chapter 5

Aiden left Frankie at the desk and followed the sound of the waves. He paused at the bar, debated, and then changed his mind and continued outside.

He’d been drinking too much. A medication of sorts for the chronic stress that plagued him. His family seemed hell-bent on making every bad decision they could with regards to the business. He’d ignored it for far too long, preferring to focus on his own responsibilities. But now he needed to be present. He’d be damned if he let anyone—family included—destroy what had been three generations in the making.

Hands in the pockets of his shorts, he strolled across the coral stone terrace, his shirt fluttering in the breeze. The infinity edge pool sparkled under the sun to his right. A handful of mid- afternoon guests enjoyed ceviche and champagne at the outdoor seafood restaurant to his left.

He followed the path down the stairs and to the right where it meandered between beach and vegetation. Pruitt’s father might not think much of Chip as a son-in-law, but he wasn’t going to let that stand in the way of spending lavishly. He’d been willing to rent out the cordoned off section of the resort to ensure his princess had a special and private day.

Aiden found the bride and groom sunning themselves at the edge of a freeform lagoon overlooking the beach and ocean. The bridesmaids—bridesmonsters, he corrected himself with amusement—were lounging in studied positions of perfection that best accented their appeal. He noticed the straightening of shoulders, the jutting of chests when they spotted him. They were always on the hunt.

But he was no one’s quarry.

He dropped down at the end of Chip’s lounger, his back to the monsters. “Your maid of honor has been delivered,” he announced.

Pru peeked up at him from under the brim of a ridiculous sun hat. “Aiden! I scheduled a car to pick up Ms. I’ll-Just-Take-a-Taxi.”

“I canceled it,” he said with a shrug. “I was already heading in that direction.”

“He’s just trying to get back into Frankie’s good graces,” Chip said loyally. His friend waved his empty glass at a passing pool server and circled his finger signaling a round. It looked like Aiden would be getting that drink after all.

“Uh-huh.” Pruitt wasn’t believing either of them. Not for a second.

“Did you pick up my genius best friend to pick on her? Because if you did, I’m not going to be happy with you, Aiden Kilbourn,” Pruitt said, jabbing a finger into his arm.

“Pick on her? What is this? Second grade?” Aiden teased. “What exactly did you say to her at the engagement party?”

Pruitt demanded.

“She didn’t tell you?” Aiden was surprised. He thought Frankie would have run tattling.

“My beautiful best friend doesn’t want me to worry about a thing. And apparently that includes whatever idiotic thing you said or did at the party.”

Aiden shared a look with Chip. Neither of them were enthusiastic about repeating the insult.

Pruitt snapped her fingers. “Oh, no! Uh-uh! Don’t you look at him, Chip. Spill it right now.”

Chip’s resolve crumbled faster than a cookie in the sticky hands of a toddler. “Aiden may have mentioned that Frankie danced like she had experience on the pole.”

“You called her a stripper?” Pruitt’s screech could probably be heard by the catamaran five-hundred yards off the coast.

Aiden winced. “In my defense—”

“There’s no defense! Damn it, Aiden. She’s one of my favorite people. You can’t treat her like she’s nothing.”

“I understand, and I apologized, and I tried to make amends by picking her up today.”

Pru cracked a slight smile. “Tried to, huh? She wasn’t amenable?” she asked innocently.

“Not exactly,” Aiden admitted. Not at all, really.

Chip slapped him on the shoulder. “Sorry, man. Our Frankie’s not the most forgiving person in the world.”

“So one slip up, and that’s it?”

Pruitt peered at him over her sunglasses. “Why? Are you interested in her?”

“As she so astutely pointed out, I’m no more her type than she is mine,” Aiden said, side-stepping the question. He wasn’t interested in Frankie. He was intrigued by her, but that was different.

“Why couldn’t you just have been nice and polite or, God forbid, friendly?” Pruitt sighed.

“I don’t want to be friendly. I don’t have time for friendly.”

Pruitt flopped back on her lounger pouting. “And now we have a maid of honor and best man who hate each other.”

“We should have eloped,” Chip said, squeezing her thigh with affection.

“We are eloping. We just took everyone with us.”

Aiden bit back a quip about knowing better for next time.

Thanks to him, there almost hadn’t been a first time.

The server returned with a tray of pink frothy drinks with umbrellas and enough fruit to build a salad. “Mr. Randolph,” he said with a flourish. Chip grinned and passed out the drinks. “Hatfield, you’re the man.” He slid a twenty onto the tray.

Aiden took a sip of his drink, winced, and set the glass down on the table next to the chair.

“Well, if it isn’t Mr. and almost Mrs. Randolph.”

Pru squealed and jumped out of her chair. “You’re here!” She threw her arms around Franchesca.

She’d changed, he noted. Gone were the very small white shorts and entertainingly tight tank. In their place was a flowy cover up with a deep v that showed an eyeful of breathtaking cleavage and a hint of the black bikini beneath. Her hair was still piled atop her head. She looked exotic, curvy. And if he wasn’t careful, he’d have a hard-on like a teenager in a moment.

There was nothing subtle about Franchesca. “I made it,” she said, grinning down at Pru. “How was your flight? Do you want a drink?”

“Here.” Aiden pressed his pink concoction into her hand. She stared at the glass with suspicion.

“Oh, for God’s sake. It’s not poisoned. Just drink the damn thing,” he ordered.

“Remember what we were talking about, Aiden?” Pru warned him. “Friendly?”

“You’re in trouble,” Frankie sang under her breath so only he could hear. She took a sip of the drink. Her full lips closed over the straw where his had been only moments ago. “Don’t you worry about Aide and me. No drama. Scout’s honor. Even if he did cockblock me from a sexy surfer at the airport.”

Pru linked her arm through Frankie’s and led her away, shooting him a dirty look over her shoulder. “Come on, Frankie. Let’s go spend some time with the girls. Now, tell me about the surfer.”

Aiden and Chip watched them go. “Surfer, huh?” Chip asked.

“Shut up.”

Chip laughed. “Come on. Let’s play some volleyball.”