by Claire Adams
It was hard for me to admit that at a few points in my life I considered trying something with Sienna. Hearing her talk about me in that way had stirred something inside of me. I only wished she had better timing.
I couldn’t end everything now with Rachel. It wouldn’t be fair to her.
I was about to drift off early that morning when an electronic noise made me jolt.
Rachel reached over and turned off her phone, which had been charging on the side table next to her.
She turned around. “Happy wedding day,” she said with a smile. She kissed my cheek and hopped out of bed and went into the bathroom.
I didn’t remember the last time Rachel had kissed me. Granted, it was my cheek. In the past, she said it was hard for her to hold onto her virtue if we did much more than kiss.
I turned and leaned on my side, listening to Rachel humming in the shower. I smiled, thinking of how happy she was for our wedding day. I’d been right about not taking a risk on Sienna. As much as it pained me to think that, we were better off as friends. I had a feeling she thought she was going to lose me when I got married. And even though we were fighting at the moment, I knew we’d find our way back. If she had those feelings for me, of course, she would want to stop the wedding. But that didn’t mean I had to stop it on a chance of us being together.
I was still in bed when Rachel got out of the shower. “I’m going over to Ophelia’s to get ready, then the limo is going to take us to the venue around eleven. Are you going to get up anytime soon?”
“Yeah, I was waiting for you to get out of the shower,” I said. Plus, I didn’t take as long to get ready as she did. I literally had to take a shower and put on my tux and I was ready to go. But I knew if I said that, I’d probably get a nasty look.
She went into the closet. “Where is Sienna’s dress?”
“Hm?”
She poked her head out into the bedroom. “She’s not getting ready here? I thought her and her friend were coming here before the wedding.”
“About that…” I said.
She came out of the closet with her arms crossed. “What did you do?”
“Nothing,” I said, and that was the damn truth. “Sienna is no longer a part of our wedding.”
Rachel almost looked relieved, and for a moment I thought of the cheating conversation with Sienna. I quickly pushed away from the thought.
“So, you’re not having anyone stand with you?”
“That’s what it looks like.”
Rachel sighed heavily and went to the side table to pick up her phone. “That’s not acceptable. I can get Ophelia’s brother to do it. You need to have a best man.”
“Rachel, it’s not a big deal.”
She held up a finger. “This is my wedding day. We’re already off-sides; I’m not going to let you embarrass me because you have no friends.”
I blinked a few times and the scowl on her face slowly faded as she typed into her phone. Sure, Sienna had been my best friend, but I had other friends. On any other day, I might have asked Tony, but he always sided with Sienna. I briefly wondered if I should have pushed harder for a courthouse wedding. I’d sure be happy when the stress of this wedding was done.
“It’s all set,” Rachel said and brought her phone with her in the closet. She closed the doors behind her, signaling the end of that conversation.
I had just finished my cereal and coffee when Rachel came out of the bedroom dressed in a white terry cloth outfit. The back of the jacket had the word BRIDE written in sparkling jewels.
“I’ll expect you there by eleven fifteen, at the latest,” she said. Then she was off.
I’d become used to her abrupt goodbyes as of late. And with my mind going crazy all morning, her absence was welcomed. I needed some time to myself for a little while.
I stood and put my dishes away, then went back into the bedroom and out to the balcony. I had a few hours to kill before heading over to the venue. While I had the urge to go surfing again, I knew if I wiped out, I might miss the wedding completely. Then Rachel would have a real reason for being pissed at me.
I sat down on the lounge and propped my feet up on the railing, looking out over the other houses and into the distant ocean.
My mind started to wander back to Sienna. I’d never known her to maliciously want to hurt someone. And if I had any thought of her manipulating me into not getting married, I found it hard to hold onto that as an excuse for what she said to me. Especially about Rachel cheating. With Sienna’s feelings for me aside, I realized I never confronted Rachel about the accusation. And she’d been quick to replace Sienna this morning. Had something happened on her vacation? Was it true that she wasn’t a virgin?
I rubbed my hands through my hair then down my face. I didn’t like being so conflicted about this. But if I was going to go through with this wedding, then I needed to be one-hundred-percent sure I was marrying someone who wanted me for me and not just my money. I knew Rachel loved her lifestyle, but if she wasn’t in it for the long haul, then what the hell was I doing with her?
I stood up from the lounge and gripped the railing. “Damn you, Sienna,” I growled. I hated that she put these thoughts in my head.
There was only one thing left I had to do.
I arrived at the venue right around eleven. I expected Rachel and her friends to be there, but I didn’t see the limo. When I asked one of the workers, they confirmed they hadn’t seen the bride that morning.
I couldn’t believe it was Rachel who was late. I hoped she wasn’t having second thoughts.
I went into the assigned groom’s suite to change. If Rachel showed up and I wasn’t ready, I was sure to hear it from her.
I finished tying my bow tie after several unsuccessful attempts when someone knocked on the door. For a split second, I hoped it was Sienna.
I went to the door and opened it.
“Good morning, Mr. Liston,” said Cheryl, the florist.
“Good morning.”
She handed me a boutonniere and a corsage. “These are for you.”
I stared at the corsage, which had been assigned to Sienna. “Thank you.”
She took her box of flowers, which contained the bouquets, down the hallway to where Rachel was supposed to be finishing up getting ready.
I closed the door and placed Sienna’s corsage on the table. The delicate flowers wouldn’t be seen at my wedding, and that was a damn shame.
I pinned the boutonniere to my jacket, which was hanging in the small open closet. I was already sweating with the anticipation of what I was about to do.
A few minutes later, I heard Rachel coming down the hall. I waited until I heard her door shut before I entered the hallway and headed down to her room. My head felt light, as if I’d drunk a whole bottle of champagne. As difficult as this was going to be, I had to have a straight answer before I could marry her.
Inside the room, Rachel and her bridesmaids were laughing and being the loud single girls they always had been.
I knocked on the door loudly. Someone shushed the other girls and a few of them giggled before the door opened.
Ophelia was in my face. Her pink glossy lips frowned. “You’re not supposed to be here,” she said, reeking of booze.
I leaned back a little. “I need to speak with Rachel.”
“It’s bad luck to speak with the bride!” one of the other girls shouted from the room.
I rolled my eyes. “Rachel, I need to speak with you.” I narrowed my eyes at Ophelia. “Alone.”
Ophelia turned around to look at Rachel. I still couldn’t see my fiancée. I had the urge push open the door and make the decision for everyone. But then Rachel spoke.
“Girls, can you leave us for a minute?”
Four women dressed in the same pink outfit strode out the door. Ophelia stumbled on her heels and one of the girls suggested getting her some water so she could walk down the aisle without falling over.
“I’m going to stay behind the door,” Rachel s
aid.
“That’s fine.”
“So, what did you need to talk to me about?”
I took a deep breath and just went for it. “Are you a virgin?”
There was a long pause on the other side of the door. With each passing second, tension built in my shoulders.
“Parker, why are we discussing this now? We have like, thirty minutes before we’re married.”
“Answer the question, Rachel.”
“Why does it matter, anyway?”
“Because it does.” I needed to know if I was marrying a liar.
She scoffed. “Parker, go get ready. And send the girls back in here so they can help me.”
The door closed in my face, and I stared at the wood grain, which was inches from my nose. My breathing was heavy and instead of opening the door and demanding she give me an answer, I headed back to my room, already knowing what that answer was.
Ten minutes later, the event planner for the wedding venue came into my room and announced that it was time for me to head outside. My entire body was numb and my legs were on autopilot because I ended up shaking hands with the officiant and Ophelia’s brother, then looking out at my friends and family. Well, all but one of them.
My breathing was loud in my ears and drowned out the string quartet as Rachel’s bridesmaids came down the aisle.
Then the change in music signified the start of Rachel’s walk down the aisle. Everyone turned to look at her, giving me a moment out of the spotlight. My heartbeat pounded so hard that I could see the rhythmic movement under my shirt.
When I looked up, I had to do a double-take. I blinked and saw Sienna in front of me, wearing a white dress. I smiled broadly.
The officiant’s voice filled my ears. “Parker, do you take Rachel to be your wife?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sienna
When Parker left, I sat there for what felt like hours. It turned out to be only fifteen minutes. When I got up, my legs were stiff and they were filled with pins and needles. I grabbed my phone and called Tony.
I plopped onto the couch and numbly stared at the blank television. I heard Tony’s motorcycle pull into the driveway. I heard each step he took up the walkway. Then he knocked on the door.
“S’open!” I called.
Tony came into the house. “Sienna?”
I threw my arm up and waved him over.
He knelt down beside the couch. “Shit, it didn’t go well?”
And for the first time, he actually saw me cry. I wasn’t proud of being a sloppy mess, but it was necessary to purge Parker from my system. He was going through with the wedding and had made it clear I was to be no part of it.
After I explained what I’d said to Parker, Tony let out a string of curses. “He is a fucking fool, Sienna.”
I laughed, but it came out more like a sob. “Don’t I know it.”
“I can’t believe he would believe her over you. You’d think your friendship would mean more than a stick-thin chick. He doesn’t know the mess he’s walking into.”
I nodded. That’s all Rachel was: a pretty girl. She’d used her looks to blind Parker into giving her whatever she wanted. He was even too blind to see what was in front of him.
“I feel like such an ass,” I said.
“You shouldn’t,” he said.
“Really? Why not? I opened my heart to him and he didn’t even care.”
“I’m sure he cares, Sienna.”
“He doesn’t even want me to be a part of the wedding anymore.”
Tony scoffed. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“All right, I’ve had enough of this.”
I opened my mouth in surprise. “Sorry, if I’m ruining your night, you didn’t—”
“Oh, shut up, Sienna,” he said. “I mean we should get out of here. Regroup. I think you could use a different perspective.”
That sounded like the best idea he’d ever had. “Where did you have in mind?”
“No, no, this is about you. Where do you want to go? I have a lot of miles on my credit card. Pick a place you’ve never been and have always wanted to go.”
“Sanibel,” I said immediately. “I’ve heard great things about that place. Are you game for that?” My parents had been fond of going to Sanibel before they had me. I tried not to feel bad about them selling their place once they found out they were pregnant with me. And for some reason, they’d never gone back. Their memories were visceral when they talked about those times. It had always been on my bucket list, but for some reason, I forgot about going until now.
“Yes,” he said quickly. “I’ve been before, and I know the perfect place to stay.”
I wiped the tears from my cheeks and clapped my hands together now that we had a plan. I needed to be moving forward, or else I might fall back into thinking of Parker and the fucked-up situation we were in.
Tony helped me pack and we booked a last minute flight up to Sanibel. I didn’t want to be anywhere near the wedding, but I didn’t want to leave Florida. I still had a business to run and wanted to be back at work Monday morning. I just needed to be away from the place where Parker and Rachel would say their vows. I hoped by Monday they would be somewhere tropical on their honeymoon and I could start moving on with my life.
While packing, my gaze fell on my best man dress. I lifted it from the rod and held the hanger high enough that the hem didn’t touch the ground. It had been sized to my measurements. And even though I hated to dress up, I’d become attached to the dress ever since I took it home.
“Sienna?” Tony said from the doorway.
He caught me holding the dress. I just stood there, not wanting to let go just yet. Tony came over and lifted the dress from my hands.
I sniffled and nodded. This was the right thing to do. I grabbed a few shirts and allowed Tony to put away the dress I’d never wear as a best man.
We closed up the diner and left a note on the front door for the customers. I hoped that Harriet and Kenneth wouldn’t be too disappointed. I was sure she’d be the first to ask me about the wedding when I got back. But I put that out of my mind for now and focused on clearing my head in a new place.
We arrived on Sanibel early the next morning. We found a diner on the main strip and stopped in for breakfast. We were seated on an open terrace and it appeared we were the only customers at the moment. The sound of the waves felt like home to me, but I also appreciated being hundreds of miles away from everything that I knew.
I glanced down at my menu, which was three pages long—and that was only for breakfast.
Once we got coffee and placed our order, the waitress left, leaving Tony and me to ourselves.
“You ever think of expanding Sunny’s?”
I took a sip of coffee. Damn, it was delicious. “No. I like the size.” Besides, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to part with the location. It had sentimental value for me, and it was my comfort zone. After the conversation with Parker, I knew it was best to stay in my comfort zone. There was less of a chance I’d be hurt.
“Well, just so you know, I’ll follow wherever you decide to go. As much as I think it would be a pain in the ass to move, I think you have the potential for greater things. Don’t sell yourself short.”
“How did I ever get so lucky to have a friend like you?”
Tony’s smiled. “Now, don’t make me blush.”
After breakfast, Tony drove the rental car to the house he rented. It wasn’t the most spectacular looking place. It was a two-story beach house that could have used a little exterior work. But when we rounded the house, my jaw nearly fell to the sand. The entire backyard was white sand that led directly to the ocean.
“Holy shit, Tony,” I said.
“I know,” he said. “Cool, right?”
I had to tear my eyes away from the water to look at him. “Thank you for doing this.”
“No problem,” he said. “Now let’s get our bathing suits on and do some surfing.”
&nb
sp; Tony had thought ahead. The owners of the house had several surfboards to choose from.
We spent the entire morning and well into the afternoon surfing together. As surfing tended to clear my mind, I found myself coming back to thinking of Parker. He was a married man now. Granted, to a liar and gold-digger. Rachel had gotten everything she wanted, and here I was, hiding from my home and my best friend.
A wave of water smacked me in the face and I turned to Tony, who was glaring at me. “Get out of your head, Sienna.”
I wrinkled my nose and stuck my tongue out at him.
He laughed and splashed me again.
By the time we took a break, there were several other surfers in the distance, and the other residents and tourists had come out of their homes to sit on the beach.
“Oh my god,” I said, plopping down on one of the kitchen table chairs. “That was so much fun. But I’m dying for a drink.”
Tony opened the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water. He handed one to me.
While I hydrated, I checked out the rest of the place. It was decorated in light blues, greens, and grays. Typical beach house colors. On the walls were various decorations made of shells and other faux beachy items. This place was so frickin’ adorable that I wanted to buy it for myself.
When I was done with my tour, Tony was still in the kitchen, finishing up some sandwiches for us.
“Thank you,” I said, grabbing one. “I’m starving.”
“Of course you are,” he said then bit into his own.
“So, I think we should address the elephant in the room one more time.”
I stopped chewing for a moment. “Why?”
“Because it’s all you were focused on while surfing.”
I shrugged. “It’s hard not to think about it. I mean, I practically helped plan the damn thing.”