Day Two

Oh, thank God.

I can finally take a breath of relief when Julia’s head pops out of the water. My heart nearly stopped with worry when I saw her leap over the cliff.

But she’s not out of trouble yet. She’s far from the boat, and the strong waves are pushing her farther with every passing second.

Adrenaline courses through my veins when her head dunks under the rough water and her arms start flailing. She’s in trouble.

I leap off the cliff without a second of hesitation, diving down to save her. The water can’t come fast enough as I squeeze my hands into fists, bracing myself for the impact.

As soon as I slice through the water, I curve my body and swim in her direction as fast as I can, praying that I’m not too late. When my lungs are burning for air, I come out of the water, frantically looking for her. There! I see her a few yards away. She’s not looking good.

There’s a panicked look in her eyes, and her mouth is wide open as a wave hits the back of her head, plunging her back down.

I can see to my right that a couple of the Navy SEALs are swimming over, trying to get to her as well.

I grit my teeth and kick as hard as I can, ripping through the water to get to the only girl I’ve ever loved.

Her body is in pure panic mode when I reach her. She tries to lunge on me, and her fist slams into my nose.

“Easy,” I say to her as I swim around to her back. “Just relax.”

She’s past listening. She’s drowning, and her instinct has taken over, trying to grab onto anything and everything to keep her head from going under.

When I see an opening, I swoop in and slide my arms around her waist, squeezing her tight.

“Stop moving,” I whisper in her ear as I hold her up. “It’s okay, Julia. I got you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Her body finally stops thrashing around, and I lean back, holding her with one arm and swimming back to the rocks with the other.

Two Navy SEALs arrive, and I wave them off. “I got her,” I tell them. “Bring the boat over to the cliff and pick us up.”

They both nod, turn, and swim back to the boat.

My hand hits a flat rock, and I climb up onto it, carefully pulling Julia up with me. She’s looking pale as I lie her down on her back.

“You’re okay now,” I whisper to her. Her tilted head is resting on my right hand, and I’m combing her black hair out of her face with my left. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. This is a horrible moment for her, but for me, it’s one of the best of my life. I wish it would last forever.

Suddenly, her eyes bulge out and she jerks up to a sitting position. She starts dry heaving and then pukes salt water all over herself.

“It’s okay,” I whisper as I ease her back down to the rock. “You swallowed some salt water. That’s all it is.”

I scoop up some water from the ocean and gently wash it off her body. She finally comes back to normal, looking up at me with life in her eyes.

I hold her close as we gaze into each other’s eyes, seeing something that wasn’t there before.

“Tucker,” she whispers.

“It’s okay, Julia,” I whisper back to her as I caress her cold cheek. “Just rest for now.”

She shakes her head weakly. “I want to tell you. Right before I landed in the water. I—”

“Is she okay?” Cynthia shouts, sounding panicked.

The boat is right behind us, and my sister is standing on the edge of it looking like she’s about to have an anxiety attack.

“She’s fine,” I tell her. “Just a little waterlogged.”

Julia’s eyes are closed, and she’s breathing heavily when I turn back to her. The poor girl looks exhausted. “Your ride is here,” I whisper to her. “You can tell me that you love me later.”

Her eyes stay closed, but her lips curl up into a soft smile.

I carefully slide my arms under her and pick her up. She curls her arm around my neck and smiles as she looks at me. My heart is racing harder than when I dove off the cliff. I’ve always wanted to have Julia in my arms, and now that I do, it’s better than I ever imagined.

I wait until the boat lines up to the rock and then I carry her onto it, holding her close to my chest, and close to my heart.

* * *

I can still feel her in my arms when I walk into the resort. I’ve been savoring it the whole bus ride home. I sat by myself in the back, closed my eyes, and pictured everything about that moment: her cold wet skin against mine, her hair tickling my arms, the look of her gorgeous green eyes gazing up at me, the intense feeling like it was only the two of us in the whole world.

I try to think of a better moment in my life, but I’m coming up short.

She’s back to her regular self as she walks into the lobby, joking around with my sister and her other friends. I steal quick glances at her every few seconds, wishing that it was just the two of us once again.

Whatever moment we had is over, and it appears like she’s gone back to hating me. She hasn’t said a word to me since I carried her onto the boat.

With a sigh, I turn and head back to my room. A minute later I hear footsteps racing up behind me.

“Tucker.” It’s her.

I take a deep breath, preparing myself to turn around. Every time I see her, it feels like someone has their hand wrapped around my heart and is squeezing it.

She’s standing there, looking shy as she bites her bottom lip. “Tucker. I just want to say thank you. For saving my life.”

I smile at her, playing it off like it was nothing. “I was just trying to get some mouth-to-mouth action.”

The tension releases from her face and she laughs. “I’m sorry I puked on you instead.”

I smile at her. “Think nothing of it.”

She takes a deep breath and lifts her shoulders, looking like she’s ready to leave. “Well, if there’s anything I can do to repay you, like saving your life sometime, let me know.”

She gives me one last smile, turns, and walks away.

My heart is pounding as I watch her. “Wait,” I call out to her. “There is.”

She turns with a skeptical look on her face. “There is?”

I grin. “I want a date.”

“A what?”

“I want to take you out for dinner.”

She shakes her head. Violently. “No way.”

“I saved your life.”

“Take me back to the cliffs and drown me.”

She makes me laugh. “You said anything.”

“Not that,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest.

I raise my chin as we stare each other down. “That’s what I want. I saved your life. I want a date.”

“Oh, God,” she mutters as she rubs her forehead. “It’s like being indebted to Tony Soprano.”

“A Tony Soprano with abs.”

She shakes her head as she looks up at me with disbelief. “Only you would exploit saving a girl’s life to then guilt her into accepting a date.”

I just stare back at her with a serious face. “I’ve always wanted to go on a date with you, Julia. I’ll take it any way I can.”

“Fine, Mr. Unromantic,” she says, grinning. “You’ve guilted me into it. Tomorrow night.” She lets out a long sigh as her eyes drop down to the tiled floor. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

I give her a smirk. “Wear your sexiest underwear.”

Her eyes narrow on me. “I won’t.”

“That’s fine with me,” I answer with a grin. “No underwear works even better for me.”

“Mphm,” she grunts in frustration before turning and charging away.

It takes everything I have not to do a little touchdown dance. I have a date with Julia! Fuck yeah!

My eyes never leave her as she walks back through the lobby and then leaves with Tanya, disappearing into the other side of the resort.

My heart is drumming in my chest as it finally hits me. I’m taking Julia out tomorrow. Thoughts start racing through my head. This date has to be perfect. I have to blow her away.

I definitely have a lot of planning to do.

The warmth radiating through my body turns to cold chills when I see the last person I want or expect to see come stepping off a bus and strutting into the resort like she owns the place.

Fuck!

It’s my ex. Stacy.

What the hell is she doing here?

The blood is draining from my face as I charge right up to her. “Stacy,” I hiss. “Why the hell did you come here?”

“Hi, honey,” she says, smiling as she throws her arms up to give me a hug. I plant my palm on her chest and push her away. She flicks her blond hair behind her shoulder as her fake smile turns into an icy glare.

Stacy can turn from sweet little girl to raging super bitch in the blink of an eye. It’s because the sweet little girl bit is only an act. The raging super bitch is the real her and is always brewing close to the surface.

“Why are you here?” I snap at her again.

She rolls her eyes. “You invited me.” She holds her hand out with an annoyed look on her face. “Give me a key card to our room. I want to freshen up.”

I stare at her outstretched hand in disbelief. She’s even crazier than I thought.

“Have you lost your mind? We broke up. That means I don’t want to see you again. Ever.”

She shakes her head, sending her blonde hair bouncing from side to side. “That wasn’t a breakup. That was just a fight.”

I speak slowly so she’ll understand every word. “That. Was. A. Breakup.”

“Whatever,” she says with a shrug. “I’m here now, so it’s too late.”

“No, it’s not,” I shout. I want to pick her up and throw her onto a departing bus.

“Stephanie?!?” a voice shouts out, ringing through the lobby. I turn and see my sister charging over like an angry bull. Her face is as red as the inside of a volcano, and she looks like she’s about to erupt.

Stacy grins as she crosses her arms, glaring at my sister as she stomps over.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Cynthia shouts as she charges up to her, stopping an inch from Stacy’s nose.

“Wha—” I mutter, looking back and forth between them. Cynthia knows Stacy? How? Why is she calling her Stephanie? I’m so confused.

“Get the fuck off my resort!” my sister shouts in her face.

My ex just grins back at her. “I’m an invited guest,” she says, looking like she’s loving every second of this.

“Ha!” Cynthia shouts. “Who the hell invited you?”

Stacy’s face lights up with pure joy. “Your brother did.”

Cynthia’s face drops as she turns to me with a look of pure betrayal. She’s looking at me like I just murdered her puppy in front of her.

“Satan!” someone yells from behind me. Megan comes charging over, holding her two index fingers up in front of her like a crucifix. “Begone, Lucifer!”

“Hi, Megan,” Stacy says, grinning at her.

Megan knows her too?

“What the hell is going on?” I ask when I can finally find some fucking words. “You guys all know each other?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Megan says, standing shoulder to shoulder with Cynthia. “Tucker, meet Stephanie, the lord of the underworld.”

“You’re dating her?” Cynthia asks, staring at me in disgust.

I shake my head. “No way. I broke up with her. I don’t know why she’s here.”

“You invited me,” Stacy says.

“Come on, Stacy,” I spit out in frustration. “That was before we broke up.”

“You didn’t uninvite me,” she says with a shrug.

“This was the Stacy you dated?” Cynthia asks, pointing at her. “Her real name is Stephanie.”

I shake my head. “I’m so confused.”

“Her real name is Stephanie. She’s Lucas’ sister and Chase and Ethan’s cousin,” Cynthia explains. “She’s also Megan’s sister-in-law.”

“Not by choice,” Megan adds.

“She tried to ruin Megan’s and then Tanya’s wedding,” Cynthia continues. “She’s pure evil. And I want to know what the hell she’s doing here.”

Stephanie’s heated eyes are narrowed on my sister. “Do you really think I’m just going to let what happened slide?” she asks in a fierce tone. “Don’t you know me at all?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Cynthia says, not backing down.

“What the hell did we do?” Megan asks.

Stephanie whips her head around to glare at her. “You four bitches ruined my wedding day!”

“We weren’t even there!” Cynthia shouts.

“I was!” Megan says, raising her hand. “Best wedding ever!”

Stephanie growls at her. “You guys put the video of me looking inappropriate on YouTube!”

“You looking inappropriate like screaming like a four-year-old and trashing your own wedding until you got tossed out by security?” Cynthia asks.

Stephanie looks furious. “I wanted the pink roses!”

Cynthia shakes her head as she stares at her. “You’re psychotic.”

“No,” Stephanie says, raising her chin in the air. “I’m just a modern-day woman who gets what she wants.”

Megan sticks her finger in Stephanie’s face. “You’re a modern-day maniac who should be locked in a padded room!”

Stephanie isn’t hearing any of it. “You ruined my wedding. I’m going to ruin yours.”

“Your fiancée ran away from you,” Cynthia says with her voice racing. “You trashed the reception, and security threw you out! How is any of that our fault?”

“I was in jail because of you,” Stephanie says.

“You were in jail because you smacked a cop,” Cynthia shouts back.

“Wait,” I say, trying to keep up. “What happened?”

Cynthia steps toward her, and Stacy, or Stephanie, or whatever her name is, holds her ground. “So, you’re telling me you tracked down my brother, changed your name, and seduced him just so you could come to my wedding and try to ruin it?”

Stephanie nods proudly. “Yes.”

Megan looks stunned. “You’re a super-villain,” she whispers.

I’m still not sure I know what’s going on, but I do know that I don’t want her here, Megan doesn’t want her here, and Cynthia sure as hell doesn’t want her here, so it’s time for her to leave.

“All right,” I say, grabbing her arm. “You’re not staying with me, so get back on the bus, and go back to whatever hole you crawled out of.”

Stephanie looks down at my hand wrapped around her arm and starts screaming like the drama queen that she is. “Stop! Stop!” she screams as tears start welling in her eyes. I’m not even holding her hard at all. “He’s assaulting me! Help!”

The owner comes rushing over as I let her go. There aren’t even marks from my fingertips. I was barely touching her.

“Is there a problem here, Miss Cynthia?” the owner asks.

“Yes, Lars,” Cynthia says, pointing to Stephanie. “She came here uninvited with the intention of ruining my wedding. She doesn’t have a reservation, and she’s trespassing on your resort. Can you please remove her immediately?”

Lars turns to Stephanie. “Do you have a reservation, Miss?”

Stephanie shakes her head. “I would like to book a room.”

Lars sighs. “Unfortunately, we’re full to maximum capacity. You’ll have to stay someplace else.”

“Ah, that’s too bad,” Megan says sarcastically.

“Come with me,” Lars says, waving Stephanie over. “I’ll help you find another hotel or maybe a flight back home if we can’t find anything.”

She grits her teeth as she glares at Megan and then Cynthia. She exhales long and hard, raises her chin in the air, and then goes with Lars without saying another word.

“That was… interesting,” I say as we watch her walk into Lars’ office. “At least she’s gone.”

“She’s not gone,” Megan says, shaking her head. “That chick is like a cockroach. You can’t get rid of her.”

Cynthia sighs, looking like she’s going to cry. I give her a hug and her body crumples in my arms.

“She’s going to ruin my wedding.”

I grab her shoulders and hold her body out, staring into her eyes. “She won’t. I won’t let her. I promise.”

Cynthia doesn’t look so sure. “You don’t know that girl. She’s pure evil.”

“I’m your big brother,” I say with a fierceness that surprises me. “I’ll take care of it.”

Cynthia exhales long and hard before she nods. “Okay. Thanks, Tucker.”

I gulp as I look back at Stephanie through the glass walls of Lars’ office. She’s sitting in front of his desk and flipping her hair back.

I knew she was crazy, but I didn’t think she was legitimately, certifiably crazy. I just hope I can keep my promise and keep her away from the wedding.

My little sister is counting on me.