down the coastal highway to Kona Village.

It was nearly midnight and the pitch-black sky was splashed with shimmering stars. They had left Wesley, standing in the doorway of his sprawling mansion, despite his offers to let them stay the night. They sat side by side as the car traveled through the darkness.

The headlights gradually revealed each segment of the road, leaving the vast expanse of landscape around them dark and unseen. It felt like they were driving in a tunnel, its destination mysterious, its length unknown.

Both women had embarked on a journey that promised to completely change their lives but whose end point was unclear. They were both finalists for a small number of job openings as adventure guides for an elite travel company. If they were hired, if they managed to make the cut, they would transform their lives instantly, and begin new lives in exotic locations around the globe.

And if that wasn't enough of a wild card, they'd both gotten involved with the CEO of the company they were trying to join. A rich and handsome international business magnate. The suave and enigmatic Wesley Llewellyn.

Gotten involved seemed like the right terminology to use. It captured the vagueness and ambiguity of the whole situation.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Roxanne was thinking about the day's events and what the impact might ultimately be.

"Do you think we're blowing it?" Roxanne asked, staring into the darkness.

"I was just wondering that myself," Olivia answered. "Either we're being really smart or unbelievably dumb."

Roxanne looked over at Olivia as she drove.

"I mean, I know he likes us but maybe we're too risky to keep around. You know?"

Olivia looked back and smiled.

"Yeah. I've gamed it out in my mind every which way. It's impossible to know which way it's going to go."

She put her hand on Roxanne's.

"All we can do," Olivia said, "is focus on what we can control and let go of what we can't. One step at a time."

The following morning, they'd be resuming the competition. All the finalists would be assigned new activities where they'd be observed and evaluated.

They hadn't had time to prepare. They didn't even know what their assignments would be. They were too busy hanging out with Wesley.

They were going to have to wing it.

On their way to their bungalow, they decided to check the postings to see what they could learn. Sure enough, the latest list showed that two more candidates had been sent home. Both Roxanne and Olivia were still in it.

The assignments for the next day were also listed. Olivia would be kayaking with Alexandra while Roxanne had picnic preparation with Jason.

"Let's not worry about it tonight," Olivia said. "Best we get some sleep. We can wake up early and do some brainstorming. I'll help you, I promise."

Roxanne smiled and gave her friend a goodnight hug.

"One step at a time," she said.

The next morning came quickly and the two women were feeling a little fuzzy from all the drinking the day before. They drank a lot of water and applied a bit more makeup to counteract the effects of the alcohol.

Olivia reminded Roxanne what they'd covered in the food prep training earlier in the week.

"Just remember Fresh," Olivia said.

"What?"

"F-R-E-S-H. It's a mnemonic. I invent them to help me remember stuff."

"You're such a badass," Roxanne smiled.

"F is for fresh, natch. Fresh, locally sourced food. R is for range, you want to offer a full range of foods - fruit, veggies, starches. E is for energy, pick foods that deliver high energy quickly like salmon, Greek yogurt, hummus, almonds, edamame."

"Bananas?"

"Absolutely. Bananas are great, they're rich in potassium."

"And peanut butter?"

"Sure, it's full of good fats and protein. Just make sure it's all-natural. And S stands for savory AND sweet. They're crowd pleasers. And, finally, there's H for healthy. Guests are motivated by two things -- to enrich their bodies and their minds."

Roxane nodded, taking this all in.

"Fresh. That makes it so easy."

"You'll do great. And don't forget what they taught us about presentation. Try to tell a story. Beginning, middle, and end."

Roxanne looked at her, tilting her head.

"You're so awesome," she said, biting her lip. "I love you so much!"

She wrapped her arms around Olivia and held her tight.

"What about you? Are you ready to lead the kayaking?"

"I think so," Olivia said. "I found the cove with the best conditions. It's near the City of Refuge. Should be low wind and gorgeous."

"You're gonna do great, you always do," Roxanne smiled. "See ya this afternoon."

She smiled over her shoulder as she headed out.

Roxanne and two other candidates were taken to a small shopping area to buy food. They each had to create a picnic that would be shared by the other candidates when they returned from their activities.

The two other candidates both went into the supermarket to start their shopping. But Roxanne held back. She was thinking about Olivia's mnemonic.

"Fresh and locally grown," she said to herself.

She remembered there was a collection of food stands up by the road. It would be a bit of a hike but it might be a way to differentiate her work from the others.

She jogged up to the road and sure enough, the stands were brimming with locally grown produce. Common ones like pineapple, mango, apple bananas, papaya, guava, and passion fruit shared space with uncommon ones like rambutan, lychee, dragon fruit, mountain apples, sapote fruit, Surinam cherry, persimmon, sweet longan, starfruit, and Jaboticaba fruit.

Roxanne quickly made friends with an older woman who seemed to be in charge. The woman took her under her wing and explained how each fruit tasted, which ones were best eaten raw, and which ones were acquired tastes. She explained exactly how they should be sliced or peeled and even described the health benefits of each one.

When she was done, Roxanne had not only bought three bags of fruit and vegetables, she had a wealth of stories to tell.

There was a vegetable stand too. Fresh carrots, radishes, celery, green onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli. Roxanne imagined serving the veggies with their stems attached, to reinforce their freshness.

She was able to buy some kalua pork too as well as some freshly baked buns. Traditional, local foods, as fresh as could be.

Olivia, meanwhile, was taking Alexandra on a sea kayaking excursion. Driving south to the City of Refuge, she tried to engage her in small talk.

"Roxanne said she really enjoyed horseback riding with you," she said cheerfully.

Alexandra lowered her sunglasses and gave her a look.

"I'm a guest. Remember?"

"Oh, right. Sorry."

She quickly pivoted and started to describe the historical significance of the area they were visiting.

She's gonna be a toughie, I can tell already.

When they got to the put-in spot, Olivia was sure to pay attend to Alexandra's every need. Sunscreen? Check. Life preserver? Check. Valuables in the dry bag? Check.

She took her through the safety protocols, describing how they'd wait for a lull and then orient the kayaks directly towards the swells when they put in.

She described what to do if the kayak were to tip over and how to signal for help.

She covered the basics of paddling and maintaining a center of gravity to avoid tipping.

When it finally came time to put in, Olivia was careful to give her clear, emphatic instructions.

"OK, let's go! Paddle!" she called out. "Keep the bow faced towards the swells. That's it."

They made it outside the waves without mishap. Olivia guided her along the coast to the north. She'd read online that there were sheltered coves in that direction.

Soon, they were gliding along the glassy surface along the black lava rock.

"What are those birds there?" Alexandra asked.

Olivia knew immediately she was being tested.

"That's the White-Tailed Tropicbird," Olivia said. "You can tell by the long white tail feathers. They nest in those cliffs there. The females lay one egg a season and both parents care for the nestling. They're closely related to the Frigatebird and the Boobie, also common in this area."

All the research she'd been doing over the previous ten days was paying off.

After about forty-five minutes of exploring, it was time to head back.

"Oh dear," Alexandra said suddenly, the back of her hand pressed against her forehead.

"What is it? Are you okay?"

"I feel weak," she said. "I don't think I can paddle anymore."

Olivia was afraid this might happen. Roxanne had told her that the ATI employees, acting as guests, would sometimes throw curveballs. Create a crisis to see how you handle it.

Then again, this really could be a crisis. Olivia had no way of knowing. And she couldn't ask.

She pulled her kayak next to hers and held the two vessels together with one hand.

"It's okay. You're going to be fine. Why don't you drink a little water. And take some deep breaths."

Olivia was calm and collected, doing her best to reassure her.

"I definitely can't paddle anymore," she said. "I don't have any strength in my arms."

"That's okay, don't worry about it. Let's just catch our breath for a moment."

This definitely has the earmarks of a ruse. She's probably checking to see how I'll handle a guest who's incapacitated. Okay, I can do that.

"Here's what we're going to do," Olivia said calmly. "I'm going to attach a tow-line from the back of my kayak to the front of yours. We're going to stow your paddle. And you're going to lean back, relax, and enjoy the ride. How's that sound?"

"And we'll go back to the car?" she asked, anxiously.

"We'll go straight back to the car. I'll have you there in jiff. You're going to be just fine."

"That's a relief," she sighed.

Olivia took a short rope and attached it to the two kayaks. She tucked Alexandra's paddle into some elastic cords to secure it. Then she got ready to start paddling back.

It was challenging enough to paddle into the wind with no extra drag. When pulling a second kayak, Olivia could really feel the extra weight.

But she was in good shape and she had a mental toughness that came from hours of working out and competing athletically. She set a pace she could maintain, concentrated on her breathing, and went for it.

Every now and then, she'd call over her shoulder.

"How're you doing? Hanging in there?"

When they reached the spot where they'd put in, she waited for a lull between waves. Then she paddled fast to build up a head of steam.

When they reached shallow water, she slipped out of her kayak and pulled both vessels towards the shore.

She stood next to Alexandra, steadying her kayak.

"Now, just put your arm around my shoulders and swing your legs over the side. That's it. Good."

She helped the older woman to dry land. After helping her sit on a shelf of lava rock, Olivia went back in the water to collect the kayaks. She pulled them on shore and then went back to check on Alexandra.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. "Can I get you anything? Some juice? An energy bar?"

"Actually, I'm starting to feel much better. Now that I'm on dry land."

And I do believe the test is over.

When Olivia got back to Kona Village, she felt relieved. Alexandra was back to her normal, officious self. The momentary weakness she felt while on the ocean had vanished. Olivia felt good about the way she'd handled the "crisis".

Now, lunch was being served for the remaining candidates. That meant Roxanne's picnic spread would be featured. Olivia was anxious to see how her friend had done.

On the patio by reception, several tables were set out. They were covered with food which the group would eat buffet style.

Olivia perused the tables.

One was covered with store-bought cold cuts, with rows of meats and cheeses, sliced bread, and condiments.

Another had bowls of chips, with a variety of salsas and guacamole.

The third table was an impressive array of exotic fruit and veggies, fresh bread, and imu-cooked pork. Next to each item was a card identifying it. It was an authentic collection of the freshest, most delicious-looking Hawaiian food.

And standing behind the table was Roxanne, smiling proudly.

"Oh my God," Olivia whispered to her. "Yours is by far the best! It's fantastic!"

Roxanne slipped her arm around her friend.

"Just fresh, local, healthy food," she smiled.

She gave Olivia a wink and then went back to explaining about the different exotic fruits.

Having both aced their morning activities, Roxanne and Olivia were ebullient. There was just one more afternoon of evaluation and then the training would be over.

They had no idea how they were faring in the competition overall, but generally they felt confident. They'd been improving their performance each day. As Wesley told them, they were "trending positively."

Speaking of Wesley, they hadn't seen the tall, handsome Brit at all. That wasn't unusual. He often was taking care of business behind the scenes.

Finally, just as they were finishing their lunch, they saw him chatting with Alexandra across the patio.

"Wesley, ten-o'clock," Olivia said.

Roxanne looked over her shoulder. Wesley and Alexandra were in the middle of an intense conversation.

"I think something's up," Roxanne said.

Alexandra walked to one end of the patio.

"If I may have everyone's attention," he called out in a loud voice. "We will be having a group assembly this evening at 7pm immediately following dinner. We'll be meeting in this space and Wesley will be taking questions on any topic. So, please be here at 7pm prepared to engage in a Q+A. Thank you."

Olivia and Roxanne looked at each other. Was this the result of their feedback to Wesley the day before? They guessed that it was.

They spent their afternoon taking written tests on safety-related subjects -- how to perform CPR, how to handle medical emergencies, what to do in cases of fire, earthquake, or civil unrest. Olivia felt like she was back in college, hunched over her paper with a No. 2 pencil and watching the clock.

At 4pm, they were finally dismissed and done for the day. They made their way back to their bungalow for some down time. Lounging on the lanai, looking out at the palm trees and the turquoise water, Olivia could hardly believe the two weeks were nearly over.

And now, they were one day from Judgment Day.

It had all flown by so quickly. Each day was like drinking from a fire hose. Olivia recounted the fortnight's series of events.

The endless stream of activities and simulations where their guiding skills were observed and assessed.

The nightly cram sessions where she and Roxanne would try to learn as much as they could in hopes of impressing the staff.

The daily drama of learning whether they'd made the cut, and the fate of those who hadn't.

And, of course, the time spent with Wesley.

The first time Olivia met him, at the welcome reception, when he looked at her with those intense, intelligent brown eyes. As if he was trying to peer into her soul or something.

And then, the next day, when she took him to the waterfall. When they decided to climb higher, to the hidden falls. By themselves.

Impulsively, she decided to skinny dip. To strip off her clothes and let him see her naked body. That was the turning point. One of the turning points.

Why did I do it? What possessed me? That was totally not like me. Taking risks like that. It just felt...like the right thing to do. To be naked with him. In that magical place.

She remembered seeing him naked for the first time. His tall, rangy body. His long cock. That was the second turning point.

It was like a fire had been lit inside her. A smoldering heat from deep inside her. That only he could reach.

And then, they were behind the waterfall. Like in a fairy tale. He kissed her for the first time. And cupped her breasts. She was burning up inside. He touched her pussy. She was so wet. And then he lifted her onto his hard cock.

The feeling of his cock entering her for the first time. Filling her.

"You okay?" Roxanne asked.

Olivia opened her eyes. Roxanne was peering at her over her sunglasses.

"Huh?" Olivia asked.

"You were kinda gasping," she smiled.

"Just day dreaming. Remembering everything that's happened."

"Oh. Yeah, I get it. I was remembering the three of us in the hot tub and feeling the same way."

"Oh my God," said Olivia, remembering. "That was so fucking hot. I still can't believe we did that."

"Yeah," Roxanne laughed. "Sometimes I wonder if I dreamt it. But then, I realize I can still feel it."

She lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I'm still a little sore down there."

Olivia knew exactly what she meant. She felt it too.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Roxanne jumped up to see who it was. One of the porters handed her an envelope.

She walked out on the lanai, opening it. Her eyes were wide. She handed the note to Olivia.

O + R,

After dinner, I wonder if we might enjoy some dessert together at the house. And breakfast perhaps? I can send a car.

--Wesley

"Oh my God," Olivia said, looking at Roxanne. "He wants us to spend the night. I guess we better pack our bags."

At dinner, the remaining candidates were abuzz with excitement. The final decisions were to be made the following day and no more activities were scheduled. It felt like the end of the school year after the last exam.

The excitement was palpable.

Both Olivia and Roxanne skipped dessert. They took Wesley at his word regarding dessert at his place.

Alexandra and Wesley entered the room. Instead of standing and addressing the audience as usual, he sat in a chair along with the candidates.

"Good evening, everyone."

"Good evening," the group chorused.

"As Alexandra told you earlier, I'd like to take a moment to address you all. The training period is almost complete and I want to thank you all, sincerely, for your dedication and hard work. I hope it's been as edifying for you as he has been for me and hasn't been overly stressful. I know, from talking to some of you, that we can afford to be more communicative with you regarding our process. To that end, I'd like to take some time now to answer any questions you might have. To have a conversation, if you will, in hopes of being more transparent."

He said the last sentence looking right at Olivia. She felt her face radiating heat.

"So, who has the first question? You're welcome to ask me anything."

Olivia smiled, hearing her language coming out of Wesley's mouth.

There was silence. Olivia felt a responsibility to get things going. So, she spoke up.

"I was wondering," she began, "if you could tell us about the selection process overall. We know we're being evaluated. What's the criteria exactly?"

Wesley nodded, appreciating Olivia's penchant for getting right to the point.

"Excellent question," he said, "and a good a place to start. We have a metrics-based decision-making process. Each activity and test is scored and entered into a database. At the same time, we have qualitative measurements, comments and written evaluations from the staff, which are part of each candidate's packet. We read and discuss the qualitative data, assign a numeric value, and add that to the mix. By the end, we have what we hope is an objective, bias-free assessment of each candidate."