“Your sister and Grant?” He clarified making sure he was following her rushed words.
“Yes. You’re very welcome to come to the party. We’re having the wedding on the beach of the resort but there will just be family and a few close friends of the family. But then we’re opening the reception up to the resort guests and friends.”
“It sounds like a fun time. I’d hate to intrude.”
“Believe me, you won’t be. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes and there will be press there and photographers taking shots for advertising purposes, along with the regular wedding photographer. It was the best way we could come up with a solution to promote the resort without inviting the whole world to Cali and Grant’s wedding. We’re just hoping no helicopters show up.”
He laughed, and then realized she was serious. “I guess Grant is the reason for that?”
“Hey, it could be my sister or the resort,” she teased indignantly. “But it’s not. It’s Grant. Cali has had to adjust to the idea.”
“I bet.”
“Come by when you have time and I’ll show you the murals.”
“You’ve got a deal. Talk to you later.” He closed the door and smiled as she drove away. He smiled all the way into the house as he headed toward the shower.
Chapter Nine
“Everything looks wonderful,” Cali said, later that morning as she looked at the decorations for the wedding. “Just beautiful.”
“It’ll look better when it’s not set up in a storage area.” Shar looked around the room with a critical eye. She wanted this wedding to be wonderful for Cali and Grant. And setting everything up here so that they could get a small sense of how it was actually going to come together out on the beach had been her idea.
Not only did it need to be picture-perfect for Cali, they were using the wedding in some advertisements on social media and in brochures. Because there was a lot of interest in Grant Ellington, the famous sea life artist and his wedding, Shar and Jillian had talked Cali into letting the resort gain some of that free publicity. But it had to be perfect.
Shar studied the white and soft blues that matched the water perfectly and the ribbons and lace, satisfied that this was going to be an outstanding wedding for her sister. The idea tugged hard at her heart in an unexpected moment of wistfulness.
“Put the water and the Lookout Point in the backdrop and it will be spectacular,” she said.
“The wedding of the year.” Jillian wiped tears from her eyes. “I am so overwhelmed. I’m speechless so I can’t imagine how I’ll be on the actual wedding day. Oh, Cali, this is what you deserve and this time you’re going to get all your dreams.”
Cali wiped tears from her own eyes and Shar had to fight not to start blubbering herself. Her heart wasn’t quite as emotionally swayed as her sisters’ but she would be an ice queen not to feel overwhelmed by the moment. “Y’all are going to have me blubbering soon.” She laughed and wiped the dampness from her eyes.
Cali sniffed and put her arms around both of them. “Thank you both so much. My heart is so full of love. And though I never believed I’d marry again, now I can’t wait. I keep saying that but it’s just true.”
“Keep saying it,” Shar encouraged. “We’re all in on your happiness, big sister.” That made Cali smile. Shar, Jillian, and Olivia were triplets, so they’d all idolized Cali growing up. She was their quieter sister who’d ended up having a rough first marriage and they were just so glad to see her getting the happiness she deserved.
“Now if Olivia will just get here in time to spend some time with us, it will be perfect,” Cali said.
“She’ll be here,” Jillian assured her. “I just talked to her.”
“Great. Then we’re all set.” Cali took a deep breath. “Pinch me, please. Just so I know this is real.”
Shar reached out and lightly pinched her elbow. “There you go. It’s real all right.”
“I guess we better get back to work then,” Cali said.
“Please, no. Mrs. Talbert Albert…I mean, Mrs. Albert Talbert’s group arrives today.”
And on that note, they left the storage area chuckling.
Shar was glad they found it funny because she didn’t. She wanted to run into the ocean and swim for Key West.
By eleven, Gage headed to the resort. She told him to stop by and he wasn’t a man who missed out on opportunity.
He felt as if he had come to know Shar in the last twenty-four hours. He’d been drawn to her on their first meeting but now he understood that her passion and her desire to make something better was part of the undeniable draw he felt toward her. That passion had nothing to do with dollars and cents or in taking over a business that had problems. It was simply about making something in the world better. Saving something beautiful so other generations could enjoy it. And that made the world better.
The resort was busy as he entered through the front doors. People and suitcases were everywhere. He assumed it had much to do with the tour bus sitting in the parking lot.
There were lines at the counter, so he decided that wasn’t the way to go.
He spotted a young woman wearing a teal-toned Windswept Bay T-shirt and made his way through the throng to where she stood, directing people toward the elevators at the back of the lobby.
She was bright-eyed and young, maybe nineteen or a young-looking twentyish. “Can I help you?” she asked before he’d reached her.
He smiled. “I hope so. I’m looking for Shar. Do you happen to know where I can find her? She’s expecting me.”
“Sure, I can help you with that. See those stairs?” She pointed to the curving stairs in the corner. “If you follow them up to the next level and then walk down to those doors right there at the end, she’s probably in there.”
“Thank you.” He paused. “What’s going on, anyway?”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, this? There’s a Georgia women’s group here for the week. They are having a big conference and they booked the event to see the murals Grant Ellington painted and they hope to glimpse him while they are here during the wedding event.”
“That’s actually why I’m here. Shar promised to take me on a tour to view them.”
The girl smiled. “You will love them. My boyfriend Jax helped paint them. Grant—I mean, Mr. Ellington—he was wonderful and generous. He saw a painting that Jax did at the Lagoon Adventures that he owns, and he asked Jax to assist him. Isn’t that cool? Jax had never even thought about painting professionally until Mr. Ellington encouraged his talent. Now he is going to travel some with Grant.” She blushed. “I mean, Mr. Ellington, and continue learning from him.” She looked slightly flustered.
Gage gave her a pat on the shoulder, understanding her excitement. “It’s a great opportunity. Jax must show some real talent.”
“He does.”
“I met Jax. He helped me replace a tire when I first came to town.”
“Oh, he told me about that. Said he helped a nice guy out earlier this week. I’m Blair, by the way.”
“I’m Gage Lancaster; it’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise. You should go by the Lagoon. Jax said he hoped you would because he thought you really needed to have a little fun on this vacation.” As soon as the words were out, she turned bright pink. “Oh, I mean, well, everyone has fun kayaking the lagoon.”
Gage laughed. He liked the kid. “I’ll do that. Jax was great. I’d like to check out his place and the painting that started all this.”
He’d liked the younger guy who’d helped change his tire, when to be honest, Gage didn’t have a clue what he was doing. Things like that drove him a little crazy. Every man should know how to change a flat, except he’d never had a need to learn. But he did not like feeling inadequate and that was exactly how he’d felt sitting on the side of the road with a flat.
“I’m going to go by there tomorrow and I’m going to take him up on that offer because you know what, Blair? Jax is absolutely right. I need to have some f
un.”
He thought of the day before and this morning, and knew it might just be hard to get him to leave when the time came.
From her vantage point in the office, Shar peeked through the crack between the door and the frame and eyed the group of ladies in the lobby. When Gage walked inside, her first inclination had been to hotfoot it down those stairs and throw herself at the man. But of course that was a no-no on so many levels that she dismissed the idea immediately. The other problem with it was there was no way she was going down those stairs to greet him while the Magnolia Women were checking into the resort.
Cali chuckled from behind her. “Go down there and meet Mrs. Albert Talbert.”
Shar groaned. The woman had to have a name other than her husband’s name. But she had insisted several times Albert Talbert was what she wanted on her name tags and her room. And thus she was addressed that way. Why the man’s parents had placed those two names together was mind-boggling. She could only imagine the teasing he must have endured with a name like that.
“You go down there. I have no desire to meet her firsthand. Over the phone was enough for me.”
Jillian snorted, in a very uncharacteristic way. “I don’t blame you. But you know you’re going to have to deal with them, Shar. Cali has a wedding to get ready for.”
She looked over her shoulder and glared at her sisters. “Excuse me, but that’s why we hired Gracie. To handle these sort of situations.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Cali said. “We still have to be involved, though.”
She turned back and peeked again. Butterflies erupted in her chest as Gage started up the stairs. What would her sisters think when they saw him?
They might see right through her emotions and see the attraction she had toward Gage. And that would not be good because she didn’t want any encouragement. He would be leaving soon; she didn’t know when but she knew that he would leave. He had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and she’d already figured out that though he was taking time off, he wasn’t a man to shortchange responsibility. He would leave. And she had to keep remembering that. It was the only way she could protect the feelings he evoked inside her.
She was going to have to dig deep not to let them see how he affected her. Because the man definitely affected her. She jumped back from the crack of the door as he reached the landing and headed toward the office.
“What’s wrong with you?” Jillian asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“No, no ghost.” She was already not doing a very good job of covering up what she was feeling. The way he made her feel was one thing but then the fact that he was so interested in her work…he’d asked so many questions about everything that had to do with the turtles and that thrilled her. He got it, got her life’s work and that was a hard thing to ignore.
A knock sounded on the door and startled her out of her daydreaming. She spun toward her sisters as their gazes riveted to the man in the open doorway. She stood behind the door where she’d had her eyeball glued to the crack and now she took a step out into the open so Gage could see her.
“Gage.” She hoped she sounded surprised to see him.
“Hi.” His gaze practically sopped her up. “You told me to stop by and you’d give me a tour.” His eyes twinkled.
“Yes, I did. And now’s the perfect time because…because I need to get out of the office and out of the building.” She grabbed his arm and started to lead him toward the door on the opposite side of the room. It led out of the building.
“Hi,” Cali interrupted her, coming from around her desk to meet Gage.
Jillian came to stand beside Cali and both of them looked at Gage with expectant expressions. “I’m Jillian.” She held out her hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“And I’m Cali and I know we haven’t met.”
Both her sisters shot her looks that said she’d clearly been keeping something from them.
“I’m Gage Lancaster and I feel like I’ve introduced myself a thousand times lately.” His smile broadened into that time-stopping smile that he had and Shar felt it from head to toe. “I’m staying at a beach house down the beach from Shar. It’s nice to meet the two of you.”
“Likewise, I’m sure,” Cali said.
Shar could hear the teasing in her voice as Gage shook her hand and then Jillian’s.
Cali’s expression brightened. “You helped Shar save the sea turtle.”
“I did. But I wasn’t much help; she had it all under control. She was amazing.”
Shar felt her neck start to itch and warmth flowed through her at his words. And she didn’t miss the look that passed between her sisters. That made her neck itch more.
When she met Gage’s warm gaze, she broke out in goose bumps the size of eagle eggs.
Thankfully he broke the connection almost instantly as he shifted his attention back to Cali. “I understand congratulations are in order. I hear you and Grant Ellington are getting married this weekend.”
“We are. Please, come join us. We’d love to have you. Since you’re new on the island, you should come—shouldn’t he, Shar? There will be a banquet and a dance under the moonlight afterwards. You need to come. We’d love to have you.”
“Thank you. Shar has said the same thing.”
“Oh really?” Cali asked, unmistakable delight in her voice. “That’s good. Come.”
Shar took his arm, feeling suddenly a little desperate to get out of the office. “I’m taking Gage to see Grant’s murals by the pool and the beach. So, if anyone comes asking for me, you two feel free to handle whatever it is.”
She started toward the door leading to the outside staircase and to her relief he didn’t ask questions or try to stall. She opened the door and led the way out into the sunlight. She ignored the chuckles as the door closed behind them.
“Your sisters are nice. Friendly. You seem a little on edge.”
She felt her brow crinkle in consternation. “A little. For one, they’re tacking far too much onto me showing you around. And for two, they know I’m using you to avoid meeting Mrs. Albert Talbert.”
“Oh, the infamous Magnolia Women’s group is hers?” He teased.
“Yes.” Shar made it down to the ground and stuffed her hands on her hips. “I left for the good of the resort. If I see the lady, she might ‘oh honey’ me or ‘bless your heart’ me, and I might lose it. I might mess up the whole good PR we’re trying to get. Cali’s the good one at that. I only agreed to try to help because she’s got her wedding and then her honeymoon. I had to try. But ooh, I’m so not good at public relations.”
“I’m sure it’s not as bad as you say.”
“Oh. It’s bad—believe me. I’m trying to save the resort from losing money and its reputation right now.”
She saw humor written all over his face. “Hey, don’t laugh. I do better with sea turtles and wildlife than being out there taking care of that kind of PR. If it wasn’t for Cali getting married, that would not be my job description. I’d be outside. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes girl. Cali and Jillian take care of the other stuff.” They’d reached the small bridge over the flamingo and swan lagoon that weaved its way through the resort. She started over it.
Gage’s hand grasping hers, halting her. “I happen to think you’re pretty terrific.” He drew her into his arms.
She sucked in a breath, finding herself in his arms. “The mural is right over there—” Her knees nearly buckled as she looked up at him.
His lips hitched up at the corners. “I can’t help myself,” was all he said and then he lowered his head and kissed her.
Chapter Ten
It was a slow kiss that curled Shar’s toes and had her mind going all fuzzy.
Her hands reacted by going around his shoulders so she could hang on to him as her knees melted out from beneath her. And they did. Her entire body turned to liquid as the kiss went on.
“Well, hey there, sis.”
At the unmistak
able sound of her brother Jake’s voice, Shar broke apart from Gage and found Jake grinning at her. She tried to look as if she were in control. She was not.
“Hey,” she managed. Jake was a dive instructor and owned a diving shop in town. Feeling as if she might break out in hives, Shar met his curious gaze head on. “What are you doing here?”
His eyes crinkled at the edges with the want to smile. “I’m obviously not doing what you’re doing.”
To her relief, Gage introduced himself and shot her a wink. “You must be one of Shar’s many brothers.”
“Jake. I’m thinking I should be asking for your credentials and stuff because you know it’s not every day that I find a man all snuggled up to my little sister.”
Shar cut him with a glare. “Excuse me, I can kiss whomever I want, wherever I want.”
Jake chuckled. “Obviously. I’m just startled finding you in a public place, all smoked up with a guy.”
She glowered at him. “Cut it out, Jake.” She turned to Gage to find him clearly enjoying the teasing that was going on. “Hey, you started this. My brother, one of the five, but maybe the nosiest of them all, wouldn’t be gaping at me like that if you hadn’t been kissing me.”
“I don’t care who sees me kiss you,” Gage said.
Jake interjected, “You are in a public place. I’m not nosey, just observant.”
She ignored Jake and also ignored Gage’s statement, although she had to admit that she liked that he didn’t care who saw them kissing. “Jake owns a dive shop and I guess most of his business stays under water, so he has no one to talk to until he comes and puts his nose into my business. What are you doing here anyway?” she asked.
“I had an errand to run.”
She saw mischief written all over his face. “What kind of errand?”
“Nothing in particular. Just checking on the wedding plans.”
Somewhere With You (Windswept Bay Book 2) Page 6
