Marty
MACK SENT ADA WITH FIONA and Rowan to the hotel.
He drove us back like an insane man. When we pulled into the hotel’s valet he jumped out of the car and took off running for the hotel to find Shay. I handled the valet. I knew Fiona hadn’t broken all the laws driving back and was likely fifteen minutes behind us.
The whole airport experience had been weird. Rowan and Fiona showing up together like they were friends on a mission was different. Unexpected. Then the shit Rowan said and Fiona looking as if she were about to cry. I was missing something. Or a lot. I knew Rowan would fill in the blanks.
Right now, Mack had a fiancée to calm down and reassure. I headed inside and the lack of sleep began to take its toll on me. The adrenaline rush was over and Mack hadn’t killed us driving back. I made my way up to the room and decided I had time to close my eyes a few minutes before Rowan returned to tell me exactly what the hell had happened here this morning.
When I opened my eyes again, I stared at the window and it took a moment to understand that the bright midday sun was gone and the sun was beginning to set. How was the sun already setting? I closed my eyes once more when realization hit me. I bolted upright in bed and looked around the room for a clock. The clock beside the bed said 6:16 p.m. I jumped off the bed, ran to the bedroom door and jerked it open it. Rowan was standing at the bar at the right of the suite with a beer in her hand dressed for the night.
“You have”—she paused and looked at her watch—“thirteen minutes now. Better hurry.”
“What the fuck, Rowan! You could have woken me up earlier than this. I’ve been sleeping all damn day. I haven’t even written the speech for tomorrow. And I don’t have a fucking clue what to say tonight.” I was wasting time. I hurried to the bathroom to get a quick shower and dress for the rehearsal. I’d bitch at Rowan later.
It took me ten minutes to get showered and dressed. I stalked out of the bedroom and glowered at her.
“What? You got ready with three minutes to spare,” she said with a shrug.
“You’re an ass.”
“Tsk tsk tsk. Be careful how you talk to me. I’m the best damn friend you’ve ever had.”
Rolling my eyes, I walked toward the door not wanting to be late for the rehearsal. I had wasted an entire day sleeping. A day I could have found a way to get Fiona alone and try to get her to listen to me. Our time was running out. My chance was running out. I couldn’t let her leave again without knowing the truth. Especially since I now knew I wasn’t guilty of anything with Chantel.
Rowan was keeping up beside me. “You could have woken me up,” I stated.
“Maybe. But you needed to be rested for tonight. You looked like shit. You look much better now.”
“Thanks,” I muttered.
She didn’t say anything more until we were about to walk into the gardens where the wedding would be held. “It’s not time to give up,” she said.
I stopped and looked at her. “What?”
“Marty! Get over here. You’re late!” Mack called out.
I didn’t wait for an explanation. Mack sounded anxious. I made my way to him following the cobblestone path. Studying him, I saw him smile at something the minister said and took in the way his relaxed stance. Things with Shay had been handled. She was okay. I could tell by his body language.
“Shay happy to see her mother?” I asked.
“She will be,” he said with a grin that reminded me of when we were kids.
“She’s not seen her yet?”
“Shhhhh . . . here we go,” he said nodding toward the door that led out of the stone castle like building that stood in the far-right corner of the gardens.
Shay appeared with a lady I didn’t know but seemed to be giving directions. Shay was listening. She nodded before turning toward the wedding party as we waited for this thing to get started.
“Hey, everyone. This is Marlique. She is my wedding director and will be in charge tonight.”
Marlique glanced toward Mack who nodded in response to her unspoken question.
“We need to decide on someone to walk you down the aisle. To give you away,” she said businesslike to Shay.
Shay shook her head. “Oh, no. Remember we aren’t doing that.”
Marlique ignored her. “I believe the groom had a better idea,” she said.
Shay turned to look at Mack. “You do?” she was obviously unsure what Mack had decided without her.
“Yes. I do,” he replied. “Ada,” he said and turned to the wall of rose bushes behind us.
Ada stepped from behind the rose wall. There was a loud gasp from Shay.
“Momma!” Shay squealed and dropped the bouquet of flowers she’d been holding to the ground. She took off running to her mother. Everyone watched as Ada caught her daughter in her arms and they held each other tightly. Shay’s cries could be heard throughout the gardens as everyone stood quietly witnessing the beautiful scene.
“You’re her,” Shay finally said pulling back to look at her mother.
“Yes. It appears you found a man who loves you as much as I do.”
Shay turned to look at Mack then. “Yes, I did.”
My gaze found Fiona and she was smiling and wiping at the tears streaming down her face. I was happy for my brother and Shay. But I was also envious. He was getting a life with the woman he loved.