St. Maarten Magic
"Beach bar manager Simone has seen thousands of tourists come through Maho Beach, but when pilot Derek lands more than just his plane nearby, she discovers magic in the most unexpected connection."
Maho Beach. Planes landing over tourists' heads. Simone had seen it daily for ten years.
But she'd never seen a pilot actually walk into her bar after landing.
"Rough flight?" she asked as Derek sat down.
"Rough life. Need something strong."
She poured. He drank. He looked at her like she was the runway and he needed to land.
"Yuh come here often?" she joked.
"I fly this route twice a week. Never stopped before."
"What changed?"
"Saw you from the cockpit. Decided today was different."
She laughed. "Yuh saw mi from up there?"
"I see you from everywhere."
She showed him the island after her shift. French side, Dutch side, all the places tourists never found.
"Why are you being so nice?" he asked.
"Because yuh honest. And tired. And yuh look like yuh need someone to be nice."
"I need more than nice."
"Then tell mi what yuh need."
Her cottage was small with big views. That thick body was his landing strip, his destination, his home.
"Yes! Derek! Right there!"
Touching down in ways flight school never covered. Both of them finding solid ground.
"Don't stop! Mi want the whole flight!"
Derek bid exclusively for the St. Maarten route.
"Yuh going to crash being this distracted," his co-pilot joked.
"I've already crashed. Best landing of my life."
Simone meets every flight now. Derek stays every layover.
"Marry me?" he asked one sunset.
"Mi been waiting for yuh to land that question."
St. Maarten magic.
Where planes and hearts touch down.
Forever destination.