Forever by the Sea

by Traci Hall

  “What happened?” Ferguson asked.

  “It was booked for the date I wanted.” She shook her head. “I wanted everything to be perfect. Valentine’s Day.”

  “We’re booked-” Ferguson started to say.

  “Three years in advance. I know.” She nodded.

  “Where did you end up getting married?” Ferguson leaned an elbow on the railing.

  Sinead waggled her ring finger with the beautiful diamond but no band. “We have had the world’s most rotten luck.”

  “How so?” Ferguson looked from her finger to Collette.

  Christian groaned.

  Collette said, “I can explain later.”

  “It’s okay.” Sinead forged ahead, surprised that Collette hadn’t shared the wedding disasters. “I need to move past it—first time, I fainted. Hit my head, needed stitches. Got carted off in an ambulance.”

  “Oh my God.” Ferguson looked as if he wasn’t sure if she was telling the truth.

  “Second time we tried, Christian got hijacked and ended up in jail.”

  Ferguson’s eyes lost their glitter of amusement. “You aren’t kidding?”

  “Nope. So.” She took a deep breath. “We have avoided the subject of trying again.”

  Ferguson stepped back, looking from Collette to Christian, to Sinead. “Wow. Holy shit.” He narrowed his eyes in thought. “You know, things have a way of working out.”

  “What are you talking about?” Sinead’s grip on the railing tightened.

  “My job is the event coordinator.”

  “I know.”

  “We just had a wedding cancellation this morning.”

  Sinead felt the world shift beneath her feet. “For when?”

  “Two weeks.”

  Christian’s hand at her lower back was the only thing keeping her upright.

  “I don’t know,” she said, her mind tumbling over and over like a somersault out of control.

  “Why not?” Collette demanded. “What’s the catch, Ferguson?”

  “No catch—I wouldn’t have to charge you extra if you took over the same time and used the same menu. Cake’s been ordered.”

  “You have the dress,” Collette pressed. “So do Fianna and I—silver or crimson.”

  Could she wear the same dress? Was she being given a chance to get married at her dream venue after all?

  Sinead grinned at Christian. “Well, honey? What do you say?”

  His brown eyes warmed as he kissed her cheek. “I say that the third time is the charm.”

  Christian watched Sinead’s creamy skin turn rosy with happiness and shook Ferguson’s hand. “You’re serious?”

  “No lie.” Ferguson put his palm to his heart. “You guys deserve a break.”

  Collette looped her arm around Ferguson’s waist and turned to their dad, who was snuggling with Alina while talking to John and Sydney. “Dad, think you can make the third time around for Christian and Sinead?”

  “What?” He looked at them all as if waiting for the punch line.

  “She’s serious, Dad,” Christian seconded. “Seems like we can get married here. In two weeks.”

  His dad grinned and reached over to punch Christian in the arm. “That is the best birthday present ever. Let’s get you two hitched at last.”

  Alina laughed and clapped her hands. “We were going to go home, but we can extend our trip. I’ll call the airline tomorrow.”

  John shook his head. “I’ve never seen anyone try so hard to get married. Unsuccessfully, as you two.”

  Sydney smacked her napkin on John’s wrist. “Stop it.”

  “Usually folks are trying this hard to get unmarried.” John shrugged.

  “You don’t understand,” she informed her husband. “Christian and Sinead have always been in love.”

  Christian was caught by surprise. His step-sister knew that?

  Collette told Ferguson, “Christian and Sinead are soul mates. Like, really truly meant to be together.”

  “I bet they had past lives,” Alina added.

  “You think so?” Sinead asked his step-mom. Her smile widened and she stepped closer to Christian. The shaded patio bar had railings on two sides and a few round high-top tables. The air carried a hint of sea salt and Collette’s expensive perfume.

  “You two are a whole. It’s special.” Alina patted his dad’s arm. “There are all kinds of love to be enjoyed and appreciated, at all stages of our lives. What you share, Christian, with Sinead, is something very unique.”

  Christian blinked the emotion from his eyes and looked out at the sparkling sea. It was true. Sinead worried that they might not have forever, but he knew they would. He remembered that feeling of connectedness when he’d walked into kindergarten.

  Sinead had been sitting by herself and coloring, her red hair in braids, her tongue peeking between her lips as she concentrated on her page.

  “What are you coloring?” he’d asked.

  “Butterflies.” She’d looked up at him and then scooted over to hand him his own page to color. “Teacher says you have to stay in the lines.”

  “Coloring is dumb.”

  “Don’t you like butterflies?”

  “I don’t like to stay in the lines.”

  She’d set down her crayon, the tip of her pink tongue disappearing into her mouth as she laughed with surprise. Then she scribbled over her page. “I don’t like to either.”

  Christian smiled at the memory. That first rebellion had formed a bond between them that even his moving to New York in freshman year hadn’t severed.

  “Nothing’s really changed since kindergarten.” He lifted Sinead’s hand and kissed her fingers. “I’d still give you my juice box.”

  Chapter Ten

  Christian could not believe the change in Sinead on the drive home from the Breakers.

  “It’s perfect,” she gushed. “Your dad will be here—oh, God, we have to call my mom and Fianna. And you’re sure you don’t mind the rush of the wedding? Ferguson said the colors are different shades of aqua.” Her mouth pursed but then she shrugged. “I don’t care about the colors, or that we are having chocolate cake or that we can only invite fifty people.”

  She reached for his hand.

  His heart lurched.

  “I want to marry you.”

  Christian’s world brightened. He and Sinead had an incredible bond that would be strengthened by shared vows. “Same.”

  “I pour my heart out and you tell me ‘same’?” She kicked her heels off and brought her feet under her butt on the passenger seat, leaning back against the door.

  “It’s true. I do want to marry you—I always have! I can’t believe that it’s taken this long, but I agree that this could be a blessing in disguise. Do you need a new dress?”

  “No, I love my Vera Wang.”

  He waggled his brows. “I love your Vera Wang.”

  She pushed his arm and laughed.

  Christian asked the uncomfortable question. “You’re okay with starting our family?”

  “Yes. But can we start with one, and see how we do?” She glanced out the window at the passing scenery and then back at him. “We have a pretty amazing life. Change is inevitable, I guess.”

  “And not necessarily bad,” Christian countered.

  “I know that. Last week, when I was holding Lilly? And we were all sitting together at the table? We are a family—I get it.”

  A weight lifted from his shoulders. He would never press her to have kids if she genuinely didn’t want them. But in his secret heart he wanted a houseful!

  Sinead tilted her head, twirling a long lock of auburn hair around her finger. “Have you thought about what might happen if we can’t have children?”

  “No.” His gut knotted. “Why would I think that?”

  “It happens.”

  “It won’t happen.”

  She released the hair which sprang upward as the curl bounced. “But what if? It’s a lot of pressure.”

  “
God, no pressure.” He shifted on the seat. “This whole two-week thing might be another blessing in disguise—you won’t have time to get all worked up.”

  She winked a green eye at him. “Oh, Christian. You know that’s not true.”

  He laughed.

  “Seriously. What happens to us if you and I can’t have kids?”

  He’d never considered it. Running it through his head he said, “Adoption?”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged.

  “You’re not okay with adoption? How could I not know this about you?”

  “You are enough for me,” she said, her voice low and intense. “You are all I’ve ever wanted.”

  He pulled the car over to the side of the interstate, stopped and unhooked his seatbelt to lean across the console and kiss her senseless.

  “If that wasn’t so wonderful it would be kind of creepy,” he said, his heart overflowing with love. Would he ever really know her?

  She caressed his cheek, his jaw, staring into his eyes. “A child would be an addition to our family, but you and I are the foundation.”

  “I understand.” A memory came of Christian and Sinead in sixth grade when Madge had rushed into the room, her bright hair shocking against her pale face, little Fianna’s hand in hers. She’d been sobbing, her husband had just been in an accident, and Madge needed her girls. She’d literally pulled Sinead from her seat without thought to the scene she’d created.

  “You and me.” Christian pressed his mouth to hers, nipping her lower lip before pulling back to start the car.

  “Do you believe in past lives, like what Alina was talking about?” Sinead asked. “And that we might have been together before now?”

  He eased into traffic. “I don’t disbelieve.” He checked the side mirror before switching lanes. “You?”

  She stretched her legs out in front of her. “I know what I feel when I’m with you. Complete.”

  “Yeah.” Christian smiled as he thought of ways she made him feel complete. “You know, trying for our own kids could take years of practice.”

  She laughed softly. “One—it might be more work than you realize.”

  “Should we start with a dog?” He had visions of their backyard filled with kick balls and bicycles and puppies.

  “Christian! Can we just get through this wedding?” She lifted her purse to her lap. “I better call my mom. Or maybe we need to make a pitcher of margaritas and divvy up the phone list when we get home?”

  “Call your mom first, just in case.”

  “In case of what?”

  “She has other plans? She has Jerry now.” Her mom was one of those women who lost all semblance of themselves when with a man. If Jerry had a hobby of painting watercolors, then it wouldn’t be long before Madge was sporting her own brush and easel.

  Sinead pulled her phone from her bag. “Good point. Jerry.”

  She put the phone on speaker and it rang, echoing around the car’s speakers. After the fourth ring her mom answered, “Helllloooo!”

  “Hi, Mom.” Sinead looked at Christian and rolled her eyes. “What’s going on? How were the Keys?”

  “Wonderful,” her mom gushed. “Too hot to do much during the day, but we went early to the museums and late to dinner. We had plenty of time to nap.”

  Ew. “Very cool. Uh, Mom? How would you like to walk me down the aisle one last time?”

  “I haven’t gotten to do it once!” She hesitated and then said, “Wait a minute. You’re going to do it again?”

  “A spot opened up at the Breakers.”

  “It did? That’s terrific, honey. When?”

  “In two weeks.”

  Her mom’s tone dropped. “Two. Weeks. Are you serious? You spent over a year planning the other wedding—the second one in three months. You think you can pull this off in two weeks?”

  “Well yes, actually, I do.” Offended, she looked to Christian for support, but he was looking out the window. She saw his shoulder’s twitch as he fought a laugh.

  “Now honey, don’t get all bent out of shape. I would love to be there for you. What’s the plan?”

  That was more like it. She’d zipped her mother into plenty of wedding dresses over the years.

  “We get the space, but we can’t change the colors or the menu. It’s outside.”

  “In this heat?”

  “Yes. Under the canopies outside. They’ve built a courtyard area for the wedding parties. It’s really nice, Mom.” She laughed. “The Breakers—can you believe it?”

  “It was your first choice. Well, I think this is just wonderful.”

  “Thanks, Mom. The guest list is limited, though. Will Jerry be your plus one?”

  “I think so.”

  “You think so?”

  “Well,” her mom paused. “Jerry isn’t the only fish in the sea.”

  “Mom!”

  “What? Not everybody is lucky enough to have found their actual life partner, Sinead. Some of us have to try out a few.”

  She bit her tongue. Her mother had married five, had two daughters with two separate men out of wedlock, and had her fair share of in-betweens.

  Madge wasn’t a floozy—she really genuinely cared for the men in her life. It made Sinead exhausted to even think about it.

  “I’ll leave the space blank.”

  “Thanks Sinead. Have you called your sister?”

  “She’s next on my list.”

  “Congratulations—let’s talk tomorrow.”

  Her mom hung up and Sinead, on the verge of tears, started to laugh.

  “What?” Christian asked.

  “It’s just that, well, my mother is right.” Sinead studied Christian’s profile, the way his hair curled over the curve of his ear. Familiar things she knew because she and Christian had loved for so long. “I am lucky to have found you. How can I argue with that?”

  “No arguments here,” Christian said, turning to her with a wink. “Do we need anything at the grocery store before we go home?”

  They passed a few of the major stores on the way. Sinead thought of what was in their fridge. “We don’t have to stop—I’ll do fettucine for dinner.”

  “I doubt I’ll be ready to eat again until next week. I went back three times for the roast beef.”

  “I wasn’t counting, honey,” she said loyally.

  “It’s all good.” He patted his flat tummy. “So long as I fit in my suit, right?”

  “Right.” She dialed Fianna, who answered right away.

  “Oh my God, is it true? Mom just texted me. The Breakers?”

  “I knooow!” Dream venue after all.

  Fianna laughed. “What are we gonna wear? Do we get to shop for new dresses?”

  Trust her little sister to be about the clothes. “I like that you’re on board.”

  “Well, duh. Mom’s worried about it being outside during storm season but I’m sure the hotel makes provisions for that.”

  “Canopies. And the courtyard has been built up so we’re good even with a water surge.”

  “At this point, I’d say get married in a rain slicker and umbrellas.”

  “So practical of you Fianna, and I agree. They have the cutest rain boots these days.”

  Remembering Collette’s supposition that Fianna might be dating Xavier she asked, “So, do I need to put you down for a plus one? We’re limited on the amount of guests, but I’d make room.”

  “Nope. Do Paul and Xavier know?”

  “Christian’s going to call them as soon as we get home.” They turned left on Bougainvillea Drive.

  “Cool. It’s really going to happen this time. I couldn’t be happier for you, Sis.”

  Fianna gave nothing away about her love life. Maybe Collette had been mistaken?

  “Anything I can do to help?” Fianna asked.

  “I know I’ll think of something, but at the moment, my brain is whirling.”

  “Take it easy. You remember what happened last time you freaked out.”

  “How
could I forget?” Sinead had a tiny scar on her temple.

  “Another good thing? With the wedding outside, there won’t be any tables for you to hit if you do pass out.”

  Family, Sinead thought as Christian pulled into the garage. And Christian wanted to make theirs larger?

  Chapter Eleven

  Sinead studied the weather channel like a professional meteorologist. Tropical Depression Edna came and went with eight days to spare before the wedding. A tropical system named Fred circled out at sea, creating heavy rainfall but it didn’t hold form. According to the National Weather Service, it only had a 20 percent chance of creating a problem next week.

  “Can we watch something besides the weather channel?” Christian asked, stopping to lean against the living room wall on his way back from the kitchen.

  “We are getting married in seven days—then you can have the television again. Right now, I need it.” She perched on the couch, the remote in hand. “When are you meeting Xavier and Paul?”

  “In a couple of hours.”

  “You have the color strip for the right blue on the shirts?”

  He patted his pocket and dipped into the safety zone of his office.

  She shopped online for Daisy patterned Wellingtons, just as a joke. But come hell or high water, she was going to marry Christian and become Mrs. Christian Sharp for once and for all. Sinead longed to be married, wanted that band on Christian’s finger as well as her own.

  Fianna came over in the afternoon for a late lunch, early dinner.

  “What did you do with Christian?” she asked, joining Sinead on the couch.

  “Supposedly he and the guys are buying shirts, but my guess is they’ll head over to the Funky Buddha and drink beer. I don’t care—so long as they get the shirts. I even gave him a paint strip from the hardware store so he knows exactly what color to buy.”

  “Smart.” Fianna stretched out her long legs bare in short-shorts. “So you’re totally good with an aqua wedding and chocolate cake?”

  “I don’t care. Ferguson said I can’t change anything, besides me and Christian’s announcement instead of Laura and Ken’s.”