Soon after, one of the officers knocked on the door with news, and I almost collapsed into Beau’s arms in sheer relief. The police were escorting Jase off the premises.
“Is it over?”
“He ain’t got Raquel on his side no more. Apparently, he convinced her you were obsessed with him, and that was why she’d agreed to try to scare ya off, even though she didn’t know how dead flowers and chocolate boxes were gonna do that. She didn’t know about the blackmailing.”
“Or she did, and she’s a good actress.”
“Either way, he’s gone. We can rest a li’l easier.”
“Are you sure he won’t be back? They didn’t exactly arrest him.”
“They’ll make sure he doesn’t come back. We’ve got the gate security too. They’ll keep watch for his car. All I want ya to worry about now is our upcoming nuptials.”
“I can’t do that.”
He tilted his head and went to argue, but I touched my finger to his lips.
“I can’t worry about that, but it’s not a worry for me. Not anymore. I can’t wait.”
He kissed the tip of my finger. “Me either, darlin’. Me either.”
Even though we were now running incredibly late, we headed down towards the lake to see if we could find the party going out on the bikes, but they’d already left. What we found instead was Dad and Veronica having an argument.
I hadn’t even known she’d arrived.
“—Phoebe asked me to be here, and I wasn’t about to turn her down just because you can’t get over yourself and admit our dad had faults.”
“I know my dad had faults, many and varied, and I’d rather not dwell on any of them or the by-prod—” He cut off when he spotted Beau and me.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked Dad.
“Nothing.”
“He’s hassling me for turning up uninvited,” Veronica said as she turned to me.
“Actually, Veronica was invited,” I snapped at Dad. “Even if you want to ignore her, I won’t. She’s my family.” On the same breath, and without waiting for Dad to respond, I turned to Veronica. “Did you have a good flight?”
“It was long, but the journey was worthwhile. How often do I get to see my niece get married?”
Dad growled and threw his hands in the air before walking away.
“He’ll come around,” I said to Veronica. I was certain of it, even if he’d had a hard time coping with the news so far.
“Maybe one day. I just hope it doesn’t take one of us ending up on our deathbed to get there.”
It was clear she didn’t want to lose any other family members without getting to know them.
“He’s not an easy nut to crack, but once you do it’s worth the hassle,” I said.
Beau chuckled, no doubt thinking about his own rocky start to a relationship with my father. Now, the two were as thick as thieves.
“I think it was worse because he was with Kelly when he saw me arrive.”
I nodded, able to see just how easily Dad would have flipped if he was with his mum and saw the evidence of his dad’s affairs coming to speak to them.
“I suppose I better check in. I’d thought there might be some tension, I just hadn’t expected it all before I’d even reached my hotel room.”
“Thank you for coming. I know it’s not easy, but I’m glad you’re here.”
“Didn’t you hear what I said, it’s all worthwhile. I’ll see you two later.”
I wrapped my hand around Beau’s. “Do you ever get the feeling it would’ve just been easier to go to the registry and get married in secret?”
He chuckled. “It might seem that way at the moment, but could ya imagine tellin’ everyone ya did it without them.”
“True.”
“I know the road everyone would’ve taken on the bike trip if ya wanna try to catch up with them.”
“Actually, with everything else as calm as it can be expected, and with some time to ourselves, I can think of something else I’d rather be doing,” I murmured before moving to kiss him.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” We turned to sneak back up to the house, but then Mitch, Joe, and Cassidee all came running towards us complaining about some last minute issues that had come up.
“Later then,” I said.
“I’ll hold ya to it, even if I hafta wait ’til you’re Mrs Miller to do it.”
A shiver ran down my spine at the way he said the words and the excitement that stirred within me. With Jase off the property, his accomplice no longer on his side, and everything falling into place bit by bit, the big day couldn’t come soon enough for me.
DESPITE WANTING TO spend the night before our wedding in Beau’s arms, both he and Angel had insisted we spend the night apart. Angel and I took her room in the hotel and Beau spent the night in his house.
“Last chance for fireworks before the big day,” Angel teased as we climbed into bed together.
“Tempting, but I need my beauty sleep,” I joked in response. It felt nice to be back in the place where we could tease each other again.
It didn’t stop Angel leaning over and kissing me slow and steady for a few minutes before backing away. “I couldn’t completely walk away from what might be my last opportunity,” she said with a smile as she got comfortable beside me. “Now, goodnight.”
I held her hand as I drifted to sleep with her and Beau both dancing through my dreams.
The next morning, I woke and could barely believe the day had arrived. Through the glass wall, I could see that some people were already moving to get everything set up.
“Are you ready?” Angel’s voice came from behind me. She was still lying in bed, watching my back.
I took a deep breath and nodded. “More than I thought I ever would be. I can’t wait.”
She climbed from the bed and stalked towards me. She only wore a singlet and panties, and it was clear from her chest that she was excited. “It really is a bit of a shame we never got our night together.”
Butterflies spun circles around themselves in my stomach. With the dreams I’d had of her spinning in my head, it was too easy to get lost in the lust. My breathing raced as the seconds passed before her lips touched mine. I lost myself in her kiss, tumbling into the abyss of love I felt for her. It wasn’t as bottomless as the way I felt for Beau, but it was deep enough that I could get carried away by it.
“But this is enough,” she said when we broke apart. “And it is something I will always cherish.” It was like she was drawing the firm line through the sand of where our relationship would rest, and it was a line I was happy with. I was certain Beau was too.
“I don’t think that has to end,” I murmured as I kissed her again.
When Angel found someone else, things might change—they might not understand—but until then, we could show our affection without worrying about having to seduce each other or hurt each other. We were friends who could kiss as easily as we could share a laugh.
“I love you, Angel,” I told her as we broke apart.
“I love you, too. “ She kissed me again. “But now it’s time to get that butt in the shower and get ready for that man of yours.”
She didn’t need to tell me twice.
After I had climbed from the shower, I laid all my makeup out, ready to paint the best version of myself that I could. Mum and Angel had both offered to do my hair and make-up, but I’d refused. It would take me back to being in the chair with Cora trying to find the right hairstyle for the wedding she thought would happen between her son and me. The thoughts put something that I’d been able to avoid so far into my mind.
Doubt.
Fear.
Those two emotions twisted around each other and wormed through my body. With everything going on with Jason—the dreams that had haunted me through the night—I was so close to losing it. If one thing went wrong, if I faced too many reminders of what had happened, I would call the whole thing off. It would probably piss off th
e guests who’d come for the wedding, but they’d just have to understand.
Taking a breath to calm myself, I set my curls again before gathering my hair in a loose side ponytail that trailed over my heart and the place where the phoenix tattoo sat on my chest. The style left the detail work on the back of my dress on display. There was no way I was wearing my hair up for the day. It was too similar to what Cora had wanted me to have. Every aspect of my day had to be the opposite of what she wanted. It’d been made clear that pink wasn’t to be part of the wedding—even the guests were banned from wearing it. There was very little in the way of traditional wedding decorations, and I wasn’t in white. At least, not entirely.
I slipped into the pale aqua dress I’d bought for the day. It was understated; an almost straight A-line that cinched at the waist and then dropped to the floor from there. A layer of lace, white with flower appliques, overlayed the aqua satin underdress. The back opened up in a diamond shape before closing in again around the neck. Lace formed capped sleeves to stop it from being a strapless dress. It wasn’t frilly or thick; didn’t have the big hoops that wedding dresses usually seemed to have. But it was perfect for me. I wasn’t going to be the princess for my big day, and I didn’t want to be. It wasn’t a day concentrated on me—that wasn’t what I wanted. I was walking down the aisle to join my life with Beau’s, not because I needed the centre of attention.
Angel knocked on the bathroom door. “Hey, girlie, can I come in?”
I took another glance at myself in the mirror, checking over my makeup to make sure I was ready. “Yeah, come in.”
She pushed open the door and stopped. I couldn’t believe the dress she wore. It was a dark teal cocktail dress that barely skimmed her thighs in an explosion of tulle beneath a strapless top with a sweetheart neckline. The dress showed off the figure she’d clearly been working on during her time away. It actually complemented mine perfectly, almost as if we’d gone shopping at the same time even though we were half a world apart.
We grinned at each other.
“Wow,” she said.
“Hot,” I said at the same time.
We both giggled, and she smoothed her hand over the tulle near her waist.
My gaze followed hers down the length of my dress. “You like?”
She stepped forward and held my hand. “It really makes your eyes pop.”
I played with the ends of my curls. “The salesperson said the same thing. That’s kinda why I grabbed it.”
“Because Beau loves your eyes?”
I grinned because that was the exact reason. “He’s always said they were his favourite feature.”
“He’s told me the same thing,” she said, grinning. Then her eyes widened as if she realised what she’d inadvertently admitted. “About your eyes, I mean. When he was wondering whether he could win your heart again.”
“He always had my heart.”
“You know what I mean.”
There was a knock on the hotel room door. “Are you girls ready?” Mum called.
“Ready to take the splash?” Angel lifted her camera and snapped a photo before I could answer.
I was swapping between fighting my smile and trying to keep myself calm. Each time that I came to the point where I was seconds away from choosing to spend the whole day in bed instead, I would think of Beau. I would think of him standing at the end of the pier, waiting for me. Of us joining our lives and becoming Phoebe Miller. Of us spending however many years I had left together without any doubt or fear over what we meant to each other. He’d given up his life for me, and I had fought my fears for him.
“More than I ever thought I would be.”
“We’re coming, Mrs R.,” Angel called out.
“Angel,” I said, reaching for her hand to make her stop.
“Yeah.”
“I know why you don’t, but you know you can call Mum Lys or Alyssa, don’t you? Hell, I don’t even think she’d care if you called her Mum. She loves you like a daughter.”
“I know. I just—”
I squeezed her hand. “I understand, but you’re an adult now. She can’t hurt you for not ‘respecting your elders’ anymore. Mum and Dad love you, they missed you as much as I did, and they’re Dec and Lys. Okay?”
“We’ll see.”
I clasped Angel’s hand tighter for a moment, unwilling to let go. “Thank you for being here. It means the world to Beau, and to me.”
Her emerald irises shone and her lipstick stained lips spread into a wide smile. “Let’s get you married.”
Mum and Dad were both waiting by the door with Beth by their side, ready to escort me down to the pier before Dad would take me down the aisle.
“Oh, baby girl, you look so beautiful.” Mum clasped her hands over her mouth and blinked back the tears in her eyes.
“Absolutely stunning,” Dad said.
Not enjoying being the centre of attention, I ducked my head. “Maybe I should’ve eloped,” I joked. “At least then you guys couldn’t embarrass me.”
“They’re not embarrassing you, Sissy,” Beth said before Mum or Dad could answer. “They’re proud of you.”
“They’re proud of you too, Little Miss. Are you ready to be my flower girl?”
She stuck her hands on her hips. “Junior bridesmaid.”
I held up my hands in surrender. “Sorry.”
Angel held her camera up and stared at my parents and me for a moment. “Okay, photos everyone.” She’d apparently snapped a couple of candids already but wanted a few posed ones too. “Dec, Lys, if you want to stand on either side of Phoebe.”
She said their names as though it was no big deal, as though she’d used them a thousand times before, but I could hear the stress in her voice. I knew what she was doing though—proving that I wasn’t the only one who could face my fears.
Mum and Dad cast each other their knowing glance again, and I was relieved it wasn’t about me for once.
After taking a dozen or so photos, Angel passed the camera on to Mum to get a couple of Angel and me, and of Beth and me, and then of the three of us.
Butterflies danced in my stomach.
We were really going to do this. I was going to do this. It was just a short walk to the pier, then another shorter one down the aisle, and I’d be at Beau’s side. I wanted to take the stroll with reckless abandon, running until I was at his side and safe in his arms.
“I’m ready to go,” I said, reaching for Dad’s hand.
The five of us left the hotel and headed down towards the pier. As we came nearer, the crowd grew a little thicker. The few resort guests who hadn’t been invited but were regulars had come down to watch the wedding that the crew had been preparing for all morning.
The sound of those visitors oohing and aahing as we walked past made our guests turn to watch us come through. The small concrete pier was filled with people standing ready to watch our nuptials. From my position, I couldn’t see to the end of the small aisle down the middle of our guests to where Beau stood. He was the only one I wanted to see.
“Anxious?” Dad asked as I bounced on my heels to try to see over the crowd.
I couldn’t fight my smile as I turned towards him. “For all the best reasons.”
“I’ll go let them know you’re coming,” Mum said, running her hand over my cheek. The joy she and Dad had shown over my marriage was something I’d never expected. Something told me it wasn’t because I’d gotten over my fear, but rather because I was happy. If Beau and I had returned to each other under better circumstances, Mum’s and Dad’s smiles would be just as bright.
Beth and Angel arranged themselves in front of me, ready for their walk down the aisle.
“Are you guys ready?” I asked them.
“Do we have a choice,” Angel teased.
“Nope. If we don’t start walking down that aisle soon, I’m going to run.”
She turned and grabbed my hands. “And if you don’t do that, I’ll push you to the end.”
The music started.
“Good luck, but more importantly, have fun.” Her lips pressed against my cheek.
Beth started her walk before turning to the left slightly to walk down the aisle.
Angel winked at me and then followed my sister.
Dad offered me the crook of his elbow. “You couldn’t have picked a better man.”
“The way you sing his praises, sometimes I wonder whether you’re the one who should be marrying him,” I teased in return as I wrapped my hands around his elbow.
He patted my hand. “I’m just happy you’re happy.”
“Deliriously.”
The butterflies fluttered faster than ever as we walked along the back and then we followed Angel to the left and hit the aisle. When I did, I didn’t have eyes for any of the people around us. All I could see was Beau.
Despite the warmth, he was wearing a suit jacket and crisp white shirt and a pair of jeans. I was sure the last item scandalised some people in the crowd, but it was my suggestion. I didn’t want formal, even though Beau insisted on wearing a suit. We’d settled on a combination.
My smile grew as I walked closer to Beau. I almost wished I’d had the traditional bouquet in my hands as a distraction despite my desire to have nothing too traditional. Instead, my fingers twitched as I longed to reach for Beau’s hands.
I was halfway down the aisle when a commotion burst out around us. Jase’s warning rang in my ears as I did the one thing I didn’t want to do—turned away from Beau.
“Get out of the way!” I screamed as the cause of the raucous became clear.
AN OUT OF control SUV careened straight towards the pier—towards all of my family and friends.
“Get off the pier!” I screamed, releasing Dad’s arms and lifting my skirt to free my legs. I ran away from him, heading around to herd everyone away from the pier.
Panic erupted all around me, and I didn’t know where anyone was.
“Get Mum and the kids,” I screamed at Dad as he tried to usher me out of the way.
Everything was chaos as people ran and screamed. Mere seconds had passed since I’d first seen the SUV. My eyes were locked on the vehicle. It seemed whoever was in it must have had their focus locked on me because the car had twisted to follow my new path. I raced away from the crowd, trying to lead the driver away from everyone I cared about.
Phantom (Phoebe Reede: The Untold Story #5) Page 27