7. A Surprise Guest
7 A SURPRISE GUEST
Daphne
After an early afternoon taster with Cal, I revisited his room for a nightcap. I lost myself and got away long enough before my mother demanded that I return to my room to discuss tomorrow’s hair and makeup protocol. I didn’t want to leave, longing for him to please me in the morning. I knew I overstayed already and gave him a long goodbye kiss before disappearing.
“Where were you?” Mother demanded.
“Having drinks by myself,” I lied.
“Why?”
“I am lonely and bored,” I shrugged. “Sorry if I’m not taking the best care of myself here in paradise.”
“Go to bed. Just rest.” She waved dismissively.
I went to my room, landing in one of the two occupied queen beds. There were four of us—Dahlia was the middle sister in every way. She was old enough not to ask where I’d been. Instead, she snuggled next to me. Lanie and Dora didn’t stir. I longed for them to stay precious—far from the eyes of gossip blogs and newspapers. I envied the freedom just to be .
“You smell like cologne and whiskey,” Dahlia giggled.
“Mum is having a meltdown.”
“Ignore her. She wants this to be your wedding. Just enjoy yourself. Let Sarah have her moment. We’ll make the day magical for her tomorrow.”
Dahlia saw the good in every day.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and nodded. “It’s true.”
We fell asleep, our breath synced. I slept in peace—satisfied.
* * *
I woke to Mum banging on the door, demanding my presence in the suite’s living room. I pulled on a robe and emerged looking a mess. Chandler Walker sat in the living room. I stood speechless, unsure if I was in the middle of a nightmare—or was it a dream?
“Daphne, you have a visitor,” Mum said brightly.
“I can see,” I crossed my arms. “An uninvited one.”
“Daphne, darling, my name was on the invitation.”
“And you rejected the invite,” I said.
“Daphne, he came across the world to be with you,” Mum intervened.
In her eyes, if I did anything but say yes to Chandler, I’d live a life of regret. He came to grovel. The right thing to do was to accept him back into my life, right? She knew better. I had a wild weekend with a man I couldn’t have. Here was the man who wanted me—even if he had to lose me to know that.
“Daphne, I love you and made a mess of things. Your parents were kind enough to arrange my trip so I could be here with you today. I regret everything and want to have you in my life. I love you.”
I did love him. Yesterday didn’t change that I’d been heartbroken since I returned to the US for the wedding. I wanted to give him a chance—but not like this. I needed to wash Cal Markham off me before we could even converse.
“I am glad to talk,” I said. “I will give you a chance to explain, but I’m a mess after dancing last night. Please give me a while to shower. Let’s meet for tea downstairs before I do my hair and makeup. I don’t have a lot of time, Chandler.”
“Whatever works for you, my love. I promise.”
He sounded remorseful. I had to give this one more chance, even if it made things awkward with one of the groomsmen. I washed quickly. I knew I wasn’t supposed to wash my hair and do makeup, orders from the glam squad. In a rush, I brushed out my wild, wavy hair, sprayed it with dry shampoo that would cover the smell of Cal, and put it up in a high ponytail. Sufficiently scrubbed and bare-faced, I met Chandler downstairs.
“I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you,” Chandler said.
I smiled, taking in the waffle and cappuccino. “No. don’t mind at all. Thank you. You always remember my order.”
“Love, I want to apologize for all the pain I caused you. I never should have put that pressure on you. I know you were changing jobs, and… you were torn between two worlds. I don’t want to limit you, but I cannot leave the UK. I need to run for office next year. I know Labour will call an election by?—”
“I don’t want to take your political career away,” I said. “But, Chandler, that’s not all I want. I am excelling back in Chicago. I have this big new world—and brilliant opportunities.”
He shrugged. “Those don’t only exist in Chicago.”
“No, but right now, they do. You feel like home. I missed that so much this whole time, but I don’t have job prospects like this in London.”
“What if you did?” Chandler raised an eyebrow.
“But I don’t. I was stuck in a junior position at the firm.”
“And you wouldn’t be.”
I lowered my utensils and dabbed the corners of my mouth, confused.
“Come home, my love. I want this to work. I know you want to have a career and a life. That’s all we’ve wanted—for three years—to build a life together.”
He appreciated my ambition on paper and loved me deeply, but he never understood how much I longed to write my story out from underneath the family name.
I stared past him, spotting Cal around the corner. He didn’t see me. Caught between two worlds, I panicked, pulling my hands back.
It was all a dream . I tried to shake it off. But as Chandler kept talking, it festered. Cal’s eyes met mine for only a second as he passed, then he ducked out of sight. He knew Chandler was here. I couldn’t let him think I used him.
“Oof, I need to use the ladies,” I lied. “Give me a second.”
“Of course, darling,” Chandler said patiently. “Are you alright?”
“Yep. My schedule is just all over the place.”
I raced to find Cal, hoping for what, I didn’t know. I just couldn’t leave it here. It was off.
* * *
Cal
I went down to the veranda’s cafe to play gopher for the groom. I had a spring in my step thinking about seeing Daphne. I ordered coffee at the bar to be sent to the room and took my time back to the elevators. Then, I spotted Daphne. She was busy talking to a tall guy about my age. My stomach sank and I saw her hold his hands across the table. I never met Daphne’s ex before. And right about now, I wasn’t sure he was her ex.
She looked at me, then turned away out of embarrassment. I didn’t dare stop to chat. I made a beeline for the elevators. I needed to leave before I lost all of my pride.
The elevator doors opened and I prepared to take anything—up or down—but was stopped by David himself.
“Cal! How are you? I feel like I said barely two words to you last night,” he said.
That was because I ran off before the party got started to crawl into bed with your daughter.
I scratched my head, “Yeah. Wild time.”
“Where are you headed?”
“I am the coffee guy. I had to put in orders for everyone.”
“Great. Well, I was hoping to give you good news this morning, but?—”
He looked down at his phone. “That might be it. I will find you later. Fingers crossed!”
As if suffering whiplash, I went from low to high.
David patted my shoulder. “I’m going to take this.”
He left, answering the phone. And just as I thought the universe might have a plan for me, Daphne rushed from the other side of the hall in a panic.
“I swear it’s not what you think and?—”
Panicked that any words to leave her pretty little mouth would put my prospects in danger, I pulled her onto the next open elevator and mashed the door close button.
“I cannot talk about this right now, Daphne,” I said.
“Cal, my parents flew him in. Chandler?—”
“Daphne,” I said with a stern voice, “you should go back to him. If he came all this way?—”
“It’s the same story every time, Cal.” Her voice wavered with emotion and she grabbed my arm.
I pulled away, unwilling to admit my true feelings. “You and I aren’t anything.”
“Cal, there is something there. I know it is stupid and?—”
“It is a vacation fling. It was fucking idiotic, okay? I got caught up in you. You’re beautiful and fun and?—”
“You care about me, Cal. You enjoy this. Please don’t say?—”
“Daphne, that is a respectable man who loves you,” I said. “And what we have? It’s the thrill of the chase. I want you because I shouldn’t have you. It was fun. That’s all it was.”
She reached for me again, tears welling in green eyes, “Don’t cheapen this.”
“Daphne, it was nothing. And if you ever cared about me, you’ll let me get off this god damn elevator in one piece.”
“Cal, there is a way?—”
“There is no way, Daphne! You’re David’s daughter and we’re about to go into business together. You’re gorgeous and you… you’re smart. Don’t let any man tell you otherwise, but this isn’t real. This was just a bit of fun. I cannot let it jeopardize my career. Run back to your boyfriend.”
The doors opened and I stepped off, leaving her behind in tears. I was an ass, but I couldn’t let a vacation hookup end it all. It was either Daphne or my career and I didn’t love her. I made the best choice for both of us. She’d marry well. I’d grow a business. We’d both be happier like this.