Holiday Wedding (Holiday Romance-Spicy Version #2)

23

Saturday, December 21

3 days until the wedding

Gwen

We’re stranded in Denver.

We arrived to find gate agents waiting for us. They had clipboards and guarded expressions. “We’re sorry to inform you that your connecting flight has been grounded. All flights into New York are canceled. The National Weather Service has placed the city under a winter storm warning. They’re expecting blizzard conditions over the next few days.”

“No!” I don’t realize I’ve said it out loud until all eyes shift to me.

“We apologize.” The agent’s gaze darts to the group behind us. She’ll have to repeat this same spiel to them. “We have a shuttle waiting to take you to a hotel, compliments of the airline. I have a $20 food voucher for each of you.” She hands me a slip of paper, which I shove blindly into my pocket. Words are exchanged between her and Alvina, but I don’t hear them. I’ve tuned out of the conversation.

I try calling Caleb, but it goes to voicemail.

Soon, Alvina has a hand on my elbow. She propels me through the terminal and onto the cramped shuttle, full of downtrodden travelers just like us. It’s silent on the ride to the hotel. Everyone’s words were used up arguing back at the airport.

Denver has snow too—not blizzard conditions, but flurries that slap against the windows and blow across the road. The driver steers through it with practiced movements, swerving around the tallest piles of snow that have accumulated between the lanes.

We check into our mid-level hotel and head up to our room. Generic beige walls and white bedspreads. Soap wrapped in waxy paper next to the sink. For an extra touch, the maids have folded the last piece of toilet paper into a triangle.

I hate it all.

I miss Caleb and my apartment and my bed.

In need of distraction from my woes, I ask, “What about you and Wayne? What’s going on there?”

“It started a month ago,” she says, then hesitates.

“Uh-huh. Go on.”

“I was in the grocery store, getting conditioner, when I bumped into him. He saw the bottle and was all,” she lowers her voice and broadens her chest, doing a comical and rather accurate impression of Wayne, “Is this why you smell so good—like coconuts?”

I halt her with a hand on her shoulder and say, “Caleb sniffs me all the time. He says I smell like strawberries from my shampoo. Is this a thing? Like all the men in the world are in a secret group chat, and they come up with these diabolical pickup lines about hair products?”

Her eyes widen at that. “I don’t know, but it does make sense because it totally worked on me. Suddenly, I’m tossing my hair around, feeling flirty, thinking about how good I smell.”

“That’s what happened to me, too,” I exclaim. “Then what?”

“I continue my shopping trip, and Wayne follows me. He says nice things and helps to reach items on the top shelves and pushes my cart without me asking.”

“Wow,” I say, totally serious. “That’s some sexy stuff.”

“I know, right?”

I nod, the movement slow and thoughtful. “Did you go home and propose to him that night? Because I would have.”

She snorts a laugh. “No. We ended up going to dinner.” Her features soften at the memory.

“And…” I wave my hand for her to continue.

“That meal turned into another and another. Then it was movies and day dates…and here we are.”

“You like him?” I ask, a feeling of wonder lightening my sadness. I knew they were spending time together, but I wasn’t sure if it was anything more. Seeing Alvina’s face when she talks about Wayne, how her voice is laced with fondness, how a besotted smile lifts the corners of her mouth, I know this is more than just casual. She has that dreamy look of someone who’s falling in love. I recognize that expression because I’ve seen it in the mirror ever since I met Caleb.

“I do,” she admits. “He’s different than I thought. He’s caring, protective, nurturing. We have a lot of fun together. He makes me feel young. Like there’s a world out there waiting for us to explore.”

“Hey,” I say, placing a hand on my hip, “does this new relationship of yours have anything to do with Wayne’s sudden desire to stop smoking?”

She sniffs, clearly proud of herself. “I told him I didn’t want to date a smoker. I saw too many of them in the ICU, hooked up to oxygen, gasping like fish out of water.”

“Wow.” I’m truly impressed. “He must love you to give it up.”

“We haven’t used that word yet. But we’re talking about taking a trip together. One without you.” She gives me a look, then runs her eyes over our hotel room with distaste. I know what she means. Threadbare carpet. Boring tan walls and dingy curtains. This definitely doesn’t count as a romantic getaway. “Thought we might rent an RV, see the country. After your wedding, of course.”

It’s something I wouldn’t have been able to picture before. City slickers Alvina and Wayne out on the open highway. However, a few years ago I wouldn’t have pictured myself living in New York, engaged to a hot movie star.

That’s the amazing thing about love. It opens you up to possibilities you could never imagine on your own.

I lean my chin on my hand. “I wondered about that fishing magazine Wayne was reading. It’s for your trip, isn’t it? To prepare?”

She nods shyly.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I’m happy for you. Why hide it?” I can’t keep the hurt from my voice. I’ve been left out. The unknowing third wheel on their bicycle.

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “At first, we thought it wouldn’t mean anything, that it wouldn’t last. You and Caleb might be stressed out if we broke it off. You’d feel like you had to pick sides. Later, I almost told you, but you’ve been so busy with work and the wedding. It never seemed like the right time.”

Guilt makes her eyes skitter away from mine. “I’m sorry for how you found out.”

“I get it,” I say.

“You do?” She looks back at me, hopeful.

“I have a history of hiding my relationship too, you know.”

She shakes her head in dismissal and says, “That was different.”

“The part that bothers me the most, besides the lying and sneaking around, is that you thought I was too busy for you. It’s been crazy the past couple of months, but I’ll always make time for you. Whatever, whenever, I’m here for you. You’re good at being there for others,” I add, pinning her with a stare, “but not so great at accepting that same help.”

“It’s true,” Alvina admits. She says, “You have the same problem. I see you struggle to adjust to Caleb’s lifestyle. Does Caleb know what you’re going through?”

I drop my chin. “No. I’m too used to relying on myself when things get tough. When my dad died and my mom and Brandon were always gone, I was drowning, but I didn’t want Teddy to worry. He needed me to be his rock, his anchor, so I learned to push my bad feelings down. To handle everything on my own. I have no idea how to unlearn those habits. They’re ingrained in me.”

She pats my hand gently. “Now’s the time to let that go. It really does take a village to adjust to being a wife and, someday, a mom. Ask us, Gwen. We all want to help you. Lean on us. Please don’t do it all yourself.”

I nod with understanding. It’ll take practice to break down my walls of self-reliance, but she’s right. I’ll burn myself out if I do everything alone.

“I’ll try,” I tell her.