Page 17 of Blue Hawaiian
When Jess first met Victoria, she had pegged her as a spoiled princess and a daddy’s girl—both of which had proved to be true. But underneath the hauteur and the bragging, Victoria was a lot of fun. At times, Jess found her a welcome relief from Gabi, who rarely allowed her petty side to show.
Victoria narrowed her eyes at Luisa, who was in the water up to her waist. “Who’s the chick flirting with Connor?”
“She’s not flirting. I mean…she’s just having fun with him, that’s all. She’s my cousin Luisa.” Even if Jess occasionally resented Luisa, she felt the need to defend her. “She’s one of the few people here repping the Chavez clan.”
“What’s up with that? Did your family have a falling-out?” Victoria took out a pair of oversize sunglasses and put them on.
“Not really.” Jess looked away, unsure of how much to reveal. “But this trip was beyond everyone’s budget. I’m only here because Marc paid my way.” Rather than deal with Victoria’s pity, she scrambled to explain further. “Gabi’s having a big party when we get back. That way the rest of the family can celebrate together.”
When Gabi initially announced her wedding plans, she caused a huge eruption. The fallout included numerous group texts, a lot of shade, and a few heated arguments. But Gabi held her ground and insisted on having the tropical wedding of her dreams. Jess firmly backed her up, even if she secretly thought her sister’s decision was a little selfish.
“I didn’t mean to pry,” Victoria said.
Jess didn’t want to belabor the subject. Victoria had lived in a rich-girl bubble for so long she probably couldn’t grasp the concept of a budget.
“How’s your wedding planning going?” she asked. “It’s coming up soon, right?”
Victoria gave a heavy sigh. “Too soon. It’s going to be a Christmas-wedding extravaganza at the Blackwood Cellars Estate, the likes of which the Temecula Valley has never seen. Two hundred guests, including two state senators. Daddy’s thrilled.”
Victoria, however, sounded less than thrilled. Why was everyone acting like weddings were such a huge chore? Shouldn’t they be less about expectations and more about joy?
“You don’t sound too excited,” Jess said.
“I should be.” Victoria’s shoulders sagged. “But Ben hasn’t been the ideal fiancé. Don’t spread it around, but I caught him cheating last month.”
Jess winced as Victoria’s words triggered a painful flashback. Two bodies on the couch. Shared laughter. And the horrible sensation of walking into a bad dream. “I’m sorry. I went through that in March with my ex. It sucks.”
“The worst part was the humiliation. You know?”
“I do. But…you’re still going ahead with the wedding?”
“Afraid so. Daddy wouldn’t have it any other way. Ben is Senator Macalister’s son, which makes him an ideal catch. And I can’t afford to make waves right now.” Victoria’s phone trilled, and she blanched at the picture on the screen. “Speak of the devil. I should probably take this so Ben doesn’t think I’mdeliberatelyignoring him.”
Jess left Victoria to her conversation. She wished she could offer a little advice, but given how oblivious she’d been to Simon’s cheating, she was hardly an expert in relationships. She stood and made her way down to the ocean. Unlike the beaches in Los Angeles, where the waves were bracing at first contact, the water was warm.
She let out a groan of pleasure. “This feels amazing.”
“It’s the perfect temperature,” Marc said. “I could stay in all day.”
While they took turns tossing the Frisbee, Jess continued sneaking glances at Connor to see how much attention he was paying to Luisa. Was he going to make a play for her? She hated how much the idea bothered her.
Maybe her sister had been right to set her up with Lance. If she had fun with him, she might stop obsessing over Connor.
After an hour, Marc suggested snorkeling. He gave the group a brief rundown on technique, and everyone grabbed a mask, snorkel, and fins. Once Jess caught on, she swam off from the group. The view took her breath away. Coral in shades of brown, purple, and orange. Yellow-and-black striped fish. A long, tubelike creature with a needle-nose. And an orange fish that reminded her ofFinding Nemo. As she floated atop the sea, bobbing amid the gentle waves, the tension eased from her body.
She had no idea how long she was immersed in her own undersea paradise, but when she stood up to take a break, Connor was standing next to her. His nearness made her self-conscious, especially since she was wearing the world’s smallest bikini.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Just wanted a little quiet. Did you get your luggage yet?”
“Hardly. I’ll be lucky if it arrives before the wedding.”
His gaze was bold, traveling over every inch of her body. “Then where’d you get the bikini?”
Pushing past the urge to duck back into the water, she placed her hands on her hips, putting her barely covered curves on full display. If Connor wanted an eyeful, she’d give him one. “It was a gift from Gabi. Do you like it?”
His approval shouldn’t matter. But she was gratified when he gave her a wicked smile that made her toes curl. “Definitely. Gabi has excellent taste.” He took a few steps closer. “Just a warning. You might want to keep an eye out for sharks. Maui’s known for them.”
