Page 11 of Beached Wedding

That thought was enough to make my eyes water all over again.

I was hot and sweaty, sniveling and soggy. I didn’t even have the balled-up tissue that woman had given me earlier.

I went into the public washroom where I blew my nose and washed off my smeared make-up. Ugh. With my red nose and shadowy racoon eyes, I looked like someone had died.

Only my girlish dreams.

When I came out of the toilet, I found the path blocked by an easel that obviously belonged to the wedding van. It had a chalkboard propped on it that read:Happily Ever After is this way.

I followed the arrow with my gaze and saw Fox leaning on the red convertible, sipping his coffee. He had pulled on a plain blue shirt and left it unbuttoned. The brown strip of skin down his chest was burnished by the late morning sun. His bellybutton was hidden by a small crease as he slouched. His abs were pure muscle bisected by a fine line of hair.

Why couldn’t he be stupid and ugly and hateful? Instead, he was strong and steady and watched me approach as though he’d been keeping an eye out for me the whole time, prepared to come after me if I did something rash.

I trudged over and glared at him, aware I was punishing the wrong person, but he was here and Shane was not. Also, who asked him to be the voice of reason anyway? That was my job, thanks, and I had decided to take a vacation from that.

Vacation.

I tipped back my head and looked hopeless at the expanse of clear, intense blue sky.

“What am I supposed to do? Blow what little money I have left in Hawaii for a week? Then go back to where I came from? Go to Australia—where all my stuff is—and have no home or job there, either?” No friends even. Everyone I knew in that country was part of Shane’s circle.

Fox straightened off the car. His mouth hung crooked. “I’ll help if you come to Oz.”

“Gee, thanks, but I’ve had enough of your help.” I threw myself into the passenger seat, set my elbow on the edge of the open window, then jerked away from the burn of hot metal. I glared at the women in plum-colored dresses arriving to lead their best friend down the aisle. They were smiling and excited. Dumb cows.

Fox climbed behind the wheel, waited a beat as though expecting me to look at him.

I refused to. After a minute, he sighed and pulled away.

FOX

Under any other circumstance, this would have been a perfect day. The island landscape was spectacular, the traffic minimal, the music upbeat and the weather glorious. I was driving a convertible on an empty road with a woman by my side.

A woman who hated my guts.

I wanted to hold her hand. Comfort her. The more my hangover receded, the heavier my conscience weighed. What could I do, though? Not one damned thing.

It was hitting me that I was stuck here for a week unless I changed my flight. Much as I’d love to get the hell out of dodge, however, I was worried about Ash.

I was worried she wouldn’t get over her mad. I was a good friend.Shane had said so. It was eating at me that I had stomped all over my friendship with her, but I didn’t know how to make up for it. How could I? There was nothing.

Around and around my brain went, looking for a solution until, an hour later, we arrived at the resort.

I didn’t know how the parking worked so I pulled up at the valet stand. Ashley wasn’t talking to me and slammed out of thecar the minute I put the car in park. She stalked away without a word.

“Ash.” I rose from my side, guts stretching thin as I felt an urge to follow her while my feet stayed rooted in guilt.

“I have to see Mom. The Holloways are in four-oh-two,” she tossed over her shoulder.

“Are you staying in the resort, sir?” A bellman wearing a hotel shirt held out a hand for the car’s fob.

“Yes, but I’m not checked in yet. I have to—” Oh, hell. Was it my job to inform the hotel that the wedding was off? I looked for Ashley, but she was gone. “I’m here for a wedding. The groom’s parents are already here and expecting me. I need to speak to them before I do anything else.” I didn’t know how tight the security was, but I remembered I was in the States and needed to tip. I offered a twenty.

“I’ll leave your luggage with the concierge and tap you into the elevator.” The bellman pocketed the bill.

“Thanks. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

We crossed a helluva nice open-air lobby with views of the surf that didn’t quit. Maybe Iwouldstick around. There was no problem too big that couldn’t be outrun on a surfboard for a few hours.

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