Anna turned the SUV around, parking in front of the office. She poked her head in and waved to Carole, who was typing something into the computer. “I’ve got Kevin situated in his cabin. Any word from the girls?” They were driving together from Miami, where they’d had their bachelorette party, and were probably hung over after a late start.
“They called to say they’d be arriving by five. I told them about our happy hour, and heard a lot of groaning and giggling.” Carole rolled her eyes. “Hope they can drive all right.”
“Me too.”
“How was the airport run?”
“Fine. Light traffic, and Kevin is a lovely man.” Anna went inside to stop letting out the air conditioning. “It’s really something to have a minor celebrity getting married here. Quite a feather in our cap. We have to make sure that absolutely nothing goes wrong.”
“It won’t.” Carole looked up from the keyboard. “I play a little golf myself and often watch Sunday golf on TV. I saw him win that Honda Classic. He’d been a Monday qualifier and surprised everyone, playing the game of his life. It was freaking amazing how he beat out the number one player to win that tournament. Not only was it a really big pay check, but he was the new darling in the golf world.” Her face glowed. “This is so exciting. I’ll make sure the wedding goes without a hitch.”
Anna nodded. “Yes, we want it to be perfect.”
CHAPTER TWO
Nadine Thomas sat in the back of the rented yellow Camaro Cabriolet convertible, hanging onto her large-brimmed sun hat as they crossed one of the many bridges en route to Islamorada. One of the northern Keys, it was stunningly beautiful—the shimmering turquoise sea, palm trees swaying in the breeze, mangroves and pine trees taking up some of the landscape. Fleecy clouds in a blue, blue sky. And three of her best friends—all singing along to the Beach Boys, making up words to the oldies as they went along.
They’d just passed Key Largo, which meant twenty minutes to Paradise Cove. The name alone made her smile.
She was about to marry the man of her dreams and embark on a glitzy new life as Mrs. Michael Williams while her handsome hubby made his name on the golf circuit, and won heaps of money, trophies and fame. Not that she cared about any of that, but he did. Matter-of-fact, it kind of scared her a little. Nadine had been so proud of him when he’d called to say he’d won the tournament—she’d been watching from her hotel room in San Francisco, screaming with excitement and wishing she’d been there. As a flight attendant, her schedule was done a month out. It had been too late to find someone to switch flights with her once they’d realized he was a front runner on the leaderboard. And nobody, including Michael, had expected him to make the cut.
When he’d told her the prize money was more than a million, she’d all but fainted. Squealing with delight she’d offered to quit her job—due to company politics, flying wasn’t fun anymore—and travel with him. Be his caddy, and then they could be together all the time, and save the fees he’d pay someone else to carry his clubs.
The idea had made perfect sense to her but he didn’t seem to think it a good idea. He’d said, “Not yet, baby. You keep that job of yours. It’s insurance in case I never win anything else. Plus you have seniority. Job security is a good thing, especially when I can’t offer that.”
“But I don’t enjoy it anymore,” she’d told him. “Just the other day two men got into a fist-fight over the same seat. The fun trips are over, and everybody is jumpy. You know what it’s like. With terrorist attacks, flying and airports are no longer safe. Besides, I hate being away from you.”
“Me too, but let’s not go crazy here. Let’s see how this year pans out, then we’ll take a look at the idea.” He’d chuckled and made some dumb comment about her wanting to be a lady of leisure now that he’d had his first win.
His comment had not amused her. It had rankled and left her feeling uneasy. They’d even fought about it when she got home. They were living together in her one-bedroom apartment, had been for the past year, but they were both away so much that it didn’t make sense to have two places—especially when he wasn’t making a consistent income.
Baltimore was her home base, but his family lived in Orlando. His dad owned insurance companies and they lived in a gated golf community where Michael had learned to play. During the winter he stayed with his family to practice before tournaments. It made perfect sense, but would it change after they married? Now with a win behind him, he might want to stay there more frequently, and she’d be seeing him even less.
“Why are you so quiet?” Melody asked. Tall and slender, she was a pretty girl with creamy pale skin, long thick auburn hair half way down her back. She was two years younger than Nadine, and a flight attendant too. They’d been in training together seven years ago, and were often on the same flights, purposely bidding their monthly schedules together. “That was an awesome time last night.” Melody’s hair caught the wind from the open car and she grinned. “I love Miami. Sure beats boring old Baltimore.”
“Yeah, it does,” Jordon agreed, tossing them a knowing look from the front seat, passenger side. She was a bridesmaid too, of medium height like Nadine, but curvier, with a new blonde spiky ’do. They had known each other since first day in elementary school, when they’d found themselves seated next to each other and shared colored pencils.
The fourth girl behind the wheel was her BFF, Ashley. They’d lived on the same street growing up and had walked to school, and talked about boys, their high school crushes, their hopes and dreams. It had been Ashley who’d helped her survive the days when her mother had cancer, and through the treatments that made her so sick—and Ashley had cried with her when her mother died just over a year ago—when Michael was traveling and couldn’t be there. Now, Ashley’s brown hair was pulled back in a high swinging pony-tail, and she smacked gum like the teenager she’d been ten years ago, her head bobbing to the music.
Nadine felt nostalgic for a second. She was moving in a new direction, entering a married world where people got together and discussed mortgages, school districts for their children, braces and car pooling. No more day-dreaming with Ashley or sleepovers with cheap wine. They’d always said they’d have a double wedding so they could have kids the same age. But that was youthful imaginations at play, not real life.
Feeling her stomach rumble she removed her sun hat and pressed her palm against her belly. “I think the mixture of margaritas and mojitos is coming back to mock me.”
“Me too,” Jordon said with a grimace. “Probably the lime soured our tummies.” She laughed. “Couldn’t be the alcohol.”
The night before remained mostly a blur. The girls had wanted to hit all the dance clubs in Miami, and Nadine, being a good sport, was dragged to quite a few, though partying like that wasn’t her thing. They’d started the night at The Hangar, an airplane-themed club. It got real loud and noisy, so they hopped over to Elleven, which was way more fun. The double-decker party palace had a rooftop bar and restaurant and was open twenty-four hours so the party never stopped. They danced and drank until they could barely stand up, then had a late night snack of spicy burritos before stumbling back to their hotel.
Her head pounded and she swallowed against a rush of nausea. “How much longer, Ashley?” She closed her eyes. “I need some Advil and a nap before Michael shows up.”
“Shouldn’t be far now,” Ashley glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “You look like crap. Whatever you do, don’t upchuck in the rental.”
“I’m not going to do that,” she said as her stomach heaved. “I hope.”
Ashley, concerned, swerved, then righted the car. “Oops, better keep my eyes on the road. You guys start looking for signs. We just passed the 80 mile marker.”
“It’s on the left,” Nadine said, remembering the directions on the website. “The ocean side.”
“This is a cute place. I’ve seen lots of bars and restaurants to explore.” Melody wore a hopeful expression. “Maybe we should cure our hango
ver with the hair of the dog? What do you think, girls? A Red Eye would go down well.”
“Or a Chavela?” Jordon said. “That’s got tequila in it.” She groaned and gave a shudder. “Oh, no, just the thought of it gives me the heaves.”
“Once we get there, they’re expecting us to come to a happy hour down by the pool. The woman I spoke to on the phone, Carole, says it’s not to be missed. But if I don’t miss it, I’m gonna be even more sorry.” Nadine rubbed the space between her eyes. “How long do hangovers last?” She looked at her friends. “I’m a lightweight compared to you guys. You should be feeling a whole lot worse than me.”
“Not true.” Melody corrected her. “The more you drink the better your tolerance. Your fault you can’t keep up.” She grinned. “Oh, look! That looks like a fun bar, right on the waterfront. Lots of cars. Must be popular.”
Ashley shook her head. “I’m not stopping. We’ll be there in a few minutes and those who want to sleep can sleep, and those who want to drink can drink. Hey, is that it ahead? There’s the flamingo we’re supposed to look for. Sign says ‘Taylor’s Café’.”
“Pull in!” Jordon said. “There’s the road.”
A few minutes later they pulled up before the office. They parked next to a blue Hyundai and clamored out. The four girls headed for the door, but before they reached it, Nadine heard a familiar laugh, and turned to see her father walking with a pretty chestnut-haired woman, laughing over some shared joke.
Her gut twisted. Her mother had just died the year before. They’d been married thirty years. Wasn’t it too soon to be chummy with some other lady? She didn’t want her dad getting any, it just felt wrong.
“Dad!”
He looked up. “Hey, there.” A smile lit his face and he grabbed the hand of the lady he was with. “Come meet my daughter.”
Nadine’s stomach roiled, and before they reached her side she ran over to a flowered bush and tossed her cookies.
“Nadine!” Her dad put his hand on her back. “You okay? You’re not sick, are you?”
She raised her head, wiped her mouth, and met his troubled eyes. He’d suffered by his wife’s bedside for so long, had seen the sickness ravage her, that he must be frightened to see her like this.
She blinked back embarrassed tears. “We partied too hard last night. My fault. Sorry, Dad.”
He took her by the shoulders and kissed the top of her head. The lady he’d been walking with gave her a tissue from her purse, resting her hand on her dad’s arm, giving him a sympathetic look.
Nadine’s reaction was instant dislike. The woman was tiny and trim and attractive, and looked at her father with sparkling dark brown eyes. She didn’t belong with him. Her mother did. But her mother was gone, and her dad was sad. Lonely. Prey for a woman like this.
“Nadine,” he pulled away and smiled at the lady. “This is Anna. She and her daughters own the guest resort. She’s been telling me about the wedding arrangements—I think you’ll be very pleased.”
Nadine swallowed and held out her hand, remembering her manners. “Hi, Anna. It’s nice to meet you. And I’m sorry about your bush.”
“Don’t be, I’m just sorry that you’re not well.” Anna dotted some guck off Nadine’s t-shirt with a tissue. “I have grown up daughters of my own, and it’s not the first time I’ve seen a young woman over-indulge.” She wrinkled her nose. “Or myself.”
The other girls gathered around them. “Ew, poor bush. That was so gross,” Ashley said. She hugged her friend, and turned her gaze on Anna. “I’m the matron of honor. This place looks great.”
They all introduced themselves, and the ice was broken. Anna went into the office and brought back the keys. “No need to check in. You girls will want to freshen up. Your cabins are down near the beach, next to the pool. The name of the cabin is above the number, so it’s easy to find. I put the three of you in one cabin, and gave Nadine her own.”
“Want me to help you get settled in?” her dad asked. “We were just going to Taylor’s to pick up the appetizers for happy hour. It’ll only take fifteen minutes or so.”
“No, Dad. It’s fine. I’m going to crash. Michael will be here in a few hours and I don’t want to greet him like something the cat dug up.”
He laughed. “You’re much too beautiful for that.” He tucked a lock of her long blonde hair behind her ear. “But you do look tired.”
“I can help carry stuff,” Melody offered. “I’m not sleepy, and happy hour sounds good.”
“We’re having chicken quesadillas and mahi mahi tacos.” Anna put her hand around Melody’s waist and Nadine realized that the woman was a hugger. “Your help in carrying things down will be appreciated. Oh, and I made two pitchers of margaritas, either lime or strawberry.”
Jordan suddenly turned a putrid shade of green and put a hand over her mouth. “Margaritas?” She lurched to the bush, and threw up.
“Oh, my!” Anna bit back a laugh and stepped toward the office door. “I’ll have Miguel get the hose. Juanita can bring you girls something to settle your stomach. Maybe chicken soup? Saltine crackers?”
Nadine nodded. “Thank you.”
Anna gave her a gentle hug. “We’ll get you good as new then you can meet your man looking and feeling your best.” Her smile was warm. “You’re in good hands with us. We want your wedding to be perfect. If there’s anything you need or want, just ask.”
Nadine allowed the hug and felt bad for her thoughts—but didn’t change them. Wouldn’t matter if Anna was the nicest woman in the world, she still didn’t want her daddy to like her.
* * *
Nadine woke up from her nap and checked the time on her iPhone—almost six! She’d slept two hours and felt much better for it. Laughter and music drifted in, and she assumed it came from the pool. Obviously happy hour was still happy.
She lifted the light bedcover, wearing a tank top and undies, padded over to the window to look out. The sun hadn’t set, and she could see the beach from the back door. Opening the door she stood outside to breathe in the scent of the air and take in the perfect view. The sand was white, and looked soft to the feet. Palm trees were lit with tiny fairy lights and the fronds swayed in the breeze. Tiki torches lined the pathway to the beach and were strategically placed throughout the trees. The sea water was clear and the most beautiful color she’d ever seen. Certainly not like the Atlantic.
She couldn’t have picked a better place for an intimate wedding. Michael hadn’t fought her on this, preferring the fact it was out-of-the-way and wouldn’t attract media attention or celebrity seekers. It had been three months since his one and only win, but he was still getting plenty of airtime, and Nadine didn’t want to share this special moment with strangers.
The small deck had two Adirondack chairs, a round bistro table in the middle, and a large bamboo fan overhead. Potted hibiscus plants lined the ledge of the railing in pink, purple, and yellow. The sound of the ocean breaking on the shore was soothing, and the scent of the salty air mingled with the flowers. She looked forward to having her morning coffee with Michael out on the deck and watching the moon at night. They had so much to talk about, and she still hoped to convince him to let her quit her job and caddy. But that could wait—she didn’t want to argue before they said I do. It was probably the stress of the wedding, and the fact that now he’d won a title he was expected to perform—but whatever the reason they’d been arguing a lot lately.
She pushed those thoughts aside. They had four nights and three full days to relax and enjoy themselves here before the ceremony, and then the two of them would fly to Costa Rica for a week. They were staying next to a pristine white beach, and the resort had a golf course for Michael to practice. She could play a little, but he preferred his practices alone. Well, she would see about that! It was their honeymoon and she had a golf set showing up the day they arrived, and her golf clothes packed in her luggage.
Going back inside, she noted the fruit and cheese tray on the table, along with
a bottle of champagne chilling on ice. The interior was sparsely furnished, but had all the comforts of home. A wooden kitchen table. Four chairs with yellow cushions. A rattan sofa and lounge chair in a palm leaf print took up the living area, with a square rattan coffee and end tables, a decent size TV. A four-foot ficus plant was in the corner, and Key West artwork covered the cream-colored walls.
She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and drank it down, then showered. Feeling refreshed and more like herself, she stepped out of the steamy stall, creamed her skin with a subtle sandalwood lotion that was part of the toiletry package, and then went into the bedroom to dress. She chose a flowered blue dress and strappy sandals, then did a twisty thing with her hair, clipping it high on her head, allowing a few strands to fall free. With the heat and humidity it beat having her long thick hair resting on her shoulders. She redid her makeup, and added big dangling gold earrings and pink lipstick. As she got ready her excitement grew—she’d missed him over the last week.
Nadine admired the simplicity of the one carat diamond and gold band that looked so pretty on her finger. Smiling, she picked up her key and dropped it into a pastel clutch and turned on two table lamps. She was ready to greet her soon-to-be husband and entice him back for a glass of champagne.
She followed the noise that led to the pool—was that Michael’s laugh? Why hadn’t he knocked on her door? A little hurt tugged at her, but she pushed it away. She was not going to be moody and demanding. Of course he would be happy to see her. He was probably being thoughtful and kind, believing it best to let her sleep after the partying last night.
But still. She would have welcomed him in her bed, and after their lovemaking they could both have fallen asleep, she in his arms.
His back was to her, and he was drinking a beer and talking with her friends. His friends from home—whom she’d met a time or two—were tossing a beach ball back and forth in the pool like they were throwing a football for the winning catch. She tried to remember their names. One was Chad and the other was Rob, but she didn’t know which was which. They’d all attended Rollins college together on sports scholarships, and had a snooty attitude that she didn’t like.
Right Man/ Wrong Groom: Paradise Cove Series - Destination Wedding Book 1 Page 2