Her decision took less than thirty seconds to reach. “Oh, I don’t know,” she told him with a half shrug. “I rethought everything and decided we might just take it easy, lie around the pool all day, rest up for the wedding rehearsal, that kind of thing.”
That was definitely not what he was shooting for. Cara’s father and his wife would be checking in sometime today and the pool would undoubtedly be the first place he would think to look for her.
“No, no, no,” Devlin said, shaking his head. “You want to do something memorable, something fun. Go island hopping in a helicopter, look down the mouth of a volcano, go whale watching, swim with dolphins.” He glanced over his shoulder toward Amy. “Help me out here, Ames,” he coaxed.
Ames.
Devlin hadn’t called her that since the early days of their marriage.
Had that been deliberate, to make her feel nostalgic? Or was it just a slip of the tongue on his part? Either way, he’d made it clear that he needed her backing him up on this.
“Devlin’s right,” she told an indecisive-looking Cara. “You can sit around poolside at any hotel. Heck, you could have stayed back where we were and sat around the pool at a local Holiday Inn—”
“Not in Chicago, I couldn’t,” Cara interjected, pretending to shiver for good measure. “Not unless I wanted to be a Popsicle.”
Amy didn’t bother backtracking or correcting herself. Instead, she just followed Devlin’s lead and pushed forward.
“Cara, the whole point of having your wedding in Hawaii is to do Hawaiian things. I vote for whale watching,” she announced, holding up her hand as if there was an actual vote being taken. Meanwhile, her eyes never left Cara’s and continued to coax and plead.
“C’mon, Cara,” Nick urged, giving her a quick, persuasive hug. “It’ll be fun.”
“Wow,” Cara said, looking around at all three of the people surrounding her. “Three against one. I can’t fight you all.” She grinned. “Okay, you win. I’d like to spend some time at the beach this morning, but then let’s go out and do something.” She turned toward her fiancé, letting him get the final word. “You pick,” she told Nick.
Meanwhile, Devlin turned his head so that only Amy could hear what he was about to say.
“Thanks,” he told her in a low whisper.
She didn’t want him to think he was wearing her down—even though he was. “I didn’t do it for you,” she whispered back, doing her best to appear casual. “I did it for Cara.”
“Whatever,” he allowed cavalierly, looking down into her face. “Thanks.”
The man just wouldn’t stop until he wore her down completely, would he? she thought. Despite her bravado, she knew it was only a matter of time before that happened. Hell, it was already happening, she silently admitted.
But she didn’t have to act as if he was succeeding, Amy told herself defiantly. She wanted to keep Devlin on his toes and guessing.
It was not going to be easy.
* * *
THAT AFTERNOON, THEY wound up doing a little bit of everything on Devlin’s list. They went island hopping in a helicopter, getting a breathtaking view of some of the bigger islands. After that, they boarded a whale-watching vessel. That was followed up with a short stint of scuba diving, mostly by Nick and Cara. The whole outing had taken a little more than four hours, and at that point, with a good portion of the day gone, Cara reminded everyone that they still had the wedding rehearsal ahead of them, not to mention the rehearsal dinner.
Devlin knew that a formal rehearsal dinner with Cara’s parents potentially taking verbal swings at each other was something Nick strongly felt should be avoided if at all possible. The look on his face telegraphed as much to his best man.
Devlin went to work. “We could skip the restaurant and just go to McDonald’s,” Devlin suggested cheerfully. “You know, symbolically letting go of your childhood by not ordering a Happy Meal.”
“We’ve got reservations at a very nice restaurant,” Cara reminded Nick. “Really, this has all been a blast. If I didn’t feel this way before, I would now—life with you is going to be one great big adventure,” she told Nick, brushing her lips against his. “But it’s time to get back on schedule and be responsible people for a little while,” she said with a laugh. “I’m going to the cabana to shower and change into something a little more dressy, and then we’ll go to the beach.”
“Wait―” Nick fell into step with her “―I’ll join you in that shower.”
Cara stopped abruptly, putting her hand up and planting it in the center of his chest. “No. From here on forward we can’t be alone together until the wedding. It’s bad luck,” she insisted.
He looked at her in disbelief, then saw that she was serious. “Honey, that’s an old superstition,” Nick lamented.
But Cara was firm. “With my family’s luck, I’m not taking any chances,” she said.
Knowing he didn’t have a prayer of talking her out of it, he figured he’d find a single friend to crash with that night. Nick turned to Devlin. “I smell like a wet seal. I can’t go to the wedding rehearsal like that.”
“Agreed,” Devlin replied.
“So can I use your cabana?” Nick looked from his best man to Amy.
“Mi casa es su casa,” Devlin said with no hesitation.
“That’s the extent of Devlin’s mastery of the Spanish language so don’t ask him anything else,” Amy told the groom.
Nodding, Nick was about to dash off with Devlin’s keycard in his hand but he stopped for a second, turning around to look at both of them.
“I just want you to know that I’m really glad you two are here, sharing this big day with us.” His eyes were almost shining. “I hope Cara and I are lucky enough to be as happy as you two are.”
“Oh, happier, I’m sure. You two will definitely be happier,” Amy responded with feeling.
At least I really hope you are, she added silently.
“Only if we’re really, really lucky,” Nick responded before he hurried off.
* * *
THE WEDDING REHEARSAL went off without a hitch. Except for one minor detail.
Cara’s father wasn’t there.
From all indications, he hadn’t arrived on the island at all yet. Consequently, Cara decided to walk down the aisle unaccompanied by anything but the organ music.
After it was over, Amy was the first to reach Cara’s side. “You looked absolutely terrific, making your way down the aisle.”
“My father’s not coming, is he?” Cara said. “My own father’s not coming to my wedding.”
“Maybe it’s better that way,” Amy suggested kindly. “You won’t have to put up with any of the drama. Devlin said your dad likes to take center stage no matter where he is, and tomorrow is your big day, not his. Yours and Nick’s,” Amy amended.
Cara nodded, doing her best to look cheerful. “You’re right. I’m just being silly. I guess not everyone has the perfect set of parents.”
“Very few, actually,” Amy told her. “Sometimes parents wind up teaching you how to be a good person by having you not follow their example.”
The rehearsal over, they gathered their things and headed over to the hotel’s reception hall for a catered dinner. But as Devlin and Nick joined them, it was obvious that something was bothering Cara.
Despite the encouraging smile Amy flashed at him, Nick asked, “Everything all right, Cara?”
“Everything’s perfect,” she told him, kissing him lightly. “Just perfect. Let’s go eat.” She laced her fingers through his. “I don’t know about you, Nick, but I’m starving.”
“Ditto,” Amy chimed in.
“Okay, you heard the ladies, Devlin. Let’s go eat,” Nick said, leading the way to the hotel.
“I guess McDonald’s is out, huh?” D
evlin asked, making one last halfhearted pitch to delay any sort of a confrontation between Cara and her father. He wasn’t quite ready to believe that the man wasn’t coming.
“McDonald’s is out,” Cara said with a laugh.
* * *
THEY MET THE rest of the wedding party in the banquet room and “perfect” lasted for another hour.
And then, as everyone was finishing their main course and looking forward to a variety of desserts, two more wedding guests descended upon the private dining room.
Conversation gradually stopped as their presence became known.
If there was one thing Hal Russell knew how to do, it was make an entrance. For him, each walk through a doorway was an entrance. It was only a matter of if it was a major one or a minor one.
This was definitely a major one. Especially since the tall, slender man who liked to be referred to as the Silver Fox was not alone.
He was impeccably dressed as always and his hands were outstretched as he strode toward his daughter.
“There she is. There’s my gorgeous little bride-to-be,” he declared in a rich, booming voice. Never missing a step, he glanced over his shoulder toward the statuesque blonde in his wake. “Didn’t I tell you she was beautiful, Cherie?” he asked the woman.
“You did, sugar. You most certainly told me how beautiful she was—and she is,” Cherie agreed, turning up the wattage on her dazzling smile.
The banquet room became so deadly still you could hear a wedding ring drop.
CHAPTER NINE
THE LAST THING Cara wanted was a scene, so she did her best to rally. “Daddy, you’re here,” she said, trying very hard to take her father’s larger-than-life presence in stride.
Not standing on ceremony, the man came up to her and all but lifted Cara up from her chair with his expansive embrace.
“Of course I’m here,” he responded, his voice reaching the rafters. “What kind of a man would I be if I’d stayed away?” His laugh seemed to be at odds with his sincerity. “I wouldn’t miss my baby girl’s first nuptials.”
Because Devlin could see where this was headed—and because he knew that if Nick articulated what Devlin could easily see was going through his best friend’s mind, it would cause an estrangement between the groom and his father-in-law that might very well last a lifetime—Devlin stood up. He would take it upon himself to deflect any harm—intentional or unintentional—that Hal Russell’s words might cause.
The wedding must go on became Devlin’s secret battle cry.
“Her only nuptials,” Devlin corrected.
Silver eyebrows drew together over a very distinguished nose as Hal turned toward the source of the voice. “Say what, boy?”
Devlin knew the man had heard him and there was no need to repeat the words. But he was determined to lay any fears Cara might have to rest.
“No disrespect intended, sir, but Cara is not her mother, and more important, Nick is not you. They didn’t just decide to get married on the spur of the moment because flying to Hawaii seemed like a fun way to spend a long weekend. They searched their hearts long and hard before making this decision.
“They’re committed to each other—for the long haul, not the long weekend. Thank God all those divorces you and your first wife have between you haven’t affected Cara, haven’t driven her away from the institution of marriage because, done right―” he directed a pointed glance at Amy “―with the right person, marriage can be and is a beautiful thing. Not perfect,” he allowed with yet another look toward Amy, “because nothing is perfect. Even if you’re lucky enough to find someone to love who loves you back, there’ll be rough spots. But you work them out because you know that what you’ve got is very precious and worth fighting for.”
“Well, I totally agree,” Hal finally said after what seemed like an incredibly long pause. The enthusiasm in his voice swelled as he turned to the young woman with him. “Don’t I, Cherie?”
The woman nodded vigorously and he turned back to his daughter and his son-in-law-to-be. “Where are my manners? I’d like you two to meet my own lovely bride, Cherie. We were married almost three weeks ago. I guess that makes us still newlyweds.”
Though he’d been quick to judge the young woman with Cara’s father, Devlin did note that she had kind eyes.
He watched her now as she came forward. Taking Cara’s hands in hers, Cherie said with sincerity, “I hope you and your man are going to be very, very happy together.” She lowered her voice to add, “And you don’t have to call me Mama if you don’t want to. I understand.”
Cara looked at her a little uncertainly, still trying to come to terms with having a stepmother who was the same age as she was, if not younger.
“Thank you. Um, Nick―” she turned toward her fiancé “―could you ask the waiter to bring two more chairs and place settings?”
Relief all but radiated from Nick as he leaped to his feet to corner the waiter. “Sure thing.”
And the evening continued on the same even keel.
* * *
“WELL, THAT WASN’T so bad,” Amy acknowledged as she and Devlin walked into their cabana a few hours later. Peace had been maintained throughout the evening and it appeared that it would remain that way for the next twenty-four hours—which was all the parties involved really needed.
Devlin cocked his head as he regarded his wife with a touch of curiosity. “And by ‘that’ you mean—”
She took the decorative combs out of her hair and it unfurled, falling straight to her shoulders. Amy dragged her fingers through it to loosen it up.
“The appearance of Daddy Dearest, for the most part,” she answered. “I think that tomorrow just might be all right.”
Devlin grinned. He paused to observe her. He’d always liked to watch her fiddle with her hair. “Yeah, me, too,” he agreed.
Amy paused for a moment, debating whether or not to say what was on her mind or just let it go.
But then, she thought, maybe too much had been let go already and there should be at least a few good things to remember about the last time they spent together. It was going to be over soon.
“That was a very nice thing you did.”
He’d started to unbutton his shirt, loosening it from his waistband at the same time.
“You’re going to have to be more specific,” he told her. “I do a lot of nice things.”
Yes, she thought, if she was being honest with herself, he did. Wasn’t that why she’d married him in the first place? Because he was one of the good guys?
“What you said to Cara’s father when he made that thoughtless comment about not wanting to miss her ‘first’ nuptials. I think you put him in his place and turned the tide of the evening, maybe the whole ceremony. I was watching Cara while you were talking, and even though you were just pointing out the obvious, I know it had an effect on her. You could almost see that it made her feel stronger, more in control of her own destiny. You’re pretty good with words when you want to be,” she told him. What would it hurt to give him a compliment this one time? They were going to be going their separate ways soon enough.
The thought made her sad.
“So for once I didn’t screw up?” he asked her, amusement highlighting his eyes.
Amy inclined her head. “For once you didn’t screw up. Nick was right in asking you to be his best man—and to run interference for him. If you hadn’t been there for them tonight, we might be packing our bags right now instead of tomorrow after the reception.”
His shirt hanging open on either side of his bare chest, Devlin came up behind her, lightly laying his hands on her shoulders while he contemplated the tempting slope of her neck.
“You know,” he told her, his voice low, seductive, “we don’t have to pack after the reception.”
“Why?”
she asked, half turning to look at him. “You thinking of leaving your clothes behind and donating them to some charity fund on the island?” Amy deadpanned.
“I’m talking about turning in the return flight airplane tickets, spending a little more time on the island. Maybe like a second honeymoon,” he proposed, hoping he could finally make her give up this idea of a divorce. The whole premise was based on quicksand, she had to know that.
“A second honeymoon,” she repeated. “By yourself?”
She knew perfectly well he wasn’t talking about a solo honeymoon. The idea was beyond ridiculous.
“No,” he said evenly, “I mean a second honeymoon with you.”
She shook her head, the serious look on her face shutting him out. “Sorry, I have to get back to Chicago. I’ve got a big meeting set up at the agency for Monday afternoon.”
“Can’t you reschedule?” he suggested, skimming his fingertips lightly along her shoulders.
She shrugged him off, moving to the side. Her skin continued to feel his touch long after he pulled his hand away. “I have no reason to.”
Temporarily blocked, he dropped his hands to his sides. “Right.”
She swung around to face him. “Look, just because I can see you’re not a complete black-hearted devil doesn’t mean anything’s changed between us. You’re still the same person you were.” Still the person women threw themselves at. And if enough women did the throwing, some were bound to be caught. She knew the odds. Devlin was a human, not a saint.
“Yes,” he said deliberately, “I am.”
She galvanized her courage, holding it up like a shield. “And I don’t want to be married to that person anymore, so nothing’s changed,” she said with finality.
Devlin shrugged, echoing her words. “Nothing’s changed.”
That should have been the end of it. But it wasn’t.
It wasn’t, because then, as it had several times in the past three months, it hit her. Hit her when she was least prepared for it. That completely uncontrollable urge to throw up everything she had ever consumed hit her like a mighty, steel-fisted punch to the gut.
Island Promises: Hawaiian HolidayHawaiian ReunionHawaiian Retreat Page 13
