She takes a step forward and shoves her hand out for a formal shake. Roxy takes it a step further, lunging and pulling her into a bear hug. It’s just like her to be overly affectionate. I can hear her say, “Thank you for getting him on that plane. You’re my new best friend.”
Roxy is amped up and gives us a tour of the expansive Dirk family beach house. We drop our bags in our luxurious second-floor suite and gather on the veranda with a private ocean view. Snacks and a bottle of bubbly are waiting for us, and Roxy pours the pink liquid into flutes and passes them around. Keri and I sit on a loveseat across from my cousin. I watch her tuck her bare feet under her colorful maxi dress, sigh happily, and raise her glass.
“Cheers to my favorite cousin in the world.”
“Ha! I’m your only cousin,” I reply, taking a sip.
“And cheers to you, Keri. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
“It’s very nice to meet you too.”
“Ooh!” Roxy squeals. “I just love your Southern accent. Have you always lived in Georgia?”
Keri averts her eyes, as if embarrassed. “Except for four years in college at Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Georgia, I’ve lived in Heartsboro my entire life.”
“Heartsboro. It even sounds idyllic. I can’t even imagine living in one place my entire life. What a dream.”
“It’s wonderful, Roxy,” I add. “I hope you and Justin will come and visit us someday soon.”
“Definitely!”
I set my champagne on a side table. “Speaking of Justin, when do we get to meet your better half?”
“He should be here any minute. As usual, he’s running late. He got stuck in a last-minute meeting he had to attend before he took off for the next month.”
“A month?” I ask.
“Yes. We’re heading to Bali for an extended honeymoon, thanks to his generous parents. We leave right after the reception. I can’t wait for you to meet them too.”
Sipping champagne in the sprawling Dirk beach house while hearing about Roxy’s honeymoon feels surreal. My sweet cousin used to be like me: simple and unrefined. A creative soul shunning convention for art and freedom. She valued experience over things. Now, she sits like royalty against the ocean backdrop awaiting her king, and I’m left confused.
“How’s your pottery and jewelry business going?” I ask.
Her smile falters, and she gives me the side-eye. “Adam, I gave that up a while ago. I haven’t had any time. I’ve been solely focused on the wedding and our new house.”
“New house? How exciting,” Keri exclaims.
I’m floored. “When did this happen? Where is the house located?”
Roxy waves me off and reaches for an almond in a crystal dish. “We bought a house in San Francisco. Justin loathed the interior, so we gutted everything, and now we’re deep into a full renovation. It’ll be stunning when it’s done. Mrs. Dirk’s interior designer is amazing. Unfortunately, we can’t move in until after our honeymoon. That’s why we’ve been staying here.”
“Not a bad place to stay,” Keri offers. “The view is magical. You’re a very blessed woman.”
Roxy’s expression warms as she nods. “I am.” She shifts her focus to me. “And having my amazing cousin here to walk me down the aisle is the cherry on top.”
“Roxanne?” All three of us turn our heads to see Justin waltz in through the kitchen. I watch Roxy immediately rise from the sofa and lunge at her fiancé, kissing him boldly on the mouth.
“Roxanne, we have company. Please…”
“But I missed you,” she squeaks, looking up at him with her big puppy-dog eyes while she practically hangs from his broad shoulders.
He acquiesces and kisses her on the mouth. I can hear Roxie moan with pleasure.
“Hey, there. I’m Justin Dirk,” he says, turning his attention toward Keri and me.
I stand and shake his hand aggressively. “Hey, Justin. I’m Adam, and this is my girlfriend, Keri Clayton.”
Keri stands and politely shakes his hand. “How do you do?”
