Rules of Entanglement (28 page)

Either way, Lucie was right. Just because his DNA claimed differently didn’t mean he wasn’t still a Maris.

The door behind him swung open and shut just before Lucie handed him the cold beer she’d gone inside for. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, shorty.” He took several long swigs, letting the cold liquid soothe the tightness still gripping his throat.

“Now,” she said, descending the steps to stand in front of him. “Whaddaya say we stretch our legs on the beach, and you can fill me in on what happened between you and Ness.”

Jax took in the folded arms across her chest and the single eyebrow hitched up between a part in her bangs. “This is nonnegotiable, isn’t it?”

“Yep.”

Sighing, he unfolded from the stairs and followed her lead down the beach. “How much do you want to know?”

“Might as well start from the beginning. I’ll let you know when I get bored.”

He smiled around the lip of his beer bottle and took a fortifying sip before launching into the whole story. She listened attentively as they strolled at the water’s edge, the warm water occasionally lapping over their bare feet. She didn’t even miss a step when he told her about being part owner of the Mau Loa, just told him she was proud of him for doing something to secure his future in case his career was cut short by an injury. He supposed that would be something in the forefront of her mind, since she was a physical therapist. The majority of her patients were injured athletes, including Reid. Or at least he
had
been one of her patients. Now that Reid had retired, he probably no longer needed PT unless he wanted to role play in the—

Gross!
That was one of the downfalls of having your best friend hook up with your sister. All the “yeah buddy” thoughts of Reid getting some action were tainted by the fact that it was with his innocent baby sister.

“What?” Lucie asked when he gave her a sideways glance.

Yeah, right. No way was he opening up that conversation. “Nothing.”

She shrugged and let it go. “So what did she say when you told her the truth?”

“Exactly what she should have said. That I was the worst kind of liar and took advantage of the situation to get…close to her. And she’s right.”

“Yes, but it’s not like you were the one who made the first move, right?” She grabbed his beer and took a sip, then handed it back. “I mean, technically, she was the one who proposed the fling, not you.”

“Doesn’t matter, Lucie. I created the situation that instigated her proposal. She should’ve been free to have a fling with anyone she wanted. But she chose me because she thought she was stuck playing house with me all week.”

Lucie stared at her feet as she put one in front of the other, hands in her pockets and chewing on her lower lip. Jax knew she was turning the information over in her head like a rock tumbler. She wouldn’t say anything else now until she could pull out something shiny and worth showing.

“She said I was the only person to ever make her break Rule Number One, and then she walked away.” He shook his head in self-disgust. “I should’ve gone after her.”

Lucie stopped in her tracks and grabbed hold of his arm. Jax turned back to her with a questioning look.

“Why didn’t you go after her?”

“You mean besides not wanting my eyes clawed out?”

Lucie frowned, telling him she wasn’t amused.

“Because it doesn’t matter that I never meant to take advantage of her or the situation. The truth is that I did. I should have come clean about my involvement in the resort, but I didn’t. Vanessa felt used, and I can’t blame her for that. She had every right to hate me.”

“I think
hate
is a little strong, Jax. Especially when she just got done telling you she loved you.”

“What are you talking about? I never said she said that.”

“Yes you did,” she argued. “The thing about her breaking Rule Number One.”

His heart stalled in his chest. His lungs refused all air.

Understanding dawned on Lucie’s face. “Oh, Jackson. She never told you what Rule #1 is, did she?” He shook his head once. She stepped toward him and laid a hand on his chest. It took everything he had to hold firm. “Rule #1 is ‘Never fall in love,’ and I know for a fact that she never has…until now. She
loves
you, Jackson. So what are you going to do about it?”

The knowledge filled him with hope and fear. And determination. “I’m going to search every last inch of this island until I find her. Then I’m going to get in her face until she accepts my apology and gives us a chance.”

“I’m not entirely sure on the getting-in-her-face part, but who am I to judge? Reid had to buy me for a hundred grand before I gave him the time of day again.”

“I
hope
I get off that cheap.” Jackson kissed his sister on the forehead. “Gotta run. Thanks, shorty. I’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner later, hopefully with a gorgeous redhead on my arm.”

Jogging back to his Jeep, he started to formulate plans for finding Vanessa and making things right.

Day 7: Saturday

As Vanessa exited the cab and walked through the main entrance of the Mau Loa, she felt like the
worst
worst best friend in the history of worst best friends. She’d called Lucie and ditched the rehearsal dinner last night because she couldn’t deal with seeing Jackson. She knew he’d try to talk to her, and she wouldn’t have any way to escape without making a scene.

In fact, she’d just barely escaped him at her hotel yesterday afternoon. The guy who worked the front desk third shift told her the girl who worked before him mentioned a guy calling in to ask for a Vanessa MacGregor and a bunch of other names he thought might be aliases. Good thing she’d used something totally off the wall or he may have found her.

So her plan was to show up at the last possible minute, get through the wedding, and get shit-faced drunk with Fritz and her friends Eric and Kyle at the reception. She was calling it Operation Avoid Jax (At All Costs Because He Has the Power To Utterly Destroy My Resolve, Not to Mention Completely Shatter My Heart).

Okay, so the title was a little lengthy, but it was also more than a little accurate.

Passing the front desk, she noted Jillian wasn’t working. Happy, smiley, exotically beautiful Jillian. Vanessa bet
she
wasn’t a neurotic mess when it came to relationships. She probably charmed men with her customer service smile and took everything in stride, rule-free.

Vanessa took a turn down the hallway on the right toward the wing with the ballroom and bridal suite. Her palms grew damp and her heart beat a staccato rhythm behind her ribs. She prayed Jax wouldn’t be in the next hallway waiting to pounce. Another twenty feet…ten feet…five…taking a deep breath and holding it, she rounded the corner…

Her heart sank. No Jax.

Wait, her heart wasn’t supposed to sink. It should be buoyant. Like, super-mega-extra buoyant.
Stupid heart, get with the damn program.
Before she did something
truly
stupid, like knock on the groom’s room to the left and ask to speak with him, she opened the door to the bridal suite, slipped inside, and closed it with her back like the hounds of hell were on her heels.

“Nessie!”

She caught Lucie’s gaze in the vanity mirror, mid-application of moisturizer, in the back of the room. Surprise melted into joy on her friend’s face before the dark-haired woman spun on the padded bench and launched across the space. Vanessa met her in the middle and embraced her for several long moments.

“Lucie, I’m so sorry.”

Lucie pulled back and held Vanessa’s shoulders. “Stop. You don’t have to apologize. What matters is that you’re here now.”

“Well, hello,
Vanessa
.”

Looking past Lucie, Vanessa found a very stern-faced Robért dressed in white, cradling a clipboard in one arm and rocking a pencil in the air between his first and second fingers of the other hand. It wasn’t until that moment that she realized the jig was up. She’d been so wrapped up in her own shit, she’d forgotten all about the switcheroo they’d pulled on Robért.

“Uh, what are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t make it.”
That’s it. Avoid the real issue. You’re good at that.

“Oh, that?” He waved his hand dismissively. “Turns out instead of renewing their
vows
, that couple decided to get
divorced
. So my friend was able to cover for me after all. Imagine my
surprise
when I showed up for rehearsal to find an
entirely new
bride and groom.”

She placed a hand on her forehead. Whether it was to make sure the rise in temperature she felt wasn’t actually a fever or to brace herself for the headache that was surely on its way, she wasn’t certain. “Jesus, Robért, I’m sorry. I never wanted to deceive—”

A huge smile broke over his face. “Honey,
please
, I don’t care if you pretended to be as many people as
Cybil
had
personalities
. I’d
still
rather work with people like
you
over ninety-nine percent of my clientele. Jackson already spoke to me and took
full
responsibility. Now
get over
here.”

Relieved, she did as ordered and stepped into his arms for one of their customary hugs. Then a flurry of
let’s get ready
s had them scurrying to their separate vanities. They only had about an hour before the sunset ceremony.

A knock sounded at the door, pulling Vanessa’s stomach into her throat, until she heard, “Girl coming in!”

Jilli strode in pulling a rolling carry-on behind her and wearing a simple white sundress and her ever-present Employee of the Month smile. “
Hui
, everyone!”

Lucie and Robért greeted her with a “Hi, Jilli” and “
Hui
, girl” respectively as Vanessa blurted out, “What are you doing here?”

Real nice, MacGregor. Could you be more of a bitch, maybe?
Her cheeks flushed and she muttered her third apology of the day.

“No worries,” she said, smile still in place. “I’m here to help with hair and makeup. Robért and I usually take care of the small bridal parties. I actually went to cosmetology school before I went back for hotel management.”

“Okay, great, then you can take care of Lucie and Ro—”

“Oh, no,” the woman said as she set up her station next to Vanessa’s vanity. “I’m good, but Robért’s a pro, so he gets the bride. But don’t worry, it won’t take much to make you stunning.”

Wonderful. Tension was making itself known in the base of her skull. It would only be a matter of time before it spread to the backs of her eyes and through her temples. Grabbing four ibuprofen from her purse, she watched Jilli plug in her curler, flat iron, and dryer, then organize enough cosmetics to make up Tammy Faye Baker for fifty years.

When she thought about it, Vanessa wasn’t even sure why she felt a level of agitation with the manager. She’d always been very pleasant and helpful, but there was something about her…

Jillian stood behind Vanessa in front of the large mirror and got to work brushing through her hair and sectioning it with clips. Behind them, Robért and Lucie were busy chatting away, laughing and going over wedding details. And somewhere in another area of the resort, Jackson was… She sighed. She wished she knew how to finish that thought.

“Jackie’s pretty upset.”

It took Vanessa a second to realize Jillian had spoken and another to realize whom she was talking about.
Jackie
. A nickname. Holy shit.

“You two dated.” It wasn’t a question. It was a damn good guess, one that explained why the sweet woman bothered her. She was competition.

“A couple of years ago.” Jillian glanced at her in the mirror and then refocused on her task of curling the bottom sections of hair. “We weren’t serious or anything. More like a friends-with-benefits thing. In fact, in all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen Jax get serious about anyone.”

Ouch. That smacked of truth with a hint of
he warned you
sprinkled on top.

“Until you.”

Vanessa’s eyes snapped up to the mirror. “I’m sorry?” Hell, now she was apologizing in the form of a question. She sounded like a broken record.

“He tried finding you yesterday, and then when you didn’t show up for the rehearsal he came over.” This time when she smiled, it was more sympathetic in nature. “No need to throw darts with your eyes, sweetie. He came over to talk to me and my
husband
.” She held up her left hand and wiggled her ring finger with the wedding band on it.

“Ugh, I’m sorry—
Shit!
There I go again.” She released a frustrated huff and pushed in on her temples where the pain was settling in. “If I
never
have to say that word again, it’ll be too soon.”

Jillian chuckled and grabbed another section of curls to straighten. “Don’t worry about it. I can understand why you’d be a bit territorial about him.” Chocolate brown eyes met her gaze, all hints of play falling away. “He’s a really great guy. I know you’re upset with him, and truthfully, you have the right. But he’s not normally a dishonest person, and I think you should at least give him the opportunity to make it right.”

“I appreciate your concern, Jillian, but there’s nothing to correct. Even his lie aside, Jackson and I made an agreement for three days with no strings. It was fun, but now it’s over. And I’d rather not talk about it anymore.”

The woman gave her shoulder a light squeeze as if to say,
I understand
, then finished Vanessa’s hair and makeup in silence, leaving her to her thoughts that had no intentions of following Jillian’s example.

Jackson Maris seemed to be a permanent fixture in her mind. What was that saying Fritz always had?
I’d rather have a bottle in front o’ me than a frontal lobotomy.
At this point, if it would rid her of the memories of the past week, Vanessa would take either.

Eventually, Robért and Jillian finished with their hair and makeup and packed their things up.

“O-
kay
,” Robért said at the door, “I’m going to check on things, but Jillian will be
right
outside if you need
anything
. The next time I see you, it’ll be to collect you for the ceremony, so get dressed, have some champagne, and relax.”

Lucie hugged the planner. “Thank you so much, Robért.”

Once the door closed, Vanessa turned to study Lucie in her wedding gown. “You look like Cinderella, Lucie.”

The strapless Grecian-style sheath flowed to the floor like a chiffon waterfall. Intricate beading trimmed the sweetheart neckline and the sweep train added a princess touch. Her dark brown hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders with an aqua hibiscus hair comb holding one side back. Robért had done an excellent job with her makeup, using subtle tones to accentuate Lucie’s natural beauty and highlighting her dove gray eyes.

“Really?” Lucie asked.

Vanessa offered her friend a reassuring smile and blinked back the moisture blurring her vision. “A more beautiful bride never existed. You look exquisite, honey. Truly.”

Lucie beamed but then faltered. Pressing a hand to her stomach she said, “Oh, God, I think I’m going to be sick. I don’t know if I can do this.”

Oh, shit. Lucie and Reid were perfect together. If
she
didn’t believe in love, what hope was there for the rest of the world?
Namely me.

“Come sit over here,” she said, leading the pale bride to the fancy settee. Once she was sure Lucie wasn’t about to faint, Vanessa crossed to the sideboard table where the opened champagne was chilling in a bucket of ice and poured them each a glass. “Every bride gets cold feet, honey, but you’re going to be fine, I promise.”

Lucie accepted the glass and downed the contents. “What? I’m not nervous about marrying Reid. I love him more than anything in the world.”

“I should probably cut you off after that, but since when have I ever been the voice of reason in this relationship?” She handed Lucie her champagne, too, and went to find her garment bag. “So what is it you don’t think you can do?”

“Walk down the aisle in this gorgeous gown with everyone staring at me! Have you forgotten how klutzy I am and how much I hate being the center of attention? There’s no way I’m not falling flat on my face. None.”

“Damn it, Lucie, don’t scare me like that,” she said as she extracted her dress and went through the careful process of getting it on without messing up Jilli’s hard work. “When you walk, gather a handful of your dress and hold it up so you don’t step on the front. Plus, you’ll have Fritz to hold you steady.”

“If you say so.” Down went the second glass.

Vanessa asked Lucie to zip her up and then checked herself in the mirror. The deep aqua chiffon dress ended at her knees in an asymmetrical hemline, and the strapless ruched bust drew the eye nicely to one of her better assets. Her hair was styled the same as Lucie’s, but Jillian had had to straighten her tighter curls before making them into the large, soft ones they were now.

“Okay,” she said, turning to face Lucie. “I guess we’re ready.”

Lucie stared pointedly at the spot below her clavicle. Then up at her eyes. Then down. Then back up.

“Luce, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Jackson mentioned he’d given you a necklace, so…”

“Oh, yeah, um…” She busied herself smoothing the front of her dress so she wouldn’t caress the place on her skin that felt bare ever since she’d taken it off two nights ago. “I figured it wasn’t part of the ensemble, so…we should probably go, huh?”

Which meant she’d be seeing Jackson very soon, and she was as sure as she was of her name that she’d want to wrap her arms around him and let him hold her until…until when? Tomorrow morning? When she left to go back home? The next time he decided to deck a guy because he said something Jax didn’t like?

No matter what, their separation was inevitable. Prolonging it and giving her time to fall even more in love with him was the worst idea ever. And yet, the idea of seeing him and not walking into his arms made her physically ill.

“You love him, don’t you?”

She put a hand to her forehead and nodded. “God, I never meant to, Lucie, I swear. I thought… Hell, I don’t know
what
I thought.”

“He looked everywhere for you yesterday. He’s a wreck, Ness. I’ve never seen him like this. You two should talk.”

“I need a drink,” she said as she quickly crossed the room, then, since Lucie had both glasses, lifted the bottle to her mouth and drank until the bubbles made her eyes water. “Lucie, I’m not feeling so hot. Would you totally and completely hate me if I excused myself after the ceremony?”

Vanessa felt like a schmuck for even asking. This was her best friend’s wedding and she wanted to help make it the most wonderful and memorable day of Lucie’s life. Being near him would be hard but not impossible. But the thought of dancing with Jackson, of being so intimately close…

Dancing is no different than sex. It’s all about moving with your partner. Finding a rhythm together.