CHAPTER NINE

Josie took the whole week off. She had also fallen asleep while Blake drove. The last few hours had been her lightly snoring away while Blake hummed along with whatever country song played on the radio.

He was careful not to drive in a way that would wake her up, knowing she probably needed more sleep than he did seeing as how the last week in the hospital had been rough. He had gone to see her for lunch but there had been no time for him. At least, that was what the nurses had told him at the front desk.

She had always called on her way home to confirm that work was hectic. Josie could honestly say that she had not gotten much sleep at all the past week. Always being on call, as well as the rotation being off because some of the doctors had taken vacations: It made everything run hectically.

Yet here Josie was, sleeping away the drive as they headed to somewhere she hoped would be calm and relaxing.

Blake had made the plans for them, had gone through the process of making reservations and getting food and necessities. When he saw the sign that told them they were getting closer, he very carefully rolled the windows down, the smell of the fresh salty air tickling her nose. He watched from the corner of his eye as she wiggled slightly and sat up.

“Mmmm…” she grunted softly as she stretched the best she could in her seat.

"We're almost there."

"It smells hot,” she mumbled, still half asleep.

She was not wrong though, the sun was up out there, the warmth of the world around them. And with temperatures usually being cool, driving way out to the beach like this usually took some time and the heat was different than what they were used to.

It had taken most of the day Friday to get there taking tolls and the quickest routes available. They had made it! She was visibly happy and started to wake up more.

"Looks like we'll have ourselves a blast,” he murmured softly.

"I think so... even though it's hot."

"We will live,” he said softly. He looked around for the road to take to the hotel and turned.

"This place is pretty; thank you for this!”

"You're welcome. I figured since we were both taking a break we could enjoy this together," Blake smile.

"Still, thank you. I really did need this."

"Yep, and next time you can stay awake for the ride so we can play twenty questions and you know... fun car games."

Josie wrinkled her nose with laughter, tying her hair back and out of her face in a messy bun on top of her head.

"Do you think they'll try to call me in?" she said, looking out the window.

"That's a long drive, you’d have to take a plane back!”

"You have a point, though the drive was very nice. I'm glad I took the week off,” she hummed softly and half closed her eyes again.

"Are you falling asleep on me again?" Blake pouted.

"I might be…it’s just so... peaceful."

“Mm hmm, I guess you can go back to sleep. Even though you slept through a ten hour… no, eleven hour drive! But I will wake you up in about five minutes anyway so you can help me unload the truck."

"We're that close?"

"We are that close,” he nodded softly.

"Alright," she yawned. "I will try to stay awake."

"Should we get you some coffee?" he smirked.

"Probably. You never know, I might end up falling asleep standing up."

"That hospital has been running you raged lately,” he noted.

"Just lately; it's not always this bad. But you know, everyone is out on breaks and trying to do fun things..."

“Yep, plus being way down here in New Orleans for this whole week we might see some amazing things.”

“Like what?”

“I hear there are voodoo shops and lots of food places to try.”

“I’m not setting foot in a voodoo shop! I do not even want to cross the doorway of one of those places,” Josie said, her obvious discomfort made Blake nod.

“Then we will not go in one,” he said simply. “Though there are a lot of little bookshops from what I hear. Maybe we could stop in some of those? Check out the museum even.”

“That will be fun,” she said sweetly.

***

The beach was warm, the soft breeze that danced over the lazy waves was soothing. Josie stood with her eyes closed, her toes just barely in the wash.

"It's so nice here,” she breathed quietly.

The sun was almost fully visible over the horizon, yet already warm enough to where a soft gleam of sweat smoothed its way over her skin.

"It is,” Blake whispered beside her, their hands intertwined with the gentlest of sways.

"You ready to get all the way in the water?" Josie asked him with a playful daring look.

"You want me to get in there with the sharks?" Blake asked, his brow arched.

Josie nodded sheepishly. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He looked tired, but then again he had been determined to make that eleven hour drive without stopping. On the way back, she would have to make sure he stopped more often than he had.

“Alright, though if I don't like it we'll go all the way back home,” he said and closed his eyes as he looked away from her in a childish way.

"Oh really?" she purred at the challenge.

"Yep..." he looked back at her, but before he could say anything else she leaned up and kissed him, then ran away from him, heading straight into the water.

"We'll see about that, you'll have to pull me out of the water first!" she said over her shoulder.

"I see how it is!” he smiled but chased after her, the water making it difficult, though she seemed to bound through the waves with ease.

She floated with the roll of the waves. Watching him as he tried to make his way toward her. She chewed over her bottom lip and tilted her head to the side. The taste of the salt tickled her taste buds.

She hummed softly and toyed with her hands while she waited before she went swimming toward him. She reached out and tangled her fingers with his.

“I caught you,” he said softly.

"No, I caught you."

"Look here, Little Fish,” he smirked, as though he were trying to start scolding her.

"Did you call me a fish?"

"You got out here with so much ease,” he smirked a little and pulled her closer, staying where he could keep his feet on the sand beneath them.

"You are adorable,” she giggled, her lips pressing against his cheek softly.

“No, you are,” he said and picked her up, playfully throwing her into one of the waves as she squeaked out in laughter.

"Oh no!" she surfaced and glared at him in that playfully cute way she found drove him wild. He narrowed his eyes at her and reached out for her to come back. She shook her head and swam around him, he turned to watch her but she vanished under the water.

"Where did you go?" he asked with an arch of his brow.

She said nothing as she stayed under the waters, not even hearing what he had said as she appeared from behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“Ah! Shark!” he laughed openly, though he had not spoken loudly. He chuckled softly and she wrapped her legs around him.

She nuzzled into his neck softly and chewed over her bottom lip. As Blake softly grabbed her arms, he started to walk back to the shore. Something had nudged his leg and he did not want to spend too much time playing around in there to find out if it was a shark or not.