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“Did you think I was that low when I was behaving like that?”
“You had a reason to.”
“And you don’t think he does? You think while he sat and watched you go through surgery after surgery that he didn’t have reason to? He saw you in pain and agony for days. And may I remind you, he was familiar with those procedures because he performs them himself, and knows what they entail.” It was my turn to act snarky because I was angry. Angry for what she had gone through. Angry for how she was dealing with it, even though I had no right, and angry with Justin for what he’d done.
She looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights. But I didn’t stop.
“That’s right, Terri. He’s watched you suffer now for three solid months and blames himself every time he looks at you. He’s seeing a psychiatrist, you know. You know how I know? I made him an appointment with the one that I go to. And right now, I’m thinking you also need to see Phil. By no means am I justifying his actions, but I am telling you that, given the circumstances, you were willing to cut me some slack. Why don’t you do the same for him?”
She dropped her head and held it with a hand. “I don’t know,” she said.
“Look, if you’re just not into him, that’s one thing, but if it’s this whole accident thing, then maybe you need to reevaluate the situation.”
“Maybe.”
“Well, I’m giving you a goal to shoot for.”
She looked at me oddly and asked, “What are you talking about?”
I grinned an evil grin. Well, as evil as I could muster up, which wasn’t all that evil really. “Pearce and I want to get married in late October. We talked with Justin, and he doesn’t see any reason why you wouldn’t be able to walk down the aisle then.”
“So?”
“So that’s your goal! To walk down the aisle at my wedding as my maid of honor!”
“No kidding! I think I can manage that.”
“You’d better ’cause I’m not canceling this wedding. You’re still planning on coming with us wedding gown shopping next Saturday, aren’t you?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”
* * *
We were happy to wake up to a sunny morning. Pearce hopped out of bed and was eager for me to get a move on. I got suspicious when he wouldn’t tell me anything. He just kept saying it was a surprise.
“Wear a bathing suit and bring a change of clothes.”
“Aren’t we spending the day on the boat with your family?”
His only answer was to quirk his brows. The glint in his eyes told me how amused he was.
Thirty minutes later, we pulled up to the marina. I still couldn’t figure out why he was acting like a little kid on Christmas morning. He jumped out of the car and jogged around to my door to help me out. Then we both went to the back to get our things and walked toward the slip. The grin he wore grew even larger.
When we finally got to Pearce’s yacht, the whole Middleton clan was there, and Henry held a bottle of champagne. Everyone wore goofy grins. I felt completely left out of the joke.
“Okay, what’s up?”
They all stared at Pearce, and he kept glancing at the back of the boat and smiling. I just kept looking at him, not understanding.
In frustration, I finally said, “Would somebody let me in on the joke?”
Pearce took me in his arms, kissed me quickly, and whispered, “Babe, this is no joke. It’s a thing of utter beauty. Look!”
He turned my body in the direction of the back of the boat. I finally noticed the words, “The Alexia.” He’d renamed his yacht after me. My eyes pooled up.
“We’re rededicating her today. It was supposed to be yesterday, but the weather didn’t cooperate. Come on.”
Henry said the dedication words, but I wouldn’t let him ruin a perfectly good bottle of champagne or put a scratch on the stern of The Alexia. Everyone laughed at me. But when Pearce made mimosas with the champagne, they said that I had used my head on that one. It turned out to be a perfectly beautiful day.
