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“I have my selfish reasons, of course.” He grins. “Can’t have you leaving me just because you meet a girl, now can I?” Topher cocks his head. “You really are invaluable, you know. I’m glad you took care of my sister, but I look forward to having you back at the palace.”
I’m queasy at his words, but ignore that. Joking is the only way to make things lighter. “Is that your way of saying you missed me?”
“Of course.” And there’s serious Topher again. He straightens. “It will be nice to get things back to normal.”
Is he the one joking now? “Except you’ll be married. You’ll have Lauren with you at all times to keep you company. You won’t even miss me.”
“Why, are you going somewhere?”
“No, of course not.” My stomach drops.
“Good. Because I honestly couldn’t do this without you, mate.”
I roll my eyes and give him a punch in the shoulder. “Of course you could. But you don’t have to. Now get out of here so I can get glammed up. Some of us don’t have our princely charms to recommend us.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “See you later then, mate.”
Thirty minutes later, I’ve showered, dressed, and headed downstairs and out the back door onto a strip of private beach that Janine had cordoned off for our little gathering. Protective agents are posted along the outskirts, making sure that anyone who tries to walk that way knows the beach is closed for a private party.
Once again, Chloe’s outdone herself. If the rehearsal dinner looks this good, I can’t fathom how the actual wedding will be. There are twinkle lights everywhere, tables set up with white gauzy linens and centerpieces with some sort of vases, seashells, and flower petals arranged in a delicate way that my big hands could never manage. The sun is about to set, casting its final remnants of glow along the white sand.
The guests are gathered in small groups on the beach, many of them drinking cocktails, some eating hors d’oeuvres being offered by two servers with platters. Some sit, some stand, watching the water come and go. There’s a mixture of bridal party and Chloe’s new Hallmark Beach friends, who Lauren insisted attend thanks to all the help they’ve been to us. Lauren’s younger sister Sam even made it out from New York today and has exclaimed more than once that Hallmark Beach is so adorable, and she wants to move here.
It’s a fine group, and I feel blessed to call them my friends. But none of them are the one I need to see most.
“Hi, stranger.”
Is it possible to stiffen and relax at the same time? Probably not physically, but emotionally that’s what’s going on inside when I hear Chloe’s soft words behind me. I turn and suck in air at the sight of her in a blue dress that matches her eyes and hugs her hips before it flares out at the knees. Her curls are pulled up in some sort of large clips, cascading from them like a waterfall down her back.
“You look …” I swallow. “Incredible.”
There, a small smile. “You don’t look so bad yourself, Muscles.” Her hands go together in front of her, and she fidgets with her grandmother’s ring.
I zero in on that ring. “You moved it back to your right hand.”
“We’re not fake engaged anymore, remember?” Her voice is soft, but also … sad. What’s making her sad? “I think we need to talk.”
I want nothing more in this moment than to whisk her off somewhere and kiss away her sorrow—to kiss away theneedfor a talk.
But we don’t always get what we want.
I certainly don’t.
Then again, what she wants is more important. It always will be, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. “All right,” I say, and I take her hand.
She looks up at me in surprise. “Aren’t you worried Topher will see?”
“Let him see.”
Biting her lip, she nods, and we head around the tables and chairs toward an outcropping of rocks on the north side of the beach. Just on the other side sits the marina, but here we find a cozy crook to stand in, hidden from the others.
A place to talk.
Her fingers still looped between mine, I lean my back against the rocks. “What did you want to talk about?” Since I don’t even know where to begin this conversation, I’ll let her lead. Then I’ll say my piece.
“Okay.” She takes a step toward me, then seems to think better of it and steps backward again. “The last few days, things have just felt … off. Between you and me. Am I imagining that?”
I blow out a breath. “No.”
