Tatum
Iwas starving by the time we sat down to eat that evening. The decorating took a lot longer than I anticipated and then we had to go through the rehearsal, which mostly consisted of walking down the aisle we’d created between the folding chairs, standing in place next to the white arch covered in flowers, and walking back toward the reception area.
I hadn’t eaten since the breakfast that Ben and I picked up, and my stomach was rumbling as we arrived at the seafood restaurant where we were having dinner. Faith and Michael had arranged for a long table set up on a private terrace at the restaurant surrounded by palm trees and with a view of the ocean. It was just the wedding party gathered for this meal, the bridesmaids and groomsmen lining each side of the table as we dug into our pre-ordered meal.
I was enjoying the best crab cake I’d ever tasted when I felt eyes on me.
I knew who it was before I even looked up. Ben was sitting across from me, and his intense stare made my entire body seem to come to life. He was watching me with a fire in his eyes that anyone would recognize if they cared enough to pay attention but for once, I didn’t care.
I thought about the short make out session that we’d had a few hours ago. Something had been bothering him. I knew it the moment I saw him, and I still wanted to know what had been on his mind. But whatever it was, it didn’t distract him from claiming my mouth and running his hands over my body as if he just couldn’t help himself.
I’d never felt sowantedbefore.
I was eager to go to his room again, to repeat the experience we shared a couple of nights ago, but we had to get through the meal first. My attention was pulled away from him as Faith and Michael stood.
“You guys, I can’t tell you how much it means to us that you’re all here,” Faith said, looking around at all of us. “Not only did you come to participate in our wedding, but you all showed up five days early to help us prepare and turn this into so much more than just a single wedding day. We’ve had a five-day celebration with you all, and tomorrow is finally the big day.”
“And we wanted to give you all gifts,” Michael added, pulling two large gift bags out from under his seat. He handed one to Faith. “It’s just our way of saying thank you for everything you all have done and for being a part of our special day.”
They both reached into their bags and pulled out small boxes. Faith’s were rectangular and white while Michael’s were square and brown. Everyone at the table received a box, and when I opened mine, I found a beautiful necklace inside. There was a red heart-shaped pendant hanging from a long, fine gold chain. I lifted it out of the box and looked around to see that all the bridesmaids had the same gift while the men received sterling silver watches.
I loved the necklace. It was just my style, and I knew that it would look great around my neck tomorrow during the ceremony. Standing, I pulled Faith into a hug as she passed out the last necklace.
“I’m so happy for you,” I said as the others opened their gifts.
Faith and I were close. She was more like a sister to me than just a friend, so I was thrilled to see her so happy. And I was feeling much less jealous than I was just a few days ago when I got on the plane to come here. There was no question as to why that was.
As if Faith could read my mind, she leaned in close as we resumed our seats. “So, what’s going on with you and Ben?”
I looked over to see that he was talking with Michael, oblivious to our conversation. Still, I kept my voice low as I replied.
“How do you know anything is going on? I figured you’d be too busy to notice something like that.”
“Girl, being busy is one thing, but anyone with a pulse could pick up on the heat and chemistry between the two of you.”
I chuckled. She had a point. It was probably silly to think that I could keep things between us a secret when invisible electricity seemed to crackle in the air between us every time we were near each other.
“We’ve...kind ofbeen seeing each other,” I admitted.
“Kind of? What’s that mean? What’s the problem?” Faith pinned me with a calculating stare. I felt like she was looking right into my soul. “Ben’s a really good guy, you know.”
I sighed. “Yeah, I do. The problem’s not him. It’s me. I’ve never been able to make a relationship work, you know that. Most of them crash and burn pretty quickly. I’ve never dated anyone as long as I dated Aiden, and look how that turned out. And what’s the common denominator?Me.I’m just starting to think that I’m not girlfriend material.”
“You’re not the problem,” Faith said dismissively. “You just haven’t been with the right guy yet. Even Aiden wasn’t the man for you. Trust me, I know what it’s like when you find the right one. You justknow.”
“It’s easy to say that when you’re less than twenty-four hours from tying the knot,” I pointed out with a grin.
Faith grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I just want you to be as happy as I am.”
“I appreciate that. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get lucky too someday soon.”
“Maybe,” Faith agreed with a glint in her eye. I knew that she was thinking that Ben might be my chance at such happiness, but I couldn’t allow myself to think that way. It was too soon, wasn’t it?
My head told me yes, but the way my heart fluttered every time I thought about Ben made me think that I was already in way over my head with this guy. I wasn’t protecting my emotions like I should have been.
The dinner was coming to an end. The waiters taking care of our table came around to collect empty plates and replace them with dessert, which was a slice of chocolate cheesecake that might have been the best thing I’d ever eaten. I let out a small moan just as I met Ben’s eyes from across the table. The unmasked lust on his face sent a tingle down my spine.
But I was soon distracted by the sound of a cell phone ringing. It was coming from Faith’s purse beside me, and I watched as she pulled it out with a small frown on her face. Standing once again, she stepped away from the table as she answered it. She went to the edge of the terrace, and I watched her pace back and forth while I ate my cheesecake. Everything about her body language told me that whatever the conversation was about, it wasn’t a pleasant one. Michael thanked everyone for coming and the party broke up while Faith was still talking, her hand on her forehead as she frowned.