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“Are you kidding me?” Cindy says, shaking her head. “The guy is nuts about you. Nuts, with a capital ‘N’, I tell you. Trust me, he’s not having second thoughts, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll ask Rick if he knows what’s going on with him.”
I smile, and raise an eyebrow. “Right, and that’s got nothing to do with you using my pre-nuptial insecurities as an excuse to spend more time with Rick?”
Her face goes red. “Of course not,” she says. “This is about you, and me, and wanting to make sure my dear friend is okay.”
“Uh huh. Sure, it is,” I grin, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “Thanks, Cin. I mean it. I’m lucky to have a friend like you, but I really should put on my big girl panties and figure this one out myself.”
“Okay, I won’t interfere, but the offer stands, ok?” she says, reassuringly.
***
As I sit there and have my makeup done, my mind is in overdrive. Mom and the girls chatter non-stop next to me, but it’s all just background noise. I can’t stop thinking about Lennon, and how dismissive of me he seemed to have been earlier this morning. He acted so weird during breakfast, like he was worried about someone seeing us together. It was just like he’d been prior to discovering I was behind the whole Emily-gate affair, when he didn’t want to run into her again.
Finally, my hair and makeup are done, and I don’t even care much what it looks like. I’m just relieved I can now take a break from all the fuss. It’s gotten hot in here, and I breathe deeply, suddenly feeling a little claustrophobic. Cindy’s been watching me like a hawk. She comes over and takes my hand, leading me into a quiet corner away from my mom and the other girls.
“Darcy. I can tell you’re still stressed. Go talk to him,” she urges.
“And say what?” I ask. “I tried to get him to open up before I had to leave, but I can’t make him talk to me.”
“Yes, you can, for God’s sake. Just go see him. It’s too important not to. You’re supposed to be getting married tomorrow, and spending your life with him. This isn’t fair on you.”
“So, Rick was no help then?” I say, hoping she’d have some insight for me.
She shakes her head, looking apologetic for not being able to help me. “He agrees he’s acting weird today, though, but he’s pretty sure it’s just nerves.”
“Maybe it is. Maybe I’m just over-reacting,” I mutter.
“Is that what your gut tells you?” she asks.
“No, it doesn’t,” I confess.
***
I walk back up the beach toward the hotel with my sandals in my hand, gazing out over the water. I feel so pretty, with my hair perfectly styled and my makeup done. My thin cotton dress floats softly in the wind, and I shiver as the cool breeze rushes over my skin.
The night before my wedding, I should be feeling so many things, but I wasn’t expecting one of them to be uncertainty. There’s none of it on my part, because I want to be with him. I know that for sure, but I never thought I’d doubt his feelings for me. It seems even Cindy is avoiding me now, which has me worried. Did she find something out and she’s too afraid to face me, or is it just a coincidence? Maybe she’s too engrossed in her growing friendship with Rick to think about giving me an update. I know I’m overthinking everything, but I can’t help it as I sink down onto the sand.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
Lennon’s voice startles me, and I glance up and see him standing over me. My heart pounds, wondering what he’s going to say to me, because the idea of not having him in my life would be too hard to bear. I get to my feet, determined to make him tell me. He takes my hand and smiles as if nothing’s wrong. For a second, I wonder if my over-active imagination had got the better of me.
“What are you doing out here? You’ll catch a cold,” he says, running his warm hands down the length of my arms.
“I just needed time to think,” I reply.
“Must be contagious,” he murmurs, with a small smile.
“Lennon,” I say, my heart in my mouth. “What’s going on? And don’t tell me it’s nothing. Something’s bothering you, and it’s scaring the hell out of me. Are you having second thoughts about us?”
