Page 13 of Blue Hawaiian
Jess couldn’t help but laugh. Now that she’d had a decent night’s sleep, the hell of yesterday’s travel ordeal had diminished slightly. She shut the door behind Gabi. “Knowing my luck, it’s entirely possible. Sorry I wasn’t around to help you out.”
Gabi shrugged. “Luisa pitched in. That sucks about your luggage, though. I’m so relieved I brought all the bridesmaids’ dresses with me. I can’t imagine replacing your dress on such short notice.”
Jess raised her eyebrows, as if to remind her a lost dress was hardly comparable to losing one’s entire travel wardrobe.
Gabi cringed visibly. “Sorry. But the dresses were custom-made and…”
And my clothes are cheap and easily replaceable?But she didn’t say it. Gabi had spent hours poring over options for the bridesmaids’ dresses, sending her countless photos before settling on a style they both liked.
“It’s fine.” Jess retreated until she was sitting on the bed, since she felt underdressed clad in nothing except Connor’s shirt. “What can I do to help out? Any errands we need to run? I’ll be good to go once I get some coffee into my system.”
Though she would have preferred a relaxed morning, she didn’t want to let Gabi down.
“I did most of the big errands yesterday with Luisa. But now that you’re here, you can get up to speed on all our activities.” Gabi took her phone out of her purse. “Did you get the link I sent you for the calendar app? It lists our full itinerary for the next six days.”
There had beensomany messages and group texts from Gabi that Jess had scanned them quickly. Maybetooquickly. “Sorry. I haven’t installed it yet.”
Gabi’s mouth quirked up in a smile. “I figured as much.” She handed Jess a piece of paper. “Download the app when you get a chance. In the meantime, here’s a copy of the itinerary. This will give you the most up-to-date version of all the events.”
Jess gave the paper a once-over and reeled at the list of activities. Given a choice, she would have been happy to spend the next five days lying on the beach and drinking fruity cocktails. “Wow. This is extensive.”
“Too much?”
She pinched her thumb and finger together. “Maybe a little?”
Like always, her job was to rein in Gabi’s obsessive desire for perfection. In turn, Gabi tried to help her out with impulse control. Their success rate hovered around fifty percent.
“Some of the events are optional,” Gabi said. “But Marc and I are the only ones who’ve been here before, so I wanted to make sure everyone got a chance to experience the best parts of the island. I also included a list of all the bars, restaurants, and coffeehouses in the area, along with my recommendations for other points of interest.” Gabi passed over a second sheet of paper. “Here’s an updated list of the wedding party, including their arrival and departure times.”
Jess reviewed the list. “Who all from the group is here?”
“You and Connor arrived last night. Victoria, Luisa, and Lance got here yesterday morning. Most of the other Blackwoods will be arriving later tonight. Mama’s coming tomorrow afternoon, but we don’t have to worry about picking her up, because she’s on the same flight as Brody. He’s renting a car, so he offered to drive her here.”
“Brody’s flying in tomorrow? I’m excited to see him again.”
Few people were as laid-back and understanding as Marc’s younger brother, Brody. Jess had spent more time with him at Big Bear than with anyone else in the Blackwood family. But she’d never developed romantic feelings for him, probably because she’d been carrying a torch for Connor since she was twelve. If anything, she regarded Brody more like a fun older brother.
Gabi clasped her hands together. “Remember how Mama always wanted you and Brody to get together? Any chance that might finally happen? It would be perfect symmetry.”
“Or maybe a little weird. Two sisters marrying two brothers? Sounds like a Hallmark movie.”
Her sister giggled. “Except if it were a Hallmark movie, we’d be twins, and they’d get us mixed up.”
“And they’d be twins as well. They’d call itDoule Troubleor something.” Jess tried to recall if she and Gabi had watched a movie with that premise. Over the years, they’d seen so many cheesy holiday movies the plots had blended together.
“Actually, I think he might be dating someone. But you don’t need him. Not when you’ll have fun with Lance.”
Lance. Jess looked down, toying with the hem of Connor’s shirt. She poked at a tiny hole in the fabric. “I’m good. You don’t need to set me up.”
“You sure? When I told you about him last month, you said he sounded like fun. Remember?”
Sure, she’d said it. But she hadn’tmeantit. She’d wanted to placate Gabi, who was worried she’d feel awkward without a plus-one. “I’ll be fine on my own. I’m completely over Simon.”
Gabi strode over to the window and pulled up the blinds. Bright sunlight streamed in. She turned and scowled at Jess. “Simon’s not the issue. I set you up with Lance so you wouldn’t obsess over Connor.”
Jess recoiled at the sudden brightness, like a vampire caught off guard. “What are you talking about? Connor’s in the past.”
“Then why’d you ask me when his plane was arriving? Or whether he was involved with anyone? You’re still into him.” Gabi’s jaw tightened. “The last thing I want is for you two to get back together.”
