Page 89 of Blue Hawaiian
The door opened and Paige poked her head out. “The coordinator said we need to get going.”
Jess gave Brody a quick hug. “I’d better go. See you out there.”
Gabi and the bridesmaids made their way to the Makai Terrace, the oceanfront lawn where the wedding was taking place. White wooden chairs and a matching canopy were already set up, and the grassy aisle was strewn with rose petals. Each row of chairs was festooned with lacy white bows, palm branches, and a cluster of white, pink, and lavender flowers. No other decoration was needed since the Pacific Ocean served as a backdrop.
When the time came to walk down the aisle, Jess couldn’t resist sneaking a few glances at Connor. Although he was more the flannel shirt and jeans type, he looked completely swoon-worthy in his tux. Because it was his own tux and not some cheap rental, it fit his body perfectly. When he caught her eye and grinned at her, she couldn’t stop the flutter that stirred inside her. Who was she kidding, thinking she could move on? She didn’t know if she’deverbe over him.
To her enormous relief, the wedding went as planned. No one stumbled down the aisle, lost the rings, or interrupted the vows with an unexpected outburst. Her heart filled with love as she watched Marc and her sister tie the knot on a glorious morning in Maui. One day, she hoped she’d experience the same happiness. But for now, she could bask in the glow of Marc and Gabi’s joy.
While the wedding party went down to the beach to take photos, the catering crew transformed the ceremonial setup into a dining area. Two heavily laden tables offered hot and cold brunch offerings: frittatas, honey-roasted ham, breakfast potatoes, fresh pineapple, lemon scones, and papaya parfaits. Uniformed waiters served juice, mimosas, and Bellinis.
Jess snagged a mimosa and took a long sip. Now that the wedding ceremony was over, she could finally relax.
When Connor came up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, she couldn’t repress the shiver that coursed through her. She smiled up at him. “Hello, handsome.”
“Hello, yourself. You clean up nicely. That is a killer dress.” His eyes swept over her appreciatively, making her toes curl in a familiar way.
“Thank you.” She held up her mimosa. “Did you get a drink?”
“I will. The food looks great. Did you help plan the menu?”
“Naturally. Back when Gabi decided to do a brunch wedding, she called on my expertise. You know how much I love breakfast food.”
He chuckled. “I remember you visiting the lodge for ‘second breakfasts’ whenever we had waffles. Though, sadly, I don’t see a single waffle.”
“Gabi nixed the waffle bar idea, but there’s so much other deliciousness to enjoy—like baked brie with mango, smoked salmon, and cinnamon sugar crepes.” She groaned at the thought of all the wonderful brunch offerings.
Now that Connor had forgiven her, she was tempted to bare her soul. To tell him she still loved him and wished they could find a way to stay together. But she didn’t want to shatter their fragile peace.
When her mom took the mic, Jess assumed she was going to give a speech, but instead, she introduced the video tribute. In all the chaos that had ensued since the rehearsal dinner, Jess had forgotten about the video. She stood beside Connor, her heart swelling with pride as the pictures played on the screen to the tunes of Marc and Gabi’s favorite songs. Even if she hadn’t been theperfectmaid of honor, she’d created a video her sister could treasure forever.
When it ended, Connor leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. “That turned out better than I thought.”
“I’ll say, considering we put it together in six hours.”
He took her hand and squeezed it. “It was fun while it lasted, wasn’t it?”
At least they weren’t angry at each other anymore. But the thought of losing him made her ache. Even if the pain wasn’t as sharp as the agony she’d experienced after the rehearsal dinner, it would still take a long time to heal.
She didn’t want to come across as desperate, but she couldn’t stop herself from making a last-ditch effort. “Any plans for tonight? We could have a farewell drink.”
The pause that followed made her stomach lurch. Why was she pushing him? She should be grateful they’d talked at the bakery and leave it at that. When Connor had ended things the last time, her frantic pleas and desperate attempts to win him back had driven him further away.
But he gave her a tender smile, the kind that warmed her from the inside out. “One drink couldn’t hurt. But we’ll have to squeeze it in before six. My plane leaves at eight.”
Which meant she couldn’t entice him into her bedroom for a final romp.
Probably for the best if she ever hoped to get over him.
Chapter 35
Once the wedding had ended, Jess was so sleepy she holed up in her room and succumbed to a deep, drool-inducing nap. She awoke with scarcely enough time to freshen up and change for her meeting with Connor. She grabbed the one sundress she hadn’t worn yet—a cute aqua number with colorful embroidery at the bodice—and slipped on a pair of sandals. As she rode the elevator down to the lobby, her heart started its wild dance. She took a few deep breaths, trying to center herself.
She had to get her emotions under control. Under no circumstances could she burst into tears or start begging. She wasn’t eighteen anymore.
When she got to the Coral Cove and saw Connor sitting at a table in the shade, her chest constricted. Back in her room, she thought she would be brave enough to tell him what she really wanted. Now she wasn’t so sure.
After ordering a margarita, she sat across from him. She took a sip of her drink, hoping the icy tequila would give her a rush of courage. But when Connor’s ocean-blue eyes captured hers, she found herself at a loss.
