Beyond Promise (21 page)

I sighed.

“What? What’s wrong? Do we need to go back
home?”

I shook my head.

“My mom just texted that she and my dad
won’t be coming to the wedding.”

“You’re kidding.” It wasn’t a question. We
already figured it out, so why another text was sent, I had no
clue.

“This is the kind of mind twisting I’ve
always told you about. I really don’t get it. I think we already
latched onto the idea they wouldn’t be coming. Why wait until the
last minute to remind me I’m not that important to them?”

Truthfully, the thought of them being there
made me cringe, and I’d gotten used to the idea of them not coming.
I had imagined how the entire event would play out. Jason was even
walking me down the aisle for crying out loud. I guess one part of
me was relieved to make it official they weren’t coming, but I’d
rather have heard months ago.

“I’m so sorry, babe. I honestly can’t
believe it. I was actually thinking they might change their mind,
and I was going to sic my dad on them. He can talk to a tree stump
and be perfectly happy.”

I giggled and shook my head in shock. “I
honestly figured I wouldn’t hear from them until after the
wedding.”

Ayden slid his hand to my leg and rubbed it
slowly.

“Did I ever tell you about the one time I
planned to spend Christmas with my parents when I was at boarding
school?”

“I didn’t know you were even at boarding
school,” Ayden said.

“It was short lived when I was in junior
high. Anyway, we’d planned for me to come home for the holidays,
but after I’d flown home, they weren’t at the airport. They’d
forgotten that they’d told me I could come home in December so I
sat at the airport for hours while they were with Ivy and Heath at
some mountain resort. A stranger at the airport finally realized
I’d been stranded there and somehow tracked down my parents. They
sent a car for me after hours at the airport. How in the world can
you forget your youngest child is coming for Christmas?”

Ayden grimaced and shook his head.

“It was like I was always an afterthought.”
I let out a deep breath.

“They’re the ones missing out. Not you.”

I nodded and bit my lip. “I suppose I should
write them back about how sorry I am to hear that.”

But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not
this time. This time I let my fingers and heart do the talking.

Not a surprise. Thanks for letting me
know.

“Whoa.” I whistled. “I can’t believe I just
sent that.”

“What? What did you send?”

I read him my text and his eyes widened.
“I’m impressed. That took some balls.”

I giggled and furrowed my brows. “Or an
extraordinary amount of hormones flowing through the veins.”

He laughed. “Well, either way it should make
you feel good for once.”

“True.”

He was right. No matter what my parents did,
I always attempted to keep the peace and never spoke my mind. It
might be a small gesture, but I was thrilled I finally said what I
thought.

I kept staring at my phone wondering what my
mom thought about it. My stomach started twisting in knots as I
thought about how to fix it. But fix what? I didn’t do anything
wrong.

“Do you think she thought I thought she was
actually coming?”

“I don’t really know. This is their pattern.
How many times have they said they’d come visit you just since we
started dating.”

He was right.

“I don’t want to deal with the drama that
can come with pointing out the obvious to them. I’m not used to
saying much of anything beyond yes, no, please, and thank you. It’s
always been the elephant in the room.”

“Hon, I’d say it’s more than an elephant in
the room. You finally hit your limit with them. You asked them
several times if they were coming. We all know money isn’t an issue
and neither is travelling. They have the one and do the other all
the time. Everyone has a limit and you hit yours.”

“I still feel like crap about it.”

“And that is why I love you. You’re a
fabulous human being. Speaking of fabulous humans, what do you
think that was all about with Brandy and Aaron? Has she mentioned
anything to you?”

I froze.

“Not really.”

And truthfully, I knew Brandy was still
hiding something from me, which I pressed her about once we were
leaving the restaurant. I asked her about the trading of glances
between herself and Aaron when her mom brought up the wedding, and
she ignored my question completely.

I drew in a deep breath, hating the idea
that I was hiding something from Ayden, but I would focus on
Brandy’s relationship since I didn’t want to relay or fib about the
other revelation they exposed last night.

“I assumed things were going well, but it
certainly didn’t feel like it last night. When your mom gave us
both the presents and talked about Brandy’s wedding, I saw Aaron
stiffen and Brandy refused to look in her mom’s eyes.”

“I know. I felt like they were hiding
something from us, too.” He was quiet for a minute. “Especially
from me.”

We’d hit the snow “rush hour” near the city
and were constantly bobbing back and forth in the sparse traffic as
unskilled drivers kept slamming on their brakes.

“I wonder at what point people realize they
aren’t supposed to do that?” I asked.

“About the time they’re in the ditch,” Ayden
laughed, as we slowly drove by one such SUV that was being pulled
out by State Patrol.

“Probably shouldn’t jinx ourselves.”

“Good call.”

It felt like I was on the high seas, and we
yet were only going fifteen miles per hour on a freeway not on the
Bering Sea. I swallowed down the nausea and stayed focused straight
ahead on the snowflake confetti.

“I know this sounds horrible, but try not to
let my sister’s situation bother you while we’re in Bermuda. This
is our moment.”

“Well, I’ll try not to.”

“I hope it’s nothing serious,” Ayden added.
“Aaron has seemed like he’s been in heaven, especially
recently.”

“Oh, no. What if he found someone else?”

“There’s not a soul out there more perfect
than Brandy for him.” Ayden frowned.

“Preaching to the converted on that one. Oh
my word though. I would just be sick. I can’t even think about it.
What if she’s keeping it from us until after we get married so she
doesn’t detract from our happiness? That would be so Brandy.”

Ayden’s scowl deepened. “I refuse to believe
it. I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves, and it will all sort
itself out.”

“Do you think you can ask Aaron? See if you
can get anything out of him?”

“Sure. If that will make you feel better, I
can try. But I’ll be honest, if I find something out that will
devastate you, I won’t tell you until after the wedding.”

Sounded familiar!

“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “You’re talking
to a woman whose fiancé didn’t remember her weeks before the big
day. I can handle whatever it is.”

Ayden turned off onto the airport exit, and
my excitement level went through the roof. We were about to fly
across the country and tie the knot.

“You know what’s cool about this whole
thing?” I asked, as he turned into the parking garage.

“I can think of many things.”

“That we’re all getting married. You, me,
and baby Rhodes will be at the ceremony.”

I looked down into the azure water and saw
all the way to the bottom. Ayden’s arm was wrapped around me as we
stood on the wooden platform that hovered over the crystal clear
water shimmering deep below the earth’s surface. Spectacular
crystal formations surrounded us, and our tour guide flipped us
jokes mixed with history while the group we were with ogled at the
beautiful formations.

Colored lights bounced off the ivory
crystals providing a dazzling display of underground magic as we
treaded deeper into the caverns. And to think, I didn’t even know
the caves existed until we spotted the signs from our scooter.

“And don’t lean too far over the railing or
your camera might end up with the others down below,” the guide
continued. I peeked over the railing and saw necklaces, watches,
loose change, a couple cell phones, and a camera sunk deep into the
sand. “We only do a scoop once a week, and all the change goes to
our retirement funds.”

The group chuckled, and we were led deeper
into the caverns. I glanced behind me, noticing just how far away
we were from the entrance, and I wondered how much deeper we’d go.
I wasn’t looking forward to the million steps back up to the
surface, but it was worth every step to be down here with Ayden. It
felt like one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I felt
Ayden’s eyes on me and blushed, giving him a sideways glance. It
felt good to still be noticed and, by the look in his expression,
desired.

I turned my attention back to the cavern in
front of us that sparkled with green lights bouncing off the
shimmering crystals that dripped from the cave’s ceiling. The idea
that something this beautiful could be hidden felt truly
enchanting, and I wondered how many hidden worlds existed on our
earth yet to be discovered.

“Maybe we should lead expeditions into the
great unknowns of the world,” I whispered to Ayden.

“I thought that was what parenthood was,” he
teased.

I had a sneaking suspicion he was right.

Ayden tightened his embrace, and we followed
the group into the last cavern. This cave had even more formations
hanging and twisting from above and jetting up from below. The air
was moist and stagnant, and I had an urge to flee, but I focused on
the wood railing in front of me and steadied my breathing. There
was something about being so far in that made me feel vulnerable. I
glanced at Ayden who caught my gaze.

“You doing okay?” he whispered.

“I think I’ve hit my limit.”

He squeezed me and slid his hand away from
my waist to give me space and air. The guide was finishing up his
spiel and collecting tips. I glanced around the group as they began
to disperse and tapped Ayden.

“Ready?” I asked.

Ayden slipped a bill into our guide’s hand
and thanked him for a wonderful time before following me back along
the wooden platforms. When we reached the steps leading out, I felt
the fresh air hit my bones and was grateful to have made it without
any embarrassing situations.

We scaled all nine thousand steps—well, that
might have been an exaggeration, maybe a couple hundred—and made it
to the dazzling blue skies and bright sunshine.

I looked around the patio and saw a
beautiful garden down the steps.

“That was something magical a person doesn’t
see everyday,” Ayden said.

“It’s pretty incredible. This whole trip has
been pretty incredible.”

“And we haven’t even gotten hitched
yet.”

“Hitched?” I chuckled.

I leaned my head on his arm as we wandered
through the gardens.

“It’s funny coming from somewhere that is
cold and wet that somewhere like this exists at the same time with
flowers blooming and sunshine pouring over us.”

I glanced at the purple flowering vines that
intertwined the wrought iron fence and the red and white
poinsettias that edged the path.

“Maybe we should move.”

“And give up feeling the constant mist on
our skin ten months out of the year?” I asked.

“It would be pretty tough to give up.” He
sounded hesitant. “We should probably head back soon. Our guests
are going to start arriving.”

“And before we know it, we’ll be at our
rehearsal dinner.”

He pulled me under the shade of a large palm
tree and rested his hands on my hips.

“Lily, thank you for putting up with me. All
of me.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Why would you is more to the point.”

I shook my head. “You’re an amazing man.
Protective and fiercely loyal with the heart of a saint.”

“Don’t let that get out,” he murmured.

“Well, maybe saint is the wrong word. How
about the heart of a man who deeply loves his fiancée?”

He grinned. “Probably more accurate.”

Ayden looked around the gardens and not a
soul had followed us out here. His eyes fell to my mouth, and his
lip curled slightly in admiration.

“What?”

“Waiting this long has been torture,” he
murmured.

Ayden’s gaze hungrily searched mine. The
dynamics had shifted somewhere along the way of us waiting. He knew
he had the power over me to do things I wouldn’t normally do. And I
realized he’d had the power to push me one step beyond, but he’d
respected my wishes while we waited for our honeymoon. No matter
how I wanted to believe that I was the one calling the shots, it
wasn’t true, and I enjoyed stumbling upon that fact as he pressed
his lips to mine.