Page 84 of The Red-Hot Stakes

“I didn’t want to eat. Didn’t shower. Could barely get off the couch some days.”

I looked out of the window, the words hitting too close to home.

“Greg convinced me to see a therapist, with Avery and Derek’s help, of course.” She touched my knee even as I recoiled inwardly at the word. “She was great and I’d be happy to pass on her number, if you’d like. Who knows? Maybe she could help.”

I gave her the best smile I could muster and repeated the same answer I’d given Avery. “Thanks, Rhonda. I’ll think about it.”

She nodded. “Okay, just let me know.”

I thanked her again before she left to go sit with Greg, then I pulled out some homework to keep myself occupied.

A couple of hours into the flight, I got up to use the bathroom. I was impressed when I didn’t hit my elbow once. There was space to wash my hands, and plenty of room to maneuver. Living the high life, for sure. Of course, my luck ran out as I began washing my hands, and we hit some rough air. Rough enough that I stumbled into the door.

I planted my feet firmly as the pilot straightened us out. Hopefully that was the end of it. When my hands were dry, I slid open the bi-fold door as the plane bumped again. Liam’s seat faced the back of the plane, and I came out only to be confronted with his beautiful self. I sucked in a breath against the pang that stabbed my chest. At least his eyes were closed.

Just then the plane hit another huge rough patch, pitching forward and left which sent me careening into Liam’s lap. I smacked my head on the window, and we both yelped. I tried to hold my breath, but his heady scent taunted me. I flailed to regain my balance, wanting to touch him as little as possible.

“Gina, quit squirming!” He gripped my arms, pinned them to my sides and lifted me to my feet. “Holy shit.” Annoyance and pain mixed with concern in his gaze.

Lightning jolted through me at his touch, my body catching on fire. He released my arms as soon as I was steady on my feet. Relief coursed through me followed by a wave of longing hit so hard, my knees wobbled.

“When did you get so hard?” He rubbed his chest, looking over my body once more.

I knew he meant my muscles, the way I’d toned up since he’d seen me. But the words hit me funny, and the irony of it all made me bark out a short laugh. “A lot can happen in a couple weeks.”

I clenched my teeth against the pain threatening to spill over, stuffing it carefully behind the barriers which I tugged back into place. Then I ripped my gaze away, walking primly back to my seat. After I buckled my seat belt, I buried my nose in my book as soon as I could.

Multiple pairs of eyes bored into me, assessing me with concern. But I ignored them all, desperately trying to keep it together.

Putting in my earbuds, I feigned sleep for the rest of the fight, wondering if I’d made the right choice in coming. Maybe they would have been better off without me.

* * * *

After customs, we took a limo to the hotel. The Cayman Islands were beautiful—warm, sunny, tropical, and I was thrilled to plaster my face to the window and take in the sights.

The wedding wasn’t until Sunday afternoon, and we had a few group things, like rehearsal and dinner on Saturday night. We were all staying through Saturday of the following week. Then everyone but Avery and Derek would fly home and their real honeymoon would begin. I wondered if Avery would wait until then to give him the costume.

Greg leaned over. “It’s gorgeous. Ever been?”

I shook my head, feeling like a puppy excited by the smallest scrap of attention. If I had a tail, it would be wagging. “First time out of the country.”

“Mine too.” He nodded at Rhonda and Derek. “These guys never took the chauffeur when they traveled.”

They laughed, and Rhonda elbowed Greg before leaning into him. “I wished they’d brought you instead of some of those ridiculous nannies they thought we needed.”

The siblings launched into stories of nannies their parents had hired. Then Liam chimed in with tales of his own, but I went back to my window. My upbringing hadn’t been conducive to vacations.

Jealousy hit me as I listened to their ridiculous anecdotes, and I glanced at the rest of the group only to find Avery’s focus on me. She felt it too, the inability to relate, but she didn’t shy away from it like I was, didn’t let it build a wall around her. No, she used that knowledge to understand Derek and the others better, find more ways to relate to them.

She was a better person than me.

* * * *

The all-inclusive, adults only resort, The Enchanted Reef, had been recommended to Rhonda by friends. Derek and Avery had taken one look at the website and given her the green light.

As I stepped out of the limo onto the shaded, pavilion-covered entrance, the heat overwhelmed me just as much as the building did. It was white marble, nearly blinding in the Caribbean sunlight. Tropical plants and palm trees artfully lined the edge of the building. Two staff members in burgundy uniforms greeted us, one holding a bowl of rolled white washcloths in iced water, the other handing them out with tongs.

“Welcome, family,” they said, ushering us further up the walkway.

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