AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER NINETEEN
MIKELINASATIN the beach chair inches from the water’s edge and dug her toes in the sand. In about another twenty minutes, she’d be underwater if she didn’t move, but she hoped Bastien would be here by then.
She had dropped the photo albums off with Jace like she was doing a drug deal. He wanted to surprise his groomsmen with them before showing the pictures to Bastien. She felt a little guilty sneaking around Bastien’s back, but if Kitty pulled off what she was planning, that was the least of her secrets.
Jace had asked her to stay for dinner, but she wouldn’t feel comfortable crashing the bachelor party. Even though it was her home and even though she was pretty sure the groomsmen all knew she was banging Bastien by now, Mikelina didn’t want to face the awkwardness. So she had begged off and Bastien had walked her out to her car.
“Let’s go for a walk on the beach tonight. Can you meet me there around sunset?” he had asked her.
“Sure.” She had tangled her fingers through his and indulged in a quick kiss.
Abbie had already closed up shop by the time Mikelina got to the beach, so she got an order of conch fritters and fries and sat on a picnic bench and watched the ocean. She tried not to think about her parents, but it seemed lately whenever she had a spare moment they crept into her thoughts. Mikelina was happy for her mother and devastated by her father’s rejection. But most of all, she wondered where did that leave her?
After she finished her dinner, she took the beach chair out of the back of her car and after a quick stop for an ice cream cone, plunked her butt in front of the encroaching waves and hoped to find some answers.
The ice cream was good, and the ocean didn’t provide any insight, but she did realize that South Beach was not her home. It was a great place to visit, but it was time she got back to New York. A little part of her wondered if it was because Bastien was from there as well.
“I found a mermaid,” a voice said behind her. Bastien. She turned with a smile and he helped her out of the chair.
“And I found a shark. Are you coming to eat me?”
“I’ve been thinking about nothing else since dinner. I plan to have you as dessert.”
“Where do the guys think you are?”
“I didn’t tell them. They’re hanging out in the hot tub smoking cigars and doing vodka shots.”
“As one does.” She put the chair farther up on the beach and laced her fingers through Bastien’s. They strolled hand in hand down the waterline, barefoot.
“Watch out for the wave,” she said and then splashed him with her foot.
“Keep it up and I’ll toss you in,” he warned.
“Your sister’s right. You are a prick.”
“Did you talk to her today?”
“Yup. She loved the larimar set. She wants me to pick out larimar bracelets for her bridesmaids.”
“On my dime.” He snorted.
“Probably. Are you not authorizing the charge?”
“I’m smarter than that. She’ll sic my mother on me if I don’t. Yeah, get her whatever she wants. You only get married once.”
“What if the first time wasn’t so good?” Mikelina asked, thinking about her mother.
“Good point,” he said. “Lord knows mine was a disaster.”
“Have you ever thought about marrying again?” she asked.
“I haven’t. Too much pain. Too much baggage.”
“Oh.”
“But lately?” He swung their arms. “Lately, I might be convinced to change my mind.”
“I’ve been thinking about leaving South Beach.”
