Loving Eden

by T. A. Foster

  “Is your knee ok?” I had forgotten to take it easy on him once our clothes came off.

  He laughed. “After that, you’re worried about my knee?” His hand lingered on my hipbone. He traced over the silhouette of my curves.

  “I am. I don’t want you to get hurt again. You only got that brace off yesterday.”

  “I thought you’d be more worried about the couch.” He leaned forward to kiss me.

  “I do love the couch, by the way.”

  He grinned. “Good. I think I kind of love it too.”

  “Oh shit!” I jumped up, reading the clock on the microwave.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Rehearsal dinner! We are supposed to be there now.” I scooted out from underneath him.

  He rolled on his back, his naked frame filling up the entire sofa. “I told you we could be a little late.”

  “But I need to take a shower. And look at my hair. I need to iron my dress. And—” I stopped. Grey was watching me panic. I walked toward the couch and lowered to the floor so we were eye to eye. “Thank you.” I kissed him so deeply, I felt the butterflies stirring in my stomach again, and warmth take over my limbs. It was soothing and sexy all at the same time.

  “Thank you?” He sat forward.

  “Yes. We needed that more than anything else. Now get dressed, Mr. Lachlan.”

  “Yes, ma’am, but I’m not done with you tonight.” He chased me to the bedroom.

  I giggled. “As long as you can wait until we get home.”

  “I’m not making any promises.” He spun me on my heels, kissing me rough and wildly, searing his lips into mine. I melted in his arms, loving every rebellious second we were away from the rehearsal dinner.

  I tucked a flyway strand of hair behind my ear and patted the bun I had hastily pinned in place as Grey and I dashed through the doors of the Oceanside Restaurant. I couldn’t believe we were thirty minutes late. This was bad bridesmaid behavior. The restaurant lobby was packed.

  Grey and I exchanged smiles. It looked like cocktail hour was in full swing. No one had even noticed we weren’t in the room. Every two seconds, I would glance at his leg to see if he was uncomfortable without the brace, but if he was in pain, he was hiding it from me. In a strange way, I had gotten used to him having crutches. It felt like we were missing a critical accessory.

  He ordered two drinks for us at the bar, and we planted ourselves against a wall. I was afraid to jump into the beehive of aunts again, and Grey wasn’t really mister social at these events.

  “So, what do you think about all this?” Grey motioned to the crowd in front of us.

  I wasn’t sure I followed the question. “What do you mean ‘all this’?”

  “You know, big wedding, big party, a hundred people at the rehearsal dinner. Is that your thing? Is that something you want?”

  My heart started beating faster than usual, and my palms got clammy. “I uh—I haven’t really thought about it I guess.” I gulped half of the vodka seven drink. “What do you think about it?”

  “Someday, when I’m ready to do this, I don’t think I want all the fuss.” He took a sip of his drink as if he was reflecting on a philosophical discussion. I still couldn’t believe we were talking about this. “Something small and simple would be good. Not too many people.”

  I nodded. “Yes. Small and simple.”

  “But a white dress. I think that’s important.”

  I stared at him. Was he picturing me in a white dress? Imagining what I would look like next to him exchanging vows? I started to get woozy. This was a lot to take in. Breathe, Eden, breathe.

  An image of Grey standing on the beach in a button-down white shirt, standing near a minister popped in my head. I couldn’t shake it. The image started getting cloudy as if I was backing away from the scene.

  I couldn’t tell if things were changing between us or if my nerves were on edge from the discussion, but Marin’s father clanked his glass a few times and announced dinner was being served. I jumped slightly forward on my toes.

  Grey gripped my free hand and led me to the dining room. I needed him to steady me now more than ever.

  Marin and Pick rushed to greet us. “There you are! I was worried you weren’t here.”

  I squeezed her tightly. “Of course we’re here.”

  I tried to read the state of her nerves tonight, but it looked like she had a glass of wine and Pick was by her side. He was definitely taking care of her.

  The guys shook hands. “Thanks for taking me out last night, man.” Pick slapped Grey on the back. “I appreciated you and Connor throwing that together.”

  “Every man needs a bachelor party.” Grey smiled.

  “Wait a minute, were there strippers?” Marin teased.

  “Friends don’t divulge what happens at bachelor parties.” Grey looked completely serious. I knew there weren’t any strippers. They spent most of the night at Pete’s drinking beer and playing pool. Pick might have sung a little karaoke on stage, but Grey assured me that’s as wild as they got.

  Marin poked Grey in the ribs. “At least I know Pick has good friends.” She reached for her fiancé’s hand. “Come on, babe. They’re waiting on us to sit down. I’ll talk to you after dinner, Eden.”

  I watched as they crossed the room and sat at the head table with their parents. They looked happy. They looked calm. They looked like they were in love.

  I threw a handful of paper towels in the trash and straightened my dress in the mirror. I had excused myself from dinner to visit the ladies room, but Grey was probably wondering where I was by now. I couldn’t stay holed up in here all night while I debated our earlier conversation.

  I looked at my hair, the sun on my nose, the curves of my hips. I picked a spot of fuzz from my dress and adjusted the strap on my heel. Twenty-two-year-olds do not talk marriage. Do they? I tried to focus on my appearance and not the feelings and thoughts trapped in my head. Grey was probably just observing the situation, getting my feedback on things. He wasn’t actually asking what kind of wedding I thought we should have. Was he? I washed my hands again with cool water, hoping the clamminess would stop.

  It was a big step moving in together. A huge step. And it wasn’t just normal moving in together. I had moved from another state to be with him. It occurred to me that maybe all along that’s what he thought it meant. That we would get married. I touched up my nose with a dab of powder from my clutch.

  He was twenty-seven. Twenty-seven-year-olds probably did think about getting married. After all, Grey was a serial monogamist. After he and Laura broke up and he moved out, he didn’t date anyone until me. Grey was a serious type of guy. Did that mean marriage was on his mind? I inhaled again and pulled on the handle of the bathroom door. I had to get things together and get through the rest of the dinner. There were still toasts, dessert, and then dancing on the deck afterward.

  I pasted a smile on my face and walked back to our table.

  Dinner lasted longer than I expected, and then we headed to the after party at Marin’s parents’ house. I guess this is what Grey meant about keeping things simple. It felt as if we had only participated in wedding events all week. That is, except for the couch christening.

  The ocean was rough tonight. I couldn’t see it from the balcony, but I could hear it.

  There was a jazz band set up inside the living room, but I only heard them play when someone opened one of the beachside doors.

  Connor walked up behind me. “I checked the forecast for tomorrow. It’s supposed to be sunny and hot. You girls don’t have to worry about your dresses.”

  “Thanks. I haven’t had a chance to look at my phone today.” I turned back toward the waves in the distance. Grey was getting us both drinks, but I was sure he had been cornered by one of the many parents at the event. They loved to ask him about the Palm.

  “You look preoccupied, Carolina. Something on your mind? You know I’m walking you back up the aisle after the ceremony, so you have nothing to
worry about.”

  “That’s sweet, Connor.” We had done a quick run-through at the church, and I was glad to know the groomsman who was my escort. “I’m just in one of those thinking moods.” I wasn’t about to tell him it had all to do about weddings and whether Grey was the man at the end of the aisle for me. Connor and I had worked through enough awkwardness for one friendship.

  “Ah, I get it. Weddings, the beach. It’s enough to make anyone think.” He tipped back his beer. Ok, I had pegged him all wrong. He was more astute than I realized.

  “Something like that.” I smiled. “Tell me what’s going on with you. Are you bringing a date tomorrow?”

  “Sure am.”

  “Connor, who?” I hadn’t heard he was dating anyone.

  His crooked teeth peeked out. “Girl I met in class. You’ll see her tomorrow. She’s pretty and smart.”

  “I bet. I can’t wait to meet her.” Love was definitely in the air.

  Grey appeared with two bottled waters. “Here you go, darlin’.” He handed me a cold water. “Hey, Connor. Good time last night.”

  “Sure was.” They exchanged a knowing look.

  I imagined there was some element of male bonding that happened during bachelor parties, similar to what I experienced with the girls. Sending off one of your own into marital bliss, even if it’s not full of the stereotypical confines, tends to bring people together. I didn’t expect it, but I felt a little closer to Tara and Mindy after last night.

  I twisted the cap off my water. As much fun as I was having, I was ready to go. My feet were sore from my new shoes, and I had an entire day ahead of me in heels. I leaned toward Grey’s ear.

  “Do you think we could go in a few minutes?”

  He nodded, sweeping a hand around my waist.

  “See you tomorrow, man. Good luck at the altar.”

  “Thanks. See you tomorrow. Goodnight, Eden.”

  “Goodnight.”

  We left Connor standing at the railing alone.

  “Was that rude?” I looked at Grey. I hadn’t meant for him to whisk me away that quickly.

  “No, I was ready to leave the second we got here. We’ll say good-bye to all the parents, and then we’re out of here. Deal?”

  I laughed. “Deal.”

  I assured Marin’s parents I would be at the house on time and I’d be ready to help with anything they needed. They had had a few glasses of wine and were giving hugs that lasted for minutes at a time. Grey managed to peel us both out of their grip before steering me toward the door.

  Grey slid behind the wheel of his truck after making sure I was in my side of the car. The way he always opened doors for me hadn’t gotten old. I wasn’t sure it ever could.

  “Did you have a good time?” I asked as he cranked the engine.

  “Yeah. It was a good party.” His eyes were on the rearview mirror while the truck lurched backward.

  “You sure we didn’t leave too early?”

  “Darlin’, it’s fine.”

  I wanted to bring up the conversation we had started during cocktail hour. What exactly was he implying by asking me about my wedding expectations? As the hotels and restaurants rolled past us, I lost my courage. I’d have to wait until he mentioned it again.

  Grey pulled into the driveway and parked under the cottage next to my car. It was quiet in the cab. He turned to me. “You looked beautiful tonight.”

  I blushed. “Thank you. And you look pretty hot yourself. No brace. No crutches.”

  “I could list twenty reasons I’m glad to be rid of those damn things.” He opened the door and walked to my side. He held my hand to help me down. It wasn’t as easy as it looked in high heels.

  “I have an idea.” His eyes fired.

  “And what’s that?”

  “Something we haven’t done in a while.” He clasped my hand behind his back and led me up the stairs to the kitchen.

  Grey grabbed two beers from the fridge then disappeared in the hallway, emerging with a blanket. He tugged on my hand, and kept walking until we were on the seaside deck and headed down the steps. It took me a minute to figure out his plan. I smiled. The alcove.

  I ditched my shoes on the deck, thankful to have them off my feet, and followed him down the steps.

  My eyes adjusted to the darkness of the beach. Grey tucked the corners of the blanket into the sand and handed me a beer. I curled up under his arm and nestled against his chest. I could still smell hints of his cologne.

  “This is perfect.” I sighed.

  Grey tipped the bottle toward his lips. “Sure is. We haven’t had enough of this since you moved down here.”

  The wind whipped around the alcove, but in here, I felt safe. It was as if we were secluded from the rest of the world. The cyclone that was the wedding. The dirtiness of the lawsuit. The uncertainty of our future. In here, it was only Grey and me.

  We didn’t talk. We listened to the waves roll on the beach until our beers were empty and I started to shiver from the chill of the wind.

  Grey helped me up, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “Let’s go get you warmed up.”

  I followed him to the cottage, hoping this night never ended.

  My phone was ringing, but I was in a tangled web of sheets and couldn’t get to it. I spun on my stomach to loosen the wrapping when Grey handed the phone to me. I couldn’t believe it. He was still in bed.

  “Here you go.”

  “Hello?”

  “Eden, you aren’t going to believe this,” Taylor shrieked in my ear.

  “What’s going on?” I sank into my pillow.

  “I’m on my way to South Padre.”

  “What?” I looked at Grey, but he wasn’t paying attention to the call. His hand was sneaking over my hips.

  “Mason called me last night and said he wanted to fly me in for Marin’s wedding.” She squealed. “He bought me a ticket, and I’m headed to the airport right now.”

  I had no idea what time it was, only that the light in the windows was light and airy. It couldn’t be very late. I gasped as Grey’s fingers moved against my skin.

  “That’s great. I’m glad I’ll get to see you tonight.” I wasn’t sure what to say. I hoped we could avoid Mason at the wedding, but that was going to be impossible if Taylor was his date.

  “I know! I’ll get to see you in that blue bridesmaid dress, and Marin and Pick. I cannot wait. I haven’t gotten a gift yet. What should I send them?”

  My mind was already in a haze, and I couldn’t even tell Taylor where Marin was registered. Grey’s fingers slid farther and slower.

  “Um…I don’t know. Maybe we can talk about it when you get here.” I placed one hand over the receiver and tried to give Grey the death stare, but his head ducked under the sheet.

  “Ok. I’ll text you when I land in Brownsville. Mason’s going to pick me up. He said he can’t wait to see me. Can you believe all this? It’s going so fast, but it just feels right. You know?”

  My eyes closed and I bit hard on my lip. Grey had maneuvered between my legs and I was doing everything I could not to moan into the phone. All I could feel was his heated breath.

  “Mmm-hmm.” I tossed the phone on the floor. I didn’t even bother to ask Taylor when her flight landed. My head rocked back and my hips started to follow Grey’s lead. “What are you doing? That was important.” I spoke through heavy breaths.

  “I just wanted to say good morning,” he growled from under the covers.

  Well, who was I to argue with that?

  My car was packed with almost every accessory I owned. The girls were meeting at Marin’s parents’ house to get ready. Marin had hired a makeup artist and a hair stylist for all of us. I was excited about getting the royal treatment before the wedding, but I knew the whole thing just made Marin more nervous. It meant more people fussing over her, more pictures, and more stress. I hoped Tara, Mindy, and I could try to keep her relaxed and calm. After all, it was her wedding day. It was supposed to be the happiest day of
her life.

  Grey was going to make the rounds at the Palm then meet me at the ceremony. I hadn’t seen him this happy in weeks. I loved it. I loved him. For the first time, I felt like, regardless of the lawsuit, he and I were going to have a life together. I didn’t know if that life would include the Palm Palace, but we were going to be together every step of the way. I pointed the car toward the other end of the island.

  The wedding ceremony was going to be performed at an island chapel, and then everyone would drive over to the oceanfront golf club for the reception. Marin said there were more than three hundred guests. I was surprised she hadn’t broken out in hives by now.

  I had to park on the side of the cul-de-sac. Her parents’ driveway was crammed with cars. I slung my overnight bag over my shoulder and lifted the blue dress, careful not to let the plastic drape across the ground. I sidestepped one of the florists as he ran past me with a box full of corsages and bouquets. This place was busier than spring break check-in at the Island Sun.

  I tapped on the door, but everyone was too busy scurrying around to notice me. I let myself in and marched to the back of the house where I thought I’d find Marin surrounded by an entourage.

  I was amazed that the house was so clean. There had been a massive party here last night. You would never know a trombone player had been standing on the coffee table belting his heart out.

  I was surprised to see Marin was alone. She sat facing a vanity. Her auburn hair was in loose curls around her shoulders, pinned on the side with exotic flowers. She looked almost ethereal the way her cheekbones glowed and her eyes lit up.

  “Marin, you look amazing.” I crossed the room.

  There was something different about her, and it wasn’t the beautiful bride makeup or the way her hair was styled with delicate orchids. She was calm, as if in the midst of all this madness she had finally found a sort of sanctuary within herself.

  “What do you think?” She stood and twirled in a small circle so I could get the full effect. It didn’t matter she was wearing a white robe monogrammed with the word bride over her heart; she looked ready to walk down the aisle.