by Tracy March
“Only a little?” Paige teased, relieved everything was settled.
Marielle glanced at their clutched hands. “You can certainly stay together if that’s what you prefer.”
Dammit. Paige pressed her lips together. The awkwardness had returned with a vengeance, and she was trying to keep as straight a face as possible. What if she said yes and he said no, or the other way around? She wasn’t even sure which way she wanted this thing to go. Certainly staying with him would give them more opportunities for sexy moments like their kiss—and more. Their time together was limited, so why not make the best of it?
But it wasn’t as if she wanted to spend every moment with him, and it wasn’t just the two of them she had to consider. This was Liza and Cole’s wedding celebration. Lane’s parents were going to show up, if they hadn’t already. Regardless of what was or wasn’t going on between her and Lane, she wanted to make a good impression on them. Plus, the Sutherlands would be here. Paige wasn’t sure if Sylvia would be pleased or freaked out about the success of her matchmaking operation if she found her and Lane already shacked up in St. Lucia. She was all for making free-spirited choices, but logic had to rule this one.
She lifted one shoulder. “I don’t think so,” she said at the exact moment Lane shook his head and said, “Two rooms…”
Heat crept up Paige’s neck and into her cheeks. He’d made the right choice too, but just for flattery alone, she wished he had voted for them to stay together. His reserved sanctuary might be crimson, but it couldn’t be nearly as red as her face.
…
Lane was thankful none of his friends had been around to see him wimp out on staying in the same room with Paige, but that was more togetherness than he was ready to commit to right now. Obviously she felt the same way. So where did that leave them other than reeling from their super-hot kiss and wondering what was next? He wouldn’t find out anytime soon because another pleasant bellman had just led Paige from the lobby, and Lane was left hanging out with Gerard.
“May I escort you to your sanctuary, sir?” he asked.
“Sure.” Lane had been on plenty of upscale vacations with his family when he’d been growing up, and before medical school had demanded all his time. But they’d never visited a place like this. He was amazed at how the luxurious, open-air design felt so connected to the environment.
Gerard led him to his sanctuary across one of several long, suspended bridges supported by rugged stone columns that reached toward the electric-blue sky. “Each bridge leads toward the Caribbean Sea and one of our twenty sanctuaries, so this is your private bridge.” A light breeze blew, carrying the heady scent of tropical flowers.
Sweet.
He was a long way from Austin here.
They approached a huge slab of carved tropical hardwood that served as a door. Gerard opened it and gestured for Lane to enter. They stepped inside the sanctuary where the fourth wall was open to the heart-stopping view. An infinity pool stretched in front of him, luminescent with shimmering water and crimson glass tiles, appearing to pour directly into the sea. Beyond, the Pitons rose majestically out of the water.
“Amazing, yes?” Gerard asked.
“For sure.” Lane tore his gaze away from the view and checked out the sanctuary. Fifteen-foot ceilings, designer furniture with a quality island vibe, and a canopied king-size bed hung with gauzy mosquito netting. He imagined Paige in her bikini, waiting for him in the pool, or in even less, lounging on the crisp linens on the bed. But would she be willing? There was no question she’d been into their kiss, but how she really felt about it afterward was a mystery. She’d decided to stay in her own sanctuary, so that was an obvious clue. But then again, so had he.
Gerard gave him a mini-tour around the sanctuary, pointing out even more of the decadent amenities and an incredible bathroom, but Lane couldn’t focus. All he could think about was Paige. His imagination had them in all sorts of compromising positions, but how would that work in reality? He’d never had a quickie relationship, so he wasn’t sure how things were supposed to go—or if it would work at all.
Gerard took a platter of colorful fresh fruit from the refrigerator and placed it on a low table between two chairs situated by the edge of the pool. “Please let us know how we can be of service to you during your stay.”
Lane dug in his pockets and pulled out some cash. “Thanks, man.” He handed the tip to Gerard, who flashed him a blinding-white smile.
“My pleasure, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you at the moment?”
Lane skimmed his gaze over the glistening infinity pool, across the room to the inviting bed, the mosquito net lightly wafting in the breeze. Just in case… “You can tell me which bridge leads to the cerulean sanctuary.”
Chapter Twelve
Paige hadn’t even wasted a moment unpacking. The bellman had left the gorgeous tropical fruit plate on the table—What the heck were some of those fruits, anyway?—and she’d latched the door behind him. She immediately stripped down to nothing, plucked a succulent piece of mango from the fruit plate, and sank her naked self into the gargantuan infinity pool that was all hers.
The brilliant blue tiles picked up one of the countless hues from the sea and immediately calmed her. Lane would probably freak if he found out she believed that color affected people’s minds and bodies, but she’d bet what little money she had that it was true. Evidently someone had convinced Fairleigh Hawthorne, because the bellman had told Paige she could enjoy individually programmed chromatherapy in the whirlpool tubs in the sinfully indulgent bathroom. That gave the idea some cred and had Paige imagining a positive-emotion-inducing, disco-ball-style underwater light show later that evening.
She loved swimming nude, feeling so free and natural in the water, as if she were an organic part of the serene environment. The view of the Pitons drew her to the edge of the incredibly large pool, which was as many square feet as Sweet Bee’s—maybe even larger. The same went for the room. Liza had totally hooked her up, and Paige couldn’t imagine she’d ever be able to afford staying in a place like this again. Liza had totally hooked her up with Lane, too, but she wasn’t ready to make a judgment call on how that was going just yet.
Blue equals calm. She didn’t want to get worked up about him right now, but picturing him here in the pool with her—in the buff, all trim and muscled and masculine—really challenged blue to come through with the calm. Paige was feeling more crimson at the moment, which was known to energize and activate blood flow. She wondered if any blood flow activation was going on when Lane thought about their kiss.
The sun had begun to sink lower in the sky, and she imagined this might be the most beautiful Thursday evening she’d ever seen. Her few days and nights in paradise would pass by quickly, and she looked forward to every second. Tonight, everyone arrived. Tomorrow there’d be last-minute wedding plans, spa treatments with Liza and Sylvia, and a moonlight lobster and champagne cruise instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner. She was all for bucking tradition, so that worked fine for her.
Oh, and there was the minor detail of meeting Lane’s parents. She got along fine with his uncle—his mother’s brother—so why wouldn’t the Andersons like her, too? It wasn’t as if she was sharing a sanctuary with their son or anything. Even so, she hated meeting the parents of guys she, um, had a crush on, and she hated that she was so worried about this one. What difference would it make if they liked her or not? The joke was on her if she thought something could ever develop between her and Lane. They were clearly from two different worlds. As if that wasn’t enough, she was staying in Maple Creek, and he was going…wherever.
She could probably come up with fifty-six more reasons, but she needed to focus on the wedding, which would be Saturday, and Sunday she and Lane would head back to Maple Creek where real life would resume. He would still be a pain in the ass about the “administrative processes” in Dr. Hartley’s practice and Lane’s temporary patients’ “continuum of care.” She’d bake the
proper pastries for them anyway, even as their numbers dwindled, and dirty up aprons and do laundry. She’d have dinner with her dad on Mondays and Thursdays, and visit Liza and Cole every couple of weeks. Lane would leave to open a practice in a real city, and she’d be rooted in Maple Creek. It’d be best to protect her heart and not let herself get too hooked up with Lane. His patients weren’t the only ones who were temporary.
She took a deep breath of the pure Caribbean air. With a fleeting glimpse of the ridiculously gorgeous view, she sank beneath the water and allowed it to envelop her. She always did better when she didn’t think about her future, and if a happily ever after could ever happen in Maple Creek. There was no way she could leave her dad alone there, even though she’d be gone in a second if he would go with her. But he’d been in Maple Creek his entire life, just as Paige had been for most of hers. Both of their—admittedly struggling—businesses were there. They were staying. Her dad had been there for her forever. It was the only home he knew, so the least she could do was stay near him now that her mom was gone.
She emerged from the water to the sound of a sharp knock on the giant-sized door. Lane? Her stomach fluttered. She got out of the pool, squeezed the water from her hair, grabbed one of the plush, rolled-up towels from a nearby table, and dried off quickly.
“Coming.” Paige wrapped the towel around her like a strapless dress and tucked the end securely in the front. She scurried to the door and opened it. Liza stood there with a supersize smile on her face and a zipped-up, white dress bag dangling from a hanger looped around her fingers. A vivid orange ribbon was tied at the neck of the hanger.
Ugh…
“Hello, maid of honor,” Liza said, sounding nearly giddy. And why not? She was getting ready to marry a professional baseball player—one of the nicest and hottest guys ever—in paradise. Her life was better than any story in a dusty fairy-tale book, and she deserved every blissfully happy moment of it.
“Hello, bride.” Paige hugged her tightly, tugged her inside, and latched the door. “Look at this place! You totally hooked me up! Did you have any idea how sick this resort was going to be? The pool is awesome.”
Liza shook her head, yet her smile seemed permanently stuck on her face. “I knew it was an amazing place, but I never imagined it would be so…sick.” She winked.
Paige grinned, always counting it as a victory when semi-serious Liza used slang. She was just a smidge too proper for it, and that made it even more fun whenever it happened.
“Seriously,” Paige said. “I can’t imagine what your and Cole’s room looks like if mine is this off the chain.”
“It’s not too much different. We’re a little higher up the mountain, and our place is peridot.”
“Oooh, I bet the green is gorgeous. Cole wouldn’t go for coral?”
Liza scrunched her face, still managing to look beautiful. “He figured he’d be exposed to enough orange this weekend.” She draped the dress bag across the bed.
Paige stifled a groan. “Seems like Lane and I lucked into Cole’s red and blue. Tell him at least the Nationals colors are being represented—even if it’s behind closed doors.”
Liza raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows. “And how is the sexy doctor? Have you guys kissed and made up?”
Paige recalled hearing nearly those exact words from Lane before their sexy lip-lock session in the Pool of Love. She shrugged but couldn’t help grinning whens when she thought about kissing Lane.
“You did!” Liza practically squealed. “When? Here?”
Paige plucked a piece of fresh pineapple from the fruit plate, popped it into her mouth, and chewed slowly.
Liza narrowed her eyes. “I hate it when you do that.”
“What?” Paige murmured through a juicy mouthful.
“Make me wait when I want to know what happened now.” She perched on the polished tropical-wood rim around the raised infinity pool and crossed her arms.
Paige sank into a nearby chaise, propped up her feet, and told Liza every detail of the story, from the airport to the champagne toast in the lobby.
“So when your bikini top came untied, do you really think everything didn’t show?” Liza asked. “Because I probably would’ve died if that happened when I was first getting to know Cole.”
“Cole would’ve liked it, though.”
Liza rolled her eyes. “What guy wouldn’t?”
“I think Lane was straight-up when he said he didn’t see anything too private.”
Liza giggled. “No doubt he was straight-up while he was looking at your boobs.”
“I hope so. If he wasn’t, then we’ve got more of a problem than some stupid administrative process.”
“I’m excited it’s working out.” Liza dipped her hand into the pool and swished it in the water.
“Whoa, there, Cinderella.”
“What?”
“Nothing’s worked out yet. And if it does, it’s only a fling. I seriously doubt I’m the kind of girl he has in mind for more than that.”
“What do you mean? You’d be perfect for him. My mom and I both think so. Dad does, too.”
Paige groaned. “Your dad even knows you’re trying to set us up? How freakin’ embarrassing. And it’s only gonna get worse when I meet his parents and they see…”
“See what?”
Could Liza really be that naive? They’d been best friends since third grade, but it had always been obvious that Paige and her family weren’t anywhere in the vicinity of the Sutherlands’ social stratosphere. Regardless, they’d never treated her any differently. Quite the opposite, really. They’d treated her as if she were their own, even offering financial assistance when Paige’s mother had needed health care that she and her parents couldn’t afford. The Ellerbees had declined, but Paige was certain they’d anonymously paid the hospice bill.
Paige’s chest tightened. “That I’m just a girl who runs a bakery on a sometimes-borrowed budget. My dad’s a barber. No doubt Lane’s parents have their sights set higher for him.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. As usual, you’re cutting yourself short. The Andersons would be crazy not to approve of Lane falling for a girl as genuine and awesome as you.”
Paige’s heart swelled. “Thanks.”
Liza stood and pinched Paige’s big toe. “C’mon and try on your dress.”
Paige was thankful Liza knew well enough that serious conversations like this weren’t her thing—unless she was the one dishing out advice. Only this time, she might rather continue the talking than lay eyes on the hideous orange dress she’d have to wear on Saturday. They walked over to the bed where Liza picked up the ribbon-topped dress bag and proudly presented it to Paige. “To the best maid of honor ever.”
All this mushy stuff was starting to get to Paige. The stunning atmosphere, the hyped-up emotions, and the introspection a meaningful life event can cause. Her best friend was getting married. She couldn’t help but get all teary-eyed again. Holding the bag to the side, she hugged Liza tightly. “I’m so happy to see you happy. You deserve it more than anyone I know.” She pulled away just as a tear trickled down Liza’s cheek.
“We’re a hot mess.” Liza sniffled and tipped her head toward the dress bag. “Go ahead and have a look. I’ve got a seamstress on call if it needs alterations.”
Great…
Paige held the hanger and slowly unzipped the bag, prepared for the assault on her senses and for the fake fawning she’d have to do because, well, best friends pretended to like the ugly dresses they had to wear in each other’s weddings. The zipper parted, revealing the same style of dress Liza had ordered, but it wasn’t the least bit orange. It was a beautiful lapis blue. Paige’s heart nearly burst with joy, but she tried not to let it show. “Oh, no,” she said with what she hoped sounded like disappointment. “They sent the wrong color.”
Liza’s green eyes widened. “You were really hoping for orange?”
Now Paige was totally confused. “Weren’t you?”
Li
za busted out laughing. “Not for a second. I can’t believe you thought I’d make you wear an orange bridesmaid dress.”
Paige nearly fainted with relief. “So orange and black aren’t the theme colors of the wedding? Because I was getting ready to dye an orange stripe in my hair tonight.”
“You were not.”
“You’re right. I wasn’t.” Paige grinned.
“But your pink stripe is gone. You’ve had that for years.”
“I got rid of it so it wouldn’t clash with orange.”
“Aw, you did that for me?” Liza asked.
“No. I did it for me. Pink and orange only worked for Dr. Seuss.”
“I loved Dr. Seuss.”
“Me, too. But I didn’t think you’d want me channeling him at your wedding.” Paige took the dress out of the bag and admired it. “So this blue is the real color?”
“Yep.”
“You had me so worried—”
Someone rapped sharply on the door.
Liza looked curiously at Paige, a glimmer in her eyes. “Expecting someone?”
“Sure,” Paige teased. “That’s why I’m naked under this towel.”
“Nuh-uh.”
“Do I have to flash you to prove it?”
“I figured you had on a strapless bikini or something.”
“Nope.” Paige gestured toward the clothes she was wearing earlier, now draped over the back of a nearby chair. “I was enjoying some sanctuary-style skinny-dipping. That pool was begging me to jump in. No need to take time to unpack.”
Liza shrugged as if she shouldn’t have been surprised by anything Paige did.
“Can you answer the door while I get decent?” Paige grabbed her clothes and quickly ducked into the bathroom as Liza’s sandals clicked on the hardwood floors, the sound fading the closer she got to the door. By the time Paige heard it open, she had on most of her clothes.
“Hey, Lane.” Liza’s voice carried through the bathroom’s jalousie windows that were adjacent to the door. “Bummer, sweetie. You missed it. She already saw the dress.”