23. 23
O ur private jet descends toward the runway, the blue water glittering like the ring on Charlie’s finger. Between Alec’s directorial debut being a smash hit at some festivals and making him the person to get, and Charlie’s book being a bestseller for months, they decided to treat the small guest list to our own flight.
Charlie’s dad snaps pictures through the window, his camera strap around his neck.
“I have a surprise for you at the resort when we get there,” Charlie says, dropping down in the open seat next to me as we taxi to the area where we’ll deplane. She’s dressed in a soft cream dress, which I’m assuming is going to be a theme throughout the weekend.
“Isn’t this your wedding? Where people give you gifts?”
“Societal norms aren’t the boss of me.”
“How could I forget. What is the gift? ”
“Now where’s the fun if I tell you?” she huffs.
“I can still be excited even if I know what it is.”
“Mmm, maybe on other things, but not this one. Just trust me. Do you have your speech written, best man?”
“Do you have your vows written?” I ask, smirking at her.
“You should know I expect magic, so get it done.” I give her a sarcastic salute as she gets up and moves back to her seat in the front next to Alec.
Shifting down into my seat, I close my eyes as we taxi to the gate where five black sedans are waiting for us.
“Damn, girl. Got that white glove treatment going on,” Courtney says.
“We just wanted to make sure everyone was taken care of,” Alec tells her.
The drivers help us all with our bags and the moment we are situated, our caravan takes off. Lush greenery surrounds us as we make our way to the resort, but I hardly notice with my cramped position in the furthest back seat of the car.
“Now, Parker. How was filming House of Desire ?” Charlie’s mom, Deborah, asks, turning to look back at me.
“It was great. The ladies were amazing and we had a really fun time,” I tell her with my interview voice firmly in place.
“The girl who fell out of the limo is very beautiful. And funny, too! When they were in the cars on the first night, they would show these clips of them inside the cars and all the others were really boring, just talking about the house. But she was talking to the girls in her limo. She just seemed really nice. ”
“She was a stand out in the group, that’s for sure.” I still need to apologize, but after I got her number from Lorelei, every time I pick up the phone to do it, I almost end up in a ball on the floor in a panic.
“Are you still single?” she asks, a hint of intrigue in her voice.
“You know he can’t tell you that, Deb,” Charlie’s dad says. “Stop pestering the boy.”
“I’m not pestering him, am I, Parker?”
“No, ma’am. I just can’t answer the question. Don’t want to give away any secrets.”
“Oh, yes, yes. We wouldn’t want to get you in trouble. When you were on House of Deceit with Charlie, I wished you could both win. I liked you the most after my daughter. I thought your little romance with her was very sweet. I thought she’d be coming home with a boyfriend.
“I guess she did come home with one, didn’t she? Once Alec showed up. Oh, she told us all about how you went and punched him in the face and drug him all the way across the country. That was just so sweet of you, looking out for her like that. I don’t think I’ve ever had someone punch another person on my behalf.”
“I probably should have handled it in a different way, but he’s stubborn.”
“He’d have to be to stand up to our Charlie,” her dad says, affection shining through his voice.
We pull up in front of the hotel. Getting out of the car takes me a moment as I unpretzel my limbs, blood rushing back into my legs that fell asleep about fifteen minutes back. People stroll all over the resort. Within seconds, I spot ten different flower patterned shirts on guys as they seem to be heading toward, my guess is, a luau .
A hotel employee greets Charlie, handing her an envelope, and she nods.
“Alright, everyone. The front desk has your keys. Everyone has already been checked in. We have the rehearsal later this afternoon. If you need to attend, you’ve already been talked to. Otherwise, we’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner tonight!” Charlie says. We all start making our way to the front desk, but Charlie grabs my arm, stopping me.
“I already have your key and I wanted to give you that gift.”
“Lead the way,” I say, grabbing the handle of my bag and following behind her.
The air is thick with humidity. I’m glad the shirt I’m wearing is breathable as the salty ocean breeze blows through, cooling me down.
“What is this present, anyway?” I ask, trailing behind the tall redhead. Just like everywhere else we go, heads turn as people check Charlie out.
“It’s a surprise. You’ll see soon.”
She makes a turn and goes down a sidewalk between two cream-colored, two-story buildings that look out on the ocean. Arriving at a door, instead of putting the key in the door, she knocks.
“Is this not my room? What are we doing here?” I ask her, but she just gives me a look of annoyance before knocking again.
“My God, be patient,” Charlie says as Lorelei rips open the door. I catch a glimpse of the beach through the window, straight back.
“Oh, hey! Where’s my brother?” she asks, inviting us in with a sweep of her arm.
“He’s helping get people settled. I just thought I’d stop by to say hi. Wanted to make sure you got settled in this morning.” Charlie gives her a knowing smile as we move into the room. The room is smaller, but comfortable. Sounds of metal hangers clinking inside the closet draws my attention. I’m surprised there’s someone else here since Tank isn’t coming.
A hand grabs the bi-fold door, pulling it closed.
Suddenly, I’m looking into my favorite pair of honey brown eyes.
“Oh, hi,” Anastasia says, no surprise in her voice.
“Parker, did I mention Lorelei brought Anya as her date?” Charlie asks, and I can hear the smile in her voice.
I gape at Anya, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. All the apologies I’ve mentally written flood my mind and I want to say them all. Or move across the floor and pull her into my arms and kiss her.
“I’m going to give you two a moment to talk. Here’s your room key.” She slips a plastic card in my hand, grabs Lorelei’s arm, and then heads out the door.
“I didn’t realize you were coming,” I tell her and at the split second of worry in her eyes I realize how my words sound. “I’m glad you’re here,” I amend, truthfully.
“I couldn’t say no to Lorelei when she asked,” she says.
We stand there awkwardly for a moment.
“I want—” I start.
“Don’t you—” she says.
I give her a small smile. “Sorry, go ahead.”
“Don’t you have a rehearsal to get ready for?”
Hurt wraps itself around my heart like ivy and squeezes.
“Yeah, I need to go get settled and wash the flight off. I’ll see you at the dinner?” I start making my way to the door, wanting to give her the space she obviously wants .
“I’ll be there,” she says, following me down the short hallway.
“See you then,” I say, keeping my eyes on her until the door cuts off my view of her beautiful face.
“You will be helping people to their seats tomorrow. Family in the first few rows, everyone else can go wherever,” the wedding planner tells me. Her blond hair is piled on top of her head in some kind of up-do, but at the moment, it looks more like someone stuck her finger in a light socket. “You will be walking Courtney down the aisle. She’ll be on your left. The music will take a pause and then when it starts again, that is your cue. Walk at a normal pace.”
Her large eyes almost look bugged with nerves as Courtney and I acknowledge her instructions before she moves off to Alec and Charlie’s instructions.
Courtney nudges me with her sharp elbow, and I lean down for what is sure to be an entertaining comment.
“Do you get the sense she might hang upside down from a rafter in her spare time?” she whispers.
“I thought she might be having a sexual relationship with a barista who hooks her up to an espresso IV at night instead of sleeping.”
“That’s also a valid thought,” she says, watching Charlie try not to roll her eyes at the woman. You’d think Charlie and Alec were heads of state with the number of instructions they are receiving instead of walking down the aisle in front of less than two dozen people.
“How did you like your surprise?” Courtney says, nudging me again. If she keeps doing that, I’m going to end up with a bruise on my arm .
“I wish Charlie would have warned me so I could be a bit more prepared. She didn’t seem very excited to see me.”
Her heart-shaped face radiates laughter. “Did that one sting, oh mighty sun god?”
I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest as Charlie practices walking down the aisle.
“Maybe.”
“So sensitive when women don’t throw themselves at your feet. Someone is very used to their pretty privilege.”
“What the fuck is pretty privilege?”
She rolls her eyes at me like I should have any idea what she’s talking about.
“Just what it sounds like. You are a striking man and because of that, you’ve probably never struggled getting female attention. You were just the lead on a nationwide franchise. They don’t exactly let ugly people be the lead for that show.”
“You think I was on House of Desire because I’m pretty?”
“Did they ask anyone else from your season of House of Deceit to do it?”
“Not that I’m aware of. No one said anything.”
“Because Charlie is in a relationship. You’re the only other one. Beyond the brooding, broken hearted thing, it’s cause you’re sexy as fuck.”
I watch her, considering, and she doesn’t break eye contact while my brain works through it.
“Okay, you might be correct.”
“I am correct, but I’m glad you got there,” she says with a smirk, patting my arm .
The wedding planner claps her hands, calling for attention. “Well done, everyone! You should have your wedding schedules in your email! If you have questions, let me know! Otherwise, I will see you all tomorrow. Have a great time at dinner!”
“That was a lot of exclamation points in her tone,” Courtney says, and I snort a laugh as she walks over to her husband, who’s waiting for us to be finished.
As a group, we make our way to the restaurant, everyone chatting and laughing, but all I can do is think about the fact Anastasia will be there. And I’ll be able to talk to her.
All I see when I open the door is Anastasia in her red jumpsuit that drapes down her back, leaving the skin bare. My fingers itch to stroke her down her spine.
“This’ll be fun,” Courtney says, patting my arm as she moves past me.
Anya throws her head back and laughs, touching the arm of one of the guests and a small piece of me wants to knock the guy to the ground. Charlie walks up, and everyone looks at the bride. Except her.
She looks at me.
Her gold spike heels almost have us eye to eye and all I can do is smile.
“You look breathtaking,” I tell her, wrapping her in my arms, unable to stop myself. She tenses for a moment before relaxing and putting her arms around me.
“Lore went on a bit of a shopping spree for me,” she says into my ear before quickly pulling back. “One day you’re going to run out of synonyms for ‘beautiful’.”
Her joking tone makes my chest tighten with hope.
“Maybe you’ll inspire me to create new words.”
“Merriam-Webster will be thrilled,” she says.
I take a risk and grab her hand and lead her to a chair as the group all starts to take their seats. Dinner is a fun affair, but by the end of it I’m half hard. Our hands touched when I passed her the butter. My thigh pressed against her as I grabbed the bottle of water to refill our glasses. Her breath caressed my ear as she told me a secret. By the time Alec stood up to give a speech, I was two seconds from coming in my pants like a horny, virgin teenager.
Alec clinks his knife against his champagne flute, standing.
“Hi, everyone. We just wanted to take a moment and thank you for spending the next few days with us while I marry the love of my life. Charlie and I love you so much and we can’t wait for tomorrow!” He bends down, giving Charlie a kiss as Anastasia looks up at me, smiling as she claps.
I want to kiss her in this moment, feel her soft lips, but I know I can’t.
“Excuse me, sir, madam. Would you two like anything to drink from the bar?” the waiter asks, breaking our eye contact.
“Another glass of wine would be great,” Anya says, standing from the table to join the mingling that is starting to happen.
“I’m good, thanks,” I say, knowing I have to get out of here before I do something really stupid like try to kiss her. And to go rub one out.
I stand, my hand brushing Anya’s bare lower back, and I know that’s all I can handle.
“I’m going to turn in for the night,” I tell her. “Have fun, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?” she asks, giving me an awkward hug .
“Yeah. It’s gonna be a long day. Sleep good.”
I move over to Charlie, giving her cheek a quick kiss. “I’m heading out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“It’s still early. Where are you going?” she asks, taking a break from her conversation for just a second.
“I need to go blow off some steam.”
She looks me up and down before looking over at Anastasia.
“Blow off some steam. Got it. Have fun,” she says, giving me a wink before going back to her conversation.
With her dismissal, I give Anya one last wave and begin making my way out of the restaurant, my only goal to get back to my room.