Page 52 of Kiss the Bride

The morning after thedress-burning ceremony, I wake on the couch and to an empty villa with a soul-crushing thought—have I pushed Olivia away once too often?

It doesn’t matter that I pushed her away for her own good, putting her long-term needs ahead of our short-term pleasure. Making love to her without knowing whether she’ll regret it in the morning is a risk I refuse to take. When we make love again—and I know this is our last second chance—when we make love again, it will be our last first kiss.

Once I take her to bed, there’ll be no going back to being just friends. But what do I get for my self-restraint? An empty bed and blue balls.

Memories from last night flood my mind. Her wedding dress-burning ceremony had been more than just a fire on the beach.I haven’t seen her face so alive in months—or years. It was as if she was genuinely burning her past and getting ready for her future. She even agreed to have dinner in the restaurant. We laughed and I felt all the chemistry coming back until a simple question from a nearby couple shattered her composure. Liv left the table, and thinking she needed space, I let her go. Fuck, I’m an idiot. Why didn’t I take the chance to go after her, walk and talk along the beach, and let things happen instead of fighting what we both want?

We used to fit, together. Now? I feel her loss even before checking on her room but then my heart races with fear. There’s no sign of Olivia having slept in her bed. But she’d gone back to our villa—right?

After changing our meal order to go, I came back to the villa and assumed she was in her room. I’d never checked to make sure she’d gotten back safely. Why would I? She’s a grown-ass woman and deserves her privacy.She’s hurting and I promised to look after her.

Me to Liv:POL?

Surely, she remembers our code? All I need is a reply to prove proof of life. I don’t need conversation and am not pressuring her to return, but I do want proof of life.

An hour later, our breakfast order arrives, but there’s still no Olivia. The villa feels more than just empty—it’s a blank canvas without color, without life or energy, without Liv.

Me to Liv:POL???

Yes, I’ve escalated from one question mark to three, but surely, she knows I’m worried about her?

Another hour later and I feel like a prisoner pacing a cell. The sun is nearing its apex and I’m quietly going out of my mind.You had one job to do. Keep her safe.

It’s becoming harder to function, to breathe, to think, to live with the tightness growing in my chest.

I can’t think about reporting her missing and having to admit to her parents, the police, and even the damn pilot that I haven’t seen her since she left in the middle of dinner. If I report her missing and there is an innocent explanation for why she disappeared, then I will have piled another embarrassment on top of the wedding disaster. Liv might never forgive me—but then again, if she’s alive and safe, I can live with her hate.

I head to the resort’s reception, asking if Olivia booked any excursions. No luck. She hasn’t booked a massage, a facial, or a trip back to the mainland. My heart sinks further. I think back to her sitting alone on the beach, burning her past, and realize she might be seeking solitude again.

Determined, I jog through the resort, scanning every inch of the main beach, the gym, and the restaurant. Still nothing. My phone buzzes with a message from Mitch, adding fuel to my anger.

Mitch: Tell the bitch she can keep the house

I call her phone and leave my third message in three hours. That’s not stalkerish, is it? I send another text.

Me to Liv:I’m worried about you. POL please.

I can’t be more honest than that. I know she hasn’t answered a single call or text in days—but that’s to people who aren’t me—people who haven’t put their life on hold to make sure she’s alright.

I’m about to ask the receptionist about search parties when I hear the distinctiveBleep.

Mitch: But I’m selling her BMW. Or giving it to Lina.

Mitch: Or give it to the next random who sucks my balls

He wants to sell her car? I can’t even go there. I know Olivia and she won’t have any emotional attachment to a car. If he sold her shoe collection, there’d be hell to pay, but the car can be replaced. I ignore the bait about his balls and Lina. There’ll be enough time to deal with Mitch in person when I get back to Sydney.

Where are you, Liv? I just need to know you are safe.I arrive back at the walkway down to the main beach where people are still looking at and talking about yesterday’s fire. The designer gown would have cost thousands of dollars before Liv slashed it in the car. Now burnt to a crisp, was it the beginning of her healing, or a sign she needed to send to the world that she is ready to move on? If only she’d call or text, I’d ask her. I’d ask her so many questions, like where does she want to go on our first vacation together? Like, where does she see us in five years? Or even, can she forgive me for breaking her heart all those years ago and trust that I’ll never hurt her again?

I grit my teeth, and keep walking back up to the trails, towards a part of the island I haven’t searched. I need to find Liv. I need to know she’s safe. Twenty-four stunning beaches, and I’ve discounted three—the two I can see from our balcony and the beach just down from the main building. If she isn’t anywhereeasily found, then she wants to be alone. Near a beach, near water, but sheltered.

Almost two hours later, I’m dripping in sweat and about to call in for reinforcements when I spot her. Finally, from the top of the escarpment, I see a woman down on the beach below, blonde hair blowing in the wind. I resist the urge to yell for joy in case she hears me, and I scare her off. I step closer, peering through the tall trees, and make out Olivia sitting in her teal bikini with an almost transparent white shirt over the top and knees curled to her chest. She doesn’t seem to care her hair is getting tangled, flowing freely across her face. That alone tells me she’s inside her thoughts and not ready to be interrupted.

Relief floods me and my heart starts beating again. Olivia’s safe. She’s safe. But finding her isn’t enough. I need to do more, to show her how much I care, how much she means to me. I need a grand gesture.

I need to do something … a grand gesture to prove I didn’t reject her because I don’t love her but because I want her to come to me willingly, and not because I’m the only single man on the island.

I have a thousand ideas, but most are limited by being trapped on this island. I jog back to the main building and hope one of the brochures will give me an idea.

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