Shipped(91)

Her eyes twinkle. “I say it’s a dream come true.”

Wrapping my arm around my sister, I give her a hearty squeeze. “I love you, Walshers.”

“Love you too, Hennie-Bennie.”

“So, uh, do you ladies live around here?” The Uber driver swivels around, beard braid swishing as he eyes Walsh with obvious interest.

She leans forward. “We do.”

As they chat, I snuggle closer to Graeme and lean my head on his shoulder. The car edges to a stop at a red light, the windows of the buildings outside winking in the early-evening light. He presses a tender kiss to my temple. “I’m so proud of you.”

I sit up to look at him. “Are you sure you’re not bothered by my promotion?”

He snorts. “I’m not Sean, remember?”

“But me working above you… you, director. Me, e-level…”

Tipping my chin up with his forefinger, he brushes his lips against mine in a slow kiss that has my libido blinking awake and my nerve-endings crackling. “You know I like a woman on top.” When he pulls back, he pumps his eyebrows once.

I can’t help but laugh. “What are you doing a month from today?”

“Hanging out with my girlfriend.”

I blink. “Excuse me, what?”

“You. I’m hanging out with you.”

“Girlfriend?” I repeat.

“Is that okay?”

“Definitely.”

His lips descend to my neck and he presses a kiss directly under my ear, making me shudder. “What did you have in mind?”

“Hmmm.” I glance at the car’s smooth gray ceiling. “How about camping? I hear Mt. Rainier is beautiful this time of year.”

Graeme’s blue eyes sparkle and his shoulders relax in a contented sigh. “I thought you’d never ask.”

The Uber pulls up outside my building, and Graeme and I clamber out.

“I’ll be up soon,” says Walsh through the open door, still engrossed in conversation with the driver.

Graeme opens the heavy front door at the same time my neighbor Sophie walks out. I remember it’s Sophie this time, not Sophia, because Sophie has a longer nose. She flashes me a small smile as she passes.

I step through the threshold, then pause. “Hey, Sophie?”

She plucks an earbud from one ear. “Yeah?”

“What are you up to tonight?”

“No plans.”

“I’m having a party, a celebration of sorts. Do you and Sophia want to come?”

She shrugs, eyes crinkling. “Sure, sounds fun.”

“People are coming at six, but feel free to swing by whenever.”

“Sounds good. Catch you later.” Replacing her ear bud, she waves at me over her shoulder.

“That was nice,” says Graeme.

“It’s about time I made friendly with the neighbors.”

“You know, we have over an hour until your party. Maybe we could get friendly.” His voice drops to a register of pure mischief.

I tilt my head. “But you didn’t say please.”

“You want me to beg?”

I flash him a wide, innocent grin. “Only if you’re on your knees.”

“Henley Rose.” With a growl, he lifts me up and carries me across the lobby. I giggle uncontrollably, even as heat floods my cheeks. An elderly man collecting his mail shoots us a disapproving look, and I sweep an air kiss in his direction. His bushy eyebrows jerk upward.

When we reach the elevator, my heart is hammering and my fingers itch to run over every inch of Graeme’s skin. He pushes the up button before wrapping me in a tight embrace. Diving a hand under his shirt, I let my fingers play along the waistband of his jeans. When my knuckles brush against his stomach, he sucks in a breath.

My phone dings with my daily 5 p.m. task list reminders. Reaching into my pocket, I pull it out.

Task #1: Defeat Graeme Crawford-Collins.



I don’t cross it off the list.

I delete it.

The battles have been waged—some lost, some forfeited, some won. New allies were revealed, an old enemy became a friend and then a lover, and I strengthened the precious bonds of family. A wave of gratitude washes over me that’s so powerful tears threaten behind my eyes.

The elevator doors rattle open and Graeme pulls me inside and captures my lips in a searing kiss. My bones turn to liquid and I sink into his heart-melting touch.

A rush of excitement fills my lungs and my head fills with pure, unbridled bliss. I’m soaring like a sparrow above an eagle. I’m swimming with the sharks. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve lived up to my namesake.

I feel like a rock star.





Author’s Note


Dear Reader,

Thank you for reading Shipped! I hope you enjoyed Henley and Graeme’s story as much as I loved writing it. Although Shipped is a work of fiction, most of the island settings described in the novel are based on real locations in the Galápagos. There are indeed cafés along the waterfront in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal Island, albeit without Walsh’s bad milkshake (still, don’t drink the water—ice cubes included). You can hike to Suarez Point and snorkel in Gardner Bay on Espa?ola Island and drop off a postcard in the historic post barrel on Floreana Island. On Santa Cruz Island, there are wild tortoise–spotting opportunities in the highlands and a wonderful recycled glass art gallery in the main town of Puerto Ayora. And the stairs leading to the top of Bartolomé Island gifts you one heck of a stunning view.