Island Fantasy

“You’re on the rebound.”

“Rebound? Already?” Shayna’s heart spasmed, but somehow, she found the strength to force a laugh. “Right now I should be at the park, taking perfect wedding photos with that expensive photographer Daddy hired. Instead…” Her voice trailed off. She couldn’t go on, or she would cry. “Bree, the way I feel right now, if I never see another man, it’ll be too soon. Trust me.”

Brianne took a seat beside Shayna on the bed. “Shay, I’m so sorry. Part of me wishes I’d never suggested we drive by that hall to see what the groomsmen were up to.”

“And if we hadn’t, I’d be married right now—not knowing that my husband was a dirty cheating jerk.” The anger helped Shayna hold back any tears. “No, I’m glad you suggested it. Everything happens for a reason, and in this case, it was to spare me the pain of marrying the wrong man.” Shayna was amazed at how calmly and rationally she was dealing with the situation, but she truly believed that nothing good came of fretting over something she couldn’t control. “I don’t want to be married for the sake of being married. I need to be with a man who loves and adores me enough not to sleep with some stripper he just met. To know—even if he was drunk—that no other woman could ever tempt him away from the woman who’s in his heart.”

Brianne shook her head, the look on her face suddenly venomous. “I still can’t believe Vince could do that. If we hadn’t witnessed it, I never would have believed him capable of that kind of betrayal.”

“Me neither,” Shayna said softly. “And the night before our wedding? That’s the reason I need to go away. I can’t be around here, see all the places we liked to go to. I can’t deal with the calls from everyone. I’m holding it together now, but I know at some point I’m going to fall apart.”

“Which is why you need to be with your family. People who love you.”

Shayna smiled, loving her sister for caring so much, though if the situation were reversed, Shayna would be saying the same thing to Brianne. They were eighteen months apart, but as close as twins. They’d been there for each other through every triumph and tragedy in each other’s lives.

Like when Brianne had lost her boyfriend, Carter. Three years ago, Carter had vanished while hiking in the Rockies. After weeks of searching for him and finding only his backpack, the authorities came to the conclusion that he’d likely died of exposure, and that coyotes or other wildlife must have eaten his remains. It had been the worst time of Brianne’s life—after which she’d turned to food for comfort. Shayna had been there for her sister through the entire harrowing ordeal.

“I know how much you love me,” Shayna said, smiling softly. “And I appreciate you caring for me. But I need some time for myself. Time to reflect on everything. Time to lie in bed and do nothing if I don’t want to. Time to sit on the beach and read all those books I thought I’d never have time to read. Time to just…get away from it all.”

“You’re sure?” Brianne asked.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Shayna said, feigning a confidence she didn’t feel. “‘Still I rise,’” she went on, quoting Maya Angelou. “I’m a strong black woman. This is a setback in my life, but it won’t keep me down. And hey, the trip is paid for. I’m pretty certain Vince won’t be going. But I’ll gain some small measure of satisfaction knowing that his money will fund my seven days in paradise.”

“Serves the idiot right,” Brianne said.

Shayna hugged her sister, long and hard, then got to her feet. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got to go home and pack.”

That wasn’t entirely true. Shayna was mostly packed already, and her flight wasn’t until the next afternoon. But she was ready to be alone.

“Besides,” Shayna continued, “the limo driver’s not going to want to wait all day.” He’d driven her to the church, and he’d driven her back to her parents’ place. It was a painful reminder of the wedding that never was, but the car had been paid for. Might as well utilize it.

“Let me at least walk you to the door.”

Shayna caught her reflection in Brianne’s dresser mirror. Her makeup was exquisite—and totally illogical given the oversize T-shirt she was wearing. She would look even more out of place when she got into the limo like this, but she needed to get home.

She and Brianne headed out of the bedroom and downstairs to the front door of their parents’ home. Shayna had already had time with her parents and Vince’s, time to explain in more detail what had happened last night with Vince and why she wouldn’t be marrying him. Now, all four parents had gone off to speak with Vince, most likely to try and talk some sense into his senseless brain. It didn’t matter what they said—Shayna wouldn’t forgive him, and there would be no rescheduled wedding date.

When Shayna and Brianne got to the front door, Brianne suddenly said, “If you want, I can see if I can call in sick to work and put the trip on my credit card so I can go with you.”

Shayna wrapped her arms around Brianne and hugged her. Hugged her until she felt emotion clog her throat. “I love you for caring,” Shayna said. “I really do. But this week…I need it for myself. If I stay here, Mom is going to cry all week, depress me with her ‘I can’t believe Vince would do this to you’ talks. No one is going to be able to look at me without pity—not even you—and I don’t want that. I already feel bad enough. I need this time—time to digest what’s happened and pull myself together.” Emotion finally got the better of her, and a sob escaped Shayna’s throat while a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Oh, sweetie,” Brianne crooned, rubbing Shayna’s arms. “This is why I don’t want you to be alone.”

“I can’t believe Vince did this to me,” Shayna said, trying to keep herself from completely falling apart. “How could he destroy everything?”

“I know. No one expected him to betray you like this, least of all me.”

“If he calls again, tell him I’m in an undisclosed location and can’t be reached. I have nothing to say to him. That’s another reason I want to be in Jamaica. He won’t be able to drop by and see me. Won’t be able to try and beg me to forgive him. I think I’d rather be in Timbuktu than Jamaica—as far away from Buffalo as possible—but Jamaica will have to do.”

“I can’t talk you out of it?” Brianne asked.

“Please don’t worry about me. I’m going to be at a five-star resort. Nothing bad is going to happen to me. And I’ll call you, every day if you want.”

“All right,” Brianne said. “You’re a big girl. If you want to go on a trip alone, that’s your right.”

“I love you,” Shayna said.

“I love you, too, sis.”

Shayna gave her sister one last hug, then opened the front door. And when she did, the blood froze in her veins.

Vince was standing there.

A full five seconds passed with neither of them speaking, only staring at each other. Shayna was too startled to speak or even move.

“Shayna.” Vince broke the silence. His voice was full of pain and perhaps also regret.

Shayna’s eyes darted beyond Vince to her parents and then back to Vince. All of them looked distressed. And of course they were. The day that had begun with so much hope had ended in the worst possible way.

And it was all Vince’s fault.

If not for their parents, Shayna was tempted to give Vince a piece of her mind and stalk off. Instead, she held herself together.

“Shayna, can we talk?”

Shayna swallowed. Her throat was suddenly dry, but she managed to find her voice. “There’s nothing to say.”

Mrs. Danbury stepped forward. The woman’s eyes were red, as though she’d been crying. “Shayna, I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be, but what Vince has to say…it might help.”

So Vince had told his and her parents a pack of lies. Something that had them believing he was worthy of a second chance?

“Hear him out,” Shayna’s mother said. “No matter what happens, at some point you’re going to have to talk.”

Shayna gritted her teeth. As much as she didn’t want to acknowledge it, her mother was right. At some point she and Vince would have to talk, settle everything. Thank God Shayna hadn’t given up her apartment yet, because now she would not be moving into Vince’s house as planned. She only hoped the landlord didn’t have a rental agreement in place for when her lease was up in a month.

“All right,” Shayna said. “If you want to talk, let’s talk.”

Vince’s shoulders sagged with relief. He was still wearing his tux, though it was unbuttoned at the collar and the tie was loose. His dark, handsome face was drawn. “Thank you.”

Don’t thank me, Shayna thought. No matter what you say, it’s over. Unless he told her that he’d been drugged and taken advantage of and had the toxicology reports to prove it—but that kind of story line only happened on soap operas.

“Let’s go to the back patio,” Shayna said flatly. “We can have some privacy there.”

Shayna led the way, holding her head high, though it felt like her insides were being churned in a blender. She opened the back door and stepped onto the patio then took a seat at the small table. As Vince took a seat beside her, Shayna spoke. “I’m not sure what you think you can say that will excuse what you did.”

“I’m sorry, baby. You have no clue how bad I feel.”

“Not nearly as bad as I feel.”