The Bride Who Bailed (2 page)

Kicking off my shoes I pulled out my cell, turned it on, and dialed my sister.
 

"Where the hell are you?"

"Hi, it's good to hear your voice too."

"We're worried about you, and your fiancee is driving us all crazy. "

"Um, I'm pretty sure if I walked out on the wedding he's not my fiancee anymore. I was sending a message."

"Oh, we got your message, ok. Not too subtle for us! Anyway he's still driving us crazy."

"What? Why? It's his fault. God, he is so...you know what, never mind, I'm just letting you know I'm fine. And, well, and I'm sorry I left you with a church full of guests to manage."

"Oh, no, that was kind of the fun part actually. The two families taking sides. Uncle Charlie had to have his say. Asked him what he was compensating for, in front of everyone"

"Oh, well cool!" I laughed. "I'm glad I could provide entertainment. I gotta run, I just wanted everyone to know I was fine. See you soon, ok?"

"Yep, I'll tell mom you called. She says you're grounded, by the way. As far as I'm concerned you should have fun, wherever you are."

Which is what I intended to do.
 

*******************************

Lying on a lounge chair on the beach, I closed my eyes and relaxed. Suddenly there was a shadow across my eyes, and I looked up to see it was him. Again. Mr. what was it...? West?

"How do you like your room?"

"Oh, hi! The room is amazing, thank you so much. It's too much, I'm not sure how to thank you, would you like a drink or something?"

"Join me for dinner?"

"Oh..."

"It's the only way you can thank me, you have to."

Swearing off men was proving to be somewhat harder than I had thought. And a married one no less.

"I'm sorry, I've sworn off men, and especially married ones." That might have come our harsher than I intended, but it was the truth.

"Married?...Oh, oh, the kids? They're my niece and nephew, that was my evil stepsister you saw me with," he smiled. "She's not really evil, just sorta...um...whiney."

"Oh, I thought..." I trailed off.

"You thought I was married to a nut job, right? Go ahead, you can say it."

"Well, no. I mean yeah I thought you were married, but no, not that she was a nut job. Just that, well, she was, uh..."

"Difficult?" he filled in for me.
 

"Yeah, I guess." I smiled up at him from my chair in the sand and squinted against the sun. The sun and blue sky created a postcard behind him and I reminded myself that I was not interested in him. Or anyone.
 

"So, how about it? Dinner?"

Oh hell, it was only dinner, right? "Sure."

"I'll come collect you at your room, see you at 6?"

"Thanks, 6 is, fine, see you then." And he was gone, this guy moved like a Ninja or something I thought as I watched him move effortlessly across the beach.

I spent the rest of the day lounging on the sand, reading, swimming, drinking tasty umbrella drinks, and staying in the shade so my pasty white northern skin wouldn't burn to a crisp.
 
The day was relaxing and I had allowed myself to let go and breathe. But now I had a dinner date ahead of me, how did that happen? I couldn't ever say no, that's how. It's how I ended up engaged and almost married, and why I ambushed my intended instead of dealing with him in person, because I knew I couldn't say no to him without feeling like I had no choice.

Now that the day was over I had to worry about dinner. I returned to my room, and marveled again at my good luck. This guy really had done me a favor, what a spectacular suite. I slipped through the clothes I brought, and decided I should have asked more questions about where we were going. I grabbed a lightweight skirt, and cotton sweater and strappy sandals, and decided not to worry about it. Then I changed. Twice. Finally there was a knock at the door and I opened it to reveal
 
Drew in all his Ninja handsomeness.
 

"Hi," he said, and he bent to kiss my cheek.
 

Sparks, I felt sparks. Damn. I hope he didn't feel them too, although I could probably get away with one tiny vacation fling, right? I mean I had just dumped my cheating almost husband, maybe this was just what I needed. I'd only be here a week, how much damage could we do in a week?

Drew took my hand as we descended in the elevator and led me through the main dining room to a secluded outdoor patio.
 

"Is this ok?" Drew asked as he pulled out the chair for me.
 

I laughed as I looked around, a secluded patio with a view of the gulf, a warm evening with a gentle breeze, a handsome guy who hadn't cheated on me (not yet anyway). Yep, this was fine.

"It's great, thank you!"

"One of the perks of owning the place is the use of this patio, honestly most of the time I'm so busy I don't get to."
 

"Well, thanks for taking some time for me, this is really just amazing."

"You seemed kinda shook up on the plane, I figured you could use a break from whatever it is you were leaving."

"Oh, really? Yeah, I'm kind of a runaway bride, I guess. I mean, I ducked out on my wedding at any rate. I caught him cheating on me and so I bailed. I don't think he's too happy about being left at the altar. Literally. But well, I wasn't too happy either."
 

"Ah, well I guess you weren't. So this would be a bad time to tell you I'm married, then?"

I just looked at him, my stomach dropped, my face must have fallen...and he laughed.
 

"Sorry, too soon?" he smiled, "I"m kidding, I'm not married, and I'm glad you agreed to join me for dinner."

I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "kinda too soon, but thanks, I'm glad I came. So, what's it like, living here full time, running the resort?"
 

"It depends on what day you ask me, most days its great. Today for example, was awful. This is definitely the highlight of my day."

I looked at him while he spoke and wondered what it must be like to be that smoldering. He made me want to look better, sit up straighter, smile brighter, just to measure up. He tapped his fingers gently on the table, and I was momentarily mesmerized as I imagined those fingers gently tapping up and down my spine. He paused and I realized it was my turn to talk again. Crushing on him was taking some of the umph out of my side of the conversation.

"So, your day. What happened? Why was it awful?"

"Oh, you know, computer stuff. Computers were supposed to make our lives easier, right? My billing system is all messed up, invoices, charges...it's crazy. No one seems to know what's going on, the IT department can't figure it out. I'm looking for a consultant now.
 
It's not usually like that though, usually it's just like it looks, living in paradise. The weather is great, the beaches are spectacular, it's a lot like it looks, really."

Without even thinking I volunteered,"I could help."

"With what?"

"The computers, it's what I do, I could help. It would pay you back some for the room."

"I can't put you to work, but that's really nice of you."

"No, seriously," I was breathless now, this was an answer to a prayer "I'd like to stay for a while, more than a week anyway. I mean why go home? I walked out on Jake. My stuff is at my mom's, and she says I'm grounded for walking out on the wedding, so living there won't be any fun AT ALL. I work for Jake's dad so I'm going to have to quit anyway. You'd be doing me a favor, really.
 
I'll consult for a few weeks, get things in shape, and make a plan for um, for me...well, for what's next."

Drew smiled, "We'll talk." His eyes and face betrayed nothing, not the slightest emotion. I bet he was a heck of a poker player.

The waiter brought wine and a remarkable dinner of seafood specialities, oyster appetizers from local oyster beds, hushpuppies, gulf shrimp and finally several really messy but delicious seafood tacos.
 

"I'm stuffed, oh my God, that was amazing!"

Drew smiled, "thank you, I"m glad you enjoyed it, I'll tell the chef. Shall we go to the bar?"

I slid my chair back
 
and took Drew's hand as we walked to the bar area. My heels clacking across the tiles echoed in the giant atrium. Palm plants in giant urns waved gently in the breeze and I was more relaxed than I'd been in more than a year. Until we entered the bar, and there, seated in front of the peanuts, was my former groom, Jacob Reilly Thornton the III.

The hotel bar was crowded, full of vacationers relaxing. The mood was light and fun, the sounds of a busy bar in the background with glasses clinking, people laughing, and music quietly playing. And then there he was, like a turd in the punchbowl, Jake Thornton, first class jerk. He was quite drunk, of course, and didn't see me right away. He was alone, which was kinda weird since
 
Instinctively I grasped Drew's hand tightly and he turned to see what was wrong.
 

"What?"
 

" It's him," I hissed.

"Him...who?"

"My...Jake, the guy I just left at the altar, he's here. Right there," I pointed. "Let's get out of here."

"No, we're staying, he's not chasing us off," Drew said, drawing me tightly to his side.
 

At that moment Jake turned and saw me, his face reddened and he lurched from his seat, stumbling on the tile step as he reached us.
 

"Jake, what are you doing here?"

"Lookin' for you, Miss Smartypants, he slurred. You should be Mrs. Thornton right now, instead of Miss-I-Ran-Away-From-Home."

"How did you find me, and why? You know why I did it, or well didn't do it. You can't think I'd go back now, can you?"

"You're supposed to be my wife right now."

"But I'm not, that's kind of the point."

"What's the point? That you ran out on me? Some point."

"Well, yeah, because you screwed your way through every bar in town, I really didn't think you needed me for that. Move along Jake, I'm starting a new life and you're not in it."

"Jake, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to move along now. You've been over served here, and I'll be asking them to serve you nothing but coffee from now on," said Drew.

As if he hadn't seen him before, Jake slowly looked up at Drew. They were a study in contrasts, Jake was short and heavily built, Drew was leaner and well, sober-er, so that was something.
 

"And you are...?" Jake slurred.

"Call me Drew, I'm in charge here, and I think you need to get some rest. I'll have someone charge your tab to your room, why don't you just head on up, are you staying here?"

"Yep, I got a room," Jake mumbled. Then he lunged at Drew, who sidestepped him neatly, landing Jake in a pile at his feet. Jake looked up, infuriated, but too drunk to move.
 

Drew waved and a burly man in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts appeared at his side.

"Rick here is going to take you to your room, just to make sure you're ok. Have a good night."

The whole thing had taken just a few minutes, but I felt like I had been staring Jake down for hours.
 

"Thank you, Drew. God, what was he thinking? And how did he find me? And why? Really, seriously, why? There's no reason to be here."

"Because you're beautiful, smart and funny, and he lost you? That would be my guess anyway."

I blushed, "Um...thanks."
 

"I'm not just being nice, it's true. Let's have a drink"

"I'm not sure I want to be alone...knowing he's here." I realized what I said just a moment too late, it was all said. Damn. "I didn't mean, um, you know, I just..."

Drew smiled, "It's ok, let's get drinks and go back outside. Would you like to walk on the beach?"

"Yeah, um...sure. I'm kind of rattled. I didn't in a million years expect him to come here, and I don't think he was too happy to see me with you."

"C'mon, I know what you need." He said, grabbing my hand. I stumbled after him, quick stepping to catch up.
 

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

We hurried out to the parking lot and he stopped by a golf cart, handing me into the passenger side. He pressed a button and we were off, bouncing across the gravel lot and down the drive, he took a turn down a path and stopped at an ice cream shop.
 

"What do you like?"

"Chocolate chip, in a cone please. I love ice cream! How did you know?"

"Everyone loves ice cream," he said as he ordered his own cone. He slid into the cart next to me and handed me my ice cream. "Next stop, the beach."

He followed a series of paved pathways until we came out behind some dunes. Hopping out I kicked off my sandals and we walked out past them onto the beach. The sand was fine and white like sugar, the wind played with my skirt and my hair. I imagined I looked sexy, but probably my hair was a tangled mess. I decided not to think about that and just enjoy the scenery. Which included Drew. Who I was definitely not going to get a crush on. On whom I was definitely not going to crush? Either way.
 

"Look, they're heading home," he said, taking my hand and turning me toward the pod of dolphins that was moving in unison along the coast.

"Oh, they're beautiful," I breathed. We watched them as they moved out of sight, and then turned and walked back toward the car.

"So, I'm going to take you up on your offer."

"My what?"

"The IT department. Can you stay for a month? You might have to move out of the suite, but I'll make sure you have a nice place. I can comp it as part of your salary, save you money really. What do you say?"

"Um, yeah, I say yes! Yes, thank you!" and I threw my arms around his neck. Then stepped quickly back. No crushing on anyone, least of all your employer.
 

Drew laughed and patted my back awkwardly. "Ok kid, 4 more days of vacation and I'll have a place for you in the office on Monday, ok?

"Ok!"