by Kayla Perrin
They were gorgeous. The kind of women who oozed sexuality.
“What’s he doing with them?” Melanie asked, her heart beating faster than normal.
She didn’t realize she’d spoken the question aloud until Richelle turned to her asking, “What was that?”
Melanie glanced at Richelle, saw that even as she was trying to talk to her, Roy was nuzzling his nose in her neck.
“Nothing,” Melanie said, swallowing. “Nothing.”
“Stop it!” Richelle chastised Roy playfully. Then said to her, “Sorry, Mel. Oh. Oh. I see. Looks like he did get his closure after all.”
Melanie gaped at Richelle.
“What?” Richelle asked. “You said you two are friends now, didn’t you?”
Melanie grimaced, then put on a brave face. “Exactly.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Nothing,” Melanie said. “He’s entitled to talk to whomever he likes. We’re not together.”
But despite Melanie’s words, her stomach sank when she looked at Lawrence with the women and saw one in particular laughing and touching his arm.
“Wow,” Melanie muttered. “She’s so not his type.”
“Obviously, he’s had to get a new type,” Richelle said. “Since you dumped him.”
The words stung, even though they shouldn’t. But before Melanie could think of a reply for her friend, Roy was stroking Richelle’s face, and she was turning back to her man, and no longer paying any attention to Lawrence or either of the two women who were no doubt trying to seduce him.
The crowd erupted in applause, and Melanie jerked her gaze forward. Out of duty, she put her hands together and clapped as well, though her mind wasn’t on the show at all. Her mind was on Lawrence, and how he was now flaunting his single status in front of her.
Several moments passed and she glanced over her shoulder and saw that Lawrence, Shemar and the two women had taken seats at the far back of the small seating area. He was sipping some sort of green cocktail concoction in a tall glass.
Melanie couldn’t help scoffing. “Since when did Lawrence drink froufrou drinks?” she asked.
Richelle placed a hand on her arm, and Melanie faced her. “Mel, you say you’ve moved on. That you gave him answers and closure. And that you yourself got closure, as well. So what do you expect?”
“You seriously don’t think there’s a part of him doing this for my benefit?”
“Why would he need to? You dumped him nine months ago. As you’ve said all day, he’s single and free to date whomever he wants. I suggest you do the same. Roy told me that Edward is interested....”
“You’re joking, right?” Melanie asked. She had picked up Edward’s glaring interest, but he was totally not her type.
“Why not?” Richelle challenged. “He seems nice enough. A little awkward, yeah, but certainly a nice guy.”
“This isn’t about me dating anyone else. I’m not about to get caught up in some island romance. Unlike Lawrence, it seems.”
“Seriously, Mel—why do you care?”
Melanie swallowed. “Because—because he’s flaunting the fact that he’s moved on in front of me. Don’t you think he should exercise a little tact?”
“Is that what bothers you?” Richelle asked. “That he’s flaunting someone new in front of you? Or are you really bothered by the fact that you’re not with him right now?” She raised an eyebrow, an exclamation point on her question.
Melanie tried to tamp down on the unsettled feeling in her stomach, on the sensation of bile rising in her throat. She knew she had no right, after all it was she who had let him go.
It was just that seeing him move on so quickly... She didn’t like it.
The show was over, and people were now going up to the warriors and posing for pictures with them.
“I know you better than you know yourself sometimes,” Richelle said. “And you know as well as I do you didn’t dump Lawrence because you didn’t love him. You dumped him because you couldn’t stand the idea of getting hurt one day. But you can’t expect a guy you’ve dumped to worry about how you might react to the fact that he’s met someone new. If you’re upset because you still love him, then why don’t you fight for him?”
Melanie tightened her jaw as she looked at Richelle. “It’s over.”
“Then get over it.”
Richelle’s blunt response left Melanie stunned. Her stomach twisting painfully, she couldn’t think of a thing to say.
“Sorry, Melanie,” Roy said, getting to his feet and taking Richelle’s hand. “I’d like to borrow my fiancée, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.” Melanie forced a smile.
Roy helped Richelle to her feet, and the two walked off wrapped around each other toward the shoreline.
A lump formed in Melanie’s throat as she watched Richelle and Roy. Perhaps she was coming down with something.
Yeah, right, she said to herself. The only thing she had come down with was a case of the blues.
She dared a glance behind her again, and saw that Lawrence, Shemar and the women were walking away from the beach.
Yeah, she had the blues all right. And perhaps a major case of jealousy.
As Melanie got up, a feeling of defeat came over her. One that didn’t make sense. She’d dumped Lawrence, and even when they’d spoken today, she hadn’t thought of asking for his forgiveness so that they could reconcile. So why, as Richelle had asked her, did she care?
She turned from looking in Lawrence’s direction and felt a spate of alarm when she saw that Edward was walking toward her, a huge smile on his face.
“Hey, Melanie,” he said, adjusting his glasses as he reached her. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.”
He glanced up. “Have you ever seen so many stars?”
“No.” Melanie looked at the sky. “It’s incredible.”
He was still grinning when his eyes met hers again. “The night is young. Feel like taking a walk on the beach with me?”
“Actually, I’m not feeling well.” Which wasn’t a lie. “I think I’d better rest up, since tomorrow will be a busy day.”
“You’re getting sick?” Edward asked, concern in his expression.
“Probably still the jet lag,” Melanie said to allay his concern. “I’m sure I’ll feel better after a good night’s rest. But thanks, anyway.”
“Oh, sure.” Edward sounded disappointed. “Maybe another time.”
Melanie didn’t reply to his suggestion, just offered him a smile. “Good night, Edward.”
Then she turned and headed toward the path that led to the main lobby, her eyes frantically searching. When she didn’t see Lawrence on the lit path, she then surveyed the darkened areas.
She didn’t see him anywhere.
And she began to feel an enormous ache in her heart. Because as she made her way toward the lobby, she couldn’t help wondering if one of those women had offered to spend more time with Lawrence tonight.
And if he had said yes.
Chapter 6
The next day was busy with the final details before the wedding. One of Roy’s cousins was going to act as the photographer, and Roy had made arrangements with a local videographer to capture the event. The wedding planner from the resort went through all these details with the bride, groom, maid of honor and best man.
How many Fijian touches did they want for the wedding, if any? Did they approve of the stretch of beach allocated for the special event? Was the reception menu okay?
Melanie was intrigued when the wedding planner mentioned the option of the bride and groom wearing traditional Fijian tapa wedding costumes. These special wedding garments would have to be made on the day of the ceremony, mere hours before th
e event. Formed from the bark of a mulberry tree and hand painted, the tapa costumes would be all raw fiber, and wrapped around the bride and the groom, creating the look of long and full skirts on both. Though charming and definitely a uniquely Fijian touch, Richelle and Roy had passed on that idea. Roy wanted to wear the tuxedo he’d brought, and Richelle wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to wear the designer gown she’d purchased from an upscale fashion house in New York.
Late in the afternoon, the bridal party had a fitting to make sure none of their outfits required adjustments. Then came discussions about the choir that would sing during the bridal procession. And on went the last-minute planning, with Richelle and Roy approving every aspect for their special day.
After a day that was spent finalizing the details, the wedding party got together for a lovely dinner at one of the resort’s famed restaurants. It was an opportunity to spend some quality time together as a group before the big day, and was followed by the wedding rehearsal.
Richelle was overcome with emotion for much of the day, and Melanie couldn’t help remembering how jittery she had been on her own wedding day months earlier.
“And lastly,” Roy said, now that everything had come to a conclusion, “I’d like to thank you all for being here to make our day that much more special. I know Fiji was a far trek, and I appreciate you committing the time to be here. It wouldn’t be the same for Richelle and me without you all.”
Richelle had been dabbing at her eyes during Roy’s thank-you speech to the wedding party, and now she pushed her chair back, uttered an “Excuse me” and headed in the direction of the restrooms.
Melanie quickly got up from her own chair and followed her friend. By the time Richelle was shouldering the restroom door open, she was crying.
“Hey,” Melanie said as she stepped into the bathroom behind her. “What is it, hon?”
Richelle lifted a thick paper towel from a basket on the sink. She wiped at her eyes before speaking. “I just... Is this really happening? Am I really getting married?”
Melanie walked toward her. “Yes, this is really happening. You’re marrying the man of your dreams. Don’t you worry about a thing, okay?”
“I’m not making a mistake, am I?” Richelle asked.
“A mistake?” Melanie gaped at her. Then she placed her hands on her shoulders. “No, honey. Of course you’re not making a mistake. Not at all. You and I both know that Roy is the one.”
Richelle sniffled. “Everything happened so easily. I can’t help thinking that the other shoe is going to drop...and that I’m going to be devastated.”
“No, no, no, no.” Melanie shook her head. “Don’t you go thinking like that. If there’s one thing I’m absolutely sure of, it’s that that man loves you. He’d do anything for you. Don’t start doubting your love.”
Richelle blew her nose, then said, “But you did. You doubted Lawrence’s love for you.”
Melanie exhaled sharply. “I know. And perhaps that doesn’t make me the best person to give you this pep talk now. But from the outside looking in, I can tell that Roy is the real deal.”
“I told you the same thing about Lawrence,” Richelle said. “But you didn’t listen to me.”
Melanie’s stomach twisted as she remembered how Richelle had tried to convince her to go through with her wedding, but she hadn’t been swayed. There had been a huge part of her that regretted not listening to her dear friend.
“And now Lawrence is here, and I don’t know. Is it a good sign? A bad sign? Your wedding didn’t happen, and now the guy you were supposed to marry is here in Fiji. Maybe Roy’s going to stand me up and my marriage won’t happen, either.”
As Richelle began to cry now, Melanie pulled her into an embrace. “Are you kidding me? Roy stand you up? There is zero chance of that happening. Lawrence being here isn’t a good sign or a bad sign where your wedding is concerned.” Melanie paused. “You said something about fate...and maybe you’re right.”
Richelle eased back to look at Melanie, her eyes wide. “You really think so?”
Again, Melanie felt her stomach tightening. She had run from Lawrence months ago, but seeing him again, she knew he was still in her heart. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “I do know that I’ve been hoping to see him all day. Last night, you called me on my claim that I’d gotten closure, and you were right. I was lying. To myself, mostly. All I keep thinking about is how Lawrence was with that woman, and now I haven’t seen him all day.” She paused. Swallowed. She hadn’t wanted to burden Richelle with her thoughts, not on the eve of her wedding. “Maybe it’s too late for me and Lawrence, but you and Roy...that’s an entirely different story. He adores you. Absolutely. And in your heart, you know that. Seriously, sweetie, you have nothing to worry about.”
Richelle dabbed at her eyes again, but the edges of her lips began to curl. “You’re sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. And there’s one thing you ought to know by now, I wouldn’t lie to you.”
Satisfied with that, Richelle nodded and finally smiled. “I do know that.” She breathed in deeply. “Okay. I can do this.”
“Girl, you didn’t drag me on a plane—and heck, a seaplane—to not do it.”
That elicited a chuckle from Richelle. “That’s for sure. Okay, I’m going to do this.”
“You’re going to do this.”
“And it’s gonna be great.”
“It’s gonna be amazing. And you’re going to be happy forever. I’m absolutely certain of that.”
Richelle threw her arms around Melanie’s neck. “Thanks, Mel. Thanks so much.”
As Richelle eased back, Melanie couldn’t help thinking about the advice she’d just given her friend and wondering why she hadn’t been able to apply it to her own life.
Instead, she had let Lawrence go.
There was a sudden knock on the bathroom door, then Roy called out, “Everything okay in there?”
“I’m fine,” Richelle said. She glanced at herself in the mirror, fluffed her hair and then went to the door. Melanie watched Roy pull Richelle into his arms the moment she went through the door.
“I was worried,” Roy said.
“I’m sorry, baby,” Richelle said. “I just needed a moment.”
Roy glanced at Melanie as she exited the bathroom, too, and his gaze held hers a beat too long. Then he said to Richelle, “Don’t scare me like that again.”
Melanie knew exactly what he feared. That like Melanie had done, Richelle was contemplating not walking down the aisle.
“Everything’s fine,” Melanie told him, offering him a reassuring smile. Then she continued on, leaving the two of them alone.
And not just for their sake, but because she needed to be alone with her thoughts of Lawrence.
Melanie drew in a shaky breath as she remembered a few days earlier when she had first set eyes on him in Fiji. As her eyes had traveled up that magnificent body... Good Lord, what a shock! And while she had been absolutely stunned to see him—mortified, actually—her body had also been electrified. It had been as if she had touched a live wire.
Even as she’d tried to get away from him, the one thing she hadn’t been able to escape was how utterly incredible he looked. One glimpse of him had been enough for her to realize just how much she had missed him.
She had talked to Richelle about closure. She had told herself for nine months that she had dodged a bullet by not marrying Lawrence. But now, as she sauntered back into the restaurant, hugging her torso, all she felt was conflicted and uncertain.
Melanie recognized herself in the Richelle who had been sobbing in the bathroom. The difference was, Richelle was going to go through with her wedding. She wasn’t running scared. She trusted her love for Roy.
Why hadn’t Melanie been able to trust Lawrence’s love?
She was far from convinced that she’d made the right decision. In fact, she couldn’t stop thinking that she’d made the biggest mistake ever when she’d let Lawrence go.
Chapter 7
Melanie didn’t see Lawrence at all the rest of that day, but she spent much of the night dreaming about making love to him, and awoke in a state of arousal. Quickly, she glanced at the other side of the bed, and found it empty. For which she was glad. She didn’t want to think that she’d done anything to embarrass herself with Richelle there to bear witness.
She glanced around the room, and then saw that Richelle was standing on the patio overlooking the ocean. Melanie got out of bed and went outside to join her.
“Hey,” Melanie said brightly, shading her eyes from the sun with one hand. “Morning.”
Richelle didn’t face her. She continued to look forward at the vast turquoise waters. “You stand here, being still, taking the time to see what’s around you, and you realize you are one small part of a big world. A beautiful world.” She faced Melanie. “How can you be afraid in a place like this? Everything is calm, peaceful. It’s stunning, isn’t it?”
“If ever there was a description of paradise, this is it,” Melanie said.
“It’s a perfect day.” Richelle sniffled and reached for Melanie’s hand. “Absolutely perfect.”
“Yes, it is. It couldn’t be more perfect.”
“My wedding day.” Richelle sighed contentedly. “It’s finally here.”
“You ready?”
“Absolutely.” Richelle beamed. “I’ll never be more ready.”
A surge of emotion washed over Melanie as she remembered the contrast of how she had felt on the morning of her wedding. Crippled by fear.
Melanie squeezed Richelle’s hand. “Then let’s go do this.”
* * *
As Melanie, Richelle and the rest of the official party began to get ready, Melanie was able to push thoughts of Lawrence aside. She was too busy to obsess over him, and it was time for her to be there for Richelle as her maid of honor.
With Richelle’s makeup and hair done and sleeveless princess-style dress on, Melanie’s eyes filled with happy tears. “Wow, Richelle. You look gorgeous. Seriously, you are the most beautiful bride. Ever.”
