Melissa glanced at the restroom door. “Did you look in the ladies’ room?”
“Yes. She’s not in there.”
“Maybe you should check her room,” she suggested. “She may have gone there to calm down. She was pretty upset.”
“Good idea.” Kurt nodded, then turned and jogged in the opposite direction.
Almost ten minutes later, Melissa had searched the other restroom near the ballroom, the bar, and the lobby but there was no sign of Denise. After lying about Jake and ruining the wedding reception, Denise had obviously skulked off somewhere to avoid facing the consequences of her actions. Melissa’s anger returned with a vengeance as she remembered Jake’s grip on her hand tightening during Denise’s venomous toast. To be targeted in front of a room full of people he barely knew and then forced to listen to those horrible lies had to have been one of the most demeaning episodes in his entire life.
It was her fault. If she hadn’t wanted to get back at Shauna and Denise for their callous remarks she never would have come up with the asinine idea to hire an escort, which had prompted Jake’s offer to be her date. Because of her, Jake, one of the most honest and decent men she’d ever known, had been embarrassed in front of a room full of people. She wouldn’t blame him if he’d already left the hotel and was high-tailing it back to Sacramento this very moment.
There was still one place she hadn’t checked. The First Fairway Patio where the wedding ceremony had taken place. After making her way from the lobby to the patio, she found the double doors open and the hotel’s staff efficiently stacking the folding chairs used during the ceremony onto rolling racks. There was no sign of Denise.
“Excuse me.” Melissa turned to meet the kind brown eyes of a young woman dressed in black pants and starched white shirt. She recognized the woman as one of the waitstaff. “Are you looking for the bride?”
No. But Kurt was. “Have you seen her?” Melissa asked the woman.
“Yes,” she said, and pointed toward the fairway. “She ran to the path that leads to the dunes.”
Melissa nodded and gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
By the time she’d navigated the mostly wooden plank pathway and reached the grassy dunes, the sun hung low on the horizon and she’d taken off her heels. It was easier to walk without them on. Despite the brisk walk, her skin prickled with goose bumps as the chilly sea air wafted over her bare arms. Standing atop one of the low dunes, she couldn’t help but admire the grandeur before her. The restless ocean pounded relentlessly against the rocks and sprayed foamy sea water high into the air. Suddenly, her stomach clenched and the captivating view turned ominous. She prayed Shauna hadn’t done something rash. Like throw herself into the ocean.
“Don’t worry. I’m not gonna kill myself.” Melissa turned to her right and Shauna came into view through the tall blades of grass billowing gracefully in the wind. Holding her dress up to her knees with one hand and clutching her white satin pumps in the other, she trudged up the dune and came to a stop next to Melissa. “Not that you’d care.”
Searching her cousin’s tear-stained face, she said something that surprised the hell out of her. “Of course, I’d care.”
Shauna snorted as she let go of her dress to brush back her veil as the strong breeze whipped it in front of her. “It’s just you and me, Melissa. You can be honest. Isn’t there at least a small part of you secretly cheering what happened back there?”
“No. I’m not happy with any of it. No matter what’s happened between me and you, I wouldn’t wish that kind of humiliation on you.”
Shauna tilted her head and looked at her with astonishment. “I find that hard to believe. You’ve never liked me.”
“That’s not true. I liked you fine until we started sixth grade. That’s when you met Denise and the both of you started making fun of me.” She paused. “I never knew until then how much you hated me.”
Shauna studied her with solemn eyes. “I didn’t hate you.”
“You could have fooled me. If you didn’t hate me, why did you constantly bully me? Why did you torment me nearly every single day at school and encourage the other kids to join in? What did I ever do to you to deserve that?”
Shauna let out a hollow laugh. “You didn’t do anything. The truth is I was jealous of you.”
“Jealous?” Melissa raised her brows. “Of what?”
“Of what you had. You had Paige, and Uncle Daniel and Aunt Claire.” Shauna lowered her head and studied the ground. “And I had two parents who fought all the time. Who still fight all the time.” She looked up and for the first time in a long while, Melissa saw vulnerability in her cousin’s eyes instead of condescension. “You and Paige have always been so close and I...I wanted that. I wanted a sister to share things with, to laugh with. You’ve been to my parents’ house. It’s big, cold and lonely. It felt like a prison I couldn’t escape from. I’ve never been able to make friends easily, so when I met Denise and she asked me to be her best friend, I finally felt like I had a sister I could share things with. When she started making fun of your weight, I knew it was wrong, and I knew it hurt you, but I didn’t want to lose Denise. I didn’t want to be alone again.”
“So you joined in.”
“Yes,” Shauna admitted as her cheeks flushed pink. “I joined in.”
Melissa didn’t want to feel sorry for Shauna, but somehow she couldn’t help it. She’d always had the unconditional love of Paige and her parents. Maybe if she hadn’t she would have been susceptible to someone like Denise. “You do know a real friend wouldn’t have done what Denise did to you today, right?”
Shauna’s eyes moistened as she nodded. “Yes. I do know that. Honestly, if anyone had asked me who I thought might try to ruin my wedding, my answer would have been Paige.” She wiped the corners of her eyes with the end of her veil. “I’m surprised at her restraint.”
“Don’t be. Paige wanted to find some way to trip you as you walked down the aisle but I talked her out of it.”
“Thanks,” Shauna said, surprising Melissa with a wry grin. “I appreciate that.”
“I didn’t know about the fake tattoo, but I have to admit, I thought it was funny.”
“She accused me of being a Bridezilla.” Shauna shrugged a slim shoulder. “She’s right. I’ve been a little controlling lately. Mother wanted everything to be absolutely perfect. I would have been happy to marry Kurt in Sacramento, but she wanted Pebble Beach.” She paused, then hesitated before going on. “You have no idea how angry she gets when things don’t go according to plan. Or when I’m not perfect. For months I’ve had this weird premonition that something was going to go wrong and upset her. It turns out I was right. I’m sure she’ll never forgive me for embarrassing her in front her and my father’s friends.”
“Shauna, Aunt Beverly has to know you had nothing to do with what happened at the reception. There’s no way she’s going to blame you for...” Melissa stopped short. What was happening? Last night, at the rehearsal dinner, she’d wanted to wring her cousin’s neck and now, here she was, attempting to comfort her. How ironic was that? “Why don’t we go back to the reception? Kurt’s going out of his mind with worry.”
Shauna’s face crumpled as she shook her head. “I don’t know if I can face everyone.”
“Why? You didn’t do anything to be embarrassed about. If anyone should be ashamed to show her face or incur Aunt Beverly’s wrath, it’s Denise.”
“What she said about Jake. It’s not true, is it?”
“No,” Melissa said vehemently. “Jake never harassed her. It was the opposite. She pursued him and was angry when he didn’t reciprocate her feelings.”
“I always thought something was odd about her story, but at the time I didn’t question it.” Shauna tugged at her lower lip with her teeth. “I should have questioned a lot of things about her. But I didn’t.” She sighed. “We should go back now. I’m sure everyone is wondering where I am.”
Melissa took a steadying breath
. Now was as good a time as any to put her cards on the table. So to speak. “Before we do, I need tell you something.”
“What?”
“You hurt me, Shauna. You really hurt me. For years I’ve always been too afraid and intimidated to say anything, but I’m saying it now. I won’t tolerate any more cruel remarks about my weight, and I won’t turn the other cheek if I overhear you and Denise making fun of me. I’ll never let you bully me again.”
“You won’t have to. Today a lot of things became clear to me.” Shauna reached out and tentatively touched her arm. Taken aback by the gesture, Melissa fought her natural inclination to pull back. Shauna seemed sincere, but that old cliché about a leopard never changing their spots was more true than not. When she wasn’t feeling so hurt and humiliated, would Shauna still see things differently? “And after what she did at the reception, I’m not sure I can ever forgive Denise, or if I even want to.” She turned toward the restless ocean and then looked back with a devilish glint in her eyes. “Hey, do you think Paige will help me find Denise and toss her into the ocean?”
Melissa burst out laughing and was reminded of the cousin she’d loved like a sister when they were kids. “In a hot second.”
Fifteen minutes later, after leaving Shauna with Kurt, Melissa made her way back to the ballroom and found that, despite the interruption, none of the guests had left.
Except for Jake.
“Did he say anything?” she asked Paige as she sat down next to her.
“No. He just got up and walked out of the ballroom. At first I thought he was going to the restroom, but he never came back.”
Melissa opened her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “I should call him.”
“I think he needs to be alone.” Paige put her hand on Melissa’s arm. “Give him some time. If he doesn’t come back, I’ll give you a ride to the Hyatt.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Melissa sighed and shoved her phone back in her small purse. Paige had a point. Men processed their emotions much differently than women. The last thing she wanted to do was force him to talk when he wasn’t ready. Noticing Rob’s chair was empty, she looked around the room. “Where’s Rob?”
Paige shrugged. “He said he wanted some fresh air. He’s not happy with me right now.”
“Why?”
“The wedding got to him, I guess. Suddenly he wants to get serious.” Paige shifted in her chair and adjusted the bodice of her dress. “And I don’t. I like him and the sex is great, but I’m not interested in a commitment right now.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Tell him the truth. I can’t string him along. He’s a nice guy, but if I don’t end it soon, I’ll only end up hurting him.” Paige let out a forlorn sigh and rested her forearms on the table. “I’ll talk to him when we get home.”
Melissa didn’t envy her sister that conversation. And it made her wonder if she and Jake would be having a similar one. The subject of their relationship status once they returned to Sacramento hadn’t been discussed since they’d made love. A mere week ago, she’d believed there was no way they could have both a personal and a professional relationship. But now she was willing to give it a chance.
But did Jake feel the same way? And if he didn’t, where did that leave them? Could she still train with him and keep it professional after everything that happened this weekend? Could she be just his friend when she wanted so much more?
“Have you seen Denise?” she asked in an attempt to stop obsessing about her situation with Jake.
Paige’s eyes darkened as she scowled. “Not since her little performance. If she values breathing, she’d better steer clear of Aunt Bev for the rest of her life.”
Melissa leaned back in her chair and watched as Kurt and Shauna cut their tiered wedding cake. Shauna had repaired her makeup and fixed her hair. If Melissa didn’t know any better she wouldn’t suspect that underneath the happy exterior was a woman who’d felt unloved for most of her life. Not that that excused her behavior, but it did help to explain why she’d been so influenced by Denise.
“You feel sorry for her, don’t you?”
Melissa watched as Kurt fed Shauna a small bite of cake. “Yes. I can’t help it. Her wedding day was ruined by her so-called best friend. No one deserves that.”
Paige shifted toward her and lowered her voice. “I’ll go to my grave denying I ever said this, but I feel sorry for her too.”
Melissa turned to Paige and grinned. “I think hell just froze over.”
Chapter Twelve
When her second call to Jake went straight to his voice mail, Melissa let out a frustrated sigh, pressed the end call button and shoved her phone into her purse. She should have followed Paige’s advice and not called him. But she couldn’t help it. She was worried. “He’s not picking up. Where could he be?”
“Maybe he went back to the Hyatt,” Paige said, leaning closer so she wouldn’t have to raise her voice over the music. “Or he drove to the nearest bar and is in the process of getting shit-faced.”
That idea hadn’t crossed Melissa’s mind but now that Paige had brought it up, the thought of Jake doing exactly that worried her even more. She couldn’t blame him for wanting to obliterate the events of the evening with a few drinks, but he was driving in an unfamiliar area. At night. Near the coast. She shuddered at the image of his Land Rover careening out of control and smashing head first into the rocky shoreline along the 17-Mile Drive.
“Can you give me a ride back to the hotel?” Melissa asked, looking past Paige to where Uncle Darren and Aunt Beverly sat at their table watching Shauna and Kurt, the members of the bridal party, and several guests as they danced to a current pop song. The biggest surprise at the reception—aside from Denise’s outburst—was that Aunt Beverly hadn’t hired an orchestra. Melissa could only guess that Shauna had stood her ground on at least one thing. A DJ was in charge of the music, and with his fun personality and excellent song choices he had lightened the mood considerably. At least for everyone except her aunt and uncle who, judging by their stiff posture and dour expressions, were still stewing over the Denise incident. Or maybe they just didn’t care for each other’s company.
Before Paige could answer, Melissa almost jumped out of her skin when a hand settled on her shoulder. She turned, hoping Jake had decided to return, but it was just her mother hovering over her. She forced a smile and tamped down her disappointment. “Hi, Mom.”
Not missing Melissa’s less than enthusiastic greeting, Claire Atherton sat down next to her in the chair Jake had occupied before he left the ballroom. “Are you all right?” she asked, studying her daughter’s face with maternal concern.
“I’m fine.” Melissa managed a half-hearted nod. “Or as fine as I can be after what happened with Denise.”
Claire’s expression softened. “Honey. I have to ask. Is there any truth to what Denise said?”
Melissa shook her head. “None whatsoever, Mom. Jake is a professional. He would never harass any of his clients. She filed a false charge against him out of spite because he wasn’t interested in dating her.”
Her mother’s green eyes narrowed. “But you’re his client and he’s dating you. If he claims he doesn’t get personally involved with his clients then he’s not being professional, is he?”
The disapproving tone in her mother’s voice gave Melissa pause. This was exactly why Jake had instituted his rule. A rule he’d broken because of her. Melissa looked away and fiddled with the clasp of her purse. If her mother—who was one of the most fair-minded people she knew—thought ill of Jake, then it wasn’t a stretch to imagine everyone else in the room felt the same way. She might not be able to change everyone’s mind, but she could at least make sure her parents knew Jake wasn’t the low-life scum Denise had made him out to be.
“Jake and I aren’t dating,” she admitted, and looked back at her mother. “It...it was all an act. Jake is a friend. Nothing more,” she added, wondering if the words rang as hollow to he
r mother’s ears as they did to her own. Jake had become so much more than a friend, but after this evening, she wasn’t sure where things stood between them. They might be two hundred miles away from Sacramento, but this wasn’t Las Vegas. What happened here wouldn’t stay here.
Claire’s forehead furrowed. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“It’s simple, Mom,” Paige chimed in and leaned forward to fold her arms on the table. “Jake offered to bring Melissa to the wedding because Shauna and Denise thought Melissa wouldn’t be able to find a date.”
Claire looked from Paige to Melissa, blatantly perplexed. “Is this true?”
“Yes. I overheard Shauna and Denise making fun of me at Shauna’s bridal shower. I won’t go into the details, but when I told Jake I was considering hiring a male escort for the wedding, he stepped in and—”
“A paid escort?” Claire’s incredulous interruption was loud enough that a couple at the next table turned to peer inquisitively in their direction. “Are you serious?” She lowered her voice and continued, “Why would you even consider doing something like that?”
“Because I got tired of Shauna and Denise always assuming that no man could be interested in me. And I didn’t have a date to the wedding.” She flushed under her mother’s prolonged scrutiny. It was the same look she’d gotten the time she’d jumped off the roof of their house and into the swimming pool in the backyard when she was twelve years old. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” she added sheepishly, giving her mother the same answer she’d given to her then.
Claire shook her head in exasperation. “How many times have I heard that line from the two of you?”
Melissa exchanged a quick glance with Paige, who shrugged. “Do you want an exact count or will an educated guess suffice?”
Ignoring Paige’s flippant remark, Claire turned to Melissa. “So, unless Jake moonlights as an escort, I’m assuming you told him about your cockamamie plan and he wisely dissuaded you from going through with it.”
Breaking His Rules (Feeling the Heat #4) Page 15
