“She took it well. She was a little upset, but in the end she was relieved.”
I bet she was.
She never wanted this. She was suffocating under the weight of her mother’s expectations just as much as Gavin was suffocating under his grief. They needed to be alone. Both of them. Together or apart, but Gavin needed time. And Carina needed a safe haven away from her overbearing mother.
“What are they going to do now?”
“Well, after Collette had a mental meltdown, she decided the reception should go on. She doesn't want family and friendsspending their last night in Maui focused on what didn't happen.”
“Spoken like a true Queen,” I say softly.
“Carina and Gavin agree too. They’re in good spirits and happy with their decision. I know it was a lot of weight off both their shoulders.”
“I love that for them,” I say, smiling.
“Yeah, me too. I’m actually gonna stay here and keep Gavin company. The guys are all hanging out in the groom’s lounge shooting pool.”
“Ooo, sounds fun,” I tease.
“But…” his voice drags. “You should come to the reception later. It’ll be fun.”
“Oh, no, absolutely not,” I answer quickly.
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve embarrassed myself enough on this trip.”
“Trust me, nobody’s thinking about that.”
“I am.”
“Well, you shouldn’t. Think about it,” he tells me.
“I will.”
But I already know that I won’t.
We talk some more until he tells me he’s up for a game of pool. I settle back into the daybed and watch the postcard view while a sudden calm envelopes me. And the stubborn optimist in me steps front and center, leaving me with the unshakeable feeling that everything is going to be just fine.
Everything will be okay.
I believe it. I know it.
I head back to the suite I’ve been sharing with Othello. The moment I step inside, a heavy wave of bittersweet reality crashes over me.
This is it. Our last night in this room. Our last night in Maui.
Our last night together?
My mind traces back through the week, counting the pieces of him I've collected. From lunch and a movie on a ten-hour flight, to in-depth conversations, to tacos and terrible car karaoke. To our first kiss on the beach, the helicopter ride, the head-spinning morning sex, and chocolate tastings, and simply pretending to be his girlfriend, Othello had done something far more dangerous than play a part. He had become real.
Something I knew I wouldn’t be able to walk away from once this trip was all said and done. I was falling for him, and I was too far gone to be ashamed about it.
Goodness me.
I’m not surprised at how quickly I’ve fallen for this man. It’s what I do. But I am surprised by how terrifyingly right all this feels.
In the past, my quick crushes were built on fantasy and wishful thinking. But this? This wasn't a fantasy. I had seen the real, unpolished edges of Othello, the consistency, the rawness, and I couldn’t help falling for thesheer honesty of him.
