Chapter 18
"T hank you so much!" Helen gushed before reaching out to pull me into a tight hug.
I quickly moved my equipment out of the way before it hit her in the stomach. Hiding a grin, I enthusiastically accepted her embrace, fumbling a bit as she swayed on her feet. Helen was adorably tipsy.
"Thank you for choosing me. It was a beautiful wedding."
It really had been. Their intimate elopement and lack of guests didn't make the day any less beautiful or special. The love these two had for each other shined brightly. Even if they had proceeded with the four hundred-guest society wedding Helen's mom had her heart set on, I was convinced these two would still feel like they were the only two in the room. They certainly acted like it, given how often they locked lips. I was a little worried that all my photos would be of Harry's tongue in his new wife's mouth.
The day had been gorgeous, of course. It was hot, but with their wedding on the beach, the gentle ocean breeze helped cool me down. I'd even dipped my feet in the sea as I snapped away at the happy couple, laughing heartily as Harry dipped Helen so deep that her long hair touched the water.
My anxiety over their wedding evaporated entirely as the day progressed. I became lost in capturing moments I knew would become such a crucial part of their future. Memories and emotions would eventually fade, but the one thing that remained forever immortalized were the snapshots that allowed you to relive those memories all over again. That rush of emotion that came from a day that was special enough to be frozen in time.
A memory of my own wedding photos flashed through my head. A good friend had photographed it, and I’d wasted no time decorating our home with frames from our special day. There was one with our hands in the air as flowers were thrown at us, smiling widely. My arms wrapped around his neck, his hands spanning my waist, as we gazed at each other adoringly. And then there was the one that hung above our TV. Our first kiss as husband and wife.
After Drew moved out, I'd taken down that photo. I couldn't stomach walking into our lounge and seeing a huge reminder of a love I thought would last forever. That was the emotion it evoked whenever I stared at it now—pain and sadness.
"You'll get a sneak peek of the photos within forty-eight hours," I promised. "Then the rest will come in four to six weeks."
Helen gripped my hand, her glassy blue eyes welling. "I can't wait. Honey, did you hear? We're gonna see some within two days!"
"I heard, honeybun." He smiled indulgently at his wife. His arm slipped around her shoulder, bringing her close enough to plant a lingering kiss on her head.
He smiled at me before reaching out to shake my hand. "Thank you so much, Frankie. You've made my wife a happy woman. Therefore…" he pointed at himself and gave me a thumbs up.
I laughed softly, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder. Happy wife, happy life.
"You're welcome. It was honestly my pleasure. You two have a good night."
They planned on heading to Zona Romántica for dinner before dancing the night away—a beautiful way to end a beautiful day.
With my heart full and a little sad, I returned to my hotel room and quickly scoffed a snack from the minibar. I’d order a proper dinner later, but right now, I was starving. It was normal for photographers to take a break during a wedding—usually paid for by the bride and groom. But because it was an elopement that only lasted a few hours, I worked straight through without sustenance.
Once my stomach was temporarily sated, I finally checked my phone that I'd stashed at the bottom of my satchel. My heart skipped before dipping.
There was a message from Nellie, a meme from Sene, and a daily check-in message from my dad. But nothing from Drew.
Did I miss him? Of course. But I'd been missing him for almost a year now. The real him. Not the distant, grumpy, detached Drew that I'd been receiving. I wondered if he was giving me space, or giving me the silent treatment. Was he relieved that I was out of the country, and therefore, unreachable? Was he having too much fun without me? Fun with her ?
I was too exhausted to tread through the frayed strands of my marriage, so even though it was still early, I decided to reply to Nellie and Sene before calling it a night. I'd have a big breakfast tomorrow to compensate for the lack of food today. Plus, I had a tequila tasting tour booked for 1 PM tomorrow, because why fucking not. I was technically now on vacation mode, so I intended to make the most of my stay.
The following day, I was up and out of bed bright and early. I had no choice, anyway. I’d been up since 4 AM, tossing and turning before the annoyingly happy chirping of birds outside my window forced me out of bed. I had breakfast on my balcony—crispy bacon, scrambled eggs with a side of fresh fruit, and yogurt. If I was going to be drinking hard liquor in a few hours, I wanted to line my stomach.
The tequila-tasting tour ended up being a fun idea. We spent the day walking the old, winding streets, sampling tacos and tequila from various eateries whilst our guide regaled us with stories steeped in rich history. By the time I came back to the resort, my belly was full, and I was only slightly tipsy. I had a new appreciation for tequila and was now determined to only drink the good stuff. Bottom shelf tequila just wouldn't cut it anymore. But I had to admit, the best part of the tour was stuffing my face with the delicious local offerings, hence why I wasn’t completely smashed. Not that that was the goal of the tour—it was mainly about the history of the drink and the surrounding area, paired with succulent cuisine. But, still, some had indulged a little too much.
After a much-needed nap, I felt refreshed and itching to leave my room again. I also wanted to start editing the sneak peek photos I'd promised Helen and Harry. I went down to one of the outside hotel bars, ordered a tequila to sip on—I had developed a taste for it now—and set up my laptop at one of the tables.
I was deep into my work, fully in the zone, when a familiar giggle pricked my ears. My head popped up, and I recognized one-half of the couple who had been with me on the tasting tour.
Dana was standing very close to a young blond-haired man. Her hand was on his toned bicep, and his hand was resting intimately on her hip. He definitely wasn't the red-headed, middle-aged man she'd introduced to me earlier today as her husband, Henry.
The couple turned and walked towards me before stopping just a few steps in front of my table. I kept my head down but eyed her covertly beneath my lashes. I wondered where her husband was. I had a clue, though, going by his overindulgence in tequila and mezcal during our tour.
"How about one last drink before we head out of here?" Dana cooed. I wondered what her reaction would be if she noticed me sitting there.
"Why bother when you can have a drink in my room? Save us some time." His hand stroked her back, and I rolled my eyes, shaking my head in judgment.
"Hmm, okay," Dana readily agreed, not a single thought entering her head that she was a married woman. "Uh, let me just grab something from my room first, and then I'll head to yours. Room ninety-six, right?"
"Right. I'll finish my drink and head up. See you soon, beautiful."
She pressed a lingering kiss to his mouth before she flounced off.
The blond guy turned to follow Dana's movements, and I realized where I recognized him from. He'd been the young guy I'd seen on my first night here, surrounded by loud, giggling college girls. He was very handsome, so I could see how he pulled multiple girls a night. And he didn't seem to discriminate—Dana was at least close to forty, if not already.
His gaze moved and caught mine. A flush bloomed on my cheeks when I realized how long I’d been openly gawking him. He must've misconstrued my blush as interest because his eyes flashed before his mouth tipped up in a flirty smile.
Immediately, I focused back on my laptop, clicking away at nothing in particular. From the corner of my eye, he tipped his drink back before wiping his mouth. He was about to leave. About to unknowingly indulge in a night of sex with a married woman.
I should say something. He wasn't in the wrong here; she was the married one. For all he knew, Dana had probably told him that she was a single woman looking for a good time.
"Dana is married, you know." The words were out of my mouth before I could think. The thought of a married person cheating so blatantly on their spouse hit a little too close to home for me.
Blond boy turned to me, his brow pulled down. "Huh?"
Seeing him up close, his eyes were an electric blue. His dirty blond hair was neatly styled and he had a deep tan that was either natural, or had been made darker by time spent in the sun . He was hot, and he knew it. I'd been a college girl, so I knew what carefree frat boys looked like. He had the looks, the body, and the charm to make any girl swoon. Not me, of course. I was old enough to be his….sister? Aunt?
"Dana,” I repeated. “She's married."
"Who the hell is Dana?"
My mouth split open before I puffed out an unamused laugh. "The woman you just set up an assignation with."
He frowned again. "Can you repeat that, but in English?"
I sighed tiredly. "That woman that you told to meet in your room. She's married."
"She is?" His brow rose in surprise. "How do you know?"
"Because I was on a day tour today with her and her husband."
He folded his arms, one brow tipped up. "Well, where is he?"
"My guess? Probably sleeping off the eight tequila shots he had at lunch. She likely returned to her room to check he was still sleeping."
"Huh. No shit." He placed his empty glass back on the bar. "Well, nice talking to you."
"Wait. Are you still going to meet up with her?" My voice rose in judgement.
He lifted his hands at me. "Hey. She's the one that's married, not me. I'm not doing anything wrong."
His words stung, because I’d just bet that Carly justified her actions the same way he did. I shrugged, anger fuming through me despite my nonchalant appearance. I couldn't control the actions of strangers, and it wasn't my business. "Whatever."
"Unless you're offering? Gotta admit, you are better eye candy than Dina," he smirked.
" Dana . And, seriously?"
"What, you married too?"
His eyes flashed down to my hand, zeroing in on my rings. "Oops, sorry. No wonder you have a stick up your ass about it."
An indignant snort escaped me before I slammed the lid of my laptop down. "You're a fucking jerk. Fine, go fuck Dana. I hope her husband catches you and kicks your ass."
"As long as it happens after we fuck." His eyes were alight with smug lightness, his mouth still retaining that stupid smirk.
Instead of arguing with a boy whose mommy probably still did his laundry, I packed my shit up and stormed off back to my room.
Asshole.