Page 37 of Beached Wedding

Iducked into the ladies’ room off the lobby to wash my face.

I couldn’t believe I had told Fox all of that. I was still shaking. My childhood wasn’t something I talked about with anyone. Small town living had meant that everyone seemed to know our business. I’d been stared at in school and whispered conversations had followed me for years. When I’d started applying for jobs as a teenager, more than one prospective employer had repeated ‘Barnes’ in a way that still made my skin crawl.

That’s what had been nice about a boyfriend on the other side of the world. He hadn’t known any of that and it had been bloody refreshing.

All through dinner, I’d been sitting on pins, watching Fox easily field pointed questions from Mom and Whit. I kept trying to picture Shane being comfortable with that, but as amiable as he was, Shane didn’t like anyone prying. Everything I knew about his family troubles had come through Fox or Sandy. Shane hadn’t shared much of it with me himself.

It shocked me to realize that.

How would Shane have reacted if I’d told him about my father? I had a feeling my anxiety would have sat in me like an abscess the rest of my life before I confessed it to him. He definitely wouldn’t have said the right things if I had. Shane didn’t know how to handle conflict and volatile, complex emotions. At best, he would have clammed up and booked us onto the next catamaran off this island.

Fox was always a steadying presence, like a pier that let the harshest storm waves batter him while he stood there and put up with it.

I eyed him as we rode up the elevator, wondering about his remark about feeling set apart from his own family, but I didn’t bring it up on our short walk to the Holloway’s room.

Sandy opened the door to my soft knock. “Oh, Ashley. I amsosorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” I returned Sandy’s hug and we held it for a long minute.

“Come to the balcony. Eddie’s out here.”

Sandy ushered us through their room and onto the balcony which was lit by the pool below. I accepted Eddie’s hug and shoulder pat and leaned on the rail, motioning for them to take the chairs they’d already been occupying.

“What are your plans now?” Sandy asked.

I bit back a groan, thinking I really needed a decent answer to that, true or not. I focused on the immediate future instead.

“Enjoy the week as best I can. I think we agreed to take Fliss and Ryan to the beach tomorrow.” I glanced at Fox.

“Oh?” Sandy followed my gaze to Fox and I thought I detected a deeper inquisitiveness come into her demeanor.

“Teach them to boogie board,” Fox said. “Join us, if you like. Come show them how it’s done.”

His gentle tease eased Sandy’s worried frown into a wistful chuckle.

“If the doctors would quit telling me I’m too young for a hip replacement, I would. Shane always says I’ll sink like a stone once they finally— Tsk. I’m sorry Ashley.”

“Sandy, it’s fine,” I insisted. “I’m upset, but you can talk about Shane. We’re all here for the week. Let’s skip the blame and make a nice memory the way we intended to.”

“That’s very generous of you.” Sandy played with the pendant she always wore while glancing at Fox again. There was another question in her expression. “You’re staying the week, too?”

“I am.” Fox’s voice took on a firm note. Resolve or something else that was matter-of-fact and stubborn.

I heard what he didn’t say—that we were sharing a room.

“Moral support,” I said with a grateful smile, holding his gaze, not mentioning the shared room either, which gave my conscience a pinch, but it was totally innocent. Convenient. We would be working.

“It’s been a long day,” Fox said, straightening off the rail. “Do you mind if we catch up with you tomorrow?”

“No, of course. You have a good night.” Sandy showed us out, curious gaze staying on us until she had closed the door.

“It really has,” I said as we were entering our suite. “Been a long day,” I clarified when Fox sent me a quizzical look.

“Hell to the yes it has. I haven’t slept in a bed in...” He looked toward the clock on the nightstand, then gave me a blank stare. “It’s been so long, I can’t math.”

“Is that you telling me to take the pullout? Chivalryisdead,” I teased as I moved to haphazardly unpack my suitcase into the drawers.

“Is that you playing the jilted bride card again?”

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