Page 85 of Beached Wedding

“My friend Gillian has twin cousins who don’t have the same dad.” Fliss clicked off her phone. “They’re a boy and a girl so you can’t really tell, but their mom is polyamorous and got pregnant from both guys at the same time.”

Izzy turned her head to scoff, “That isn’t possible.”

Fliss shrugged . “It happens with cats all the time.”

Whitney set aside her magazine. “Is the tequila here yet?”

FOX

Iwasn’t really absorbing the information I was reading about the WWII pillbox—the small concrete bunker that I had wandered toward because I had nothing else to do—but the graveled voice beside me made me jump.

“You’re dead, mate.” Eddie peered out through the narrow window.

“No doubt.” My intestines clenched in a combination of guilt and the sort of dread I hadn’t experienced since I’d been young, when whatever passed for a home and stability had been yanked like a rug every few years, before I learned how to roll with it.

I had never learned to like it, though. In fact, I’d managed to forget how painful it was, but it was all coming back in vivid colors and it suckedhard.

“I didn’t realize you were out here,” I said.

“Sandy was doing laundry. I felt like a stroll.” Eddie came out and stood looking at the rugged mounds of cooled lava pocked with tidepools that formed the shoreline.

I gave a meaningless nod and drew a breath. I’d have to say it.

“Do you have your phone on you? Did you know Shane is here?”

“Fair dinkum?” Eddie shoved his hand into his pocket and withdrew his phone, gave the screen a few swipes.

“Sandy saw him,” I added. “I think he went to your room with her.”

Had Shane really expected to slide back into place next to Ash? I was still trying to make sense of this morning’s events, including why Shane had decided to show up after all.

Did he love her? Had I done the unthinkable and actually destroyed a marriage before letting them give it a shot?

“That’s excellent.” Eddie was grinning at his phone. “The wedding’s back on?” His excited tone fell away as he looked at me. “Or not.”

“Not.” I gave the back of my neck a rub where sweat was trickling. “He asked her, but she said no.”

“Hmph. Well, she was pretty hurt. Still, that’s a shame.” Eddie seemed about to say more, but only looked at his phone as he clicked it off and thoughtfully returned it to his pocket.

I had to come clean. Had to.

“Let’s get out of the heat,” I said and led Eddie to the path shaded by the trees.

“You’ve seen him?” Eddie asked as we got there. “I thought you’d be helping him drown his sorrows if he’s not celebrating.”

I swallowed a sick taste of bile in the back of my throat. “We had words.”

“About?”

I gritted my teeth against a stronger thrust of nausea. This wasso hard.

“I didn’t mean for it to happen, Ed.” I looked at the water, unable to look at this man who was a father-figure. “I hope you’ll believe me when I say nothing happened before this morning, which doesn’t make it right. I know that. But it wasn’t as wrong as Shane thinks. Which doesn’t matter because we can’t go back from it.” I released a frustrated sigh.

“You and Ashley.” There was no doubt in his tone, only a strong,I reckoned.

Were we that obvious? BecauseIhadn’t seen it.

I couldn’t look him in the eye. I couldn’t bear to see his disappointment or disgust. Not after Sandy had already cut me in half. I waited for him to say,I taught you better.

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