InHap*pily Ever After

by Kim Desalvo

  “Second, and this includes another win for him too, is that he has several big investments in tabloid television. He has his show, obviously, but he also has a controlling interest in a tabloid TV show and holdings in a pretty popular magazine…I forget which one, but it’s big.”

  “Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that.”

  “There’s big money in it, apparently, and Tony is the epitome of big money,” he smirked.

  “That’s for sure,” Tia agreed.

  “So as a businessman, he sees big opportunity here. Obviously, we’ll want wedding pictures and videos…”

  “Definitely.”

  “So we’d sequester them, basically. We’d have our own people, or Tony’s, and they’d have to agree to give up their cell phones when they arrived. Actually, there won’t be phone or internet service on the island except for hard connections in the main house. That way, no one could leak any of the pictures or the location to the press. Then, after all is said and done, Tony would have exclusive rights to the pictures. He’d be the first one to air bits and pieces on his late night show, then the next day he’d have exclusives on his tabloid show and for the magazine. He stands to make a ton of money off of it, but we’d have final say in what gets aired and printed. Or Jessa would,” he added. “I’m going to be much too busy with my new wife to worry about those kinds of details.” He leaned over and planted a tender kiss on her lips.

  “So the public wins in that deal too,” he said. “They’ll get an inside look at our day without anyone intruding on it. Oh, and Tony has a deal with the Travel Channel to do a documentary about his resort, so we’d agree to let some of our footage be part of that show too. We may do a couple little interviews along the way, and maybe some of the guests who’d like to be on television would do a couple as well. That’s another moneymaker for Tony—it’d be great advertising for him that we were the first guests.” He paused, and let her soak it all in for a moment. “So, a lot of wins, and no real downside, from what I can see.” He pulled her close and nuzzled the top of her head. “It’s pretty crazy, but it could just be the perfect answer for the perfect day. Think about it…”

  “I don’t know that I need to think about it much at all, Dyl. It does sound absolutely perfect, and it may be the only way we can have our day to ourselves! But what about your parents and your London friends? It’s an awfully long way for them to go…”

  “My parents are overdue for a holiday anyway, and they have an anniversary coming up. I’ll get them and the rest of my family here and send them on a cruise or something afterward. Considering that our wedding is being given to us, the least I can do is get our guests here. I can charter a plane from London for those guys pretty easily. The wedding’ll have to be fairly small, though, Tia. Remember, the resort only has room for about 150 guests.”

  “That’s not a problem for me—I don’t have a big family, and I’d much rather have a small and intimate wedding anyway. Oh my gosh…we’d be able to spend the whole weekend with everyone we care about. Do you know anything about the island? I mean, will there be activities for the guests?”

  “Oh yeah. It’s going to be a full service resort, so there’ll be beach activities, wave runners, hiking, zip lining, snorkeling, diving, and a whole host of other things to do. I was thinking that we’d fly everyone in on Thursday and Friday—at least a few of them would be able to get an extra day off. My thought is that we’d have a bonfire on the beach party on Thursday night, bachelor and bachelorette parties on Friday, rehearsals on Saturday, the wedding on Sunday, and fly everyone home Monday. Tony’s even offered his yacht for the girls’ party. You could do a sunset cruise or something.”

  Tia was nearly climbing out of her skin, and she jumped off the couch and started pacing the room. It was coming together in her mind, and all the pictures in her head were perfect. How could she say no to an offer like that? She would get the wedding of her dreams, and everyone she cared about most would not only be able to share the whole weekend with them, they’d be part of something they could brag about for years to come. What wasn’t to love about the idea?

  She watched Dylan watching her. She knew he could read her mounting excitement and although he tried to keep a stoic face, the corners of his lips kept twitching where he was trying to tamper down a smile. He was enjoying watching Tia fit all the pieces together in her own mind, and was pretty sure she was going to go for it. She was whispering to herself under her breath as she paced, and her smile was getting close to splitting her face. He waited as patiently as he could for her to reach a conclusion, and he knew the exact moment she decided to say yes—it was like a light came on inside her and she was positively glowing with excitement.

  “Let me see if I have this all straight,” she said, sitting back down. “I just want to make sure I have all the details correct.”

  “Absolutely,” he mused.

  “So, your mega-rich friend is loaning us his private island resort for the weekend, all expenses paid for us and all our guests, including food, drinks, activities, a wedding reception, his private plane and his private yacht…”

  “Yup,” Dylan said, his own smile growing.

  “…and in return, we just have to let him put some of our wedding pictures and videos—pictures and videos that we choose-- on his TV show and in his tabloid, and maybe do an interview for a documentary about the island?”

  “That about sums it up,” Dylan smiled. “So, what do you think?”

  “What do I think?” she sang, pulling Dylan up from the couch and dancing him in a circle. “What do I think? I think, how could we say no to something like that? It’s absolutely perfect!”

  Dylan swung his hands under her legs and swept her into his arms. “I thought you’d say that, and I agree completely. It’s going to be brilliant! And to think, I didn’t even have to pull out the big guns to convince you!”

  “There are bigger guns than the ones you already mentioned?” she asked.

  “There’s a spa on the property too,” he said, smiling. “And all the girls are going to get the full treatment before the wedding. I figured I’d pull that out if I needed to, but…”

  “Oh Dylan, I’d marry you any time, any place—I hope you know that. But this setting, and the timing and the…oh, I love you so much, and I just can’t wait to marry you!”

  He set her down and slid his hands up her hips. “Let me show you how much I want you to be my wife,” he murmured in her ear before pushing her back down onto the bed and covering her body with his own.

  “Yes, show me,” she whispered. “The rest of the phone calls can wait.”

  Chapter 20

  They slept in on New Year’s Day, and had a wonderful breakfast in their room before heading out to see the city. After stepping out onto the balcony that faced the Harbor Bridge, Tia opted for a short skirt and a tank top, carefully tucking her hair into the blonde wig Dylan had given her at breakfast. “It’s just easier to be proactive,” he said as he pulled it from his bag. “This is the big city.”

  Tia took it in stride. “Should I take this as an insult, Miller? Barely got a ring on my finger and already you’re wishing you had a blonde.”

  Dylan grabbed her from behind and tossed her on the bed, rolling her over and studying her. “Who are you,” he teased, “and what have you done with my fiancé?” Tia giggled, and he leaned down and kissed her. “I wouldn’t change one hair on your beautiful head; unless I’m taking you out in a crowd. I don’t want to share you with anyone.”

  “Remember our second date?” she asked. “The first time I saw you without the wig? I said you’d be wonderful no matter what hair you had.” She smiled, adding, “But I don’t miss the mullet. Please tell me I don’t look like the mullet.”

  “You would be perfect for me even if you were completely bald,” he said affectionately. “This,” he said, twirling one of the blonde locks around his finger, “is just to keep the wolves at bay. You’re still the woman I love underneath, an
d I’ll never forget it. Neither should you.”

  They spent the afternoon wandering the city, touring the Opera House, and doing some shopping. After an early dinner, they headed to the bridge to meet with the guide that would lead their climb to the top to see the amazing views of Sydney and the harbor at sunset.

  They suited up in their official gray and blue tour jumpsuits, and joined the rest of their group to do some practice climbs and get used to the harnesses that would connect them to the bridge during the climb. Tia had never been afraid of heights, per se, but standing at the bottom of the monumental structure and raising her eyes to the top gave her a bit of a flutter in her stomach.

  “You ready?” Dylan asked. Tia could see the flash of anticipation in his eyes, and couldn’t help but share in his excitement.

  “Let’s do this thing,” she said confidently, raising her hand for a high five.

  It was over two hours before they stood at the top, tiny boats sailing beneath them on their way out to sea and toy cars gliding over the bridge below them. They were rewarded with a magnificent sunset; the huge orange ball sinking into the sea in the distance and setting the smooth waters of the harbor aflame.

  “I’m queen of the world!” Tia said, raising her arms in victory and leaning just slightly over the railing.

  Dylan wrapped his arms around her waist and took in the view over her shoulder. “Definitely the queen of mine,” he whispered in her ear.

  Tia did feel on top of the world. She glanced down at her left hand; the brilliant diamond sparkling orange in the fading light of the sun. In the distance, the lights of Sydney came twinkling on, and the glow around the Opera House reflected off the water, casting a soft shimmer on the ripples of the waves. The air was cool, and the sea breeze left a slight taste of salt on the back of her tongue. She’d never in her life been so happy, and she turned toward Dylan, holding her camera in front of them as she puckered her lips for a kiss.

  “And you are my prince,” she whispered before joining the rest of their fellow climbers for a group shot with the city in the background.

  She woke up with a start, sweat beading on her forehead. Throwing off the covers, she slipped gently from beneath Dylan’s arm, careful not to wake him, pulled on her robe, and stepped out onto the balcony. The nightmare had left her shaky, and she placed her hands on the rail, leaning on her arms and letting the cool morning breeze slip over her skin and slide into her lungs.

  It had been the same dream on and off over the past week, and Tia knew it was her subconscious trying to wake her up to a hard realization. She usually only had school nightmares in the weeks leading up to the start of a new year, and she didn’t need an expert to interpret the meaning of this one; it had been clear for a while now, but she had been pushing it to the back of her mind. It was time to face reality, and do what she knew was the right thing, regardless of the teeter-totter effect it had on her heart.

  She held her left hand up to the approaching sunrise, devoid of the sparkling diamond that she didn’t dare sleep in for fear of injuring herself or Dylan with its sheer size and weight. But already, after just a day of wearing it out in the hot sun of the Sydney summer, she could see the faint line; lighter than the skin around it; that outlined where the ring sat on her finger.

  Life had taken yet another turn. A wonderful, glorious turn, no doubt, but it was a sharp one, and it greatly changed the path her life would take in the future. She’d come back from Europe a different person, but she’d worked so hard to hide that new side of herself; to keep up the façade that she was still the same Tia who’d left in June to spend some time ‘studying’ abroad. Having Dylan so far away and falling back into her old routines made it easier to cope with his absence and to maintain the charade—but this new development changed the game completely, and she could no longer play by the same rules.

  It was hard enough to go back to her life as a school teacher after spending the entire summer with InHap; staying at the most luxurious hotels, buying clothes and handbags that cost nearly what she’d make in two weeks at her job, and falling in love with the ‘Sexiest Man on Earth.’ But there was no pretending anymore.

  Some of it she’d miss—Friday nights at Paddy’s with impromptu calls to the stage to sing with Sean and whoever he considered part of his “band” at the moment…lunches with Lexi at Spartan’s Deli, sitting street side and spending a summer afternoon people-watching…walks through the park with Bonnie, her elderly neighbor’s adorable mutt who never got tired of sniffing tree trunks and the back ends of other dogs. The list went on, but there was another list, perhaps nearly as long, of things she’d be glad to put behind her; first and foremost, the country club snobs with their better-than-you attitudes that had irked her from the very first day she went. None of those things, however, came even close to what she felt about giving up her job.

  She’d wanted to be a teacher for as long as she could remember, and she believed in the work she did with children…but she knew—had known for some time but had refused to fully admit—that she couldn’t just go back to her job and pick up where she’d left off. The time had come to put it behind her and move forward. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone involved; including herself; to even attempt to go back to work. School would start back up in less than a week, and she owed it to her kids and her coworkers to make sure that her situation didn’t interfere with their primary responsibilities of teaching and learning. She needed to resign from her job, and she needed to do it soon.

  She snuck back into the room to look at the clock on the night table. 5:00 AM Sydney time translated to noon in Chicago, the previous day. She’d give herself the morning to prepare what she was going to say, and call Ned at home after she’d had a chance to talk it over with Dylan. She knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he’d support her decision, but would just feel better about it herself after having his agreement.

  Tia had no idea how long she stood there—the sun came up and bathed the waters of the harbor in golden light, traffic increased on the roads below, and voices echoed up from the sidewalks. Finally, Dylan awoke and came out to find her, wrapping her in his arms, his just-woken voice scratching, “I woke up and you weren’t there. Not a good way to start the day.” He nibbled at her neck and slipped his hand beneath her robe, caressing her stomach. “How long have you been up?”

  “A while,” she said simply.

  Sensing her mood, he turned her toward him and took her into his arms. “What’s wrong, love?”

  Tia took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling slowly. “Oh Dyl,” she began, “I’m just thinking about some things. Most of them are amazing—marrying you, spending our lives together—but before I can move forward with those things, there are some loose ends I need to tie up.” He raised one eyebrow at her. “The most important of which being my job. I need to resign, Dyl. I’ve known it for a while, but with school starting back up in a few days…it just wouldn’t be fair to anyone if I stayed.” She hadn’t meant to cry, but her eyes welled up and a couple tears made their way down her cheeks.

  Dylan pulled her to him. “I’m so sorry, baby girl,” he whispered into her hair.

  “Don’t be sorry,” she said. “It’s for the happiest reason in the world. I’ll miss it sure…well, some of it, at least.” She giggled. “I won’t miss report card time, or conferences, or meetings, or all the red tape…I’ll just miss the kids. Teaching them; watching that light bulb come on when they understand something that I taught them. But it is a job, and you are my life. There will be so many happy things to take up my time, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

  “You’ll find something rewarding, I promise you,” he said. “Maybe working with kids through the charity, or with the kids that come to the ranch…”

  “I know that, I really do,” she answered. “But right now, I need to call Ned and get this done. I’ve put it off too long already, and it’ll be easier to look forward when I’ve dealt with the past.”
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  “Get on with it then,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “You’ll feel better once it’s done.”

  Dylan gave her a supportive hug, grabbed the newspaper off the table, and went out onto the balcony. “I’ll be here if you need me,” he said, sliding the door shut.

  Tia punched in Ned’s number, her heart racing and her breathing ragged. She knew she wouldn’t regret the decision in the long term, but that didn’t make it any easier in the moment. Ned answered on the second ring.

  “Hi Ned, it’s Tia,” she said, knowing that her number would’ve come up as all zeros on his end.

  “Tia, great to hear from you,” he said. “Happy New Year. Are you home?”

  “No, I’m still in Australia. We’re scheduled to fly back on Sunday.”

  “How is Australia?” he asked. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

  “It’s amazing. You should make a point of it. It’s a spectacular country…Listen, Ned,” she said, her voice shaking just the slightest bit, “I really need to talk to you. About my job. I’m sorry to bother you at home, but I didn’t see any other way…”

  His sigh filled her ear. “I’ve been expecting your call, Tia. I can’t say I’ve been looking forward to this chat, but I’ve known it was coming.”

  “Me too, but I’ve been putting it off. It’s not a conversation I ever thought I’d have to have, but now…something else has come up that adds more complication to the whole situation. The announcement isn’t going to be public for another day or so, but I need to let you know. Dylan asked me to marry him, and I…”

  “Congratulations!” Ned said excitedly. “I couldn’t be happier for you, Tia. After seeing the two of you together, the way he looked at you, I thought that might be the case. I wish you all the best—you know that, right?”