Page 17 of Island Guardian (Brookwell Island #7)
Chapter Eleven
Trina would never have guessed that this instant-marriage or rescue-marriage or whatever they should call it would feel like a vacation. But it did. Her first trip to Key West was a whirlwind of wedding details layered with new friendships and discoveries.
She was loving every minute. And taking perverse delight in ignoring Luca’s many calls and text messages.
Dress shopping had been a delight. She was actually excited for Rhett to see the dress tomorrow.
Ilsa had driven straight to a boutique not far from the Cove.
The staff had welcomed Trina warmly and she’d felt like a star trying on a variety of dresses.
Once she’d made her choice, Ilsa had taken care of ordering coordinating details to outfit Rhett.
The dress—a warm white—was form-fitted through the bodice without being clingy and the longer skirt had enough detail and weight that it wouldn’t get blown around in a breeze.
The beading along the neckline sparkled with hints of fire like her opal ring.
The style showed her curves to perfection, made her feel a smidge taller and utterly beautiful, and the color made her skin glow .
Plus, it would make a clear bridal statement without being too fussy or formal for the reception at the Cove.
She wanted to make a good impression. For Rhett’s sake. The Cove staff really did admire him and appreciate his leadership. She wanted to honor that and support the man who would be her husband.
For a while anyway.
At lunch, he’d seemed pleased that they would be having a reception after the sunset ceremony. And when the pastry chef at the Cove asked them to swing by for an impromptu tasting, he was all smiles. Max had tagged along, more than happy to break any ties.
All day it seemed someone was congratulating them and welcoming her. She loved seeing how much his team and the community valued him.
With the desserts decided, Rhett must’ve been riding a sugar high as he hustled her over to the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. “Just in time,” he said, bounding out of the car.
He took her hand without asking and she didn’t mind as they entered about an hour before closing time. They walked through a gift shop that would’ve distracted her for hours and then a gallery with extraordinary pieces celebrating the natural beauty and colorful rainbow of butterflies.
And then they entered the garden itself and she was in awe.
“This is incredible,” she whispered. She’d traveled countless places throughout her life and this leaped into her top ten list of best natural experiences.
She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, only that she had been surprised to encounter so much more than the colorful butterflies flitting about from tree to leaf to flower.
A pair of flamingos waded in a creek that wound through the conservatory.
“It’s so relaxing,” she continued. “I’d want to visit every day if I lived here. ”
Rhett nodded, a soft smile on his face. “It’s one of my favorite places in town.”
And he’d brought her here.
A delightful fizz coursed through her system as birds chirped happily overhead, fish zipped to and fro in the water—oblivious to any possible threat—and small turtles basked on sun-drenched rocks.
She paused on the path and closed her eyes, soaking it all in so she could bring herself back to the peacefulness of this moment whenever she needed a break.
Heat radiated from Rhett as he leaned closer. “They have a live webcam you can tune into anytime.”
“Really?”
He nodded, a conspiratorial grin on his lips. “It’s bookmarked on my laptop.”
“I understand why.” The outing touched her heart deeply.
He showed her more of the quirky vibe that was a Key West evening. Having dinner at a famous dive bar on the water. Enjoying live music for a little bit before heading down to Mallory Square to see the street performers who entertained visitors at the sunset celebration.
“This has been an incredible day,” she said as they applauded one of the musical acts. He tossed a few bills into the guitar case and deftly steered her around a crowd of boisterous tourists, closer to a unicycle acrobat. “I hope you’ve been having a good time too.”
“Absolutely.” He grinned at her. “Showing you around is like seeing it for the first time all over again.”
She ducked her head, a bit too overwhelmed by what he was implying.
They were in public, yes, but no one was paying any attention to them.
Was keeping up the doting-fiancé routine merely staying in practice?
She wanted to ask, to clarify, just for her own sanity.
Every minute with him made her want this to be real .
Real beyond the legalities.
She felt the phone vibrate again in her purse, a harsh reminder of what had brought them here.
Luca. She’d changed the setup while at the boutique so her managers could reach her through a different app with a distinct alert pattern.
She couldn’t leave them unsupported, but she was done with Luca’s constant interruptions.
Rhett must have noticed something. “Getting tired?”
“A little. I think I’m just overwhelmed,” she admitted.
“Who wouldn’t be?” He meandered along, his hand available should she choose to hold it.
It was a subtle move. Only the most observant person might see it as a question. Here in this crowd no one was watching them closely. That would change at tomorrow night’s reception, and when they got back to South Carolina, his family would surely watch her like a hawk.
She eased her hand into his solid warmth. His hands were strong from his hours in the boxing ring. Max had shared some fun stories of Rhett’s training—both the early mishaps and the more recent successes.
Overhead, colors blazed from peach to indigo as the sun sank into the horizon. “This time tomorrow, we’ll be exchanging vows,” he said.
“Are we crazy?”
“I’m sure someone will say so,” he admitted. “But we know what we’re doing.”
She hoped so. “Your parents will be in shock.” She had fond memories of Mr. and Mrs. Ellington, but Rhett marrying her—especially out of the blue like this—would turn things upside down.
“Not for long. They raised us well and emphasized the importance of being happy.”
“Will they believe I make you happy?”
He laughed. “Of course. ”
She hoped his confidence proved true. More, she hoped she could match his skill at convincing others they were delighted with each other.
Tonight felt like a real date, despite her woefully limited experience. She hadn’t known Rhett could be romantic. Thoughtful and patient had not been his obvious strong suits when they were kids. Not hers either, if she were honest.
She’d been so desperate to get as far away from an unbearable situation as she could—physically and emotionally.
As a result, she’d handled many things poorly that year.
Everything. She’d cut communication with her parents, stopped interacting with close friends, and struggled to bond with her classmates in that French internship.
Seeing Rhett in France had both frightened and annoyed her.
One more person who might look at her and know she’d been fooled by a smooth-talking, handsome young man with big ambition.
Luca had talked often about his future plans, boldly including her.
The daydreaming had been flattering and fun, until he’d stopped listening to her hopes, carelessly adjusting her goals to fit his plans.
If only she’d heeded the warning from her intuition, she might never have been caught in his snare at all.
“Your mind is wandering,” Rhett said as they left the excitement of Mallory Square behind.
“A little,” she confessed. As they walked along, she felt relaxed and protected with him at her side.
For the first time in nearly a decade, she felt the whole story bubbling up.
A strange temptation to tell him everything came over her, but he’d done so much already.
He’d be tied down into their charade for months to come.
He didn’t need to take all that on and her baggage too.
“I’m a good listener.”
“Hm.” She didn’t want to wreck the happy mood of the day. “You don’t seem to be fazed by any of this.” She surprised herself, leaning into him a little, savoring the tingly rush under her skin.
They crossed the street, and though plenty of people milled about, moving between various bars and restaurants, she felt as if they were in their own bubble of quiet.
“We could walk back to the Cove, but it’s a hike,” he warned. “I’ll call for a car.”
“Don’t bother.” She did a quick heel-toe move with her foot, showing off her cute wedge sandals. “These are far more comfortable than they look. I could hike ten miles.”
“I wouldn’t put you through that.” He gave her hand a light squeeze. “Before you argue, that’s not an insult. I wouldn’t put myself through that.”
She cocked her head to look at him. “You wouldn’t put yourself through walking ten miles with me or you wouldn’t put yourself through walking ten miles at all?”
He gave her a deceptively innocent look. “It can be both.”
She bumped him as he laughed outright, then her own giggles escaped. “Look at us.” She tipped her gaze to the dark sky overhead. “I guess people might believe this is the real deal after all.”
Until Rhett started visiting his sister more frequently, Trina couldn’t remember a time they could be in the same room without glowering at one another. Even a few months ago, when her Inn had hosted his family for brunch, he’d been all scowly and growly around her.
“How often did you complain to your family about me?” she asked.
He reared back. “Never. You?”
“Not once.” Mostly because she didn’t communicate well with her parents on any issue.