by Sandy James
He was having a difficult time paying attention to the amenities the bellboy was rattling off because Ethan was thinking about Chelsea. Her insight back on their island had blown him away, mostly because he hadn’t even realized that the emotional wounds his parents had inflicted ran so deep. He’d always looked back at their choice to put their careers ahead of him as an annoyance. Turned out, he had an entrenched fear that he’d never be the number one thing in anyone’s life. Once she’d pointed it out, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it before. Perhaps his hatred of the press and any type of publicity had more to do with his own insecurity than he’d ever realized.
But she’d known. And she’d soothed his worries with her promise that she would put him first. All he had to do was trust her and take her at her word.
Why was that so damned hard to do?
The woman at the front desk greeted them with a smile. “Welcome! I’m assuming you’re guests for the nuptials.”
Ethan nodded. “Best man.”
Chelsea sidled up next to him. “Lowly guest.”
With a light laugh, the lady poised her hand over her computer’s keyboard. “Might I have the names?”
“Ethan Walker and Chelsea Harris,” Brad said as he strode across the floor to cuff Ethan on the shoulder. Leaning closer, he said, “Since the resort’s ours the next couple of days, no need to worry about playing games with fake names. The staff was handpicked and given huge tips to keep their cell phones in their pockets and the happenings around here to themselves.”
The smile on the clerk’s face grew, making Ethan wonder exactly how much that smile had cost his friend. She pecked away at her computer before saying, “I have you two sharing a suite on the second floor. King-sized bed. Two-person jetted tub. Private balcony.”
“Sounds nice,” Chelsea said, leaning her cheek against his shoulder.
“Almost as nice as our island,” Ethan quipped.
“You two are going to have to tell me all about that,” Brad said. “Sounds like someplace Savannah might enjoy.”
After running two cards through a scanning device, the clerk placed them in a small folder. “The suite is number 220.” She handed the folder to Ethan and then plucked a map of the resort from the display on the counter and proceeded to show them the best way to get to their room.
“I’ll let you two get settled,” Brad said. “We’re throwing a big shindig tonight at the pool. Savannah has them putting together enough food for an army. See you two around seven.” He waved as he hurried off to greet some other newly arrived guest.
Ethan took Chelsea’s hand and they followed the bellboy to their suite. When Ethan tried to tip him, the guy waved him off. “Taken care of, but thanks.” He shut the door behind him.
“This place is great,” she said, wandering through the suite. “It’s bigger than my first couple of apartments.”
The living area had a sofa and two overstuffed chairs. A huge television was mounted above a large hearth. He followed her into the bedroom, pleased they had such a big bed. Tall as he was, he tended to find his feet hanging over the end of some hotel mattresses. The two-person tub gave him plenty of ideas for how to entertain her later.
Back in the living room, she fished her cell phone out of her pocket. “I promised to call Addie.”
Although he dreaded it, he nodded. Chelsea had been so relaxed when she’d avoided the real world. Unfortunately, contact with Addie would send them both back into a huge pile of bullshit, now that the photos of them together had hit the Internet. At Will’s insistence, they’d released a short statement that confirmed he and Chelsea were in a relationship and Ethan hoped that would be the end of it. Once she talked to her assistant, Chelsea was sure to be stressed out over the publicity again.
“Hi, Addie,” Chelsea said into the phone. “Hang on, I’m putting you on speaker since Ethan’s here.”
“I take it you guys made it to Jekyll,” Addie said.
“We did,” Chelsea replied. “This place is amazing.”
“I hope you enjoy the wedding, ’cause things might get fucking crazy by the time you two get back.”
“Now what?” Ethan asked, flopping into one of the chairs.
“I’m still fielding all kinds of interview requests.”
“Nope,” Ethan said.
“I know how you feel,” Chelsea said. “But I just can’t help but think if we answer a few questions, they’ll realize there’s no story here, get bored, and give up on with the whole thing.”
He shook his head. “Not happening.”
“God, you’re stubborn,” Addie said, which only made him smile.
With a sigh, Chelsea said, “After the wedding, I’ve got a couple of radio appearances for the charity album.”
“Like that’s what they’ll want to talk about,” Addie said.
“Exactly. After I answer a question or two just to let everyone know that Ethan and I are together, I can redirect them back to the duets.”
“It’s better than silence,” Addie mused.
“You ladies worry too much,” Ethan said. “Mark my words, some celebrity will do something stupid soon. Then we’ll be old news.”
He thought he heard Addie growl like a feral cat. “I need to be honest with you, boss,” she said. “What I’m seeing out there ain’t so great.”
“What’s that supposed to be mean?” Chelsea asked.
“That means that most of the stuff I’m reading on fan forums are postings that can deal with the idea of you two being together, but they hate that they think you two are lying, that there’s a lot more to the two of you than just dating.”
“Fuck ’em,” Ethan said. “We can’t spend our whole lives worrying about what people think.”
“We do when they’re Chelsea’s fans,” Addie insisted.
Evidently, Chelsea was growing as weary with the conversation as he was, because she said, “Look, we need to run, Addie. For now, just do your best to hold down the fort. Hopefully, it’ll all blow over soon.”
“Don’t forget The Cathy Kay Show on Monday morning. You have to be at the television studio by noon.”
Chelsea frowned. “Crap.”
“You forgot,” Addie scolded. “Relax, it’s only a short segment, and Cathy usually plays softball.”
“Yeah, she’s nothing but a pussycat.”
* * *
After ending the call, Chelsea went to Ethan and picked up his hand. Although she was frustrated at his attitude, she knew trying to change his mind was probably wasted breath. But learning that her fans, the people who’d made her what she was, thought of her as a liar didn’t sit well. No, not well at all.
She squeezed his hand. “I know you hate this publicity stuff, but Addie’s right. We really should—”
Her words were cut off when he hauled her onto his lap and kissed the breath right out of her. “We have a party to get ready for,” he said as he cradled her face in his callused palms. “Can we quit worrying about the world for two more days? Can’t we just be together and enjoy Brad and Savannah’s wedding? There’ll be plenty of time to deal with Addie and Will and whatever the hell people are saying about us when we get back to Nashville.”
The pleading in his voice cut straight to her heart. “You’re right,” she said, turning her face to kiss one of his palms. “Let’s go have some drinks and get those two married. What harm can a couple more days do anyway?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The next afternoon, the sky was beginning to turn the most marvelous kaleidoscope of colors when Chelsea took her spot with the dozen or so people attending Brad and Savannah’s wedding. She was barefoot, having left her sandals in a long line with the shoes of the wedding party and other guests, back by the gate leading to the resort’s pool. She wiggled her toes in the still warm sand, watching the pink, orange, and yellow streaks that seemed to frame the lace canopy waiting for the happy couple.
Ethan waited under that canopy, while Joslynn, holding
her bouquet of orchids, was ready to serve as maid of honor. Her off-the-shoulder satin dress was mint green, the hem brushing the sand. Her long dark hair was coiled on top of her head. Attired more casually, Ethan sported a white oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. His tan linen trousers were crisply pleated and he wore no tie.
Brad said a few words to Russ before he strode to the shelter to take his place in front of the minister. A few moments later, he nodded to the harpist, who began to play a lilting melody.
Chelsea’s heart sang as she took in the whole of the wedding scene, enchanted by the beauty around her. The sweet strums of the harp. The vivid colors of the setting sun. The romantic picture of Savannah in a shimmering white sheath dress as she held tightly to her daughter’s hand. Caroline cradled a velvet box in her other small hand while Savannah carried a bouquet of orchids. They walked confidently toward the canopy.
Chelsea glanced to Ethan, not really surprised to find him looking back at her. When he smiled, something inside her melted. This man might not realize it, but he held her heart in his tanned hands. She could almost imagine the two of them standing under that swath of lace, her clothed in white instead of the pale pink she now wore. He would, of course, be every bit as ruggedly handsome as he was today.
When Savannah and Caroline reached Brad, he went down on one knee to kiss Caroline’s cheek. Then the girl smiled and moved to stand at Joslynn’s side, still clinging to the black box. Brad rose to face Savannah and took her hand into his. They faced the minister together.
“What a happy day this is,” the man said before glancing over his shoulder at the sunset. “And quite a beautiful day as well.”
Then he launched into a fairly typical litany of what marriage was—or more specifically what it should be. After admonishing the bride and groom that the pledges they were ready to make to one another should be sacred, he said, “The couple would like to exchange their own vows.”
Judging from the solemn yet happy expressions on Savannah and Brad’s faces, they knew exactly what they were getting into and were more than ready to take the plunge.
“Me first,” Brad said to Savannah. “I need to spit this out before you say something that derails my train of thought.”
Savannah’s brows gathered. “What exactly do you think I could say that would throw you off?”
With a broad smile, he tugged her a little closer. “How about ‘I love you’? Every single time you say that to me, my mind is filled with nothing but you.”
A collective sigh rose from the ladies, which was followed closely by chuckles.
“Here goes,” Brad said. He plucked the orchids from his bride’s hand and passed them to Joslynn. Taking Savannah’s slender hands into his, he gazed down into her eyes. “I promise to always be there for you, no matter what life throws in our path. I promise to take care of you when you’re not feeling good and to make your life crazy busy when you are. I don’t give a crap whether we’ve got money or fame, all I care about is making a family with you and with Caroline. I love you, Savannah, and no matter what happens, I will always stay at your side.”
Blinking back tears, Chelsea let her gaze find Ethan’s. Damn if that man didn’t look a bit misty-eyed himself. His mouth rose in a smile, and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod.
With a deep breath, Savannah offered Brad a shaky smile. “I love you, Brad. From now until the end of time, I’ll be your wife. You never have to worry about having someone there to take care of you or to share the good and bad times. I’ll be there for both. If God grants us one year or fifty, you can count on me to spend each and every one with you.” When a sob bubbled up, she put her hand to her lips and tried to smile.
Dropping her hands, Brad turned to Caroline and called her over with the crook of his finger. Down on one knee again, he opened the box she handed him and let a long gold chain with heart locket dangle from his fingertips. “I have a promise for you, too, Miss Caroline.”
The girl’s responding smile was as radiant as the sunset.
“I want to be your daddy,” he said. “If you’ll have me. I want to do all the things a good daddy does for a daughter. Coach your soccer team and tuck you in at night. I love your mama, and I love you, too.”
Caroline turned around so that Brad could put the necklace on her. Her lip quivered as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Chelsea lost it right then and there, allowing her threatening tears to fall. Here were all the things she’d ever dreamed of. A man to love her. A family. Once she’d decided that she would focus on her career, she’d all but given up that hope.
* * *
Ethan hated to see Chelsea cry. Even though he was sure the tears she shed were out of happiness rather than sadness, he found his stomach in knots. The fact that he was so concerned about her moods told him something he’d already feared—that his heart was no longer his own. Chelsea Harris had captured it. Completely. Irretrievably.
He was hers.
The ceremony might have continued, but Ethan wasn’t paying much attention. He was too busy watching Chelsea, letting thoughts of the future cloud his mind. The time they would spend together on the farm, riding horses, working in the barn.
For a moment, he even let the notion of the two of them with a kid tickle his imagination.
And if that wasn’t proof he was crazy, he had no idea what was.
An elbow in his ribs made him huff out a breath. “What?”
“The ring,” Brad said. “Remember?”
“Oh. Sorry.” Ethan produced the gold band from his pocket, handing it over to Brad as Joslynn gave a ring to Savannah.
After the couple exchanged their rings, the minister had them join hands. He offered a blessing for a long and happy life together and then grinned. “You are now husband and wife. Go ahead, Brad, and kiss your bride.”
* * *
Chelsea set her champagne glass next to the bride’s bouquet she’d caught and watched the guests. Some were dancing to the rock ’n’ roll that the happy couple had chosen for the celebration. The DJ seemed to know exactly when to give the up-tempo songs a break and insert a slow song that allowed everyone to catch their breath or nibble on their slices of cake.
There were quite a few guests who’d abandoned their fancy clothes in favor of swimsuits. Most of them were in the pool, floating by on inflated rafts as they sipped their drinks. The rest were like Ethan, deep in discussion.
Suddenly feeling hemmed in, she got to her feet. She’d eaten far too much and danced enough to make her feet ache. Her head was buzzing from the noise and the champagne, and all she wanted was a few moments of peace and quiet to settle her mind.
A glance to the beach made her long to hear the waves lapping against the shore and to feel the sand sluicing between her toes. She weaved through the crowd, murmuring greetings to the people she barely knew since they were mostly family members of the bride and groom. Once she passed through the wrought-iron gate that opened onto the beach, she breathed a sigh of release.
Kicking off her sandals, she carried them as she walked toward the surf. Slowly, the music softened, growing fainter and fainter as she moved farther away. As each wave slapped against the beach, she relaxed a little more.
She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed a vacation until she and Ethan had found themselves alone on their island. The peace of mind she’d found there, the way her head had cleared and her body had rested, made the idea of returning to the real world seem like a challenge. Knowing that they’d both have to return to Nashville, to the hustle and bustle of their lives, was enough to make her mood take a turn for the worse.
With a shake of her head, Chelsea banished the threatening melancholy and kept walking, heading toward the canopy, where the lace covering still billowed in the night breeze.
The music had faded to nothing more than soft notes carried on the wind when she reached the place where Brad and Savannah had become husband and wife. She dropped her sandals to stand unde
r the canopy before letting her fingers brush the fabric. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d been correct years ago when she’d assumed that her fame had robbed her of any chance at happiness in her personal life.
It wasn’t as though she’d expected to meet someone she could love as much as she now loved Ethan. Sure, she’d had a couple of semi-serious affairs, mostly with other famous people. An actor. A singer. A guy who pitched for the White Sox. None had lasted because those relationships were never intended to be permanent. Not only was she more concerned with her career than any of those men, but a romance being scrutinized by the press was more likely to fail.
Until she met Ethan, she hadn’t honestly thought about trying to make that kind of personal connection last. The thought of walking away from him made her heart hurt and tears sting her eyes. How could she let what they shared end?
Brad and Savannah obviously had faith that living in the eye of the paparazzi didn’t automatically doom a marriage. They’d exchanged vows and were brave enough to at least try.
Could Ethan be that courageous?
Could I?
Chelsea left the canopy to get closer to the waves, smiling when the first bit of water washed over her feet. Without even bothering to lift the hem of her dress, she took a couple more steps, loving the shifting feel of the wet sand beneath her feet as each wave rolled in. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around her middle and savored the crisp salty air. At that moment, she decided that should she ever tire of singing, she’d move far away from the craziness of Nashville and live next to an ocean.
Somehow she knew Ethan was there before his body pressed against her back. His arms came around her, one warm hand covering her own as the other held the bride’s orchids in front of her. “Forget something? I mean, after tackling the other ladies to catch the bouquet…”
She took the flowers as she bumped her butt back against him. “I didn’t tackle anyone. Savannah tossed it right to me.”
