Beyond the Tide

by Noelle Marchand

  He tilted his head. “Were those all your reasons?”

  She drew in a breath, then released it. Her voice came out more gently this time, more resigned. “You won’t let me go back to my old life. You’ll make me change. You want me to be strong and independent. You expect me to know my own mind.”

  She held up a silencing hand when he tried to speak. “I know those all sound like good things, but I don’t think I can do it. I’m not strong enough. Once this vacation is over, I’ll go back to being me. That me. The one who lets people decide for her. You don’t want that me anyway. You want this me. It’s better if we just call it quits now. Save my parents the headache. Save me their displeasure. And…”

  “And what, Ava? What about me? How do I factor into this?” When she didn’t respond, understanding filled his eyes. “I don’t. Do I? That’s why you’re trying to break up with me.”

  “It’s better this way.”

  “No. Not better. Easier. For you.” Standing, he captured her hands and her gaze. “I don’t expect you to change. I expect you to be who you really are—a woman who loves God, who stands up for herself, who knows her own mind, and knows exactly what she wants even if she’s too afraid to admit it.”

  Shaking his head, he searched her face. “Instead, you’re surrendering who you are, who God created you to be, and everything he wants you to accomplish in order to please people who may never be satisfied unless you finally tell them, ‘No. This is who I am.’”

  She glanced away from him to stare at the waterfall. He was right. This wasn’t about her relationship with Ian at all. This was about her relationship with her parents. Why did it always come back to this?

  Perhaps because she never resolved it, never took the necessary steps to move forward. She met his gaze again. “What if I’m not strong enough?”

  “Who strengthens you, Ava?”

  “God.” Tears blurred her vision, even as she saw his approving nod. She couldn’t stop her rueful smile. “And you.”

  He stilled. Lifting a hand to cradle her jaw, he slid his thumb gently across her cheekbone. “With God, you can do whatever you set your mind to—whether I’m there or not.”

  Instinctively, her hand captured his wrist, keeping his hand in place. “Why wouldn’t you be there?”

  “You were leaving me,” he said with a hint of amusement. “Remember that?”

  “I remember that I didn’t get very far.”

  He eased a step closer. “What do you want from me, Ava?”

  “What do I want?” she echoed.

  “Do you want me to let you walk away? Do you want me to promise that I’ll stay by your side and face whatever comes? Or a proposal to prove I have no intention of walking away? A marriage so no one can separate us? Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. Just tell me.”

  Stunned, she stared into blue eyes rife with sincerity. “You’d marry me?”

  “In a hot minute.”

  “Seriously?”

  He smiled. “Seriously. All we’d have to do is take the ferry to St. Thomas. There’s no wait. We could file all the paperwork and say our vows in one day.”

  She shouldn’t even consider it. Really. And yet… Married. To Ian. Today.

  If she agreed to this, the rest of the world would have no say in their relationship. They’d go back to Texas with an unbreakable bond. Ian reminded her, “You have other options. We could get engaged. We could keep things as they are. We could… break up.”

  “No.” The word came out reflexively.

  “No?”

  “I know what I want.” She surveyed him, taking in the intensity of his blue eyes, the steady confidence in his broad shoulders, the gentle assurance with which he touched her. He was patient in letting her take her fill of looking at him even though her decision affected his life as much as hers.

  She made herself speak it. Finally, saying what she wanted more than anything. “I want to be your wife, Ian Sinclair. I want to marry you.”

  His focus remained unwavering. “Why?”

  “Why?”

  He searched her gaze. “Why do you want to marry me?”

  “Because I love you.” The fierce declaration came out sounding slightly offended. What other reason could there be?

  Relief flashed across his face, then gave way to a grin. “I thought so, but I wasn’t about to spend the rest of my life wondering.”

  “Wondering… You thought…” Yet, she couldn’t blame him for asking, for wanting to be sure. Honestly, she hadn’t really admitted it to herself until she’d said it. Now, the realization swept over her like a gentle wave. This time the words came out softer, more meaningfully, more self-aware. “I love you, Ian Sinclair.”

  His eyes danced with joy. “And you’re going to marry me.”

  “And I’m going to marry you,” she confirmed with a happy little laugh. It was the first of several as he let out a whoop, then lifted her into his embrace.

  He set her down a few feet away and backed her into a tree. Leaning back against the sturdy trunk, she glanced up at him in a mix of curiosity and bemusement. “What are you doing?”

  “Claiming all the kisses you owe me for starting this argument.”

  Her mouth fell open in amused outrage. He took full advantage, making her breath hitch in her chest when she was supposed to be setting him straight. This was not the kiss of a boyfriend afraid of pressing too far. It was the kiss of a man confident in himself and in her. Claiming what he knew was already his.

  Her body responded as it never had before, swaying toward his. Meeting him kiss for kiss. Following him deeper into desire until he gave her one last, slow kiss. He let her go. Lungs heaving with short gasps of breath, neither of them said a word as they stared at each other.

  Finally, she acknowledged the obvious. “We need to get married.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Ian kept waiting for Ava to second guess their decision to get married. She didn’t. In fact, she went straight into wedding planning mode. While he drove them to a jewelry store in Mongoose Junction, she researched officiants on her phone and found a minister who doubled as a wedding planner.

  The man was willing to walk them through the paperwork, scout a location, perform the ceremony, and file the marriage certificate for them before the courts in St. Thomas closed for the day. They picked out wedding bands and an engagement ring for Ava from what the jeweler had available. She dashed away to look for a dress while Ian finished up at the jewelers and made a few arrangements for the night.

  The next time he saw Ava, she was carrying a shopping bag from the dress shop. He returned her resplendent grin. “I take it you found the dress.”

  “I did. It’s perfect!” Concern furrowed her brow. “What about you? What are you going to wear?”

  “I have a suit that will work. I was saving it for my press tour, but I can use it for this too.”

  “Good. We need to head back to our villas, change into clothes suitable for the courthouse, and grab everything we need for the wedding.”

  “Ok. First things first, though.” He grandly held out his hand. With a confused smile, she placed her left hand in his. He slid the engagement ring onto her ring finger and winked. “I can’t wait to put the next one on you.”

  She gave him a quick kiss. “Then let’s do this.”

  Thanks to Pirate’s Plunder, they both had all of the documents they needed to present to the court in order to get their marriage license. Their officiant Pete Marsden and his wife Maureen walked Ian and Ava through the process of obtaining the license. The couple then inviting Ava and Ian back to their home office to prepare for the wedding.

  Soon, Ian was tucking his white dress shirt into a pair of navy pants and tightening his black leather belt. He left the collar open of his dress shirt and pinned a boutonniere of tropical flowers to the lapel of his gray suit coat. He desperately needed a haircut, but there was no time for that. One las
t swipe of the hairbrush and he knew it was as good as it was going to get.

  Pete stood up from his desk as Ian stepped into his office. “Ava’s still getting ready, but Maureen says it won’t take much longer. We can head over to the wedding site to wait.”

  “Great. I’ll follow you in my Jeep.”

  Once Ian arrived at the ceremony site, Pete gestured toward the sweeping view. “What do you think? Great place to get married, isn’t it?”

  It was perfect. A wooden arch designated the ceremony site on what was an otherwise a pristine white beach. A vibrant green rainforest stretched along the cove’s shore to his right. Everything else was ocean and sky except for the shadowy blue and green islands in the distance. The water itself was a patchwork of color near the shore. Pale greens abutted light blues and dark green before the water turned bright blue nearer the horizon.

  Ian pulled in a deep breath. The familiar, briny scent of the ocean settled the butterflies fluttering through his stomach. “It’s amazing, Pete.”

  “I’m glad you like it. Oh, good, the photographer is here. He’ll officially be one of the witnesses, by the way, along with my wife.”

  Eyeing the photographer who had paused to check the settings on his impressive camera, Ian frowned. This was news to him. “Does Ava know about this?”

  “Yes, Ava knows it comes with the wedding package. Don’t worry. He’s already signed a nondisclosure agreement—as did my wife and I. Ava has a copy of it. I believe she plans to confiscate the camera’s memory card once the ceremony is over.”

  He should have known Ava would have considered every angle of this. She’d been a public person far longer than he had. Ian smiled. “It seems she anticipated me.”

  Still, it reminded him that they hadn’t discussed how soon they wanted the news of their marriage to become public knowledge. It would be a matter of public record once Pete filed the marriage certificate. However, it was hardly something anyone would go looking for. That meant they would be able to break the news to their families and friends in their own time—preferably after the honeymoon.

  Pete glanced at text on his phone. “Ava will be walking down the aisle in approximate thirty seconds.”

  Thirty seconds? Straightening, Ian abruptly turned to face the aisle that had been created by scallop shells of pink, coral, and orange. He caught sight of Ava and the tension within him immediately dissipated. She was here. Every step she took brought her closer to him, closer to their future together. It was happening. He was marrying Ava Emerson.

  She’d capture his attention and his thoughts from the first moment they’d met. He’d laughed with her, cried with her, prayed with her, and… Blinking away the salt water blurring his vision, he shook his head in awe even as an unstoppable grin curved his mouth.

  How in the world had he convinced this amazing woman to marry him? The lacy white swirls of her top ended right at the high-waist of a knee-length skirt made from the same material. Yet, it somehow still gave the impression of being a dress.

  Confusing. Really confusing. And, incredibly alluring. He forced his gaze upward to the long, luxurious waves of her dark hair artfully tumbling around her shoulders. Then she was standing right in front of him, staring up at him with those amazing turquoise eyes of hers. Her cranberry-stained lips tilted into a tremulous smile.

  Panic shot through him. Please don’t back out on me now.

  Instinctively, he set his hands on her waist and claimed her lips in a reassuring kiss. Pete slapped him lightly on the back. “We have gotten to that part yet.”

  “Sorry,” Ian murmured with a grin that only grew when Ava giggled.

  He released her waist and took her hands, giving them a light, supportive squeeze. This time her smile was much more relaxed. Now if Pete would just hurry up and get them married…

  Realizing Pete was speaking, and he hadn’t heard a word, Ian forced himself to listen. “If any of you can show just cause for why they may not be lawfully wed, speak now, or else forever hold your peace.”

  Silence. There was no one there to speak. No one to object. Nothing to fill the silence, save the absence of their friends and families.

  “Ian, repeat after me. I, Ian, take you, Ava, to be my lawfully wedded wife…”

  Looking into her eyes, he smiled. There was no stopping the confidence and hope in his voice as he vowed, “I, Ian, take you, Ava, to be my lawfully wedded wife…”

  R

  Married.

  Ava Emerson— No. Ava Sinclair was officially married. Her mother was going to kill her. Her father too. What had she done?

  Feeling the weight of her meager wedding attendants’ gazes, she finished signing the death war—marriage license with a carefree flourish. So much trouble. She was in so much trouble.

  Nevertheless, she smiled as she handed the form to Pete. He slid the document into a protective folder before giving her and Ian an encouraging nod. “That should do it. I’ll turn this into the courthouse right away. Your marriage certificate will arrive at Ian’s residence within thirty days. Congratulations, you too!”

  Ian and Pete shook hands. Ava secured the camera’s memory card from the photographer, then hugged the Marsdens goodbye. Ian took her hand, and they walked back to the Jeep.

  Married.

  All of the questions that had plagued her before the wedding seemed to find new relevance. How were they going to make this work in the real world? Where would they live? Would her parents approve of him?

  It seemed less likely by the second. Yet that wasn’t supposed to matter any more. They were married. All of their problems were solved. Right?

  Ian helped her into the Jeep, then climbed into the driver’s seat. As they drove away from the beach, she realized she’d been so focused on planning the wedding that she’d never even thought about the rest of the day. Not there there was much of it left. The sun would be setting soon, and then…

  She glanced over at Ian. “Where are we staying tonight?”

  “I rented a cabin cruiser for the night.”

  She blinked. “Oh.”

  “It seemed appropriate considering how we met.” He checked the traffic before proceeding across the stoplight toward the ferry in the distance. “We can head back to St. John, pick up anything we need for the night, then grab something for dinner and breakfast before setting sail.”

  Her heart somersaulted at the implications of what he’d just said. They would be spending the night alone together on a cabin cruiser. In nautical terms, it might as well be called a floating bedroom. She glanced down at her engagement ring and wedding band. “That sounds nice.”

  He seemed to pick up on her hesitation. “Does it? We can do something else if you’d rather.”

  “No. I think it’s a great idea. Very romantic and thoughtful. I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

  “Good.” He was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Are you nervous about tonight?”

  “Nervous? I… I guess I hadn’t really thought that far ahead.” Case in point, she hadn’t even trying to find anything special to wear tonight. Ian probably wouldn’t care. Or would he? She didn’t know. Somehow she couldn’t quite find a way to ask.

  Thankfully, he was distracted by finding the entrance to the ferry and paying the toll. She changed the subject before he could bring it up again. “When do you have to fly out?”

  He parked the Jeep on the ferry. “Tomorrow evening. I’ll spend the night in New York, then start the media circuit the next morning. I’ll film a couple of morning and late night show interviews before flying to L.A. to repeat the process the next day. After that, I’ll probably need to fly back to Corpus Christi to clean up the mess I made of Treasure Hunters. What were your plans after this?”

  She shrugged. “I hadn’t made any yet. I guess I would have gone back to Emerson House.”

  “Emerson House?”

  “Yes,” she said, then realized he was waiting on more of an explanat
ion from her. She blinked. Her husband didn’t know where she lived. How did her husband not know where she lived? Obviously, she hadn’t told him. What else didn’t they know about each other?

  Pulling in a deep breath, she turned to face him as best she could in the car. “Emerson House is the closest thing I have to home right now because I just moved back to Austin from Houston after finishing grad school.”

  “Oh.” His brow furrowed slightly. Was he also realizing how much they still needed to find out about each other? “Is it your house or your parents’ house?”

  “Technically, it belongs to my dad, since he inherited it from his father. We used to live there before we moved to the governor’s mansion. When I go to Austin, I stay at Emerson House instead of with my parents. It’s open to anyone in the Emerson family, though, so relatives come and go on the weekends. I’m the only one who stays there for weeks at a time.”

  His eyebrows lifted. “Sounds like a busy place.”

  “It can be around the holidays. Otherwise, it’s relatively chill.” Even so, it was hardly a good setting to start out married life. She paused, then offered, “I have another place in California. My grandmother bequeathed it to my mother and I.”

  “Do you have more privacy there?”

  She bit her lip. “Well, it’s on a few of those classic movie tours, which can make life pretty interesting.”

  An amused smile tilted his lip. “People tour the governor’s mansion too, don’t they?”

  “Oh, yes, but the docents are so sweet, and security is very strict. More so now than ever. My parents also host visiting diplomats and VIPs.” She gave a nervous little laugh. “You know, I never really thought about it, but my life is rather… well displayed. What about you? Where do you live in Corpus Christi?”

  “I own a house.”

  She couldn’t help feeling a little relieved at that. At least one of them had a private home. Unless… “Do you have any roommates?”

  “No. I live by myself. I don’t often have guests over. I like my privacy. Plus, I work quite a bit.”