Page 46 of Beached Wedding

“I couldn’t help it!” Oliver laughed at himself, blushing. “I had been meaning to put the ring in the safe but it was in my wallet. The words popped out. I nearly dropped it.”

“He went down on oneknee.” Whitney pressed both her hands to her chest. “I couldn’t even speak.” She was laughing and flushed. She was freaking ecstatic and she deserved it. She really did.

But oh, my heart throbbed with envy. With a recognition that I didn’t have that andhadn’thad it. That’s what really stung. I hadn’t believed it was possible. Not forus.

But maybe it just wasn’t forme?

“That sounds really beautiful, Whit. I’m happy for you. Truly,” I said through the gall I was trying to choke back. Iwashappy for her. And I refused to see it as insult to injury, but that didn’t stop my gut from roiling with icky emotions like jealousy and offense.

Fox slid into the chair beside me and gave my knee a commiserating squeeze.

I wanted to fall into him and let him wrap his strong arms around me and squish me into his chest and pat my head and say,There there.

But I had to smile and report on Ryan’s excellent manners and terrific form while we’d all played in the waves.

We ordered drinks and Fliss returned with Mom as we were deciding on communal plates for starters.

Fliss had her head ducked, but her eyes were red. Fox must have noticed, too. He stood and said very casually, “Have my chair, Fliss. I need more room for my legs.”

It was exactly the same amount of room on the far side of the table, but Fliss mumbled “Thanks,” and sank into the chair beside me, which put her on the end, so I screened her from her mother and the rest of the table. Her hair fell to hide her expression as she studied the menu. She sniffed, but I was the only one who heard it.

“Are you having the wedding now?” Ryan asked Whitney with innocent confusion.

My brain went through the proverbial windshield. Beside me, Fliss sucked her tongue into her lungs and made a choking noise.

“I’ve already arranged for my refund,” I blurted.

“Not on this trip,” Whitney said with an affectionate smile at her soon-to-be stepson. “We’ll decide about wedding dates and everything else once we get home.” Her smile faded as she realized Fliss was using Ashley as a human shield and refusing to look at her.

Oh, kiddo. I deflected attention by pointing to a cat wandering between the tables. “I heard there were a lot of feral cats here. That must be one of them.”

“Looks well fed,” Fox remarked.

Sandy inadvertently steered the conversation back into rocky waters, joking with Joanna, “At least your mother-of-the-bride dress won’t go to waste.”

“I’m moving in with you,” Fliss said through gritted teeth to me.

Across the table, Fox sent a concerned look to her, then searched my gaze. I gave him a half-hearted smile.

We got through the meal and, as we rose to leave, Whitney invited everyone to the villa for dinner. “Oliver and I were planning to barbecue anyway.”

“We missed you last night. Please come,” Mom coaxed the Holloways.

“That’s very kind,” Sandy glanced at Eddie who nodded. “We’d love to.”

“We have plans,” I said a little too loudly. “Sunset dinner cruise,” I added when everyone looked at me with surprise. “It was already booked and paid for. We can’t cancel or change it.” I had no idea if that was true, but looked to Fox to back me up.

“It’s part of that prepaid package I bought for her and Shane.”

“The romance package,” Whitney recalled with a hard smile. “No, you don’t want to waste that.”

“We could drop by the villa afterward,” Fox said. “The sun sets around seven. I doubt they’ll keep us out much later than that.”

“We’ll text.” I sent that promise to Fliss, but her how-could-you-abandon-me glower didn’t budge. “I have to make some calls about my stuff now that Sydney’s awake, but you can come hang out in our room if you want,” I offered in an attempt to mollify her.

“I’m dying to see all these balloons and baskets I’ve heard about,” Whitney said brightly. “I’ll walk up with you.”

Fliss made an injured noise and said, “I’ll go read my book.”

---