Chapter Fifteen
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I was not a cuddler. I never wanted to spoon, and I certainly was not the kind of girl who enjoyed sharing her bed. Even when I’d been dating Chad, we’d had spent most nights apart—using the old I’ve got to wake up early excuse.
I was none of those things—until I met Zander.
Now, in the middle of the night, my body searched for him. My arms would wrap around his warm body, fitting around it like a puzzle piece.
Like two halves of a whole.
So, where the fuck is he?
I sat up in the empty bed, looking around as I noticed his missing shoes and wallet. Where was my bare-chested guitar player? I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, seeing the text from him.
Coffee shop, huh?
My stomach rumbled at the mere thought.
Mmm, bear claw.
I checked the time and cursed. Shit, shit, shit.
No bear claw for me.
I jumped out of bed, thanking myself for having the clarity to take a shower last night.
Or maybe I should thank Zander for that…
Either way, it was one less thing to do. I threw on a pair of linen shorts and a tank. A pair of sandals and a hasty low bun finished the look. A bit of concealer and some mascara, and a few minutes later, my empty stomach and I were headed down the road to Marin’s.
It was officially the twenty-four-hour countdown to the wedding day, and I’d promised to be hers for every single minute of it.
Even if it meant giving up my last full day with Zander.
Marin came first.
She was why I had come down here in the first place. Zander was just a bonus. One hell of a nice bonus.
I got to their house and pulled up to the curb. Gravel crunched beneath the tires as I cut off the engine, and the humidity immediately began to fill the car.
I freaking hate summer.
I grabbed my bag and headed for the front door when Macon met me halfway.
“Oh, good. You’re here.”
“Happy wedding eve.” I grinned, pulling him into a big hug.
“Thanks,” he answered, giving me a tight squeeze. “Marin is inside with a giant box of doughnuts.”
“You’re my hero, Macon Green.”
He laughed. “I’m off to the station for the morning.”
“Working the day before your wedding? That’s something I would do.”
“It’s only a few hours, and I don’t have to,” he clarified. “I want to. The deputies will be working extra shifts to cover while we’re on my honeymoon, and I want to make sure they know it’s appreciated.”
“I’m sure they know.”
“Well, the other giant box of doughnuts in my car will definitely drive the point home.”
“It sure will,” I agreed.
“Call me if you need anything,” he said.
“Why would I need anything?” I asked. “I’m awesome.”
“And make sure she drinks some freaking water. She keeps complaining that it makes her pee too much.” He rolled his eyes.
“Why do I feel like the teen babysitter being left alone for the first time?” I asked, shooing him away. “We’ll be fine. It’s just a few out-of-town guests. What could go wrong?”
It was like I was asking fate to screw me over.
Zander
Where are you? The house is empty, and I have bear claws.
me
Bear claws? Damn. I forgot to tell you I had an early start. Marin has a crazy-long to-do list, so she has us running all over the place.
Zander
Any chance you’ll have a break?
me
Maybe later in the afternoon. Why?
Zander
Just wanted to have a chance to see you before the rehearsal.
me
I’ll text you.
Zander
Sounds good. Do you happen to know where Macon is?
me
He’s at the station right now. I think he’s headed to the inn later though.
Zander
K, I’ll go track him down.
A twinge of guilt tugged at my gut at the realization of how little time I had with Zander. I knew we had to have a conversation— the conversation—but neither of us seemed overly eager to bring it up.
Where was this headed?
It wasn’t that I was necessarily scared to find out.
Okay, that was a lie.
I was fucking terrified.
I just didn’t know what scared me the most—finding out he wanted a future with me or that he didn’t.
Losing him now was one thing. It would hurt, but my life would eventually go back to its normal routine, and I’d survive. I was used to being alone. Losing him at some point in the future when our lives were so entangled that I didn’t have one of my own to return to? That would devastate me.
So, yeah, I’d been putting it off, but I knew it was a conversation we needed to have.
I was just hoping for some sort of epiphany—a cosmic sign that would point me in the right direction.
But so far, I hadn’t found one.
“Okay, so my mom and dad are checked off. I dropped off a gift basket for my brother and sister at the other rental this morning.”
“Did you get to meet their dates?” I asked ’cause I was nosy.
“No,” she answered. “I just snuck in and left it on the counter. Everyone was asleep, which, according to my mother, is all very scandalous because one does not share a bed with a ‘date,’” she said as we walked out of the inn, having just given a warm welcome to Mr. and Mrs. Mueller.
They’d all arrived last night, but they had been in need of some rest after the long drive, so this was the first time we’d seen them.
I snorted out a laugh as we moved down the path toward my car. “Okay, moving on then. What about your aunt…” Shit, what’s her name?
Marin gave me a knowing grin. “She’s at the resort, as are a few others, and where we should head now.”
“Okay, but don’t you want to stop for lunch first?” I asked, checking my watch. It was just about noon.
“Nah,” she said as we both got in the car. I took the driver’s seat and started the engine. “I’m good. I’d rather get all these welcome baskets out of the back of the car first. It’s too hot.”
Speaking of…
I looked in my rearview mirror and let out a sigh. My car had never looked so…cute and domesticated.
The baskets were ridiculously large, packed to the gills with Ocracoke merchandise, local snacks, and coffee.
It was so over the top.
It was so generous.
And it was so Marin.
We pulled into the packed parking lot of Windows Hotel and Resort, and we both got out. Marin was already on her phone, checking her list, while I pulled open the door to the back seat to start hauling out baskets.
“How many of these do we need?” I asked.
No answer.
“Marin?” I looked over the top of the car and found her still staring at her phone.
“Oh, um…” She paused. “Four. No, wait. Five.”
“Okay. I’ll take three. You take two.”
“Yeah,” she answered. “And then maybe when we get in there, we can grab some water and rest for a minute?”
“Whatever you want, boss,” I told her.
I balanced a basket on my forearm before grabbing two more, and I was ready. A quick glance over at Marin told me she was, too.
We both closed the doors with our hips and headed inside.
Lani met us at the door with a bright smile. “Here, let me help you!” she said, ushering us in through the lobby. “Your family is lovely, Marin. And all settled in.”
“Thank you,” she said, a little breathless.
“You okay?” I asked, turning to her as Lani took the last basket from her hands and placed them on a table nearby.
“Yeah,” she answered, although she didn’t look it. In fact, she looked a little?—
“Marin!” I shouted as her thin frame crumpled toward the ground like a house of cards.
Lani and I both rushed toward her, managing to reach her just before her head hit the hard marble floor.
“Marin!” I shouted again, but she didn’t respond.
“I’m calling Jake,” Lani said, pulling out her phone. A few seconds later, I heard her frantic, clipped voice as I tried to bring Marin back to consciousness. “Jake’s on his way. I called Macon as well.”
We set Marin flat on the floor, and Lani went to grab some water and a pillow. I checked her pulse and breathing—all of which seemed normal.
At least I think they do.
What the fuck do I do? Shake her? Slap her?
I’d never felt so useless in my life.
“Come on, Marin,” I begged, and just when I was reconsidering that slapping idea, her eyes fluttered open.
“Oh, thank fuck.” I breathed a sigh of relief as the sound of a police siren came tearing down the street.
Macon was here.
“What happened?” Marin asked, looking around at Lani and me.
“You pass?—”
“Where is she?” Macon’s voice echoed as he threw the door open. He sounded like a man possessed, his eyes wild until they locked on Marin. He ran across the lobby and sank to his knees in front of her.
“I’m okay,” she assured him as he began checking her over.
“Where the fuck is Jake?” he growled.
“I’m here!” Jake said, sprinting into the hotel with a bag slung over his shoulder. He was a little out of breath, but otherwise calm as he knelt down on the other side of Marin, next to me. “I would have gotten here sooner if some asshat in a police car hadn’t cut me off.”
The fact that he was making a joke was good, right?
He wouldn’t be making a joke if this was a real emergency…
“Sorry,” Macon muttered.
“It’s okay,” he told him as he began checking Marin’s vitals, having already been briefed by Lani on what had happened. “I once left a patient mid-exam because I got a text from Molly that she was having some pain. I rushed all the way home. It was heartburn,” he deadpanned as he pulled out an O2 meter and his stethoscope. “Even doctors panic when their wives get pregnant.”
I stepped back then, letting them discuss what had happened and Marin’s symptoms. Eventually, Jake got up and asked me a few things about our day leading up to the fainting.
“I think you’re just dehydrated and maybe a bit exhausted,” he told Marin. “But I’d like to take you to the clinic to do a quick exam and check the baby’s heart rate, just to be safe.”
Marin nodded, turning to me, but before she could even open her mouth, I stopped her.
“I got it,” I said. “Go take care of that baby. Everything will be fine.”
She nodded, and Macon patted my shoulder, silently thanking me.
“Can you text Zander? He was on his way to the station to meet me for lunch, and then maybe let Molly know I won’t be able to help with setup?”
“Yes,” I answered, seeing the worry in his eyes. “Don’t worry, Macon,” I assured him. “I’ll take care of everything.”
Time to pull out some serious maid-of-honor magic.
There were some conversations you just couldn’t have via text.
Telling Zander his sister-in-law passed out in the hotel lobby was one of them, so after Macon and Marin left for the clinic with Jake, I sat down in the lobby and dialed his number.
“Hey, you,” he said in that tone of voice that made me think of sex.
“Hey,” I answered back in an equally seductive voice.
No. Bad girl.
Not. The. Time.
I shook my head, trying to loosen the brain fog that had me thinking about all sorts of dirty things and instead focused on the marble floor Marin had just been lying on. “So, I am supposed to pass on a message for you from Macon.”
“Oh.” He sounded mildly disappointed at my tone change.
Dude. Me, too.
“We had a bit of a situation. A mild emergency,” I said.
A few people shuffled past me with suitcases, laughing. The sound echoed far too loudly.
“Well, now, you’re freaking me out.”
Now, I was fixated on the floor. What if she had hit her head? What if she hadn’t woken up?
“Marin passed out at the hotel.”
“What? Is she okay?”
“Yeah,” I answered a bit too quickly. “I mean, I think so. They’re at the clinic, making sure. Jake said it was probably just dehydration and exhaustion.”
“Shit,” he breathed out.
I thought back to those moments leading up to her fall. “I should have known she was pushing herself too hard.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Elena,” he said. “You couldn’t have possibly known that was going to happen.”
“No,” I agreed. “But I still could have forced her to slow down.”
“Could you?” There was a touch of humor to his voice.
“Maybe,” I answered. “She listens to me about fifty percent of the time. Thankfully, it seems to be the important stuff that sticks, like going after Hot Cop even though it was scary.”
“You told her that?” He grew serious, making me realize what I’d just said.
“Um, yeah. She just needed a little push in the right direction.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “Anyway, there are still a lot of things left to do before the wedding tomorrow, and I was wondering if you could lend a hand this afternoon.”
There was a brief pause. “Sure. What do you need?”
“Can you head to the inn and help with setup? Macon was supposed to be there, so I’m worried they might need an extra hand.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’ll head there now.”
“Great. Thank you.” A silence held in the air. “I guess we’ll see each other at the rehearsal?”
“Elena, we still need to talk about?—”
“I know. We will,” I answered, feeling my gut twist in a knot. “Tonight. After the rehearsal dinner, I promise.”
“Okay. Tonight.”
If I had a superhero name, it’d be The Delegator.
Superpower: getting shit done.
I truly believe that if Marin had just handed over her freaking list to me in the first place, it would have saved us both a whole lot of trouble.
We could have spent the day getting facials and drinking mai tais—virgin for her, of course.
After my call to Zander, I’d headed to the Windows dining room for a bit of lunch, and that was when the real magic began. Honestly, it wasn’t even that hard. Once everyone heard about Marin, they were more than glad to help out.
When Macon texted me a while later to let me know everything was fine, I realized just how scared I’d been—like I’d been holding my breath underwater.
She was okay.
After finishing my late lunch, I headed out to do a few last-minute errands that weren’t on Marin’s list, including running to the market and coffee shop. Then, I headed back to the rental and packed up everything I needed for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding.
This was the part of the plan Marin didn’t know about, and I hoped Macon was still on board after everything that had happened. I pulled into their driveway and turned off the engine, reaching over to the passenger seat to grab my duffel and garment bag. With everything in hand, I got out and headed to the front door.
I look like I’m moving in.
“Couldn’t stay away, huh?” Macon grinned, pulling the door open and saving me the trouble.
“You know how much I love you, Hot Cop,” I chided.
“She’s in our room, getting ready,” he said before pulling me into a hug. “Thanks for being there with her today.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Besides, that’s my niece in there.” I tilted my head. “You still okay with this? You’ll be right next door,” I reminded him.
“I know.” He nodded, though I could still see a bit of hesitation in his expression.
“We can call it off,” I offered. “Plenty of brides and grooms spend their?—”
He offered his hand, grabbing my duffel off my shoulder. “No, I think she needs this. You both do,” he emphasized.
I snatched the duffel back, making his brow arch. “If you’re gonna be chivalrous, go grab the food from the car,” I told him. He started to head down the driveway. “But don’t steal any!”
“No promises!” he hollered over his shoulder.
I headed on to the master and found my best friend, sitting cross-legged on her bed. Her dark brown hair was freshly washed, and her body was covered in a fluffy pink robe.
“Hey,” I greeted her, walking in and plopping down on the bed next to her.
She had makeup spread around her, and she let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh, thank God.” She shoved the makeup in my direction. “Please take over; otherwise, I’m gonna look like a clown.”
I rolled my eyes. She did know how to do her own makeup. She just thought I did it better.
Which was true.
“I’m sorry I scared you today,” she said softly.
I’d started looking through her lackluster assortment of makeup and grimaced. She was in serious need of an upgrade.
I reached down and rifled through my duffel until I found my own makeup bag.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“I should have known something was up,” she said. “I felt a little dizzy, and my throat was dry.”
I picked out a brow pencil and got to work. “You need to take it easy.”
“I will,” she promised. “Macon’s basically my shadow now.”
“Well, not for tonight he isn’t.”
Her brow arched, and I scolded her for moving it.
“Sorry!” she said, trying not to laugh. “What do you mean?”
“We’re having a sleepover. It’s your last night as a single woman. Do you think I’d let you spend it with your fiancé?”
“I’m not really single?—”
“Shhh,” I said, and this time, she really did laugh. “Not the point. Macon is going next door with the guys, and we’re staying here.”
I’d originally planned on having Molly and Millie here but decided to scale back after Marin’s tumble.
I wanted her to have fun, but, like, not that much fun. We needed her to have enough energy for the main event.
“But what about Zander?” she asked.
“What about Zander?” My heart rate tripled.
“You two have such little time left.”
I shrugged as I primed her eyelids. “It’s fine,” I told her. “We both knew this day would come.”
“So, you’ve talked about it?”
“No.” I let out a frustrated sigh.
“Why not? Is he avoiding it?”
I selected an eye shadow palette and swept the brush over a muted pink shade.
“No, he actually brought it up on the phone today. It’s just?—”
I brought the brush to her lid, but she steadied my hand and looked at me.
“I know you’re scared.”
I swallowed back a lump in my throat, nodding. “I just keep thinking about all the horrible things that could go wrong, and I just don’t know if it’s worth the risk.”
I can’t lose anyone else.
She squeezed my hand. “I get that. Falling in love with someone is always a risk.”
Falling in love…
Oh, holy shit.
A grin tugged at her lips as she understood what was going on in my head. “But I want you to actually think about it. What scares you the most? Taking the risk or the regret or wondering what if for the rest of your life?”
Before I got to answer, Macon walked in. “Hey, sorry to break up the party, but we’ve got a bit of a situation.”
“What now?” Marin wailed.
Shit, did I fuck something up? I’d been so meticulous with that list…
“I just got a cryptic and really confusing phone call from Zander. Apparently, there are a few reporters outside the inn, and he’s worried they might come here.”
“Here? Why?”
“He said he’d explain when we got there,” Macon said, his brow pinched with concern. “I told him we’d drop by and grab him clothes. Sounds like he didn’t want to leave.”
“Is he okay?” I asked.
“I’m not sure,” Macon answered honestly.
As we began to gather up our things and prepare to leave, I couldn’t help but wonder…
What news story would be big enough to bring reporters all the way to Ocracoke?