Vienna’s tone was what I’d have called the ‘mom voice’, the tone my mother reserved for me when I’d gotten out of line and needed to be reeled back in. But it seemed to have some kind of calming effect, at least on the bridesmaids, and those were the only girls I cared about right now.
The whole dynamic of the group changed, once the bridesmaids began moving toward the door. Claire stopped sniffling and the bridesmaids began chattering about the flowers outside and what they imagined their villas would be like. But Claire’s mother shot Vienna a glare that could have scorched the paint off a Buick.
“There clearly aren’t enough of you people to handle this many bridesmaids.” Claire’s mother was trying very hard to stare down Vienna. I wasn’t sure Vienna could hold her own without a little backup. I took a step forward.
“I believe I have that covered.” My heart was in my throat, but I went on. I looked back at the island employees as James stepped forward, nodding graciously toward Mrs. Latham.
“James and I can easily escort everyone to their villas.” I looked at James and got a briefly lifted eyebrow in return. The look was clear; he’d rather deal with any number of bridesmaids than the mother of the bride, or the bride herself. And that was fine with me.
“So, ladies. Shall we?” I almost bolted for the terminal doors, herding the cluster of girls ahead of me while James whisked the doors open. Before anyone could change their minds, I had them divided between my cart and James’s. There was no room for their luggage, which was stacked in mounds by the terminal doors. But at this point, all I wanted was to have my foot on the gas pedal of the cart and get these girls in their villas.
I followed James down the winding paths, trying to answer the questions being peppered at me from the group. Most of my comments were lost to the rushing wind, as James apparently had the same idea I did, his foot to the floorboard of his cart.
We arrived in a breathless rush a few minutes later at the bridal villa. I noticed that once James had deposited his little group with mine, he was gone, presumably to get their luggage.
“This way, ladies. Your guest villas ring the main villa where Claire will be staying.” I took them along the footpath that circled the bridal villa, named the Villa of Bliss. I tried but couldn’t suppress an eye roll at the name. I’m sure in most cases, it’s an apt name but it struck me as highly ironic in the moment. I hoped after the wayward dress appeared, and the bride had a nap, her life would return to some state of bliss. And certainly after the wedding, both she and Ben would be in a blissful state.
I’d just seen the last bridesmaid to her villa when I heard the rumble of an approaching cart. It was going at less than warp speed so I didn’t think it was James. I hung back in the hibiscus, waiting to see who it would be. My heart sank just a bit when I saw Vienna at the wheel of the cart, a stiff-backed Mrs. Latham riding shotgun and a dejected-looking Claire hunched in the back seat, clutching a handkerchief.
Seeing her like this, miserable when she should be radiant and glowing, my heart actually went out to the girl. Maybe the mother was just that domineering, or maybe the farewell lunch at her job had been more emotional than she’d expected. Or she was just exhausted and stressed by the missing dress. But no bride should start the home stretch to her wedding day in tears, especially sad ones. I stepped out from behind the flowers just as Vienna pulled to a stop.
“Here we are, Claire, Gwen. This is Claire’s villa. Gwen, you’re right there, first villa across the path.”
Mrs. Latham...Gwen...stepped down from the cart, took one look at Vienna, and strode off to her villa, leaving her sodden daughter in the cart to apparently to fend for herself. I scowled after the retreating ramrod straight back. I took one more step forward, extending my hand to Claire, a smile replacing my frown.
I’m not sure what I expected, but I was totally thrown off guard by the woman who turned to me. Gone was the pout, the dropping shoulders, the downcast eyes. In its place was a steely gray gaze and a mouth held in a firm line.
“I don’t need your help. What I did need was my dress, here, with me.” She stepped from the cart and stopped in front of me. I took an involuntary step backward.
“Get me my dress or you don’t get paid. Got it?”
And with that Claire turned on her heel and stormed up the stairs of the villa. The slamming door set off a burst of screeching birds that flew from the underbrush.
I stood, rooted to the spot, staring at the closed door. I’d dealt with bad customers at the diner before, but never anyone who switched gears so quickly. While I was still trying to process what had just happened, Vienna laid a hand on my arm.
“We...you...need to find that dress and get it here, no matter the cost. Here...” She held out a printed sheet of paper. “The name of the shipping company and a tracking number. Call them...now. And get this resolved.”
She climbed into her cart and started the engine. Before she left she leaned out of the cart toward me.
“And when you find that dress, come find me. We need to have a talk about your performance so far.” She executed a ponderous three-point turn—actually a seven point turn—and started down the path. I was scanning the paper in my hand when she stopped the cart and I looked up as she spoke.
“And you are not to allow any of the groomsmen to drive that cart. Do I make myself clear?”
My cheeks flamed and I nodded my head. My secret was out. And my job was probably on the line.
Chapter Three
After twenty minutes on the phone with the shipping company, things seemed to be resolved. The dress would on a charter flight to the island, scheduled to arrive the following afternoon. I breathed a sigh of relief, hoped it wasn’t premature, and went to find Vienna. She was at the main villa, supervising the seating arrangements for that night’s dinner for the bridal party. The look she gave me was guarded, not a happy-to-see-me look at all.
“I don’t want to see your face unless you have good news.”
I gave her my best smile. “The dress has been located and will be on a charter flight, leaving New York bright and early, and will arrive tomorrow in the early afternoon. I have the shipping company’s solemn promise.”
Vienna drew a deep breath and let it out, something resembling a smile passing across her lips.
“Fine. Walk with me.” She headed down the villa steps to where the carts were parked and dropped her notebook on the front seat. When she turned to me, her smile had disappeared, and her work face was in place, the one I’d come to recognize as usually accompanied by some kind of lecture about my shortcomings.
“And now about your performance so far. I asked you—I told you specifically—to be unobtrusive. You’re not here to make friends with the clients; you’re here to see to their needs. Letting the groom drive the cart was not what I expected from you. He’s not your driver; you are his.”
“But he wanted to...and it made him really happy. I just thought...”
Vienna held up one hand and I swallowed the rest of my sentence. “I am not paying you to think for yourself, Dana. I am paying you to follow through on my orders. Do I make myself clear? Ben and Claire are under enough stress without you making a nuisance of yourself or being in their way. Do you understand?”
I bit my lip. She was right, I was here to see to their needs. But that didn’t mean I needed to seal myself in a plastic bubble. I love people; it’s the reason I want to be in this industry.
I looked past her shoulder, at the lush tropical backdrop, the blue sky, the birds flitting through the trees. It was all so beautiful and as much as I wanted to explain myself, I simply nodded instead. This wasn’t a conversation I really should have with Vienna and the less said right now, the better. I was afraid she’d send me packing in a heartbeat and I didn’t want to leave this little slice of paradise a minute sooner than I had to.
“Then you can go wait for the groomsmen at the terminal. From what I’ve been told, they are not the easiest group to control.
Apparently they’ve...started the celebrations a little early.”
I sat in my cart and watched Vienna maneuver away, the cart veering from side to side on the narrow path. I wondered just how boisterous this group was going to be and if I was allowed to even talk to them. Maybe they’d be so wrapped up in themselves I wouldn’t be noticed.
But that wasn’t the case. I could hear shouts and laughter well before I arrived at the terminal. At least they sounded happy and not in a tearful gaggle like the bridesmaids or Claire.
The doors opened and James came through, carrying luggage.
“Hey, how’s it going?”
He carefully arranged the bags in his cart before turning to me, his face as impassive as ever. Did he go to some kind of school to learn how to do that? I’d need to ask at some point. Impassivity with Vienna might be useful.
But then he broke into a wide grin. “You’ll like them. Far sight better company than the bride, or her mother.” He pulled his brows together and pursed his lips.
“Not to speak badly of the guests, but I’m equal parts glad she’s your responsibility and not mine, and sorry she’s your load to bear.”
I laughed. “It’s okay. It’s part of the job, I guess. Not all guests are little rays of sunshine. The groom is fine and most of the bridesmaids, on their own, are quite nice. Together though, almost any group of women tend to get a little hysterical.”
James gave me a knowing look and nodded. “If you can take four this time, I’ll take three. They have far less luggage than the last group, so I have room for actual people in the cart and the bags.”
He opened the door and the noise level rose considerably. I hesitated and James pushed me gently through the door.
“Go get ‘em, tiger.” The impassive look was back, but there was a glint in his eye.
“Hey, guys.” Nothing. The laughter continued, the guys ignoring me completely.
I pulled out my diner voice, the one I’d used to call orders back to the kitchen.
“Gentlemen, if I can have your attention.”
It wasn’t the most dignified sound, but it worked.
There was a startling beat of silence as all seven guys turned to look at me. And then there were seven very happy looking guys smiling at me. I returned the smiles, scanning the crowd for the ringleader. There’s always one and I zeroed in on him. Tall, lanky, with deep red hair. A few visible tattoos and a flash of silver from an ear piercing, or two.
“Hi, I’m Dana.” I extended my hand toward him and he took it, a smile on his face.
“Hey. I’m Alex. Nice to meet you.”
The group gathered around us and he introduced them to me in turn. They were all college friends of Ben’s, from Oberlin. They’d all apparently taken advantage of the free champagne on the charter flight, and quite possibly something else before the flight. At any rate, they were all in a very good mood. I herded them outside and they more or less divided between the carts without too much more prodding from James or I.
Alex climbed in beside me and I pulled away from the terminal, James following with his load of groomsmen. I could hear them behind us, their shouts and calls growing fainter, muffled by the foliage as we wound our way through the jungle.
“You all seem like a very close bunch. Have you known Ben long?”
Alex leaned toward me and nodded. “It seems like we’ve known each other forever but we actually only met freshman year in college. Ben’s like the older brother we never had.”
“But you’re all the same age?”
“Yeah, just about. Though some of us are a bit more mature than others.” He grinned at me like a Cheshire cat, his eyes a blazing blue. “Have you met Ben yet?”.
I nodded. “Yeah, I met him earlier today.”
“Ahh, yeah well he’s a great guy. Always looking out for you, and well, he’s one of the most loyal friends a guy could ask for.”
We were quiet for a few minutes. I thought about the Ben who got so excited driving the golf cart and it brought a smile to my lips.
“We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, you know. We all knew his wedding would be an elaborate ordeal here on the island, no holds barred, no expense spared.” His hand was on my arm and I turned to him. His look was intense.
“Wait, that sounds terrible.” Alex paused. “I just mean, we knew that when Ben finally got hitched it would be a time to remember.”
“I bet,” I replied glancing at him. “So, you’re the best man?”
Alex laughed, relaxing back in his seat. “Yes, that I am... or at least that best one for the job.”
His laughter was contagious and I found myself smiling. Ben and his friends were in such stark contrast to the mercurial Claire and her bevy of bridesmaids. This group was relaxed and cheerful, clearly looking forward to having a good time.
“So I understand there’s a bachelor party planned for us tonight? A send off for Ben, before his life with the ball and chain begins?”
The teasing tone I’d expected with that statement was completely missing. He caught my glance and shrugged.
“She’s not my first choice for Ben...or anyone...as a wife.” The smile, the jovial attitude...it was gone. “She’s probably the only thing we haven’t agreed on. It’s something we don’t talk about, at least Ben doesn’t. I’ve tried to tell him she’s not right for him, but he’s got some misguided sense of duty or loyalty or something when it comes to Claire. She’s got him believing she’s someone she’s not.”
I blinked in the bright sunshine, not sure what to say to this, or if I should say anything at all. Did everyone share this much information with wedding planners? Vienna hadn’t said much about this and I was pretty sure her idea of me being inconspicuous didn’t include hearing true confessions from the best man.
“Sorry if that sounds harsh. This is old news to us; we’ve been trying to talk sense into Ben since he met her.”
“But you’re all here? To be part of his wedding?” I had the sudden disturbing image of all the groomsmen speaking up in unison when the minister asked if there were any objections to the marriage. My alarm was either evident in my voice or on my face, because Alex broke into a wide grin.
“We’re here for Ben, yeah. He thinks he’s doing the right thing. I’ll give one last try at talking sense into him, but after that...” Alex shrugged again. “I won’t stand in his way on the big day.”
I pulled up in front of Ben’s villa. I heard the sound of James’ cart pull up behind me and then the whoop and shouts as the guys all climbed out of the carts. Ben came down the villa stairs and was instantly engulfed by his friends. Alex turned to me and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Thanks for the ride, Dana. Listen, please don’t think we’re all a bunch of selfish jerks who are just upset we’re losing our best friend to marriage because that really isn’t the truth.” He watched Ben for a moment, laughing with his friends amongst backslapping and handshakes. His voice grew low and serious when he spoke. “Claire’s just not the right girl for Ben. But he’s got to see that for himself, I guess.”
Ben broke away from the group, walking down the villa steps toward my cart.
“Hey, Alex. As always, flirting with the prettiest girls?” He pulled Alex out of the cart, embracing him in a big hug.
My cheeks grew flushed. There was a moment when our eyes met and my heart did a funny little flip-flop. I took a deep breath, hoping I didn’t look as flustered as I felt. Having meaningful eye contact with someone else’s future husband, and technically my client, was not something Vienna would approve of.
And then Vienna’s voice was in my ear, loud and clear, jerking me upright and sending my heart thudding in a different direction.
“Where are you?”
“I’m at Ben’s...the groom’s villa. I just dropped off the...”
“Then I need you back at the terminal. Ben’s parents are here and I have them. But the grandparents are...waiting. For you. Get there and get them to their
villa. Now.” I sighed. Vienna’s voice sounded ominous in my ear, as if waiting was the worst possible thing that anyone could be subjected to.
“Trouble in paradise?”
I jerked my head up. Ben was standing next to the cart, watching me. Alex had disappeared into the villa.
“Nothing at all. Everything’s just fine.” I pasted my professional smile on my face and reached for the key on the dashboard. I heard his laugh as I fumbled, and failed, to start the cart.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, Dana. But you’re a terrible liar.”
I gave up trying to start the cart or keep up the façade that everything was fine. I sat back in the seat, blowing out a sigh. “Your grandparents are here and I’m late getting them to their villa. Vienna isn’t pleased that they have to wait. Your parents are here, but she’s already taking them to their villa.”
He shook his head, laughing. “That’s not so bad. At least it’s not the dress...again.”
“You heard?” I winced.
“Yeah, and I can only imagine what you had to deal with. Claire has been obsessed with that dress. I think she had it picked out before I even proposed...maybe before we even met. But it’s her wedding day, so she should have what she wants. And she wants her dress.”
He rested one hand on the frame of the cart and leaned toward me. I caught a whiff of scent...his cologne, rich and spicy, but subtle. And underneath that was clean, sun-warmed skin, just Ben. I inhaled, barely resisting the overwhelming urge to close my eyes and lean over to draw a deeper breath. But then he was talking and I forced myself to focus on his words and not how wonderful he smelled.
“Don’t worry about my grandparents. You’ll like them. Grandpa Nate and Nigel are probably just as happy to have some time together, telling stories and making up new ones, with my grandmother as an adoring audience of one. My parents...” Ben shrugged. “They might be a little more of a challenge. Mom’s pretty much a stickler for being on time and on schedule. Vienna can handle her, I’m sure.”
Seduction in the Sun: Adult Romance Box Set (9 Sizzling Tales with BBW, Billionaires, Bad Boys, and Alpha Males) Page 20
