Page 2 of Sweet Escape at Bayside
Lizza had always changed directions as often as the wind. She and Violet had traveled overseas, never staying anywhere longer than a few months at a time, and rarely returning to visit with Desiree. If not for the few brief, uncomfortable visits, and the time they’d spent with their grandmother every summer at the inn, Desiree and Violet would have been complete and total strangers. As it was, before Lizza had tricked them into coming to the inn a few years ago, leaving them with a mortgage, an art gallery, and a secret sex shop, they’d barely known each other. And nowthis? This was too much.
“I’m sorry, Des.”
Desiree’s eyes dampened, and Violet cursed under her breath.
“I’m sorry.” Desiree snagged a tissue from the dressing table and dabbed at her eyes. “I know you hate when I cry.”
“I don’t hate when you cry. I hate thatshemakes you sad.” Blinking away her own darn tears, she took Desiree by the shoulders and said, “Listen to me. Your father is on the beach waiting to walk you down the aisle to marry the man of your dreams, and heaven only knows how you managed it, but your hardcore biker sister is wearing adress.”
Desiree’s eyes swept over Violet’s body-hugging black dress, lingering on the open zipper, which started just below her ribs on her right side and wound around her torso, across her lower back, and over her left hip, exposing a trail of flesh all the way to where it ended at the top of a long slit that ran from thigh to ankle. She smiled and said, “I’m never going to see you in a dress again, am I?”
“Not a chance.” If it were up to Violet, she’d have worn a black leather miniskirt, jeans, or cutoffs, with her biker boots, a black tank top, and her leather jacket.
“What if you get married someday?” Desiree reached up and touched Violet’s long jet-black hair. Then she touched the ink on Violet’s shoulder and arm. “You’ll make a beautiful bride.”
“Not happening, and more importantly, we arenotgoing to let Lizza ruin this day for you. You are gorgeous, Rick adores you, and you have the world at your fingertips, so let’s spin this positive. At least you no longer have to stress out over how Ted and Lizza will get along.” When that didn’t earn a response, she said, “Des, Lizza is always going to beLizza.”
“She does the best she can,” Desiree said sweetly.
Those six words had become their mantra, and they both knew it was the truth. Their mother tried to do what she thought was right for each of her daughters. But that didn’t make Desiree hurt any less. Violet had nerves of steel. She could handle her mother’s bull. But seeing Desiree in pain? That killed her. With Desiree and their friends, Violet had found the stable family she’d always wanted, and she wasn’t going to let Lizza waste another second of Desiree’s happiness.
“You know, for a girlie girl,” Violet said with a teasing smile, “you sort of stink at this wedding stuff.”
Desiree’s green eyes—the only trait the sisters shared—widened, and her jaw dropped open. “Why? We planned every detail. You said it was beautiful and perfect!”
Violet reached into the bag she’d brought and said, “It will be. I know you said you wanted a small wedding, and you feel like your life is here, so you didn’t invite the friends you have from Oak Falls. But you were so close to the Montgomerys that when Amber reached out to see what they could give you, there was only one thing I could come up with, and her sister did a beautiful job.” She fished out the black garter with pearl appliqué and pretty pink ribbon and lace and handed it to Desiree.
“Violet!” She laughed. “Morgynmadethis? It’s so pretty.”
“I know you would have asked for something white or pink, but nobody bangs the headboard as loudly as you and Rick without a little naughtiness going on.”
Desiree swatted her, her cheeks flaming red.
“I think you also forgot you need something borrowed.”
“Oh gosh, you’re right,” Desiree said, frantically looking around the room.
“I’ve got you covered.” Violet reached into the bag again and handed her a small pink-and-white batik pouch she’d made. “You’re borrowing the pouch. What’s inside is a gift.”
Desiree opened the pouch and shook out a gold necklace with two dainty interlocking yellow and white gold rings. Her eyes dropped to the matching necklace around Violet’s neck, and her eyes welled with tears. “Sister necklaces?”
“Don’t get all sappy and ruin your makeup. Emery will give me a hard time if you do.” She secured the necklace around Desiree’s neck, choking back her own emotions. “It symbolizes infinite strength, protection, and unity. The rings move freely but are forever connected. No matter where we are, we’ll always have each other.”
Desiree threw her arms around Violet’s neck.
“Seriously? More hugging?” Violet teased. It had taken her a long time to get comfortable with Desiree’s frequent outpourings of affection, but as she embraced the sister she’d missed for so many years, her heart swelled. “Okay, bridey. Time to put that garter on and get down to the beach to marry your man.”
They rushed down the wide staircase. Desiree stopped on the first floor and grabbed Violet’s hand. “Wait! Our shoes! We left them in the room.”
Violet groaned. “We’re leaving them at the top of the dunes anyway. Do we really need them?”
“But what about the Harley-Davidson Tybee boots Donovan special ordered for you?” Donovan owned Swank, the Provincetown boutique where Violet and Desiree had bought their dresses.
“I’ll wear them tonight. Come on, before Rick thinks you backed out.”
“Like he’d ever think that.”
They headed for the back door just as the front door flew open and their mother breezed in, waving her hands and flashing her Julia Roberts smile. Her long dress was tie-dyed in orange, black, and white. It was cut wide and deep at the neckline and belted at the waist, with a long flowing skirt and billowing sleeves. Lizza was tall and slim, and like Violet, her dress was slit right up to her thigh, giving her a youthful appearance.
