Chapter Twenty-One
The Thursday of our departure for the wedding came quickly. Sally gave me a big hug once I’d loaded my bag inside the trunk of the Uber. “Are you sure you have everything?”
“Yes, Mom,” I teased, returning the embrace. “And you’re all set for your company?”
She was hosting a houseful of people for a holiday dinner—some family, some coworkers, some friends. I was sorry to be missing it after everything she’d done for me. And I was more than a little nervous about the trip.
My anxiety must have shown on my face because she gave my arm an extra squeeze then said, “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
I hoped she was right. I climbed into the backseat of the Uber, waving until she was out of sight. The local airport was twenty minutes away, and I’d never flown on a private jet before.
Avery had texted me instructions about where to have the driver drop me and how to get through the security check. It was completely different and so much easier than normal security. In no time, I was boarding the plane.
A flight attendant greeted me with a glass of champagne. “Welcome aboard.”
I peered into the cabin, eager for my first peek. The eight seats were divided into two single file rows separated by an aisle. The seats were paired off so Rhonda and Avery faced each other from their seats along the far wall, and two empty ones faced each other to my immediate right. It was like our own little girls’ section.
The guys were in the back, Derek’s seat butted up back-to-back with Avery’s as he faced Greg. A slightly tipsy Avery yelled my name, holding a partially full glass of champagne aloft.
“Hey, everyone.” My smile dimmed as Liam’s gorgeous face registered like a fist slamming into my gut.
He didn’t even react, just blinked and turned away to face the back of the plane.
“We thought we’d start off guys and girls,” Avery tried to whisper, failing miserably.
I exchanged an amused glance with Rhonda. This would be a long six hours with Ave already so far gone. Maybe she’d calm down once she got some food in her.
The captain introduced himself, and the lady I’d thought was the flight attendant turned out to be the copilot. She topped off our glasses before they disappeared into the cockpit. Hopefully, the takeoff was smooth, or we’d be wasting champagne.
We were in the air in no time, all sparkling liquid accounted for. Then Avery announced it was time for Thanksgiving dinner. I’d hardly ever had a meal on a plane, let alone what could only be called a feast. We each had a fancy takeout container piled high with hot food—turkey, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, rolls, cranberry sauce.
As we ate, Rhonda loosened up as well, and Derek even smiled at me. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be hell after all.
After dinner, Avery leaned over to whisper, “I have something I’ve been dying to show you, but I don’t want Derek to see.”
Mischief danced in her grin, and I knew it was another peace offering, another way to bring us together and bridge the gap. Although it sounded like a bad idea, considering Ave was anything but discreet at the moment.
I turned to warn Derek. “We’re having a girls’ moment here. Guys, avert your eyes. Maybe your ears, for good measure.”
Rhonda laughed. “That should do it.”
Avery fumbled in her backpack, pulling out a black plastic bag. Rhonda and I huddled around her, blocking the guys’ view—just in case.
“Remember how Derek left Selena instructions for me to have plenty of lingerie for the honeymoon?” She must have filled Rhonda in, since she didn’t seem the least bit surprised. “Well, I thought I’d pay him back and make him dress up too.” She pulled a package out of the bag and said, “Ta-da!”
I stared at it for a minute, not quite understanding. “What in the world?”
It was some sort of costume, but in the shape of a tube with a uniform printed on it. Maybe it’s supposed to be a pilot…or a captain? There was even a little black mustache and above it a small hat with an elastic band.
Giggles erupted from Avery at our confused expression. “It’s a penis costume! I got it from Etsy.”
A crinkle formed in Rhonda’s forehead. “A what?”
“Derek’s supposed to put that on his dick?” I asked, studying the picture more closely.
Avery nodded. “And since my nickname for him is Captain…”
All the pieces clicked together, a picture forming in my mind of Avery pulling out this tiny costume and explaining it to Derek. On their wedding night.
I burst out laughing. Rhonda’s shoulders shook. All the guys turned in our direction, but Avery quickly stuffed the costume back into the bag.
Any time we glanced at each other, one of us would go off again, unable to rein in our giggles. My cheeks were wet, and my sides hurt by the time I flopped back in my seat. Penis costumes. What would they think of next?
Six hours was a decent chunk of time. The couples inevitably paired off, especially when Avery wanted to use Derek as her footrest and try to sleep for a while.
Rhonda scooted into the seat facing me after Derek moved up with Avery. It was the first time she’d initiated contact, and I eyed her warily.
“Gina, I know things haven’t been…easy on you lately.” She rested her elbows on her knees, leaning in close to me. “After I saw you at Lit, I was concerned about how much weight you lost. I know you’ve been working out, but um…” She paused, brushing back a piece of her hair.
Unease rolled in my stomach as I wondered where she was going with this.
“After Kevin tried to assault me, I really struggled.”
The matter-of-fact way she said it caught me off guard. I remembered Avery and Derek’s concern after the incident, but I’d figured it wasn’t really my business.
“I didn’t want to eat. Didn’t shower. Could barely get off the couch some days.”
I looked out of the window, the words hitting too close to home.
“Greg convinced me to see a therapist, with Avery and Derek’s help, of course.” She touched my knee even as I recoiled inwardly at the word. “She was great and I’d be happy to pass on her number, if you’d like. Who knows? Maybe she could help.”
I gave her the best smile I could muster and repeated the same answer I’d given Avery. “Thanks, Rhonda. I’ll think about it.”
She nodded. “Okay, just let me know.”
I thanked her again before she left to go sit with Greg, then I pulled out some homework to keep myself occupied.
A couple of hours into the flight, I got up to use the bathroom. I was impressed when I didn’t hit my elbow once. There was space to wash my hands, and plenty of room to maneuver. Living the high life, for sure. Of course, my luck ran out as I began washing my hands, and we hit some rough air. Rough enough that I stumbled into the door.
I planted my feet firmly as the pilot straightened us out. Hopefully that was the end of it. When my hands were dry, I slid open the bi-fold door as the plane bumped again. Liam’s seat faced the back of the plane, and I came out only to be confronted with his beautiful self. I sucked in a breath against the pang that stabbed my chest. At least his eyes were closed.
Just then the plane hit another huge rough patch, pitching forward and left which sent me careening into Liam’s lap. I smacked my head on the window, and we both yelped. I tried to hold my breath, but his heady scent taunted me. I flailed to regain my balance, wanting to touch him as little as possible.
“Gina, quit squirming!” He gripped my arms, pinned them to my sides and lifted me to my feet. “Holy shit.” Annoyance and pain mixed with concern in his gaze.
Lightning jolted through me at his touch, my body catching on fire. He released my arms as soon as I was steady on my feet. Relief coursed through me followed by a wave of longing hit so hard, my knees wobbled.
“When did you get so hard?” He rubbed his chest, looking over my body once more.
I knew he meant my muscles, the way I’d toned up since he’d seen me. But the words hit me funny, and the irony of it all made me bark out a short laugh. “A lot can happen in a couple weeks.”
I clenched my teeth against the pain threatening to spill over, stuffing it carefully behind the barriers which I tugged back into place. Then I ripped my gaze away, walking primly back to my seat. After I buckled my seat belt, I buried my nose in my book as soon as I could.
Multiple pairs of eyes bored into me, assessing me with concern. But I ignored them all, desperately trying to keep it together.
Putting in my earbuds, I feigned sleep for the rest of the fight, wondering if I’d made the right choice in coming. Maybe they would have been better off without me.
* * * *
After customs, we took a limo to the hotel. The Cayman Islands were beautiful—warm, sunny, tropical, and I was thrilled to plaster my face to the window and take in the sights.
The wedding wasn’t until Sunday afternoon, and we had a few group things, like rehearsal and dinner on Saturday night. We were all staying through Saturday of the following week. Then everyone but Avery and Derek would fly home and their real honeymoon would begin. I wondered if Avery would wait until then to give him the costume.
Greg leaned over. “It’s gorgeous. Ever been?”
I shook my head, feeling like a puppy excited by the smallest scrap of attention. If I had a tail, it would be wagging. “First time out of the country.”
“Mine too.” He nodded at Rhonda and Derek. “These guys never took the chauffeur when they traveled.”
They laughed, and Rhonda elbowed Greg before leaning into him. “I wished they’d brought you instead of some of those ridiculous nannies they thought we needed.”
The siblings launched into stories of nannies their parents had hired. Then Liam chimed in with tales of his own, but I went back to my window. My upbringing hadn’t been conducive to vacations.
Jealousy hit me as I listened to their ridiculous anecdotes, and I glanced at the rest of the group only to find Avery’s focus on me. She felt it too, the inability to relate, but she didn’t shy away from it like I was, didn’t let it build a wall around her. No, she used that knowledge to understand Derek and the others better, find more ways to relate to them.
She was a better person than me.
* * * *
The all-inclusive, adults only resort, The Enchanted Reef, had been recommended to Rhonda by friends. Derek and Avery had taken one look at the website and given her the green light.
As I stepped out of the limo onto the shaded, pavilion-covered entrance, the heat overwhelmed me just as much as the building did. It was white marble, nearly blinding in the Caribbean sunlight. Tropical plants and palm trees artfully lined the edge of the building. Two staff members in burgundy uniforms greeted us, one holding a bowl of rolled white washcloths in iced water, the other handing them out with tongs.
“Welcome, family,” they said, ushering us further up the walkway.
We deposited our used cloths in a receptacle and came to the next staff member who offered us a choice of a purple slushy drink, champagne or beer. I went with the slushy drink, ready for relief from the heat already. It was refreshing and tangy, just what I wanted.
In the open doorway stood another woman in burgundy uniform who greeted us. Rhonda gave our party name, and the employee escorted us to the lobby for check in. The whole area was huge, open and opulent. Greg looked back at the limo, checking to make sure our bags were being taken care of.
The lady noticed, smiling. “Don’t worry, your luggage will go right to your rooms.”
Rhonda handled check-in since she had booked everything, and we all crowded around to get our keys. The couples went first. Then the employee slid over one set of key cards to me and Liam.
I frowned. “Um, aren’t we supposed to have two rooms?” That had been the original arrangement.
The employee checked her computer once more, slowly shaking her head. “I’m sorry, miss. I have you down for three rooms total, and unfortunately the resort is full.” She shoved the keys toward me.
Avery. This reeked of one of her ridiculous schemes. I turned my glare on her as she held her hands up and backed away.
“Gina—”
“Don’t you ‘Gina’ me. This is not one of your stupid romance novels, Avery Milbourne.” I put my hands on my hips. “Sometimes things don’t end up all sunshine and roses. You forget that you’re messing with real people’s lives here. Real people with real feelings. I thought I meant more to you than that.” I grabbed my key, glanced at the room number and stalked off.
Footsteps sounded behind me, and I turned to see Liam striding after me, looking just as pissed as I felt. Oh, goody. We stalked past the doorway where another attendant stood with our bags.
“Room number?” he asked.
We verified our bags and room, then he followed us. It was a fucking parade, one I had no interest in being a part of. As we wound our way through the maze of buildings with the employee’s help, my mind raced. If the blackmailer was still tracking me, how would I explain us rooming together?
Once we arrived at our first-floor room, Liam quickly pulled out a tip as I wandered past the bathroom to poke around, surveying my options. A short hallway led to the bedroom, which had one bed. Because why wouldn’t there be? At least it was a king.
The room was beautiful and spacious. A small stuffed green chair sat in the corner near a desk with a rolling chair. A giant TV hung on the wall opposite the bed with a long, low dresser beneath and luggage racks on either side. I sighed, claiming one of the stands for my bag.
A patio door opened against the far wall, and I strolled over to investigate, needing time to process. The patio had walls on both sides, and a jetted tub sat to the left with a wall blocking it from view of the beach. Beyond that we had two lounge chairs and a small table, then there was the ocean. The waves crashed in the distance, a calming lullaby dancing in the evening air.
I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn’t been so worried about the fucking blackmailer spying on me. Can he see me through the patio glass? Does he know there’s just one bed?Damn Avery and her romance novels.
I went back inside to find Liam pulling out his suit and hanging it in the closet in the hallway. Opposite the closet was a nook, and next to the nook was the bathroom. I poked my head in.
It was massive. A large walk-in shower stood to the right, but there was no curtain, no nothing. It was all glass. Two sinks spanned the wall next to it with a huge mirror above them.
To the left was a narrow door that led to a small inner room hosting the toilet and the bidet. I’d never used a bidet. Interesting.
I went back out to the main room where Liam was now on the patio. If I could just make it through the wedding, this whole ordeal would be worth it. I wanted to be here for my best friend. Wanted to see her get married. Surely the blackmailer could give me a couple days, especially when he saw the silent treatment Liam was giving me.
I decided to hang up my dresses, hoping Liam had left me some hangers. He had, thankfully. I finished as he came back inside, hands in his pockets.
My mind raced as we stood in awkward silence. “I could sleep on one of those lounge chairs.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Fuck no. People get kidnapped here, Gina. Avery would kill me if you got carried off or murdered.”
I didn’t miss the blatant omission of himself in that statement, and I flippantly tried to cover up my pain. “Fine. I’d probably get eaten alive by mosquitoes or whatever bugs they have around here anyway.” I glanced around the spacious room, annoyed that they had every piece of furniture except a sofa. “I’d take the couch if I could.”
“It’s a king-sized bed, and we’re both mature adults here. I’m sure we can handle it.”
I crossed my arms, pressing my lips together because I was out of options. If only they’d had another room. “Maybe Avery and Derek would let me bunk with them.”
“On their wedding trip?” Liam tossed his hands in the air. “I take back the ‘mature’ part.” Setting his jaw, he strode over to toss his suitcase on the second luggage rack. “Although it’s not like packing all your things while I was gone, then leaving without giving us a chance to talk things over or giving me a real explanation was very mature either.”
I dug my nails into my palms as anger pulsed inside me. “I did what I had to.”
“And you still haven’t told me why.”
“Leave it alone, Liam. It’s over now.”
“I deserve an explanation.” His quiet words were sharp, punctuated by him unzipping his bag.
And I deserved a hell of a lot more than what I got, but I played the hand I was dealt. I seethed inside, the pain in my palms grounding me. “I’ve given you as much explanation as you’re going to get. I don’t owe you anything.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw, anger flashing across his face. He stormed past me, muttering about finding a drink. The door slammed shut behind him.
If the blackmailer were watching, I hoped to hell he’d seen every moment of our fight. It might make the pain I felt worth it.
Needing a distraction, I pulled out my phone and connected to the resort’s Wi-Fi.
I checked in with Sally, feeling better after chatting with her and seeing her pictures of everyone around the makeshift tables she’d strewn together. She asked about Liam, wishing me luck when I told her we’d been forced to room with one another. Then I sent Aunt Thea and Uncle David a message wishing them a happy Thanksgiving, along with a few photos of my ocean view.
A message came in from Avery with her room number, followed by a plea to let her know that Liam and I hadn’t killed each other yet. Their room was two doors down, so I went and knocked rather than replying.
The door swung open, relief on her face. “You’re alive. Do you still hate me?”
“I don’t hate you. Liam and I are both still alive, although he stormed out of here to find a drink a few minutes ago. No, we’re not back together.” I glared pointedly. “What’s the plan? I’m starving.”
She opened her door, letting me into a suite similar to our own. “Rhonda and Greg are in between us.”
“Hopefully you all are quiet on the sex front.” I laughed to cover the pinprick of hurt stabbing me because I didn’t have to worry about that.
“Anyway, about food. I know they’re hungry, too. Our concierge gave us several good recommendations, and I had him see what he could get us for a dinner reservation for tonight, knowing it’s short notice. For whatever reason, they don’t let you book those ahead of time.”
She gestured to Derek, who was pacing on the patio outside, phone to his ear. A moment later, he grinned, hung up and came inside.
“He found us something?” Avery asked.
“Yep. The Italian restaurant has an opening in an hour.”
Perfect. We’d have time to shower and change. “What’s the dress code?”
Avery hurried to hand me a brochure. “You left without getting one of these. It has a map, plus all the details. Most of the restaurant want girls in skirts or dresses, guys in button-down shirts.”
“Okay. I’ll go get ready. And someone needs to let Liam know.”