Page 22 of Tiger on the Prowl

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The six bridesmaids Olivia’s sister had chosen among her many friends were chatting excitedly as they admired Grace’s beautiful gown. Olivia felt her heart constrict at her sister’s beauty. Today, she would become Mrs. Timothy Bell, and everybody could see how happy Grace was. For Olivia, today’s event was bittersweet. She was happy for her sister having found a man who worshipped the ground she walked on, but she would lose her best friend, plotting partner, and confidant, and they would never again be as close as they’d been since they were kids. And one other thing made today even sadder: Olivia didn’t think that she’d ever find somebody who loved her as much as Timothy loved Grace, not after what had happened with Jay two days earlier.

She would have gone to the police had she not felt so ashamed for falling for Jay’s lies, for making it so easy for him to execute his con. She hadn’t even confided in her sister that she’d slept with Jay, and that he’d promptly betrayed her. She didn’t want to spoil her sister’s big day.

“I think you all need to go downstairs,” Grace said now to the six girls. They were all dressed in different pastel colors, their sleeveless dresses reaching down to their ankles, and looked like fairies.

As the maid of honor, Olivia too was dressed in a long flowing silk dress which looked like she’d stepped out of a fairy tale.

When the girls closed the door of the hotel suite behind them, Grace turned to her, and reached for her hand. “I can’t believe the day is finally here.”

Olivia put on a brave smile. “I’m so happy for you.” She put her arms around her sister. “I can’t wait to see you walk down that aisle. You’ve never been more beautiful, sis. Timothy is a lucky man.”

Grace sniffled. “Now you’re gonna make me cry and smudge my make-up.”

They both chuckled.

“You’ll see,” Grace said, “one day you’ll fall in love with a man like Timothy, and be just as happy.”

She’d already met that man, but unfortunately their story didn’t have a happy ending. “Yes, one day, I’m sure.”

“I guess, I’m ready,” Grace said with a look in the mirror.

“Almost,” Olivia said, and walked to the table where she’d dropped a bag with a box when she’d entered her sister’s hotel room. She took the box out.

“Another present? But you already gave us—”

“This is really for Dad, since you couldn’t have the wedding in Hawaii,” Olivia said, and opened the box. Inside it lay a fresh Hawaiian lei made of fragrant pink plumerias.

“Oh Olivia! It’s beautiful.”

Olivia laid it around her sister’s neck, careful not to disturb her hair, or to obstruct the pearl necklace she wore. Their eyes met in the mirror.

“It’s perfect,” Grace said.

There was a knock at the door.

“That’ll be Dad,” Olivia guessed and walked to the door.

She opened it. Her father, dressed in a dark suit, an orchid in his suit’s buttonhole, stood there with a smile. He was suntanned. Since her parents had returned to live on Oahu, her father was surfing again in his native Hawaii, and he’d never looked happier.

Her parents had arrived in D.C. on the red-eye the morning after she’d thrown Jay out of her cottage. They were staying in the same hotel where the wedding was taking place. In fact, Olivia had taken a room here too, so she didn’t have to go back home to Alexandria late at night.

“Your mother is already downstairs. They’re all waiting.”

Olivia ushered her father into the room, and let the door fall shut behind him. When Grace turned around to greet her father, he stood still for a moment, his eyes drinking her in.

“My little girl has grown up to be a woman.” Tears welled up in his eyes. “It’s like only yesterday that you were playing in the sand.” He reached for Grace’s hands and clasped them. “You’re wearing a lei.”

“It was Olivia’s idea.”

Her father turned to her and smiled, a tear loosening from his eye. She put her arms around him, and kissed him on the cheek.

“I love you both so much,” he said. “You’re so grown up, my girls. And more beautiful with each day.”

“You’re making me cry, Dad,” Grace said.

He chuckled, and it wasn’t difficult to see why their mother had fallen in love with the handsome surfer. There was warmth in his laugh, and kindness, and a pinch of mischief.