by Taryn Belle
“What if he wasn’t looking for that? What if he actually has no idea?”
“As if! He’s, like, this cutthroat developer. His projects are worth billions—someone doesn’t get to a place like that without stepping on a few heads.”
“Maybe you should ask him about the pelicans,” Kiki cut in, smearing butter on her croissant.
Laina stared at her. “What are you talking about?”
“The pelicans. Just ask him.” She glanced at her watch and picked up her plate. “Now, I really do have to get ready. Nicola, would you mind?” She gave Laina a wink. “Take a moment. Join us when you’re ready.”
Laina watched them retreat upstairs to the bedrooms, and then she looked around the room. She’d been so engrossed in her misery that she’d forgotten to stress out about entering this house for the first time in years. Trailing her hand along the mahogany table, she thought about all the dinners she’d had with her family over the years. Everything had always been so perfect, from the formally laid table to the centerpiece of cut flowers, a fresh bouquet each day. There was the staff who waited on them hand and foot, and the pleasant and supportive dinner conversation. Never any conflict. Even behind her parents’ closed bedroom door, Laina had never heard a raised voice, even if she knew it wasn’t possible that her parents never fought with each other or with their children. It was a kind of perfection that was intimidating, sure to make her feel like a failure when she felt emotions of her own that she couldn’t contain. She remembered wanting to scream and curse sometimes, but even imagining her parents’ reaction was enough to stop her. Laina hated conflict, so she’d separated herself from them. And now here she was again, avoiding conflict instead of demanding an explanation from James.
But if he was who she was certain he had to be, he didn’t deserve that chance.
* * *
Completing his route from the beach back to The Palms, James headed for the main road through the island, his breath labored as his feet pounded the dirt. He’d been jogging for nearly half an hour, but he didn’t feel any better. The perfect weather and postcard view hadn’t budged his mood. The music coming from his earbuds couldn’t even distract him; annoyed, he ripped them from his ears and shoved them in his pocket as he ran.
Laina. He was so miserable that he’d lost her, and now he’d have to see her again in just one short hour. Nothing would ever be the same again. Even though they lived in separate cities, every single day for God knew how long, he would be searching crowds for her face. Looking at diners in restaurants, people on park benches, women browsing in shops. Since they had Kiki in common, he’d get news of her every now and then whether he wanted it or not. One day his cousin might even tell him that Laina had a new boyfriend—or worse. The thought was nearly enough to make him dry heave.
This is pointless, James thought. Stopping suddenly in his tracks, he leaned forward onto his knees, breathing heavily. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he stood up again and started walking in a circle to cool down. That’s when he noticed two men in the distance behind him. They were running side by side, but their eyes were on him. He stood solid as they approached, and then he suppressed a groan when their faces came into focus. One of them was Ward—just what he really did not need right now. James prayed he’d pass by him, but no such luck.
“Glad I caught up with you,” Ward said as he pulled up in front of him and stopped with his buddy in tow. “Seems running’s more your speed than horseback riding.”
“I guess I prefer to carry my own weight.”
“Good for you,” Ward replied with an artificial smile. “Then I guess Laina is the perfect girl for you.”
James’s face darkened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Ignoring the question, Ward gazed out at the ocean. “Wow. This place is paradise, isn’t it?” Stretching his arms back and forth to show off his biceps, he switched his gaze to James. “Look, I’ve been getting the vibe you’re not my number one fan, so I just wanted to set the record straight. I’m not sure what Laina’s told you about me, but I’m guessing it wasn’t flattering.”
James arranged his features into a puzzled expression. “Actually, she’s hardly mentioned you.”
“Is that right?” Ward said, and then shrugged. “Hey, man, you know what? I was just trying to save you a little pain. But if you’re not interested—”
James clenched his fists. “That’s pretty funny, considering the amount of pain you caused her.”
Ward took a step closer to him. “She misrepresented herself, man. That kind of shit ain’t okay. I found out and broke up with her, that’s all.”
James felt a hit to his gut. Misrepresented? “What are you talking about?”
“So she suckered you in too, huh?” Ward shook his head and exchanged a look with his buddy. “You know she only stays in that cottage because her parents let her.”
James’s mind raced. That cottage? He hadn’t even seen where Laina was staying. The one time he’d asked, she’d told him she was in a guest cottage, and he hadn’t thought anything of it—they were all over the island. But come to think of it, she had refused all of his offers to go anywhere near it.
James threw his hands out. “Okay, you got me. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Inform me.”
“For realsies?”
God, but he was annoying—like a ten-year-old who’d connived himself into a man’s body.
“For realsies,” James agreed, patronizing him.
Ward heaved a great sigh, as if he were dealing with a slow child. “The estate? The one her gazillionaire family owns? Don’t let her tell you she stands to inherit—”
James stared at him. “Estate? What estate?”
“Seriously?” Ward looked genuinely shocked. “Where the wedding’s being held. It belongs to her family. The Reinhards?”
Reinhard. James knew that name. It finally clicked: they were like Atlanta royalty. But that wasn’t all, he realized. When James had put his offers in to the three Moretta properties, only Hibiscus Heights had declined. The name on that contract, the very people he was still trying to convince to sell to him, was Reinhard.
Holy shit.
“Reinhard. The estate that wouldn’t sell,” James said to himself as two and two finally came together.
But Ward wasn’t finished. “That whole changing her last name thing is just an attention grabber, if you ask me. It took her about ten minutes to tell me who she really was. What she conveniently left out was that she renounced any claim to her parents’ estate years ago. Not just the house here, but all of it. So, yeah—no money on that train. Kind of need-to-know information if you’re planning on marrying someone, don’t you think?”
James turned away from Ward’s smirking face to keep from punching a hole through it. His ears were ringing. It explained everything: Laina’s reticence toward her wealthy family, her reaction to him telling her he wanted to buy Hibiscus Heights, even her mysterious disappearance last night—she must have been staying in the estate’s guest cottage.
He had to talk to her.
Glancing at his watch, he calculated. Forty minutes until the ceremony started. She would be helping Kiki get ready, unable and unwilling to see him or take his call. He’d have to wait until the reception, but that was okay. He’d talk to her, explain everything, and she would see that he’d had no idea who she was.
It was all going to be okay.
Thank you, Ward Harris, you dumb asshole, he thought gleefully as he jogged toward his hotel.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
FIFTEEN MINUTES UNTIL she saw him.
As Laina hurriedly left her cottage to go and join Kiki and Nicola in the main house, she tried to tame the uncontrolled drumming of her heartbeat. The thought of standing up there for the entire ceremony, knowing his eyes were on her...would she even be able to handle it?
Yes. She
would. She’d made up her mind—she was going to talk to him at the reception. Even if it achieved nothing, she had to know she’d tried her very best. Nicola was right, she realized; she needed to give him the benefit of the doubt. Someone like James was too amazing to just let go of without a fight, and she would even walk straight into conflict to do it.
But that didn’t change the fact that right now she was a mess. Sure, her hair had been smoothed into a jewel-adorned updo, her makeup had been done by one of New York’s makeup artists to the stars, flown in especially for the occasion, and her show-stopping dress had been accessorized with a real diamond choker gifted to her by Kiki this morning. But she could feel sweat beading on her upper lip, and her whole body felt woozy. Her normally organized brain suffered from distraction and lack of sleep, sending her back to her cottage three times to pick up things she’d forgotten—her evening bag, her heels, the high school ring she’d meant to slip over a flower stem on Kiki’s bouquet for her “something borrowed.” She’d finally remembered to grab her cell phone this time, and saw that she had two missed calls from her mother—not that she could do anything about that right now.
As she made her way along the pool, she could see that most of the ceremony viewing seats were already filled. Her heart gave a lift as she saw everyone decked out in their best outfits, all here to celebrate her best friend. The mood was celebratory but also tense, just as it should be for a wedding this special. But was he here? Scanning the crowd quickly as she passed, she was relieved not to find him.
“Lains!”
No. Ward was the only person on earth who called her that, even though she’d asked him a hundred times not to when they’d been together. His voice had come from behind her, so she hurried on without turning around. Surely he would get the hint and leave her alone.
“Lains. Hello!” he said into her face. He’d rushed past her to get in front of her, his breath slightly boozy from the empty glass of champagne he held in his hand.
She couldn’t even look at him. “What is it, Ward?” she said to the palm tree over his shoulder. “As you might imagine, I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
“And looking white-hot while you’re at it, I might add,” he said. It was impossible to believe that she’d once found that shit-eating grin charming.
She glanced pointedly at her watch.
“Hey, I can take a hint. I just wanted to be the bearer of good news, that’s all.”
Laina looked skyward. “Okay, fine. I’ll bite. What good news?”
“Just that I know how paranoid you are about evil men going after you for your money.” A waiter passed by, and he grabbed another glass of champagne off the tray. Judging from his slurred voice, Laina guessed it was probably his third or fourth. Same old Ward, she thought—the wannabe rich guy who never missed a freebie. “So I took care of your date for you. What was his name again? It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry, I don’t expect a thank-you. Consider it atonement for my little...indiscretion.”
Laina kept her face neutral. “I’m not sure I understand.”
Ward took a swig from his glass and shrugged. “You don’t need to worry about him anymore. Of course I hated to rain on his parade right before such a joyous occasion, but when he came up to me and asked if I might try to convince you to sell Hibiscus Heights...well, I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I made sure he understood you have no pull in your family’s estate. The look on his face...well, let’s just say shock would be an understatement.”
Laina felt a muscle in her cheek twitch. Ward may be a pretentious self-centered prick, but how else would he know James wanted to buy her family’s property if he hadn’t told him so himself?
She felt like she was going to be sick. To think she’d been planning to give him another chance, when meanwhile he’d been appealing to her ex to collude with him? How low could he possibly go?
Turning away with tears in her eyes, she walked to the main house as fast as her heels would allow.
* * *
If James had disliked weddings before he met Laina, the feeling was intensified a hundredfold as he sat in his aisle seat fiddling with his program. A classical trio was playing fun takes on old rock songs and the atmosphere around him was festive, but it couldn’t tame the sick thud in his gut. Any moment now Laina was going to be right in front of him, a full display of everything he’d had and lost. It was going to be his worst nightmare.
But he would turn it around—he had to.
The music changed to a classical rendition of “Here Comes the Sun,” and a hush fell over the crowd. He had to admire his cousin’s creativity and irreverence. Turning with the rest of the guests, James saw Nicola walking slowly down the aisle toward him, followed by Laina.
How does she do that? James wondered as he watched her walk right past him, almost close enough to touch. Her face looked as peaceful and happy as it was supposed to on a day like this. Didn’t she feel anything? Wasn’t she upset at all by what had happened between them last night? Was she really able to move on so quickly?
It didn’t matter, because it didn’t change how James felt about her one bit. Just as he’d known she would, she looked like a goddess. Her body-skimming silver dress, which reached to her ankles, fell open from spaghetti straps into a draped neckline. A diamond necklace, resting at the hollow of her throat, glittered as it caught the sun. Her hair and makeup made her look like she’d stepped from the cover of a magazine. And in her hands she held a loose bouquet of pink and white flowers. He wanted to try to catch her eye as she took her place under the archway, but the crowd was already standing up. James joined them and turned to look at his cousin.
Despite his foul mood, he couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips. Kiki was truly a sight to behold. Her strawberry blond hair had been left down and swept to one side, and there was no old-fashioned veil for her—instead she wore a bejeweled headpiece of crystal and pearls that looked like it had been woven into her hair. A double strand of something glittery, probably diamonds, hung from her neck. Her dress was a simple scoop-neck sheath in blush-pink silk, sweeping down to a long train in the back. On her feet she wore crystal-studded high-heeled sandals to boost her petite frame, and in her hands she carried a bouquet made from a riot of black and white flowers.
He watched her take her place beside Dev, who was looking like he might actually bawl, and then he switched his gaze to Laina again. His breath caught in his throat as a strange sense of déjà vu swept over him.
She looked exactly like his vision from the dream he’d had when he first arrived on Moretta. It hadn’t been a doorway she’d been standing in, he realized now—it had been an archway. She and James had been standing side by side, and she had been wearing a long, pale dress.
The party that had been going on around them had been their own wedding.
* * *
To laugh with and cry with. To dream together and parent their children together. Kiki and Dev had written their own vows, and the words were still ringing in Laina’s ears three hours after they’d exchanged them. The ceremony had been perfect—short, heartfelt and humorous in all the right places. Just the kind of wedding she would love to have one day, if she could ever find a man she could trust.
James fucking Ellison. Laina had felt his eyes on the side of her face the entire time, but she’d refused to look at him. He may have played her for a fool once, but never again. She knew exactly what would happen if she allowed him to talk to her—he’d suck her in yet again, feeding her his lies and proclaiming his innocence when she’d been nothing but a means to an end for him the whole time. That was what infuriated Laina most of all—that she’d fallen for it. She knew she wasn’t the most experienced woman on earth when it came to navigating sex and relationships, but she’d truly thought she had better judgment than that.
It was enough to bring tears to her eyes as she walked toward the cake stand. But at least the
formal part of the reception was almost over, and she’d miraculously been able to avoid him so far. Not that it had been easy. She’d busied herself with mingling among the guests during the cocktail hour, and then she’d spent the dinner chatting with her seat mates and listening to toasts. She’d even made a short one herself, which she thought she’d be nervous for, but it turned out that anger had a calming effect on her. Twice during dinner she’d seen James get up from the other side of the table to approach her, but she’d hurried off to the bathroom both times.
Now all that was left were the cake cutting and the dancing, which Laina already knew required no formality. At that point, with her bridesmaid duties over, she could easily go back to her cottage to sob her eyes out again.
Kiki and Dev were already standing before the waterfall with the cake knife in hand. Up close, the confection was even more stunning than it had been at a distance. Edible white flowers spiraled up the six tiers, and now Laina could see that a subtle music note pattern had been embossed on them.
“He wrote that song to win her back, you know.”
Laina spun around and came face-to-face with James. Her heart drummed in her chest. Damn it. She’d barely let her eyes flit his way all night, but despite everything, she couldn’t help her body’s magnetic pull toward him—still. He looked amazing in a lightweight grey suit that set off the green of his eyes. He was freshly shaven for the first time since the yacht party, making her want to feel that smooth cheek trailing down her belly.
But she had to hate him.
Laina took a step backward. Around her the crowd was cheering as Kiki shoved a piece of cake into Dev’s mouth. James moved closer to her to fill the gap. “Kiki told me the story,” he said. “He wrote it for her while they were broken up, and look at them now.” He gestured to the happy couple, who was now kissing to wild applause.
