Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
J ade didn’t think anything would be able to beat the sight of Jeremy and Leroy exchanging vows on the beach– correction: on the decking, on the beach– surrounded by flamingos and a wedding party who’d all been instructed to wear something pink.
As if it had been ordered to, the sun had set at the perfect time, creating a beautiful rose-pink hue to the sky and a deliciously romantic light for the photographs.
‘It clashes with your hair,’ Leroy had murmured dryly to an ecstatic Jeremy, who’d waxed lyrical about how he’d always planned for the pink theme so it would match the sunset. The besotted expression on Leroy’s face had told their guests he wouldn’t have his new husband any other way.
But then there had been Liam’s best-man speech. As expected, it had been short and to the point, ending with him saying Jeremy and Leroy weren’t just employees, they were friends.
‘But I’m your best friend,’ Jeremy had asserted, giving Liam a big wink.
To the surprise of everyone, Jeremy included, Liam hadn’t just smiled, he’d nodded. ‘You’re my best friend.’ Then he’d added, ‘But remind me of this tomorrow, and I’ll deny it.’
Now the night was in full swing and the heart-melting moments kept coming. Jeremy’s expression when he saw the flamingo fairy lights strewn up across the bar. Jeremy and Leroy doing their first dance together. The whole happy vibe as all their friends and family joined in.
And a new highlight, she thought, a low sizzle beginning in her belly as Liam strode towards her, looking like he’d stepped out of a World’s Hottest Men in a Tux photoshoot.
He drew her purposefully into his arms, lips brushing her ear. ‘Did I tell you how gorgeous you look?’
Emotion clogging her throat, she smoothed her hands down his shirt. ‘Did I tell you how much you rock a flamingo bow-tie?’
He smiled. ‘I was going to say you can say what you like, I’m never wearing it again. But maybe I can give you a private viewing.’
She pictured Liam, wearing nothing but the bow-tie and a sexy smoulder and promptly tripped over her own feet. It earned her a low chuckle. Totally worth it.
It was times like this she forgot she’d be heading home in a week. In fact she’d spent the last few days forgetting a lot of things. Like the fact they’d both expressed feelings for each other, but neither had really showed their full hand. Maybe it was down to her to be the brave one. She was the one who had to decide whether or not to return. Whether to give up life in Twickenham, for life in Nantucket. A life close to her family, or a life with new friends. A publishing assistant or a bookshop manager. A single woman, or a woman dating an extraordinary yet complex man whose hard shell protected the vulnerable boy.
Suddenly, she felt Liam grow rigid. When she glanced up, she saw his expression had turned harsh, his jaw tight. ‘What is it?’
‘I didn’t realise he was invited.’
She followed his gaze and frowned. ‘Oh, you mean Henry. I’m not sure he was, because I don’t think Jeremy likes him very much. Maybe one of the SOB team told him about it. I know his dad owns the Chase Resort, but have you two ever actually met? I can introduce you if you like.’
‘No,’ he replied curtly, all the warmth gone from his face, leaving hard lines and a wintry stare.
She flinched. ‘I wasn’t planning on telling him we were sleeping together, if that’s what’s got your boxers in a twist.’
He looked incredulous. ‘Have I ever given you the impression I don’t want people knowing?’
He’d introduced her to his grandma, held her hand at every opportunity, danced with her tonight in a way that made it clear they were intimate. ‘Then what’s wrong?’
She didn’t have time to hear his answer, because Henry had spotted them. Holding the hand of a beautiful brunette in an elegant turquoise bias-cut silk dress, he marched towards them, a fixed smile on his face.
‘Jade. Have you met my girlfriend, Sabrina?’
No, it couldn’t be. Yet from the tension radiating off Liam, the way he’d reached for her hand and was gripping it like it was the only thing keeping him upright, she knew the name wasn’t just a coincidence. ‘Hi.’ She smiled awkwardly at the other woman.
Henry turned to Liam. ‘I believe the pair of you are already acquainted.’
Liam stared back, stony-faced and silent.
‘I didn’t know you were coming,’ Jade ventured into the wildly uncomfortable silence. Holy shit, Liam’s ex looked like a frigging supermodel, all long-limbed sophistication and unnerving confidence. One glance at her own dress and it suddenly felt too tight, too short. Too low cut. Too tarty .
‘I heard from Philip that the SOB team were getting together, so I didn’t want to miss out. Especially as we’re celebrating.’ Henry glanced around him, spotting the DJ behind them. ‘In fact, let’s do this properly.’
Jade held her breath, an ominous feeling settling over her. ‘I don’t like this,’ she whispered, but it was like Liam had left and a cold, marble statue taken his place.
‘Excuse me one minute, everyone,’ Henry announced into the microphone. ‘I’d like to add my own personal congratulations to Jeremy and Leroy. I hope they’ll forgive me hijacking their wedding for a moment to also recognise this lady,’ he waved a hand over in Jade’s direction. ‘The blonde in the… charming pink dress.’
Ouch. Not just the words, but the way he said them. Anger burned in her stomach even as her eyes pricked with tears she was absolutely not going to shed.
‘Jade is more than her hair colour.’ Liam’s voice cracked through the air. ‘If you don’t realise that, you’re more ignorant than I thought.’
‘I do realise it.’ Henry smirked over at Liam. ‘Because Jade has managed to do what many of us had feared was impossible.’ He paused, checking he had the attention of the wedding party. ‘She’s forced Liam Haven to change his mind about knocking down our quaint, much loved bookstore.’ A cheer went up around the group. ‘According to my source, he’s also scrapped his plans to expand the hotel onto the waterfront. Of course if he thinks this will change how many feel about him, we should remind him we have long memories. Who can forget how he bought up a beautiful part of our island only to ruin it by turning it into a flash modern resort? Or more recently, how he stopped us from mooring our boats on the wharf next door? But at least this action has shown he will buckle under pressure.’ Henry’s eyes found hers. ‘So here’s to you, Jade. Whatever womanly spell you put on the man, we all thank you for it.’
A murmur went through the group and suddenly she was surrounded by people congratulating her and asking her about the shop. She wanted to escape, to run up to Henry and shove at him for being so frigging rude, so condescending. For making her feel like some cheap strumpet who’d used sex to get Liam to change his mind.
Yet whatever her humiliation, for Liam it was worse.
An arm slid around her waist, and she jerked around, only to find Jeremy. He took one look at her and swore colourfully. ‘Excuse us everyone, I’m taking Jade away. Groom’s prerogative.’
‘I don’t know what Henry’s doing here,’ he muttered as he led her away from the crowd and towards the relative quiet of the beach. ‘I didn’t invite him.’
‘He said something about Philip mentioning the SOB group getting together.’ Jade halted and stared back at the bar. ‘Where’s Liam? I can’t see him.’ Her heart began to race. ‘I need to see him. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t put together that group?—’
‘I was the reason Henry joined the SOB group,’ Jeremy cut in. ‘If Liam’s throwing out blame, I’m ahead of you.’
‘What did Henry mean about the waterfront?’
‘I don’t know. I don’t think the boss has got the concept of besties yet. Still keeps everything to himself.’
‘Henry made it sound like I slept with Liam to get him to change his mind. However awful and degrading that looks for me, it’s a thousand times worse for Liam. Like he’s weak enough, stupid enough, to have his head turned by me.’
Jeremy gave her an affectionate smile. ‘His head has been turned by you, and he’s neither weak nor stupid.’ He laughed ruefully. ‘I also imagine he’s heard worse insults.’
Her heart twisted. ‘That’s exactly the point. He’s going to take this so hard.’
‘But this time he’s not alone. He’s got us to support him.’
Jade could only hope that would be enough. ‘I think I know where he’s gone.’
Jeremy kissed the top of her head. ‘Then go to him.’
* * *
He’d been here before. Started to feel accepted, even loved, and it had all been a fucking illusion.
As he sat on the top deck of the yacht, his mind tortured him with flashbacks.
Elementary school on the island, classmates looking at him strangely. ‘How come your mom left you? Can’t have liked you much.’
Boarding school, and Henry and his friends laughing in his face when he asked to join in their card game. ‘Like you can afford it. We don’t play with Monopoly money, we play with the real stuff.’
April, when he’d overheard her laughing with her friends. ‘The sex is great, but I’m dumping him soon. I mean, he doesn’t even have a boat.’
Sabrina giving him that cruel smile he’d not realised she was capable of. ‘Sorry, but Dad says I can do much better. And I think he’s right.’
He tightened his fingers around the whisky glass. The fact Henry’s slurs had hurt, was entirely his own fault. Sure, the way Henry had painted it was wrong, but the sentiment was the same. Jade had put a spell on him. Thanks to her, he’d changed plans that had been years in the making. Hell he’d even started to open up, let people in… His stomach clenched, acid burning at the lining.
He should have known better. The moment he lowered his defences, he got shafted.
‘I thought I’d find you here.’
He forced his body to stay still and not leap up and cling to her, like it wanted to.
Jade walked slowly towards him, shapely legs shifting beneath the short pink dress that fitted her curves so perfectly. Gorgeous, stunning, sexy as fuck.
But going home next week.
She slid next to him on the sun pad, and memories of the first time they’d sat there crashed through his mind. Memories he couldn’t afford, because it was time to pull up the drawbridge, to lock down his defences. Put himself into protect mode.
‘That was… awkward.’
‘Brutal,’ he corrected, taking a moment to study her face, the lines of tension. The telltale red rim around her eyes. A reminder he hadn’t been the only one humiliated tonight. ‘Your dress isn’t charming, it’s perfect, shows off your killer body but also makes you look vibrant, confident. A woman embracing her sexuality. You’re not a blonde, you’re an inspiring, strong, magnetic, vivacious woman who happens to have blonde hair. You didn’t put a spell on me, you showed me how to be a better man with courage, creativity and ingenuity.’ He hung his head, disgusted with himself. ‘I should have said all that out there. I’m sorry I didn’t.’
‘Don’t be. You’ve said it now.’ Her body leant against his and he inhaled her scent, feeling a brief moment of comfort, of rightness. ‘Sabrina was your ex.’
It wasn’t a question, but he answered anyway. ‘Yes.’ And because he knew Jade, he added. ‘She’s as shallow as she looks.’
He watched Jade fight not to smile. ‘I thought she looked elegant. Willowy, like a model.’
‘I thought she looked skinny. Cold. A good match for Henry.’
A huff of laughter left her and she reached for his hand. ‘Now we’ve put my jealousy to bed, tell me why Henry hates you so much.’
He raised his head to look at her. ‘You can probably guess.’
Her eyes searched his. ‘He was part of the gang that Adam was in, the gang at boarding school?’
‘He was the unofficial leader, yes.’
‘But that doesn’t explain why he hates you. It can’t just be because you were poor.’
He’d told Jade so much already, it seemed petty not to tell her everything. Starting from tomorrow, he’d shore up his defences again. ‘His father slept with my mother.’
‘Oh… oh . You’re half-brothers.’
‘We share some DNA,’ he corrected. ‘Henry’s father has never acknowledged me as his son. He paid my mother off and then washed his hands of both of us. I’m the reminder to Henry that his family isn’t perfect. I’m also the reason his parents split up.’
She fell quiet, but her hand was still wrapped tight around his and between that, and the gentle sway of the boat, some of the bitterness began to recede.
‘You’re not the reason,’ she said finally. ‘His father being a cheating bastard is the reason.’
He let out a humourless laugh. ‘Not the way Henry sees it.’
‘So that’s why you’re so driven to make money. Not just to stick two fingers up at rich bullies, but to let Chase senior see what he’d missed out on. To make your resort bigger and better than his,’ she added.
He could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as she pieced all these jagged parts of him together.
‘I needed them all to see I was somebody. Not just a person they could ignore, walk away from. Reject.’ As his voice choked on the last word, he wondered if it sounded as pathetic to her as he feared. ‘This guy you’ve been seeing, the successful businessman who has his life together? It’s a fucking illusion. Inside I’m an angry kid with a giant chip on my shoulder.’
‘No.’ She clasped his hands with both of hers and squeezed tight. ‘You might be a man people have tried to ignore, to put down, but you’re resilient. You didn’t crumble under what they did to you, you became a winner, not a victim. A man who built a frigging company from nothing, using only his wit, his drive, his strength. Flipping heck, can’t you see how bloody awesome you are?’
The words soothed, his wounds feeling less raw. Grateful, he bent to kiss the top of her head.
The buzz of her phone cut through the moment and she sighed, diving into her fluffy, pink candyfloss of a handbag. ‘That will be the groom, wanting an update.’ She tapped the screen and read out the message.
Have you found him? Please tell me you have and he’s not thrown himself off the wharf. FYI: we strong-armed Henry out of the resort. For ‘we’, read Leroy. I provided encouragement and a piece of my mind.
Despite his gloom, he managed a smile.
‘Oh, wait, there’s another one.’ Jade’s eyes scanned the screen.
PS. Philip says Liam’s revised plans are for affordable housing on the waterfront. I told this to Mary. Expect news to have filtered round the island by tomorrow lunchtime. Ditto the fact Henry was out of date and the resort wharf can be used for general mooring. Oh and I found out Haven Resorts is funding a library for the school. The boss tried to keep it anonymous but it’s time island gossip was Haven positive. If he isn’t happy, tough. I’m a boss too now.
She looked up at him. ‘I’m going to have to reply. If I don’t he’ll continue to blow up the phone.’
‘It’s his wedding day. Surely he’s got better things to do.’
Her phone buzzed again. ‘Want to bet?’ She glanced down at it.
If you’ve found him and are currently bumping uglies, tough. I’ll keep interrupting until you reply.
‘Christ.’ It was embarrassing how touched he was. ‘Put him out of his misery.’
Jade smiled and typed something into her phone before jamming it back into her handbag. When she met his eyes again, the affection he saw there nearly flattened him. ‘Affordable-housing, donations to the school. You did good, Liam Haven.’
‘A wise person once told me I was turning into a rich arrogant prick. Thought it was about time I did something to reverse it.’
Her expression softened, eyes shining with something that looked an awful lot like pride. ‘So, what now?’
You go home and I get on with my shallow life and try, hopelessly, to forget you.
‘Do you want to head back to the wedding,’ Jade continued, watching him carefully, or?—’
‘Or.’ He rose to his feet and gave her his hand. ‘I choose or.’