by Kay Correll
“Ah, Jamie, you’ve always been my biggest supporter. I’ve missed that. You’re good for my ego, you know.”
“I say the truth.” He touched her face again where the tear had long since dried in the salty sea air. “You are a wonderful woman, kind-hearted. It isn’t too late to change your mind about George.”
But with that sentence he was nailed with a pang of guilt. Did he really think George was wrong, or did he want Cindy for himself?
Of course George was wrong.
He was a cheater. He practically ignored Cindy at every turn.
But he couldn’t deny it was killing him now that Cindy was back in his life, to think of her spending her life with George.
Spending her life with any other man…
* * *
Cindy didn't know why everything had to be so confusing. She liked things all sorted out and well planned. She organized her whole life in her planner. So, why was everyone telling her to think twice about marrying George? The rehearsal for the wedding was tonight, for Pete's sake. George was a catch. He was. And she cared about him. Sometimes she even thought she loved him. She was sure the feeling would grow after they were married. They were very compatible. They were.
Yet, why was it so easy to sit with Jamie, talk to him, and tell him how she felt? He was just so easy to be with. She'd missed that. The effortless friendship. He never judged her, never teased her about her weight, her hair, or her lack of style. He didn’t give her the eye when she ordered a beer.
She looked over at Jamie and he met her gaze. "If you think George is so wrong, how come you've been working so hard to make this wedding perfect for me?"
He didn't flinch, but took her hand in his. "To be honest, I need this wedding to go off without a hitch. I need to build up the wedding business at the inn to help make the inn more profitable. We're always a bill away from losing the place."
"I had no idea things were so shaky for you and your mom."
"We have a reporter from Florida Destination Weddings magazine coming. If we get a good write-up, it will help a lot. I need to pull this off. I need to give Mom some more security after Russell left her… well, without anything. She worries about the finances all the time. I keep thinking we’re so close to turning the corner, then something else hits and clears out any savings I’ve managed to scrape together. A busted air-condition system, damage from a hurricane, a new roof. It’s always something.”
“Jamie, I’m sorry. I never thought that the inn might be in trouble. It’s such a figure here on Belle Island.”
“Well, if I can’t make a go of it, I’m sure some developer will swallow it up and put up a condo complex. An inn like ours is a dying breed here.”
“But it shouldn’t be! It’s so charming and relaxing and the perfect place to come and stay.”
“Don’t suppose you’d like a PR job here, huh?” Jamie smiled wryly.
“Well, we’ll just have to give that reporter a wedding like she’s never seen, won’t we?”
“No, we don’t. Not if you want to cancel it all.”
Cindy stood up. “I don’t want to cancel. I’ve just been having foolish, schoolgirl thoughts. Jitters. That’s all.” She reached down a hand to Jamie. “Come on, we should head back. I’m sure you have better things to do than sit here and listen to me ramble.”
“I always have time for you, Dream Girl.”
“You’re a good friend, Jamie McFarlane. A really good friend. I’ve missed you. You’ve always been the only one I could talk to like this. Thanks for listening to me. I feel better. I do.”
She was determined to put all this foolishness out of her mind. She had a mission. To pull off the most perfect wedding this reporter had ever seen. Concentrating on that would push all this silliness from her mind. She’d do that for Jamie.
* * *
George looked down the beach and saw Cindy walking towards the inn with that blasted Jamie fellow. Annoyed, he glanced down at his watch. Shouldn’t she be up getting ready for the rehearsal? It took a woman some time to get ready for big events like that, didn’t it? He hoped she did something with her hair and really, really hoped her mother had talked her into an appropriate dress. He couldn’t wait to show her off to his groomsmen and for them to meet her father. They’d see how well he was marrying.
To be honest, if he’d known her sister was available when he’d started dating Cindy, he might have made a move for Vanessa instead. But, by the time Vanessa was disentangled from her husband, George had already been dating Cindy for a few months. He was quite sure her father wouldn’t have approved of a quick sister swap. Vanessa was more his style in a woman, if a bit critical and hard. And she did love to spend money, a lot of money. But, she carried herself well and always looked impeccable.
Ah, water under the bridge. He’d chosen the other sister. When she put the effort into it, she was able to make quite a presentable showing. He’d bought her an expensive necklace he planned to give to her. That would impress the heck out of his friends.
Cindy and Jamie walked up the steps to the deck and he stood watching them carefully. Jamie had a hand on her elbow as they climbed the stairs. Probably to keep the woman from tripping. She did have a tendency to stumble with regularity. He only hoped she didn’t fall at their wedding.
When the couple got to the top of the stairs, Cindy stopped and gave Jamie a quick hug.
George didn’t like that. Not one bit. What was she doing hugging another man? That Jamie was just entirely too familiar with her. Or she was too familiar with him. Or something.
The irony of being jealous wasn’t lost on him.
George crossed the deck in time to see Cindy look up guiltily.
“Ah, there you are darlin’. Been looking for you. Isn’t it time for you to go up and get ready for the rehearsal?” He leaned over and kissed her.
Slowly.
On the lips.
Right in front of that Jamie fellow.
“I. Ah. Yes, I was just coming back from my walk. It is time to go up and get ready.”
“You’ll excuse us?” George used his best dismissal tone with a nod toward Jamie.
“I have work to do, yes.” Jamie gave Cindy a long look, then crossed the deck and slipped inside.
“I hope you didn’t get your face all burned in this sun. Don’t know how you’d cover that up. You look a bit red.” He peered at her closely.
“No, I put on lotion. I’m fine. It’s probably just a bit flushed from the walk and the sea breeze.”
“What was he doing with you?” George nodded towards the door Jamie had gone through.
“He was out walking on the beach, too. We walked back from Lighthouse Point together.”
“I see.”
She looked at him curiously. “You aren’t jealous, are you? Jamie is just a friend.”
“Jealous? Of course not. Don’t be silly.”
She placed her hand on his arm. “George, you do love me, don’t you?”
“Where is all this foolishness coming from? Of course I do. I asked you to marry me, didn’t I?”
“You’re right. I’m just being silly.” She reached up and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. “I’m going to head upstairs now. I’ll see you at the rehearsal.”
George watched as she crossed the deck. Women were funny things. You always had to keep reassuring them. Well, the necklace he was giving her would show her, for sure.
He turned on his heels, put Cindy and her silly questions out of his mind, and headed to the bar to have a drink with his friends.
Chapter 13
Cindy crossed the lobby to where Jamie stood talking to a woman with a camera bag slung over her shoulder. Jamie waved her over.
“Cindy, this is Jackie from Florida Destination Weddings magazine.”
“Nice to meet you, Jackie.”
“Nice to meet you, Cindy. I’m going to be taking some photos of the set up for the rehearsal, along with some photos of the wedding set up and reception.
Would love to have a few of the bride and groom. If that’s okay, I have a release form for you to sign.”
“Is that all fine with you?” Jamie looked worried.
“Yes, that’s fine.” Cindy signed the paper and handed it back.
“I have your room all ready for you too, Jackie, if you want photos of our accommodations”
“Sounds great. I want some photos of the inn, to give our readers a feel for what the venue is like.”
“I’ll show you up to your room, then.”
Cindy watched as Jamie led the reporter away from the lobby.
“Cindy?”
She turned at the sound of her name. A woman came out from behind the desk and walked up to her. “I’m Susan, Jamie’s mom. You probably don’t remember me. I only visited a few times in the summers even though Jamie was here each summer helping my brother.”
“I was sorry to hear about your brother passing away.”
“Thank you.” Susan nodded. “He was my only sibling, and it was a hard loss.”
“I do remember meeting you, though. You came for a long weekend with Russell, but he left early.”
Susan smiled softly. “Russell wasn’t one to really want to vacation. At least not down here. He likes fancy resorts with a hubbub of activities. He’s not really a beach person either.”
“I don’t know how anyone could keep from falling in love with this place. The inn. The town. The beaches here.”
“You’re sweet to say that.” Susan looked around the lobby and back to Cindy. “It’s nice to see the inn full of people coming for your special day. I hope you have a beautiful wedding here.”
“I’m sure I will. And I just met the reporter. I hope she does a great article for the magazine and it brings you more wedding business.”
“I do, too. Jamie is very hopeful. He’s done so much with the inn. I’m afraid my brother had kind of let things slide. Jamie is bringing things around.”
“Well, I love this place. I can’t think of a more perfect place for a wedding.”
“Thank you for saying that. If there is anything I can do for you, just let me know.” Susan turned and headed back to the reception desk.
Cindy stood in the middle of the lobby, knowing she should go upstairs and get ready, and fighting off the urge to race out the door and back down the beach.
Silly girl, with a silly case of nerves. She squared her shoulders and headed upstairs. She was going to put aside this nonsense and pull off the perfect wedding. For herself, for Jamie and his mother—and for George—she guiltily added him as an afterthought.
* * *
Jamie led Jackie up to her corner room on the second floor. He’d saved one of their nicer rooms for her. He hoped to impress her, he’d admit that. He opened the door to the room and Jackie stepped inside.
“Just set my suitcase by the door. I want to get some photos of the room and the view before I unpack and mess things up. The room is lovely.”
Jamie had made sure to fill the room with flowers and a basket of chocolates, cheese and fancy crackers, along with a nice bottle of wine. He wasn’t above bribery for a good write-up.
“Can I get you anything else?”
“No, I’m fine for now. Thank you. Your inn really is lovely.”
“Thank you. We think so.”
Jamie pulled the door closed behind him and walked down the hallway. He fervently hoped he could pull this off. He took the stairs to the lobby and crossed over to where his mother was working behind the counter.
“I just met Cindy again.”
“I was going to introduce you.”
“Well, I re-introduced myself. She seems like such a lovely girl.”
“She is.”
“Well, I hope her wedding brings you the publicity you’re wanting.”
“Me, too, Mom. Me, too.”
But as much as he wanted the good publicity, he didn’t know that he wanted the wedding to actually take place. Because that would mean that Cindy really was marrying George.
And he was all wrong for her.
* * *
Cindy heard a knock at her door and crossed the room to answer it. Vanessa stood in the hallway. Her sister brushed past her and entered the room.
“Are you about ready?” Vanessa eyed her critically. “Do you want me to do your hair for you?”
“I thought I’d just wear it down tonight.” Cindy had clipped one side of her curls back with a fancy comb with lavender stones on it that matched the trim on her dress.
“Are you sure? It’s going to be a fly-away mess before long.” Vanessa scrunched up her face in obvious displeasure.
“I’m sure.”
“Why not just pull it back with an elastic rubber band, then?” Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Really. It’s the rehearsal for your wedding. You’d think you’d want to look… put together at least.”
Cindy ignored her sister for once. She thought her hair looked nice pulled slightly back like this. She wasn’t going to let Vanessa’s steady stream of negativity dampen her spirits.
Cindy took one last look in the mirror and turned to her sister, wanting to ask the question, but not sure her sister was the right person to ask. She screwed up her courage and blurted out her fear. “Vanessa…do you think George loves me?”
Cindy could tell that she’d asked the wrong question to the wrong person, before her sister even answered.
Vanessa shrugged her shoulder and flicked her hand with a you’re-so-ridiculous flip of the wrist. “Don’t be silly. Maybe he does, maybe not. I’m not sure it matters. He cares about you and wants to marry you. Marriage is give and take. The whole marry for love, one true soul mate is just a fantasy. This is the real world. This is how it works.”
Cindy wasn’t reassured a bit from that taste of sisterly wisdom.
“Anyway, you’re lucky he asked you to marry him. It’s not like you had a lot of other prospects. You don’t want to just grow old alone do you?” Vanessa checked her reflection carefully in the mirror. “I sure don’t. I plan on getting serious about dating again after we finally make it back to Lexington.”
Cindy didn’t want to grow old alone, she didn’t. She wanted to share her life with someone. But it wasn’t like she’d even been out looking for a husband. George had found her. George had asked her out. He’d asked her to marry him.
“You’re not getting cold feet are you?” Vanessa eyed her suspiciously. “Getting wrapped up in one of your fantasies again?”
“No. Just a bit of wedding jitters, I think.”
“Well, pull yourself together. We have lots of important people here. We don’t want to keep them waiting.”
Cindy almost laughed. The last thing Vanessa ever worried about was keeping people waiting.
Chapter 14
Bella looked around the outside eating area on the deck. Cindy had chosen to have the rehearsal dinner outside, but the wedding reception tomorrow in the inside dining room. Tonight, the dining room was for wedding guests who were not part of the actual wedding party and rehearsal. Tomorrow the dining area, inside and out, was reserved for the wedding.
Bella walked over and straightened up a place setting at one of the tables. A long buffet was set up along one end of the deck. The Tiki bar area would have the drinks, along with servers walking around with Champagne. She checked with the staff to go over the schedule for the wedding. So far things were going as planned.
Jamie walked out onto the deck and waved. He stopped by the bar, then came over to stand beside Bella. “Everything going okay?”
“All in order.” Bella nodded towards the Tiki torches lining the deck. “You have those set to be lit at dusk?”
“I’ll be lighting them myself.”
“Looks like things are getting busy at the inn this evening.”
“I think most of the wedding guests who are staying here are checking in today. We’ve had a constant stream of people coming in all day. The dining room is filled with reservations for the night
, for guests who aren’t part of the wedding party. Might be able to squeeze in a few without reservations, but not many.” Jamie furrowed his brow. “I just hope everything goes off without a hitch.”
“It will be fine. I’m sure,” Bella reassured him.
Just then one of the boys Jamie had hired to help with the luggage came running up. “Jamie, your mother told me to come get you. The hot water is out in the inn.”
Jamie’s eyes clouded with exasperation. “That’s not good. I better go see what I can do.” He turned to Bella. “You’ve got this out here?”
“I do. Good luck with the water thing.”
Jamie nodded and hurried into the inn.
* * *
“Harry, I can’t thank you enough for coming over on short notice. Couldn’t get ahold of our regular repair guy, and this is just out of my league.” Jamie grabbed a toolbox from his best friend’s truck. “I’m more of a paint, patch, and fix than anything mechanical.”
“Glad to help if I can.”
Jamie and Harry had been friends since Jamie’s first summer on Belle Island. Harry lived in town year-round. Once Jamie had moved back to take over the inn, the two of them had resumed their friendship. Harry knew more about fixing anything and everything than anyone Jamie had ever met.
“Come on, let’s go check it out.” Harry grabbed another toolbox and followed Jamie to the maintenance room.
Harry poked around and checked things and finally came up with the verdict. “Looks like you just ran out of hot water. Too many guests getting ready at the same time, I guess.”
Jamie raked his hand through his hair. “That’s not good. There’ll be even more people getting ready at the same time tomorrow. I’m going to have to get another water heater system put in here, aren’t I?”
“If you want to keep having the inn full for big events where everyone hits the showers at the same time.”
“Well, I can’t have that finished by tomorrow.” Jamie sighed in frustration. “And I sure don’t have that in the budget for this year, either.”
