Destination Wedding ~ A Novel

by Sletten, Deanna Lynn

  "Oh, you can't be serious," Claire exclaimed, starting to lose her composure. "There must be something on the island. How can there be no rooms?"

  "I'm sorry, Mrs. Martin," Sandra said, looking distraught. "I'm sure there are house rentals available on the island, but they can cost between two to five thousand dollars a week."

  "Fine," Claire said, looking over at Mandy. "Your dad can rent a house."

  "Mom, are you kidding? That's too much money," Mandy said.

  "What else is he going to do?" Claire asked, her voice rising.

  Jim stepped up beside Claire and Mandy. Calmly, he said, "I'm not sure a rental house is the answer. What about another island close by?"

  "Oh, maybe there's a hotel or resort back at Marsh Harbour that has an open room," Sandra said. "Would you like me to check?"

  "No," Mandy exclaimed. "Dad. I want you on the same island as us, not a twenty minute ferry ride away.

  In the back corner of the office, Claire noticed that Janice and Carl were getting uncomfortable with the situation. Craig noticed it, too.

  "Why don't I go help my parents settle into their room while you all hash this out?" he asked, but didn't wait for a response. The three Fishers left the room immediately.

  Mandy took her mom's arm and pulled her aside. "Mom, I know this is crazy, but would you even consider sharing a room with Dad until something opens up?"

  Claire's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe her ears. "No. Are you kidding me? No. Absolutely not."

  "But Mom," Mandy began.

  "No, Mandy. Are you crazy? Share a room with your father? There has to be another alternative." Claire turned to Jim who just stood there, looking like he didn't know what to say. "Jim. You can't possibly want to share a room, either. What would Diane think? It's out of the question. Right?"

  Jim looked from Mandy, who had a determined look on her face, to Claire, who looked panic-stricken. "Well, it wouldn't really be that bad, would it? Just for a few nights? I mean, they must have a cot I can sleep on, or something."

  Claire couldn't believe what she was hearing.

  "Oh, yes, we do have a cot we can put up in your room, Mrs. Martin," Sandra broke in. "And the room is large enough so it shouldn't be a problem."

  "Oh, my God. No. No, no, no!" Claire looked out the office window at the resort grounds and the beach and ocean beyond. Her beautiful vacation in paradise was slowly turning into the vacation from hell.

  "Mom, please," Mandy begged. "You two are the only ones who aren't a couple. It only makes sense that you share the room. Otherwise it will ruin everyone else's vacation."

  Claire was listening, but just barely. Off in the distance, swaying gently between two palm trees, was an empty hammock. Claire turned to Sandra. "The weather here is always beautiful, isn't it? There's a lovely hammock out there. Jim can sleep outside and be just fine. Right?"

  Sandra, Mandy, and Jim all looked at her as if she were crazy. At that very moment, Claire felt like she was going insane.

  "Mom, you can't possibly expect Dad to live outside for seven days and nights," Mandy said sharply.

  Silence filled the room. Claire felt like a trapped animal. She spun the charm bracelet on her wrist at warp speed. Jim stepped up beside Claire and placed his hand over her wrist to stop the jingling of the charms. Claire looked up into his vibrant blue eyes, searching for malicious humor. Instead, she saw sincere warmth radiating out from them.

  In a calmer voice, Mandy said, "Mom, I know I'm asking a lot. Could you please share a room with Dad until another one becomes available? Please? For me?"

  Claire looked over at Mandy, who looked like she was about to disintegrate into tears. She glanced at Jim again, who did in fact manage to look contrite about the whole incident. She really didn't have much choice, given how Mandy had asked.

  "Fine," Claire said, feeling defeated. "Fine."

  Sandra went into action, calling on the phone for a cot to be placed in 3A. "I really am very sorry about this entire incident," Sandra told Claire specifically. "Your room will be free for the entire stay. I don't know how this error occurred, and I am so sorry."

  Claire just nodded. She didn't care how it happened, it just had. And now her vacation was going to be ruined.

  "Thanks, Mom," Mandy said, giving her a hug. Claire let her hug her, but she wasn't very pleased with any of the people in the room right now.

  The group turned and walked out the door with Mandy leading and Jim in the rear. He touched Claire's arm just as they stepped outside.

  "I'm sorry this happened," he said softly. "Thanks for not letting me sleep outside."

  Claire turned and glared at him, wondering if that was supposed to be funny, because she wasn't amused.

  Chapter Five

  Their luggage was in the room by the time they made it up the three flights of stairs. Claire watched Kaylie and Mark enter their room just down from their own. Great. Their room is right next door to ours.

  Ours. Claire was angry just thinking that word. The room was supposed to be hers. Now it was theirs.

  When Claire entered the room, she saw that the workers had already brought up the cot, and she glared at it. It was still folded up and just stood there, mocking her. She hoped it would fold up on Jim in the middle of the night.

  Taking a deep breath, Claire looked around the room. It was a lovely room, despite her having to share it. The wooden plank walls were painted white with an aqua trim around the doors and windows. The furniture was made of brown wicker, as was the ceiling fan above the king-sized bed. Covered in a tropical scene bedspread, the bed sat in the center of the room, flanked by nightstands and lamps. In an alcove at the foot of the bed was a dresser and mirror, and on either side of that were small closets. On the far wall were glass patio doors that slid open and led out to a balcony. The balcony was big enough for two wooden Adirondack chairs. They were painted yellow and a table sat between them. Everything just shouted out tropical, and it was charming as could be, but the best part of the entire room was the view. Claire could see out past the pool area, past the outdoor bar and grill restaurant, and beyond to the white sand beach and the breathtaking aqua-blue ocean. It was so beautiful, it looked more like a painting than reality.

  "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Jim asked, reiterating Claire's thoughts aloud.

  Claire rolled her eyes. She'd forgotten in that one moment of happiness that Jim was in the room with her. She turned around, picked up her suitcase, dropped it on the bed, and opened it up. She was rewarded with a mess. Obviously, some TSA agent had a hay day digging through her suitcase.

  Jim walked around to the other side of the bed and pushed his suitcase over by the cot. "I'm going down to the bar by the pool and ordering a Pina Colada. Want me to get one for you, too?"

  Claire looked up at him through narrowed eyes. "No, thank you. You know I don't hold alcohol well. I'm going to change and go for a walk on the beach." She dug around in her suitcase and pulled out a tank top and a pair of tan shorts.

  Jim leaned over and pulled a bikini top out of the messy bag. "Don't forget this," he said, winking.

  Claire grabbed it away from him. "Leave my stuff alone," she ordered. She spun on her heel and walked into the small bathroom, slamming the door. She heard Jim chuckle as he left.

  Looking into the framed mirror over the bathroom sink, Claire sighed. She looked a hundred years old after the long flight and the stress of sharing a room with her ex. She'd freshen up her makeup, pull her hair back, change, and then go down.

  Even though the room had an air conditioner running to keep it cool, Claire felt a trickle of sweat run down her ribs from under her bra. She looked at the bikini top she'd grabbed away from Jim. Hmmm. A swimsuit top under her tank would be much more comfortable in this heat than a bra. She decided she'd wear it after all.

  ***

  Jim went down the stairs at a fast clip, smiling the entire way. The face that Claire had made when she'd snatched her swimsuit top away from him
was a cross between librarian prissy and murderous hatred. He couldn't help it. It made him chuckle. Claire had always been the one in their relationship to have a clear head and steady nerves. He'd never known her to be anything but calm, controlled, polite, and charming. But if today was any indication, she'd changed over the past four years—a lot. The way she'd nervously spun that charm bracelet around her wrist had almost scared him. He thought her hand would fall off. And the biting sarcasm that came out of her mouth was scary, too. She seemed so angry. Of course, he understood that their sharing a room was completely ridiculous, but there had been no other choice. The old Claire, at the very least, would have just made the best of it. This new Claire looked like she was capable of killing him in his sleep.

  Some of the wedding party was already down by the pool drinking colorful, slushy drinks and enjoying the evening ocean breeze. Jim waved at them, then headed to the bar and ordered two Pina Coladas, one regular and one virgin.

  Mandy came over to the bar while Jim waited for his order. "How is Mom doing?" she asked, biting her lip.

  Jim smiled. "She's angry and resentful, but she'll survive. Your mom's a tough woman."

  Mandy grimaced. "She was so looking forward to enjoying this vacation. I hope this won't ruin it for her."

  Jim patted Mandy's arm. "Don't worry, dear. I will do everything I can not to ruin your mom's vacation. I know she'd feel bad if you worried too much and didn't enjoy it yourself."

  When the two drinks came, Mandy frowned at her dad. "Double fisting it, Dad?"

  Jim laughed. "No. I ordered one for your mom. A peace offering of sorts. She should be down in a minute."

  "She doesn't drink alcohol very often," Mandy said.

  "I know. This one is virgin."

  They joined the others at the table by the pool. Craig explained that his parents were still in their room, settling in. Kaylie and Mark were there drinking Margaritas, and Cameron and Angela were drinking beer. Glen and Lisa showed up and soon had frosty drinks in their hands as well.

  A few minutes later when Claire walked over to the table, Jim couldn't help but watch her. She had on a simple outfit of shorts and a tank top, with the swimsuit top under it, he observed with a grin, and she'd pulled her blond hair back into a ponytail. Her legs looked long and toned, and the ribbed tank top accentuated her small waist. He couldn't help but stare, she looked really good.

  Claire's brows rose, directed at him. He quickly stopped staring and picked up the drink he'd ordered for her. "Pina Colada? he asked. When he saw she was about to say no, he added, "It's virgin."

  Claire stared at him a moment, then her face softened. She reached for the drink. "Thanks." Even though she said the word, to Jim it sounded like she wasn't all that appreciative.

  "I'm going for a walk on the beach. Anyone else want to go?" Claire asked. Everyone in the group mumbled a desire to just sit and finish their drinks. Glen, however, stood up.

  "I feel like walking. Honey, do you want to go?" he asked his wife.

  Lisa shook her head. "You two go ahead. I'll just sit awhile."

  Claire set down her drink in front of Jim. "Thanks," she said again, then walked away with her brother toward the beach.

  As Jim watched her walk away, he wondered what it would take to get on Claire's good side. He had a week to find out.

  ***

  Claire and Glen walked over to the wooden stairs that led down to the beach and jumped off the last step to land in the sugary sand. Evening was approaching, so the tide was coming in and taking up a good chunk of the beach. Claire didn't mind. It was a beautiful, warm day and when the water did hit her feet, it felt good.

  "I heard you had a problem with your room," Glen said after they'd walked a little way down the beach.

  "The room is great," Claire said. "It's the ex-husband sharing it with me that's the problem."

  Glen chuckled. "Yeah, that would be a bit sticky. Lisa and I talked about it, and we'd be okay with having Jim stay at the cottage with us. It's a good size, so we have room for him."

  Claire cocked her head and looked at her older brother. "That's really nice of you both, but I'm not going to let you ruin your vacation by adding another body to your room. Mandy was right, he and I are the only ones here who aren't part of a couple. It only makes sense we share the room."

  Glen shrugged. "Okay. But if you change your mind, the offer's still on the table."

  They walked farther down the strip of beach. The waves coming in had packed down the sand, making it easy to walk on. It amazed Claire that the island resorts were full, yet they were the only two people on the entire strip of beach. She figured that people must flock to the other beaches on the island.

  "So, tell me how life is in San Diego," Claire said. "Are you still enjoying teaching college science, Professor?"

  "Yes, I am. Can't complain. How is Mandy enjoying teaching second grade?"

  "She just loves it. It's her second year at the charter school, and she enjoys teaching in the smaller classes. She had interned in a public school and she didn’t like it as much. The money isn't too good, but Craig earns a good income as a computer programmer, so she can afford to work there."

  "What about you?" Glen asked. "How's the boutique doing?"

  Claire smiled up at her brother. He was always looking out for her, even from two thousand miles away. "It's doing quite well. Better than I ever imagined. When I started it ten years ago, I never imagined it would be turning the profit it is now. I was able to hire two new part-time employees to help out this coming summer. It's wonderful."

  "That's great," Glen said. "And what about Steven? Are you still seeing him?"

  "Oh, yeah, we're still together," Claire said without much enthusiasm. She hadn't told anyone about the engagement yet and still didn't know if she was going to accept his offer of marriage or not.

  "But?" Glen asked.

  Claire stopped walking and stared up at him. "But what?"

  "It just sounded like everything was fine, but…"

  Claire shook her head. "No buts. Everything is fine with Steven."

  "Hmmm. Okay. If you say so," Glen said, moving off again down the beach.

  Claire stared after him, wondering what he'd meant. Did her voice reflect the hesitation she felt about her relationship with Steven? She shook it off and ran to catch up with him. She didn't want to talk about Steven this week with anyone, and she was bound and determined to keep it that way. When she made her decision about the proposal, it would be hers alone.

  Glen looked over at Claire mischievously. "Did you really suggest that Jim sleep out in a hammock the entire time we're here, or was Mandy exaggerating?"

  Claire laughed out loud. "Yep. I really did."

  Glen chuckled. "Wicked."

  Claire and Glen walked back to the resort and met up with the rest of the group and they all decided to go to dinner at a casual eating place that Sandra recommended. It was just a short walk downtown from the lodge, so they all took off on foot. Tomorrow, they had several golf carts lined up for the entire week that they could use to explore the island. Tonight, they'd have to hoof it.

  Walking downtown was another fun experience for the group of tourists. There were businesses and houses all along the narrow street, each one painted bright colors with yards separated by colorful flowering bushes, palm trees and other lush vegetation. White picket fences or vine covered archways sat in front of several homes. Even though the lovely loyalist-style cottages were close together, they each had the feel of a private yard because of the greenery. It was like walking through a village from a hundred years ago with children playing happily in yards or riding bikes down the streets and adults all waving hello to everyone they passed. Claire loved how friendly everyone was, and how small town this little gem of an island felt.

  The group entered the Lighthouse View Restaurant and stepped out onto the large, covered patio dining area that was open all around and jutted out onto the water in the harbor. True to its name
, from any table in the place you could view the candy cane striped lighthouse across the way.

  The hostess quickly set up a table large enough to accommodate their group of twelve and everyone sat down in pairs. Claire maneuvered herself next to Mandy and across from Glen and Lisa, but since everyone was sitting as couples, she once again found herself next to Jim. Claire sighed. It was inevitable. They were going to be linked throughout this entire vacation.

  Menus were passed out and everyone started talking about the local food and what they wanted to try while they were there. Of course, fish and other seafood dominated the menu, but Claire didn’t mind. She enjoyed seafood, and fresh seafood was going to be a delight.

  "Do they ever smile?" Jim whispered in Claire's ear as he discretely pointed his menu toward Janice and Carl Fisher.

  Claire looked in their direction. Both Fishers frowned at their menus. It was Claire's guess that they weren't adventurous eaters and were trying to find something familiar to eat. She had to admit, they both looked uptight. While everyone else had worn their beach clothes and flip flops to dinner, Janice and Carl had actually dressed up. They not only looked out of place at their table, but also in the entire restaurant. The other diners were wearing what they'd worn to the beach or on their boats for the day. Everyone except the Fishers.

  Claire pursed her lips. She wasn't really a fan of Craig's parents, but she wasn't going to be unkind about them, either. They could do whatever made them feel comfortable. "Don't be mean," she whispered back to Jim. "They just don't seem very comfortable here. This wasn't their idea of the perfect wedding. They wanted to have a church wedding at home and a reception at the country club."

  Jim nodded. "Country club? As in golfing or tennis?"

  Claire turned to him. "Golfing. Why?"

  Jim winked at her in reply, which infuriated her.

  After everyone had ordered, Claire watched Jim put on his most winning smile and speak up toward Carl at the other end of the table. "So, Carl. You're a golfer, I hear."