by Regina Cole
“I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I’m willing to give it a shot. I was heading to the coffee shop for a bite. Want to join me?”
Stacey nodded and the pair fell into step together.
Eliza shot her companion a quick look out of the corner of her eye. Stacey was really breathing hard. Eliza could sympathize. She wasn’t exactly in the peak of physical fitness herself, but it looked like Stacey was really struggling. It couldn’t be easy to be related to someone as effortlessly beautiful as Bree, especially when you struggled with weight.
“So,” Stacey said once she’d regained some of her breath, “the help thing. I know Bree had a little bachelorette party back home before she left, but Gregory’s having a bachelor party tonight. So I was wondering if you’d mind helping me put together a small last-minute thing. I thought it’d be nice to go out so she doesn’t have to worry about what the guys are up to.”
The thought of Chandler going out with the rest of Gregory’s friends and getting a lap dance sent a lick of jealousy up Eliza’s spine. Ugh, seriously? You just met the guy. One-night stand, remember? If he wants to go do a stripper, that’s really none of your business.
“Sure,” Eliza said with a brightness she didn’t really feel. “What did you have in mind?”
“I wanted to pick your brain about that.”
They’d arrived at the coffee shop, so Eliza held the door and then followed Stacey in. A blast of air-conditioning made her shiver beneath her cardigan.
“Hey, let me get yours. You’re doing me a favor, after all.”
“That’s really nice of you,” Eliza said, arching her brows at Stacey. “Are you sure?”
Stacey nodded, setting her strawberry-blond hair to swinging. “Absolutely.”
They placed their order at the counter and Stacey paid. Making up her mind to buy Stacey a drink at the bachelorette party made Eliza feel less guilty as she accepted her hazelnut latte and blueberry muffin from the barista. Stacey’s sugar-free iced mocha took a minute longer to make, and then the two of them made their way through the maze of armchairs and tables to a small booth in the corner. The rest of the shop seemed to be occupied by resort staff and the occasional unfamiliar tourist, no one else from the wedding party in sight.
“So,” Stacey said, using her straw to stir her coffee, “how’d last night go? That guy was really nice.”
Heat climbed into Eliza’s cheeks and she hurriedly stuffed a chunk of muffin in her mouth to give her a chance to compose a coherent thought. Chandler. Good Lord, they’d fucked like teenagers in that cabana. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more. What would Chandler’s reaction be if she asked him to tie her up and spank her? Stars exploded behind her eyes, and her sharp gasp sent a chunk of muffin straight down her windpipe.
Coughing and hacking, tears streaming down her face, Eliza finally managed to dislodge the blueberry death trap from her lungs. Stacey helpfully reached over and thwacked Eliza between the shoulder blades.
A gulp of steaming-hot latte soothed her raw throat.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize you’d commit muffin hara-kiri if I asked about him.” Stacey’s concern was tinged with mirth.
“It’s okay,” Eliza said, her voice strained. “It went well. Too well, actually. That’s not something I typically do.”
Stacey nodded sagely. “I understand. But hey, if I’d had the chance I’d ride him like a cowgirl. He’s hot. You should definitely hang on to him.”
Hang on to him? Like, after the wedding was over? After this little vacation was done and she was back in her tiny hometown and people constantly snickered behind their hands about her? The thought was, strangely, not as dismaying as she’d thought.
But it was impossible. He’d become interested in the person she was pretending to be on this trip. The allure wouldn’t last once the plane touched down in Ohio. Once he met the real her, the one who was plagued with doubts and fears and a crippling lack of confidence, he’d turn tail and run back to North Carolina. Eliza shook her head.
“That wouldn’t work. But anyhow, this bachelorette party. Why don’t we check out the different clubs in the area? You know how Bree loves to dance . . .”
Stacey seemed willing enough to drop the subject, and the rest of their breakfast was spent planning the evening’s activities. Which was perfectly fine with Eliza.
She had to stop thinking of Chandler as anything more than a vacation fling. She had a feeling, if she didn’t, she might be in danger of pursuing the idea Stacey had inadvertently placed in her head.
She and Chandler as a couple? Please. So not happening.
8
Once Eliza had managed to shove the thoughts of a future with Chandler to a dusty, cobweb-infested corner of her mind, breakfast with Stacey was actually kind of fun. They had a lot in common, and once they’d decided on fancy pedicures and then dinner, with a swanky club afterward, they spent the rest of the time chatting.
“I don’t think I could stand living in such a small town,” Stacey said, taking a swig from the bottle of water she’d procured once her mocha ran dry. “I’m a city girl all the way. Give me concrete or give me death.”
Eliza laughed. “It’s not so bad! Appledale is actually kind of pretty. And the people are . . .” She trailed off, glancing away. She’d been about to say “nice,” but that was a lie. They weren’t nice. They were judgmental, gossipy, and she really didn’t want to be associated with them anymore. But that was way more information than Stacey needed.
“Small towns aren’t so bad.”
Stacey wrinkled her nose, distorting the pale wrinkles found there. “I’ll take your word for it. And you’ll just have to come see me in Atlanta. Then I can show you the wonders of city life.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Eliza agreed warmly.
“I’d better get going,” Stacey said, scooting to the edge of the booth. “I promised Bree I’d help her finalize the menu for the reception at eleven.”
“Gosh, is it that late already?” Eliza glanced at her watch. Damn. She’d enjoyed the chat so much, hours had gone by without her notice.
“Yeah. Hey, do you want to come with? I mean, if you don’t have any other plans.”
“Sure,” Eliza said, a smile breaking out across her face. Wow, she was easy if that was all it took to make her happy.
Together they left the coffee shop, skirting a jumble of kids who were descending on the counter and clamoring for ice cream.
“Just in the nick of time,” Stacey said, glancing back at the swarm of preteens. “I’ve done enough babysitting in my life.”
“You don’t like kids?”
Stacey sighed, kicking at a small piece of gravel on the sidewalk. “It’s not that I don’t like them. It’s just, well, kids can be really cruel.”
Eliza nodded. “People in general can be cruel about a lot of things. I get it.”
The sun was beaming down now, and the day was pleasantly warm. Eliza tilted her face to the sun as they walked. Back home things were turning cold, so this little dose of warmth was amazing. Did she really have to go back in six days? She didn’t want to think about it.
“Here we go,” Stacey said, holding open the door to the main building. “The catering department is located in here.”
The lobby was more crowded than it had been when Eliza had seen it yesterday, and she and Stacey had to maneuver their way past a crowd of suitcase-bearing travelers. Probably checking out, Eliza mused. The reminder that this was only a temporary vacation wasn’t a welcome one. Ugh, she had to stop being so damn depressed. Shaking off the mental blues, Eliza pasted on a smile and passed the door to the catering department that Stacey held open for her.
“Ooh, good, you brought Liza!” Bree stood and clapped her hands gleefully. “Oh, this is good. My best girls together to help me out.”
Eliza accepted the hug that Bree gave her, and then Stacey did likewise. They sat at a long, white tablecloth–covered table, Bree in the middle and her attendan
ts on either side.
“This is swanky,” Stacey said, tracing the silver edge of the china place setting in front of her. “I love the silver with the blue.”
Bree nodded happily. “Yeah, the colors are going to look amazing together. I was really glad this resort had an opening on such short notice. It’s been one of my favorite places to visit in Hawaii for forever, it seems like.”
The catering director entered then, and the next half hour was filled with tasting the dishes that Bree and Gregory had chosen for the reception. Everything was delicious, fresh and simple, flavors that evoked both the fall season and the tropical surroundings. It was just a formality, as the catering staff had already begun prep work for the menu, but Eliza thought it was nice of the staff to give the bride a preview anyway. Once the tasting was completed, and Bree thanked the catering director, the three walked from the catering office arm-in-arm.
“Oh gosh, I’m so stuffed,” Bree said, sticking out her tongue. “If I keep eating like that I’ll never fit into my dress.”
“Oh, shut up,” Stacey said, poking her cousin in the side. “I so much look at a Kit Kat and I gain three pounds. You could eat a six-course dinner and still look amazing.”
“I love the compliments, but I wish you’d stop putting yourself down to give them.”
Stacey didn’t look abashed at Bree’s chide.
“Easy, ladies, no sniping, or you’ll ruin the fun tonight,” Eliza said.
“Fun?” Bree’s brows winged high as Stacey groaned.
“Now the cat’s out of the bag.”
“What cat? Oh gosh, was it a secret?” Eliza clapped a hand over her mouth. Crap, why couldn’t she keep her trap shut?
“What’s a secret? What are you planning?”
Stacey just shook her head and pulled her arm free to open the lobby doors. “Nope, you’re not getting another word out of us. Just be ready to leave at five this afternoon. Ooh, and wear flip-flops, okay?”
“O-okay.” Bree looked suspicious, but Stacey just waved her off.
“I’ve got some stuff to take care of now, but I’ll see you in front of the elevators on the ground floor at five.” Stacey blew a kiss in their direction and walked toward the main tower.
“I’m glad to see you and Stace hit it off,” Bree said, smiling in Eliza’s direction. “I thought you might.”
“She’s really nice.” Eliza nodded. “You’ve got good taste in family.”
Bree just snorted.
A sudden thought popped into Eliza’s brain. That scene with Gregory earlier. Gosh, should she bring it up now? She didn’t really want to worry Bree, but she needed to find out why Gregory would be so cold toward her when she’d never met him before. The only explanation was that he knew something about the ugliness back home. But how could Eliza ask Bree about it without coming off as an accusatory bitch?
“Is something bothering you?”
Damn Bree’s Spidey senses.
“I ran into Gregory this morning on the elevator, and it was kind of weird,” Eliza admitted in a rush. She told Bree the story, not bothering to cover up the fact that she’d spent the night with Chandler, a fact that made Bree squeal like a teenage girl. But when she got to the part about Gregory’s warning, a thundercloud-dark look crossed Bree’s face.
“That was a jerk move of Greg,” Bree said, crossing her arms over her middle before flopping down into a patio chair. They’d stopped at a small circle of tables that was probably used as overflow seating for the nearby restaurant. Eliza sank into the chair opposite Bree as her friend continued. “I’m really sorry that he was so impolite.”
“It’s not that,” Eliza protested, tucking her hair behind her ear. “It just made me worry that he thought bad things about me. I mean, you’re my friend. I want your new husband to like me. It’s going to be weird if we can’t get along. Do you know why he’d be that way?”
Bree sighed, tugging at the hem of her shorts over her tanned legs. “Not for sure, no. But I do know that he and Chandler are really close. Gregory saved his life once. I think he’s just protective of him.”
“But why does he think I’m going to be bad for Chandler? I mean, he doesn’t know anything about me, really. Does he?”
Bree shook her head vehemently. “No way! I’ve never told him a word about the whole shit with Tyler. I would never do that to you.”
“I know you wouldn’t.” And she did. The fact that she’d doubted Bree for a minute made her feel like shit. Eliza pursed her lips and blew. “I’m sorry. I just don’t know where that came from. It made me feel like I was back at home, surrounded by all that ugliness.”
“I know. And I’m sorry.”
Bree rounded the table and enveloped Eliza in a big hug.
“I’ll talk to him, okay? He’ll apologize.”
“No, that’s okay. I just—No. It’s fine. I kind of want to forget it.”
Bree frowned, but nodded. “Up to you.”
“I should let you get back to Greg. Didn’t you say you were meeting with the photographer this afternoon?”
“Oh gosh! You’re right. I’ll catch you tonight, though, okay?”
“Deal.” Eliza smiled and waved at Bree’s departing back.
Ugh. Well, that had gotten her no closer to an answer. Eliza looked around. A lush park was spread out to her right, with a sign that announced a nature trail.
There. She’d take a walk, check out the scenery, and clear her brain for a while. A kind of reset. And when her walk was over, she’d go back to her room, take a nap, and get ready to party her ass off with the rest of the girls tonight.
There was still plenty of time to enjoy this trip. And one weird occurrence wasn’t going to stop her.
Gregory had invited Chandler to a round of golf, but he’d declined. It wasn’t really his favorite sport anyway, though normally he’d have gone along for the ride. But things were still odd between them because of Greg’s insistence that Eliza was no good for Chandler.
It was too weird. There wasn’t any clear indication where Gregory had gotten his information, but Chandler assumed it was Sabrina. She and Eliza were friends, so there might be a connection. Chandler sighed as he punched the Down button on the elevator. He’d spent a little while reading in his room, but the urge to get out and move around had chased him from the solitude. He’d put his flip-flops on, intending to walk along the surf.
Besides, he couldn’t accidentally run into Eliza by hiding in his room.
“Afternoon,” he said with a nod as he entered the elevator. Leonard and his female companion were already inside.
“Hello there. You disappeared much too early last night.” The woman winked at Chandler. “I had planned to ask you to dance.”
“I guess I’ll have to make up for that at the reception,” Chandler said with a polite smile.
“If you dance with Gladys you might be taking your life in your hands. She’s got two left feet.”
“Leonard!” Gladys accompanied this exclamation with a thwack to Leonard’s shoulder. He winced good-naturedly. “Don’t listen to this old windbag. I’m a terrific dancer.”
“I’m sure,” Chandler said, relieved as the elevator doors whooshed open. “Excuse me.”
He walked through the lobby and turned right toward the beach. But a moment later a gale of laughter turned his head. Leonard and Gladys seemed to be following him.
Great. As nice as the old couple was, he didn’t want to spend his afternoon flirting with Gladys and defending Leonard.
But if he didn’t walk along the beach, where else should he go?
He thought back to that morning with Gregory. There was that running trail, but flip-flops weren’t exactly the best gear to run in. Going back up to change shoes seemed like a waste of beautiful daylight. But he had looked out the window of the restaurant that morning. Wasn’t there a nature trail past the outdoor seating area? It was a nice day; maybe he should kill some time walking through the woods.
His min
d made up, he turned left at the fork. To his relief, the pair of septuagenarians turned toward the beach.
With his tail finally lost, Chandler began to enjoy the solitude. It really was a beautiful piece of earth. He lived near the beach, but for some reason the water here was completely different from the blue-gray of the Atlantic Coast. It was almost too bright, too sunshiny. A wry smile crossed Chandler’s face. Trust him to be on vacation on one of the most beautiful islands on earth and all he could think about was the blustery Outer Banks.
He had to get out of his own head. And the best way to do that was to look around and enjoy the present.
The trailhead wasn’t far from the restaurant, and gravel crunched underneath his sandals as he crossed to the sign announcing the trail. He felt good, actually, energized and ready to move. Even though he hadn’t slept much the night before, it seemed that the nocturnal activity had rejuvenated him.
He gave a wry grin. If only he could see her again, maybe some of the confusion tumbling through his brain would be cleared up. It was worth a shot, anyway.
The vegetation around him was much too cultivated to call what he was on a true nature trail, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. Thick-trunked trees lined the path, smaller bushes and vibrant flowers nestling at their bases. A squirrel chittered at him from a lower branch, and Chandler waved. Cute little bastard.
A voice from ahead stopped him dead in his tracks. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled in awareness.
Hey, chill out. There’s no reason to think that you’d be alone on this trail.
But despite his brain’s logical argument, he still couldn’t shake the feeling that dogged him. So he walked closer to the source of the sound, being careful to stay quiet.
The trail rounded toward the beach ahead. That made sense. Hau’oli Resort was on a sort of peninsula, surrounded on three sides by coastline. The trail could only go so far before bending back on itself or running into the ocean.
As he neared the bend, he recognized the voice. Female. He’d heard it before, in fact, last night as she’d called out his name.