by Kim Law
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said. They reached the steps and she smiled up at him, giving him the polite expression she’d give anyone. This was where they’d part. “Breakfast will be in the main dining room here between seven and nine, and the trolley will be out front at ten.”
The group would be taking a tour of the historic section of the island tomorrow.
“I think I’ll sit this one out,” he said. “That work I mentioned. I’ll catch up with everyone tomorrow night.”
“Oh. Okay.” She nodded. “That’s probably a good idea.”
She might have no more plans for kissing him, but knowing she wouldn’t even get to see him tomorrow made her stomach feel funny. Once they returned from the tour, there was downtime, and then the group had reservations at a local restaurant.
“Okay then.” She nodded again, knowing she looked silly just standing there gawking at him. Time to go in. “Then … yeah … thanks.”
She headed to the house before she could utter another okay or thanks, and didn’t let herself look back as she walked. She and Mark were now officially, finally over. She could report in to Roni and Ginger that they had gotten their closure. And she was fine.
When she reached the house, she let herself peek back toward the ocean, and when Mark lifted his hand in a brief wave, she was shocked to find tears fill her eyes. Ducking inside the lower level, she went to the outside shower stall and stood under the warm spray, salt water–logged clothes and all, washing the sand off. And pretending she wasn’t crying.
Oversleeping was not the norm for Andie, but after a night of tossing and turning while thinking about kisses and one wet, hot man — and wanting more of both — she was more than a little late coming downstairs the next morning. And she was not in the best of moods.
Slipping into the kitchen, she grabbed a banana and a pear, and shoved them into her purse, hoping she’d get a minute to eat them since she’d missed out on breakfast. She then went to the fridge in search of string cheese for some protein.
“Where have you been?” Aunt Ginny asked, coming in from the main living area and laughing from something that had just been said outside the kitchen. She was wearing white gaucho pants, strappy turquoise-jeweled sandals, and a lime-green top. She looked adorable, as always.
“What’s so funny?” Andie asked. She was grumpy from lack of sleep and now wished she’d dug through Aunt Ginny’s closet instead of her own. Her yellow pencil skirt and cap-sleeved top weren’t nearly as cute as Ginny’s attire. She rubbed her thumb over the large ring on her first finger. At least her jeweled butterfly ring was cute. “And I overslept, that’s all.”
Aunt Ginny’s eyebrows lifted half an inch but stopped when Andie made a face at her. She’d been giving Andie “the look” all her life, but Andie was not in the mood for it this morning.
“Save it,” Andie growled out. “I’m fully aware I should have been up and down here at least two hours ago. But I had a rough night.”
“Anything to do with an after-hours walk on the beach?”
“What?” Andie shot her a wide-eyed look. “How do you always know what I do?”
Ginny just shook her head, as if disappointed in Andie for coming off the information so easily.
Andie sighed and collapsed into a chair. She pulled the banana from her purse and began to peel it. “How do you do that, Aunt Ginny? You had no hard evidence I’d been out on the beach with him last night, did you?”
Andie didn’t even pretend her beach romp had been with anyone but Mark. Ginny knew her too well. Heck, knowing her aunt, she’d probably told Mark where to find her. And then declared it fate.
“Simple deducing on my part, child.” Ginny went to the sink to wash her hands, turning in Andie’s direction as she dried them on a paper towel. “I knew you’d snuck off to play with the kids last night, and then I saw Mark when I went up to my room later. He was walking back toward the bar. Only he appeared to be soaking wet.” She studied Andie with a look of confusion. “I wasn’t sure if you’d been out there with him or if he’d decided to drown his sorrows and plunged his worthless self into the ocean.”
Andie narrowed her eyes on her aunt. “It would spit him back out if he did. So you set me up to find out? You could have just asked.”
“I know, but teasing you is much more fun.” Aunt Ginny sat down across from Andie at the kitchen island, her expression going serious. “What happened? Did you talk at least? Did you push him in the water?”
Kayla made a quick pass through the room, the model of efficiency, and tossed a look at the two women. “Ten minutes, Andie. The trolley is already out front.”
“Got it.” Andie rose, thinking she’d leave Ginny hanging. No need to tell the woman everything. She’d likely find it out on her own, anyway. Plus, there was a tour to chaperone.
“Hold on, young lady.” Aunt Ginny reached out and wrapped her fingers around Andie’s wrist. “At least tell me if you’re okay? Did you talk?”
Sadness suddenly filled the space behind Andie’s ribs. She nodded. “Yes, we talked. And if you’re the one who sent him, I should kick your butt, but I’ll thank you instead. It was closure. Finally.” She reached over and squeezed her aunt’s forearm. “I hadn’t realized I was stalled, Aunt Ginny, but I can move on now. It’s what I needed.”
She only wished she could move on without remembering how she’d wanted to rip Mark’s clothes from his body as they’d stood in the middle of the ocean.
Aunt Ginny studied her for a few seconds, then gave a small nod and leaned over to plant a kiss firmly on Andie’s cheek. “Good girl,” she whispered. “I’m happy for you. Now tell me how he got all wet.”
A smile bloomed on Andie’s face. She was not going to admit they’d rolled around in the water and she’d given serious consideration to having a hot two-week fling, but she’d share one morsel she knew her aunt would love. She put her hand on the door, ready to slip outside, but shot Aunt Ginny a quick wink before she went. “I threw his very expensive shoes about thirty feet out in the water. And the waves weren’t gentle.”
She grinned wider at the sound of her aunt’s boisterous laughter.
“That’s my girl,” Aunt Ginny said, giving Andie a fist pump.
Andie waved good-bye and hurried outside, finishing the banana as she made her way to the island trolley — and loving Aunt Ginny’s ability to always brighten her mood.
It was a large group, with twenty-seven people joining the tour — not counting the groom’s grandparents, who hadn’t arrived yet, and Mark, who she was glad wasn’t coming. Really. Because she needed to be the perfect, gracious hostess. And having Mark there would make her nervous. Or give her something to stare at that she shouldn’t even be looking at. Geez, that man had only grown hotter since she’d known him.
Before she made it to the road, Mr. Jordan fell into step beside her. “Good morning, Ms. Shayne.”
“Mr. Jordan.” She flashed her best smile. “How are you today? I hope you slept well? The room you’re in is fine?”
“Yes, yes. Perfect. In fact, we like it better than the first we’d been placed in.”
“Terrific.” The first room had more space, but the deck had been on the side of the house and with a smaller area to directly enjoy the ocean. It had also been on the second floor instead of the third. The third floor had more privacy and a separate shared living area for guests staying on that level.
“It has a great view,” Mr. Jordan added.
Andie looked up at him from the corner of one eye, picking up from his tone that he was heading somewhere with the conversation but unsure where that might be. “Yes. You should have a fully unobstructed view of the beach from there. I glanced out myself before I went to bed last night, and the moon was hitting the water just beautifully. I hope you got a chance to take it in …”
Oh, hell. That’s where the conversation was going. She and Mark had been directly behind the house. Mr. Jordan must have seen them. She wet her lips and opened her mou
th to finish her sentence, but Mr. Jordan spoke first.
“That’s correct, Ms. Shayne. It does have a perfect view of the beach. And though the sun sets on the other side of the island, Marilynn and I like to sit outside and take in the ending of the day when we have the chance. I thought this trip would be a good time for such an opportunity.”
Andie lowered her gaze, searching for something to say to make the idea of her and Mark having a romp on the beach seem okay.
“I trust I won’t see the same sight again throughout the rest of my visit, Ms. Shayne?”
She nodded, feeling like a small child who’d been caught eating Santa’s cookies off the platter. “That’s correct, sir. I can’t speak for our guests, but I can speak for myself. You will not be subjected to … such behavior again. And I do apologize you had to witness it last night.”
He patted her on the shoulder as they neared the trolley. “Good to hear,” he said, then boarded to sit beside his waiting wife. Andie stepped back from the trolley and shifted her gaze, unable to meet Mrs. Jordan’s look. No doubt it would be as censorious as her husband’s tone.
The Jordans had been at Whitmore Mansion less than twenty-four hours, and already their toilet had overflowed and they’d had to watch her and Mark going at each other like starved animals. Thank goodness it hadn’t gone any farther than kissing.
The bonus clause in the contract stipulated the wedding had to go off without a hitch. Not that there couldn’t be small hiccups along the way. Though knowing that did little to settle her nerves. Nor did she consider almost getting naked on the beach with her ex a mere hiccup.
She spent the next few minutes greeting guests as they made their way to the trolley, and asking if everything about their stay met their expectations. Everyone seemed completely happy, with the exception of Wendy, one of the bridesmaids. She had a bungalow along the north perimeter of the property. The downside was that she was within hearing distance of the bungalow that housed one of the groomsmen, who was there with his wife and their two children. Apparently the kids were loud, and Wendy was offended at having to listen to such.
“Starting tonight we’ll have activities for the children, if the parents wish them to participate,” Andie shared with her. “We’ll do our best to tire out the young ones so they’ll be less disruptive. How about that?”
Wendy rolled her eyes. “If that’s the best you can do.”
What a total wench. Andie pasted on her smile. “I’d be glad to have Kayla shift you over to the hotel, if you’d prefer. The accommodations there are superior.”
“Are they beachfront?”
“I’m afraid not.” Andie did her best to look as if she cared. The reality was that this was not her favorite part of the job. She didn’t care to deal with overly picky guests, but she had yet to figure out how to escape doing so.
As her reward for dealing with people like Wendy on a regular basis, she allowed herself one day a week to volunteer at the senior center. Old people made her laugh. They were generally more easygoing than the rest of the world, and rarely took anything too seriously. They were as much fun to hang out with as kids.
“Should I make the arrangements?” Andie asked.
Wendy let out an unladylike huff. “No. I want the beachfront view. I guess I’ll be fine where I am if you have nothing else.”
“I’m so sorry, but everything else is full. The hotel would be the only other option.” There was the room at the house that the Jordans had originally been assigned to. The proper thing to do would be to bring Mark back there since the house was typically reserved for family, the bride and groom — each with a separate room so as not to be presumptuous — as well as the maid of honor and best man.
Andie could make an exception this one time and let the bridesmaid in, but she wasn’t sure she wanted her underfoot more than she already was. Something told her that if Wendy were in the main house, the woman would not only be a nuisance but also would make sure the other bridesmaids knew she was getting preferential treatment.
Which was why bridesmaids never had different accommodations from one another.
Nope, she would not break the rules this time, and she wouldn’t bring Mark over, either. It would cost her money out of pocket for the additional hotel room, but it was money well spent as far as she was concerned. After their unspoken “truce” the night before, she was fairly certain it would be best to keep her distance from him for the remainder of the time he was there.
Wendy finally went to her seat, pouting, and Andie saw Robert and Penelope heading for the trolley. They were the last to exit the house. Robert stopped to talk with someone as he passed one of the middle seats and Penelope headed on toward Andie, dressed in a lovely pink sundress. The decorations for the wedding were a mix of shades of pink, with pale green and cream as accents. But it had been clear that they were to use loads of pink. Apparently it was a favorite color of the bride’s.
“Good morning, Ms. Jordan,” Andie greeted Penelope. “Your seat is saved up front.”
“Terrific!” Penelope bunched up her shoulders as she spoke, practically bouncing in place. She was a gorgeous young woman, with beautiful honey-hued skin and long blonde hair, and Andie couldn’t help but think that she was far too good for the likes of Robert Masterson.
She and Penelope had chatted for only a few minutes the evening before, but it had been long enough to make her wonder what Penelope — who was a few years younger than Robert and no doubt had the ability to get any man she wanted — saw in him. But then, Robert could be a charmer. Andie had seen that in action, herself. He’d been a regular at the bar she’d worked at during graduate school, and had taken every chance he’d gotten to practice his skills.
“I hope you enjoyed your evening,” Andie said. “How was breakfast this morning?”
Penelope laughed gaily. “Everything is simply amazing. I’m thrilled we ended up here.” Her eyes widened slightly. “Not that I’m glad the first place had the fire, of course.”
“Of course not.” Andie laughed with her. “But we’re glad you’re here, too. We intend to make it the wedding of your dreams.”
“Well, it has certainly started out that way. And I’m so excited about this tour. I found out after we made the reservations that we had a distant family member who owned a house here on the island at one point.” She named the cottage that had once belonged in her family, and Andie assured her that it was one of the homes on the tour.
“Terrific. I was hoping it would be.” A bright smile spread across her face again, and Andie had the fleeting thought that she’d never smiled that big in the days leading up to her own wedding.
But she had loved Mark and had been very happy to be marrying him.
Any lack of excitement was simply due to the fact that she’d been too busy. That had to be it. She’d been trying to save her job, and the thrill of preparing for her own wedding had gotten lost in the mix.
Robert headed their way, and Andie stood a little straighter. Not wanting to be forced to make small talk, she excused herself and moved toward her seat at the back of the vehicle. Only, she didn’t quite make it past Robert without him making a snide comment as she passed.
“Have fun in the water last night?”
She stopped. “Excuse me?”
He had seen them, too? Geez, had everyone?
He wiggled his eyebrows in a tawdry manner that made her skin crawl and leaned in so close that no one else would be able to hear him. “I told Mark he should go for it, you know. You may be nothing to him now, but you’ve still got a kickin’ bod. No need letting that go to waste when he already knows how to maneuver the landscape.”
Ugh.
Before she could come up with an appropriate reply — and aware she had to word any comment very carefully, as she didn’t think it beneath Robert to convince the new daddy-in-law not to hand over the bonus — she realized almost everyone in the group was watching, waiting for them to board so the tour could begin.
> So she mustered up her professionalism, imagining steel running the length of her spine, and didn’t give Robert the benefit of looking him in the eyes. She’d gotten more than enough of this man four years ago. He could not bother her anymore.
She nodded to the driver and tour guide. “Looks like we have everyone here. Shall we go?”
CHAPTER SIX
The sun greeted Mark as he hopped out of his four-door rental and loped up the steps of Whitmore Mansion. It was going on noon, so the group should be well on its way with the tour, which meant Andie would be out of the house.
Mark had been at his desk since daylight, yet he’d found that no matter how hard he’d tried he’d been unable to concentrate on the work he needed to get done.
He was blaming the situation on lack of food.
Sure, the hotel had a perfectly nice restaurant and even room service, if that was what he wanted. But it wasn’t. What he wanted was to see Andie again.
Since he’d made sure that wasn’t going to happen, he’d take the next best thing. Aunt Ginny. And possibly he could talk her into lunch. He’d overheard her at dinner the night before, mentioning that she was making her famous chicken salad for lunch. For the people who’d gone on the tour. But surely she had leftovers.
The front doors to the house were wide and welcoming, with dark wood trim and clear glass panels, but when he stepped inside, the massive foyer and its attached living room were silent. Walking through the space, he admired the soft hues and the overall comfortable feeling. There were two sitting areas in the living room. One in a semicircle with four cushioned chairs and a small round coffee table. The other was more spread out, with a couple couches and additional chairs grouped around a marble fireplace. Both areas were set up to afford a view through the massive back panel of windows that stretched from one end of the room to the other. The area was inviting and relaxed, yet elegant enough to entertain the top level of guest.
Mark let the view beyond the wraparound deck wash over him. The ocean gleaming in the sun was almost magical. It looked like rippled glass, waiting patiently for some action to disrupt it.
