“Right. Well...” His eyes locked on hers. “I didn’t tell you quite everything.”
She waited for him to expound. Got a little lost in those eyes. Flecks of caramel and dark brown swam in that golden sea. And those eyelashes. Good grief, why were the great lashes always wasted on men?
She gave herself a mental shake. “Okay... so it’s something about the wedding?”
His eyes tightened in a wince. “Right, well, it’s kind of not just a simple, ordinary wedding—it’s kind of a weekend thing. A destination wedding, in fact.”
Adestinationwedding? A million questions raced through her mind.
He held up a hand, palm out. “I’m sorry. I know I should’ve disclosed that before you agreed to the trade, and if you want out... I’ll still keep my end of the bargain. But I’d really appreciate it if you’d—”
She nudged his shoulder. “Look at you, so serious. A destination wedding, are you kidding me? I’d love to go.”
His brows shot up. Then he cut her a sideways glance. “Really? You’re not upset?”
“Where is it? Hawaii? Jamaica? Bora-Bora?”
“Try Florida.”
“IloveFlorida. Which part? How many days?”
“Anna Maria Island. It’s a Friday-through-Sunday deal. You’ll have your own room at the resort, of course.”
“A resort? Two nights? Do they have umbrella drinks and swimming pools? Ooh, what about a hot tub?”
He rolled his eyes. “I would imagine so.”
She loved going out, getting dressed up. She rubbed her hands together. “I need to go shopping. Where’s Anna Maria Island exactly? And just so you know, I would’ve signed up for this without the trade. I probably shouldn’t have told you that.” She poked a finger into his chest. “You still have to help me with the ring.”
“I won’t quit on you now. The island’s on the Gulf Coast near Bradenton and St.Petersburg. My cousin’s grandmother lives there. I hope you like long car trips.”
“We love long car trips.” Her smile dimmed a couple watts. “Oh, what about Rio? Will I be able to take her?”
“I don’t know. Didn’t think of that. I’ll have to check.”
“Surely they wouldn’t object to one tiny little dog. A resort! For two whole nights. I’ve never stayed at a resort before—or attended a destination wedding. How romantic.” She swooned a bit, then caught his expression. “For the happy couple, I mean.”
“Oh, right. So... we’re okay then?”
She patted his thigh. So solid. “We’re fine. No worries. Let’s start the movie before it gets any later. I’ll probably think of more questions.”
“At least save them for after the movie.” He grabbed the remote. “Anyway, I don’t have a lot of specific information, but I’ll find out more tomorrow.”
“Guess I’ll have to wait then.” She turned off the lamp, ushering in darkness, and settled into her seat.
The movie started and they dug into the popcorn, but Sadie hardly even tasted it. She was too busy thinking about the wedding. She tried to follow the film (Tom Cruise was so young!), but her mind kept flittering back to the wedding.
Not only would this be a fun experience, but it would work perfectly into the plot of her story. A whole weekend together would allow time for her hero and heroine to grow closer. Add in a romantic wedding and a beautiful island setting, and the sparks were sure to fly.
She glanced at Sam, who was homed in on the screen. His face glowed dimly in the light. He was so handsome. How was it that he didn’t have a dozen women he could invite to this wedding? Why had he chosen her? Maybe he wasn’t interested in anything serious. And she supposed some women could get carried away at weddings—the whole affair conjuring up dreams of white picket fences and baby bundles. Maybe he wanted to avoid those expectations.
Before long her fingers scraped the salty bottom of the popcorn bowl. She set the bowl aside and forced herself to focus on the movie, which really was fast paced and interesting. She hung in there for the next hour, but before long her thoughts returned to the upcoming wedding.
What kind of clothes would she need to buy? Surely the bride and groom had a schedule that would clue her in to her wardrobe needs. Of course, there would be a rehearsal dinner, but Sam wasn’t in the party, so they wouldn’t be invited to that, would they? She’d definitely need a new bathing suit. Well, notneed, but hello, it was a resort. A new bathing suit was practically arequirement. She’d only brought the one she’d purchased for that cruise a few years ago.
She smothered a yawn. She probably shouldn’t have turned off the lights.
Would the wedding be held at night or during the day? Would it be formal or semiformal? Or would it be on the beach? Would the guests go barefoot? She’d need a pedicure! And a manicure, of course—that went without saying.
