Abby beamed. “You’re not so bad yourself.” It was true, Caroline thought. Sam looked gallant in his khaki pants, white linen shirt, and pink paisley tie. Javier and the boys were similarly dressed, but with blue ties.
“And you ladies are visions as well,” Sam said, as if remembering his manners. “Geez, Lacey, a boot and everything, huh? I heard about your tumble last night. Are you feeling okay?”
Lacey waved her hand in the air. She so did not want to be the center of attention right now. “I’m fine. Really. Just a stupid trip.” She could feel herself blushing. “Everyone looks great. Like a J. Crew ad.”
“You’re right, Lacey,” said Caroline with a laugh. “They’re dashing, aren’t they?” She rested her hand on Sam’s arm, not Javier’s. Caroline was surprised, frankly, that Javier had even dared to show up. After their talk yesterday, she was pretty certain that their relationship was on hiatus. But she was not about to spoil the day for Sam and Abby. If Javier was so afraid of marriage, then let him be afraid by himself. She thought back to his response in their cabin yesterday when she’d told him she wanted what Abby and Sam had: “But why do we need to get married if we’re perfectly happy as we are?” he’d asked.
“But that’s just it, isn’t it?” Caroline had pressed. She wasn’t happy as they were and she’d told him as much. “I want to be married to you, Javier. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If you don’t feel the same way, then you should tell me.” To which he’d replied, “But I do feel the same way. You know this. I just don’t need a ring or a piece of paper to confirm it.”
Caroline’s eyes had welled with tears. “No, Javier, I don’t know it. In fact, since the whole idea of getting married seems to terrify you so much, I can only conclude that you don’t want to be married. At least not to me.” It dawned on her that there had been no proposal on the cruise because there was no ring. The realization had hit her like a sock to the stomach.
Caroline felt a twist of humiliation, remembering how, a few weeks before the cruise, she’d pointed out a ring that she thought was exquisite. It was a pleasant summer evening and she’d suggested the two of them walk home from dinner rather than hail a cab. Caroline had known full well that their stroll would take them past the Tiffany’s window, where she’d spied the ring earlier that day. When Javier acted uninterested, she’d assumed he was being coy. Now she understood the awful truth—he was indifferent.
They were at an impasse. Caroline couldn’t see her way around it. After their argument, Javier had left the cabin, and Caroline wasn’t sure where he had gone, or where he had slept last night. She didn’t care. Her eyes began to fill again, but she swiped at them with a tissue she’d brought for Abby. No, she was not going to think about it for the next few hours. Absolutely not. She’d promised herself. For Abby and Sam’s sake. How hard could it be to fake happiness for a few hours?
“Well, shall we?” the minister asked, startling them all, as if they’d forgotten he was there.
“Absolutely,” Sam said. “I couldn’t be more certain than I was twenty years ago that I want to marry this woman today.”
A wide smile played across Abby’s face as she clasped Sam’s hand and joined the minister up front, the others settling into their chairs. Caroline watched while the minister patted his broad, pink forehead with a handkerchief, then cleared his throat.
“Friends and family,” he began. “We are gathered here today . . .” Caroline only half listened despite her best attempts to focus. It was uncomfortably hot, and Javier had sat down right next to her. She didn’t know what he was thinking. When Abby peered over at her, she beamed back the widest smile she could muster. Luckily, the minister’s homily was short, and then Lee rose to read a poem entitled “How Falling in Love Is Like Owning a Dog,” by Taylor Mali. It was funny, sweet, and perfectly suited to the occasion.
When it was Caroline’s turn, she did her best to recite the stanzas of her poem with genuine feeling, but a few words, like love and commitment, caught in her throat. She sat back down without so much as casting a glance Javier’s way.
“Sam, I believe you have some words you wanted to share with Abby?” the minister asked.
“Yes.” Sam turned to Abby and took her hand. “Abigail Bingham, you are the girl I still want to wake up with every morning, the woman who surprises me each day with her good heart, and the bride who makes me laugh. There is no one else in this crazy world whom I’d rather hold at the end of the day than you. I love you. And with this ring, I hereby reaffirm my love for and commitment to you.” He slid a sparkling band of tiny diamonds on her ring finger.
Then it was Abby’s turn. “Samuel Bingham, you’ve had my heart ever since the day you took me out for Chinese food on our first date. I love you. I love the family we’ve built together.” Her voice cracked. “May this ring be a further testament of my abiding love.” She slid the ring on over his knuckle.
There was a beat of silence before the minister declared, “I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride.”
Sam planted a kiss on Abby’s lips, and there was a shower of applause. Caroline, trying to hide her own emotions, jumped up to congratulate them, while Lee and Lacey gathered around to admire the ring. “It’s gorgeous,” Lee exclaimed, holding Abby’s hand up to better let the ring sparkle in the sunlight.
“Okay, y’all!” Abby called out after a few minutes. “Let’s head to the Reefs to celebrate!”
Caroline was secretly relieved; it was much too hot to stay on the beach any longer. Her dress was plastered to her body with sweat, and she couldn’t wait to step into air-conditioned cool and get as far away from Javier as possible, maybe even in an entirely different room. Or hemisphere. Yes, another hemisphere would be good. She turned to join Lee and Lacey. Their plan was to get Lacey into a cab for the short ride to the hotel, but Sam stopped them.
“Sorry, Abby, but just one second before we do that,” he said, holding up a finger. “I think we forgot something.” Oh, good Lord, Caroline almost said aloud. She might faint if they didn’t get into air-conditioning soon.
Abby turned, confused. “What is it?”
“Javier?” Sam asked. “Did you want to say something?”
Caroline’s stomach dipped. Oh, no. Javier was actually going to apologize right here in front of all her friends? She didn’t think she could bear it. It would just deepen her humiliation to make it public. Poor Caroline, they’d say. Javier was about to ruin Sam and Abby’s perfect day. Caroline glanced around, panicked, looking for an imaginary escape hatch that she could disappear into.
“Yeah, thanks, buddy.” Javier’s voice warbled as he turned toward her.
Caroline shook her head, as if to signal to Javier, No, not now. Please don’t spoil this lovely day. You can apologize back in our room. But as she attempted to silently convey all these thoughts to Javier, he approached her—and got down on bended knee. He reached for her hand, and Caroline felt the color drain from her face.
“Caroline Canton,” Javier began. “I have loved you since the first day I met you among those truly awful paintings.” A small laugh escaped from her lips, despite herself. “No other woman I know carries herself with such grace and strength.” Caroline bit her lip. “And, while I know you’ve been angry with me the past twenty-four hours, furious, actually—” He paused and shook his head. “I hope you’ll forgive me. I really wanted to surprise you.”
She heard Abby say, “Oh my goodness.”
“Your friends’ strong marriage is a testament to how wonderful such a union can be, and I hope that one day, we, too, will share our twentieth wedding anniversary together.” Javier paused to clear his throat, then pulled a velvet box from his pocket. When he cracked it open, there was the ring she’d pointed out in the window at Tiffany’s. “I guess what I’m asking is this: Caroline Canton, will you marry me?”
Caroline felt an entire ocean of emotions wash over her, and her knees buckled ever so slightly. She took a breath
while she steadied herself.
“Javier Mendez,” she said. “How dare you trick me into being angry with you!” She paused. “I’m so mad at you!” She stopped, breathed, and corrected herself. “Was so mad at you. Don’t ever do that again.” She noticed he was still looking at her, waiting. Her lips slowly parted into a smile. “And yes. Of course, I’ll marry you!”
There was a collective exhale, and Abby squealed, “Hooray!” She pulled Caroline into a hug before Javier could even slide the ring onto her finger.
“Excuse me, but can a guy get a little room to put the ring on?” he asked.
Abby laughed and stepped out of the way. “I’m sorry, Javier. Of course you can. Have at it.” They all watched while he guided it on, a perfect fit. He stood up and threw his arms around Caroline.
“I love you,” he whispered. “I hope you’ll forgive me for tricking you.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Caroline said now. “I was just so sure it was over.”
“Never,” Javier said. “I would never do that to you. I want you by my side always.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.
“Gosh, Caroline, you really made us sweat that one out,” Sam said. “For a minute there, I thought you were going to say no.”
“After what he put me through?” Caroline said. “Don’t think I didn’t consider it,” she joked. “So who else was in on Javier’s little plan?”
Abby shook her head. “Not a clue.”
“Me either,” said Lee. Everyone turned to Sam.
Sam shrugged. “Well, I only knew as of last night. Javier and I shared a couple of beers—after Caroline kicked him out of his room—and he spilled the beans. He wanted to make sure I wouldn’t mind if he proposed right after our ceremony.” Sam slapped Javier on the back. “I appreciated that, man.”
Abby was glowing. “Good on you, Javier.”
He grinned. “You know, I’ve had that ring locked away in the ship’s safe ever since we set sail from Boston.”
“You’re kidding,” said Caroline. She couldn’t believe that he’d pulled off the entire proposal without even dropping a hint. Usually Caroline was good at reading other people. Well, she’d missed every single clue when it came to her own heart.
“You know,” the minister piped up. “I hate to point out the obvious, but you do have a chaplain on hand.” Everyone turned to him, considering his words.
“Oh,” Caroline said, seemingly taken aback. “You mean—”
Abby clapped her hands together. “Caroline! You could get married right here. Right now.”
Caroline and Javier exchanged glances, but Caroline shook her head. “Oh, no, we couldn’t. Not right now. That’s way too much excitement for one day. Plus, you know me.” She shrugged. “I need to plan this thing. And, today is your day.”
There was a pause while everyone waited. “Fine,” said Abby finally. “But I almost forgot: we’re not leaving this beach till we have some pictures. I want to freeze this day in my mind for as long as possible.”
“Me, too,” said Caroline and took her friend’s hand as they walked toward the aquamarine water, the heat no longer bothering her at all.
18
They made it back to the ship with barely any time to spare. The wedding luncheon had been over-the-top with lobsters as big as dinner plates, fresh asparagus, and potatoes whipped into miniature volcanoes. For dessert, there was a strawberry lemon cake edged with papayas. Everyone watched while Sam stuffed a piece of cake into Abby’s mouth, smearing frosting across her cheeks, and Abby grinned like a young bride all over again. The entire afternoon had been a page right out of a fairy tale. An island wedding, a beachfront proposal, the man and the friends she loved most in the world by her side. A sparkling ring not just on Abby’s finger but on Caroline’s own.
Never in a million years, especially after their fight, did Caroline imagine that she would be sitting here, on the tiny slip of a balcony, with her fiancé. Her fiancé! Just the thought of it made her want to shout it to the passengers who raced down below, trying to catch the ship in time for the five o’clock sail away. She watched while one couple trotted along the sidewalk, their arms weighted down with packages. In the eighty-degree heat and humidity, it felt like a mile. Caroline knew. She and Javier had just sprinted it themselves, fueled by pure adrenaline. That and the shouts of passengers already on board, who cheered on any latecomers from the top deck.
“It’s so beautiful here. I’m not sure I can go back,” Caroline said. Regal palm trees dotted the shoreline. On the point of the island, two ancient military forts stood sentinel as the distant sky began to turn a dusty rose. It was a gorgeous evening. After cooling off in the shower, Caroline had changed into a light sundress. Javier wore only a pair of shorts. A bottle of champagne that they’d ordered up for the sail off sat on a table with two glasses between them.
Javier nodded. “I know what you mean. Maybe we could both work remotely? Would that be possible? I’m sure there are plenty of fine island wines. And you could start up your own magazine here.” He poured the champagne, already uncorked, and they watched it fizz up over the edges of their glasses before taking a sip.
“Mmm . . .” Caroline closed her eyes and imagined the possibilities. “Wouldn’t that be nice. A girl can dream, right? I’m sure we’re not the first people to plot their return to the island.”
“No reason not to consider it at least. Maybe in a few years from now,” Javier said. Her eyes flickered open as she smiled. She liked that Javier thought in big arcs of time, that, in his view, things were seldom impossible, just perhaps not immediate. Unlike her, he was patient, accustomed to waiting. Maybe it had to do with his job—a person had to wait years for a good wine to age, after all. But she suspected it had more to do with the manner in which he’d grown up. His childhood, she knew, had been difficult, his mother cleaning hotel rooms to support him and his sister. But then he’d been accepted at Columbia, and, from there, his life had blossomed.
At Glossy, Caroline was accustomed to people doing her bidding. The quick fix, the instant gratification, that’s what fueled the magazine industry. What was hot last month was already old news by the next, and she’d trained her brain to think accordingly. Expect immediate results or else toss the product, the story out. In that way, she and Javier were a good match. Opposites. What was it Abby had said about her marriage to Sam? That they balanced each other out. Caroline wanted that, a counterbalance. At last, it seemed she had it. If only her parents were around to see it, life would be close to perfect.
“So, tell me the truth,” Javier said. He was rubbing the inside arch of her right foot, her arches being where all the tension of the last few days seemed to have settled. “Were you really surprised?”
Caroline threw her head back and closed her eyes, the world spinning for a moment. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so surprised in my entire life,” she said. “Isn’t it strange how I hated you one minute and loved you the next?”
Javier’s eyes widened. “Really? You hated me?”
Caroline shook her head. “Hate’s probably too strong a word. But I was really, really mad at you. I couldn’t believe that you were giving me such a hard time about wanting to get married. You made me feel desperate. I don’t like feeling desperate.”
“You? Desperate? Ha. Never.” He set her right foot down and started in on the left. Caroline moaned in pleasure as his thumbs worked their way along the inner arch. “Exactly the opposite. You’re a challenge. I had to do some of my best acting, pretending that marriage was such a chore. Such drudgery,” he said.
“Well, I’d say you’re Hollywood bound, because I bought your performance one hundred percent.” He leaned over and kissed her, his lips grazing hers. They felt chapped from the sun.
“But that’s exactly how it was supposed to go,” he chided. “Still, it was hard to sleep last night, knowing that you were fuming at me.”
“But you deserved it! Where did you sleep, by the way?�
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He shrugged and set down her foot gently. “The library has some very comfortable couches. But I hope one night of agony was worth it for a day of bliss.”
Caroline cocked her head. “Just one day? I thought I’d signed up for a lifetime.”
“My mistake. Yes, a lifetime of bliss.” Javier grinned at her. “Though I can’t say you get the same accolades for acting.”
“Why? Was it that obvious I wanted a proposal?”
He broke out laughing. “I’m not sure obvious is a strong enough word. Especially considering your behavior at the Swizzle Stick.” Caroline groaned, both not wanting to hear it and hungry for details through his eyes. “You kept glancing at my pockets every few minutes,” Javier continued, amused. “And you kept steering the conversation back to Abby and Sam, as if it would somehow jog my memory that marriage was a topic you were open to.”
“Yeah, I couldn’t figure out why you were being so dense,” she said. He reached out to stroke her cheek with his thumb.
“You are so lovely,” he said quietly. “I can’t believe I’ll get to call you my wife.”
Caroline felt tears prick her eyes. How was it that the man knew exactly what to say at precisely the right moment?
He leaned in toward her, took the flute of champagne from her hands, and set it on the table. “Care to consummate the proposal?”
Caroline laughed. “Oh, really? I thought one only consummates the marriage.”
Javier shook his head. “Different laws in Bermuda.” He checked his watch. “And by my count, we have about fifteen minutes before we’re out of Bermuda territory completely.”
She smiled at him, a girl with nothing better to do.
“In that case, we’d better hurry,” she said.
Lee hung by the railing on the top deck and watched the last cruisers race to catch the boat. She was trying to make sense of the past twenty-four hours that had left her feeling as if she’d been whipped around in a hurricane. Abby and Sam had renewed their vows. Caroline and Javier were engaged. Everyone was in a wonderful mood except for Lee. Because what did she have to celebrate, really? She was still alone, her daughter was limping around on a sprained ankle, and Lacey might have gotten herself pregnant—in college! Lee loved babies as much as the next person, but she wasn’t ready to be a grandmother so soon, not when Lacey still had her entire future ahead of her.
The Summer Sail Page 16