Page 15 of Her Fake Island Wedding

“Good plan,” Bryce agreed. He’d long since figured the easiest way for him to send texts was to use his phone’s virtual assistant, so he quickly dictated a return message.Cool. Swing by our room on your way down.

Gotcha, followed by a smiley face emoji, came through a few seconds later, and he knew Lucy had received the message loud and clear.

“You two better scarper,” he told Cory and Rosie. “Thanks for all the help.”

“You’re welcome!” he was told as they made themselves scarce.

Looking around, he couldn’t see anything out of place. The cabin looked as though it was occupied by a couple; his toothbrush in a glass beside Lucy’s in the bathroom, the nightstands beside the bed arranged into his and hers, with several books piled on her side and his dive computer on his. The only thing he had left to do was put up his hammock, and he hurried out onto the veranda to do that now, hoping the hooks on his were duplicated here.

They were, and he was laying at his ease, one foot brushing the floor pushing him in a gentle swing when Lucy and Justine came strolling down the path.

“Well, this looks very comfortable,” Justine said, amused, as Bryce lifted his hand in a lazy wave.

“Hey, it’s my day off,” he said equably. “Wasn’t technically on duty this morning, but I figured I might as well come in with Lucy to meet you. I’m taking out a night dive tonight.” Pushing himself up to his feet, he stretched luxuriantly before bending to kiss Lucy. “I’ll just grab my thongs.”

“Thongs?” he heard Justine exclaim as he slid the screen door open to enter the cabin, and chuckled to himself.

“That’s what Aussies call flip-flops,” Lucy explained, following him in. “While they technically speak English, there are some weird colloquialisms that take a bit of getting used to.”

Justine stood in the doorway, looking around, taking in the space. While the cabins were fairly generous for one person, they were cosy at best for two permanent residents. Bryce had deliberately left a discarded T-shirt draped over the bedpost, and Lucy picked it up, gave him an admonishing look and took it to the closet to put away.

“Sorry, sweetie,” he said with a penitent smile, shoving his feet into his rubber thongs. “I’m still getting used to sharing my space,” he told Justine. “I’d been living on my own for quite a while before Lucy swept me off my feet.”

Lucy chuckled at that and nudged him in the ribs; he threw his arm around her shoulders to hug her close. “Don’t deny it. You took one look and decided I was the one for you.”

“He’s full of it, isn’t he?” Justine said, but she was laughing as she spoke, and Lucy laughed too.

“To be honest, he’s not far wrong,” she admitted. “I mean, look at him!”

Both women looked him up and down, making Bryce grin. “When you’re done objectifying me, ladies, I can hear a cold beer calling my name,” he said cheerfully. “And I’m sure I heard you say something about a piña colada, Justine - our bartender buddy Nessa makes the best one on the Reef. She’s English too, a Londoner originally, though she emigrated out here when she was in her teens.”

“Is she used to this heat yet?” Justine asked as they ambled from the cabin towards the pool bar, Bryce’s arm still slung casually around Lucy’s shoulders. “It’s like walking around in a steam bath!”

“It’s summertime, even the locals are feeling it,” Bryce told her. “Hence, the desire for a cold beer. Just the one though, sadly, since I’m diving later.”

They exited the staff accomodation area through a gate leading out onto the resort’s main paths, and from there it was only a minute’s walk to the pool bar where Nessa was shaking cocktails with eye-blurring speed.

“Hey!” the bartender called as they took seats at one side of the bar. Her long black braids swung as she replaced bottles on the shelf and almost danced over to them, teeth shining white in her dark face as she smiled widely. “You must be Lucy’s mum. Delighted to meet you. What can I get for you?”

They ordered drinks, and watched Nessa mix the cocktails; she made it look like an art form, hands flashing as she deftly twirled bottles and blended ingredients. Pouring the cocktail into a tall frosted glass in front of Justine, she garnished it with a flourish; a piece of pineapple and a cherry on a skewer.

“Wow,” Justine said, obviously impressed. Nessa grinned at her before setting a long necked bottle of beer in front of Lucy and another for Bryce.

“Glass?” Nessa checked, and Lucy nodded. Watching her from the corner of his eye, Bryce nodded as well. He’d seen Lucy drink from the bottle plenty of times, but perhaps Justine disapproved, in which case he’d make sure he minded his manners as well. Frankly, he didn’t care either way. As long as the beer was cold.

“All right,” Justine said when she was about halfway down her cocktail, “hit me with it. Why are you getting married in such a rush? Are you pregnant?”

Lucy snorted beer out her nose onto the bar. Bryce had to choke down his laughter, biting down hard on the inside of his cheek. He caught Nessa’s eye as she came over and had to look away, seeing her fighting not to laugh as well. Justine’s question had been quite loud.

“No!” Lucy gasped, grabbing the napkins Nessa swiftly deposited in front of her and wiping her nose with them. “Christ, Mum! Seriously?”

“Just asking, dear,” Justine sipped at her cocktail, unperturbed. “I wouldn’t be upset. You know I’m longing for grandchildren. Don’t make me wait too long, dear,” she turned to Bryce. “How are those swimmers? Nice and healthy? I hope diving doesn’t affect sperm production. All those changes in pressure…”

He gave up the effort and burst out laughing.

“Just kill me now,” Lucy groaned, face beet red.

Justine rolled her eyes. “Lucinda Marie Manning, I didn’t raise you to be a prude. The two of you have clearly been banging on every available surface for some time. You’re in your thirties now, after all; I just don’t want you to waste time. Take it from me, have children while you’re young, then you’ve still got plenty of life left to live once they’ve grown up and flown from the nest.”

---