“I know,” Richelle said. “Quite the adventure getting here, but it’s totally worth it.”
“I just hope the beds are comfortable.” As if to emphasize the point that she needed rest before doing anything else, Melanie yawned.
Until Richelle and Roy’s wedding on Sunday, in just three more days, Melanie and Richelle would be sharing a room. Then Richelle and Roy would move into a honeymoon suite, which was a private bungalow on the beach.
They didn’t have a schedule for today, other than to arrive, relax and recuperate from the jet lag. Tomorrow, for most of the afternoon, Melanie and Richelle were scheduled for time at the spa. After that, there would be a dinner for all the family and friends who had come for the wedding. And the next day, Roy and Richelle would become husband and wife.
“Have you ever seen a lobby like this in your life?” Melanie asked once they reached it. It was like a giant hut, with walls that doubled as the roof, angling on each side and coming together to form an upside down V. The walls didn’t quite hit the ground, allowing a breeze to flow in from beneath them. There were no doors. The path from the dock simply led straight through to the lobby. It was a truly open concept type of building, blending with nature.
There were beams beneath the roof structure to give it support, and lighting fixtures that hung from the beams. The exterior of the roof was covered in straw, giving the place a true rustic island feel.
Had the resort in Aruba where she and Lawrence had planned to honeymoon been this beautiful? Melanie wondered.
“Hey, something’s wrong,” Richelle insisted, moving to stand in front of Melanie before they reached the front desk. “Talk to me.”
“I already told you, I’m tired.”
Richelle shook her head. Then she led Melanie to a chaise with red cushions near the wall, while the rest of their travel party headed to reception. “You’re thinking about Lawrence, aren’t you?”
“Of course not,” Melanie lied, forcing a smile.
“Mel, you don’t have to lie to me.”
Richelle knew her too well. “Look, this trip isn’t about me. It’s not about my failed relationship. This trip is about you. You and Roy. How you finally found the man you were meant to spend your life with. And how you’re going to have the most amazing wedding ever, in this paradise.”
Richelle beamed from ear to ear. “I am, aren’t I?”
“Of course you are.”
Richelle drew in a breath. “I just—I can’t believe this is actually happening. That only six months after being devastated by Vern, I found my Mr. Right. Who knew that Vern cheating on me would be the best thing to ever happen to me?”
Four months before Melanie was to marry, Richelle herself had already had a date set to walk down the aisle. But a couple weeks before the wedding, she had discovered that her fiancé had been cheating on her. Not that he had cheated once, but that he’d carried on a long-term affair. The news had crushed her, naturally, and the engagement had been called off. But after allowing herself a few months to grieve, Richelle quickly got back in the saddle and started dating. Having created a profile on an online dating site, she was determined that fate was going to deal her a better hand.
And maybe it was that belief, that confidence, that faith, that had led to her finding Roy. Only as fate would have it, she didn’t meet him online. She met him while trying to hail a cab outside a restaurant in Soho. And it was more like hate-at-first sight rather than love, considering they got into a little spat over who had hailed the cab first. Roy had acquiesced on one condition—that Richelle would take his number and call him.
Which Richelle had no plans to do until the colleague—whose birthday she’d been attending at the restaurant—had encouraged her. What did she have to lose?
And from their first date, Richelle had known. So had Roy. The two became a couple after that night. Roy hadn’t told her until their third date that he was a recently retired NFL player. The fact that Richelle had been clueless as to who he was had attracted Roy to her even more. It had been clear to him that she wasn’t after his fame or fortune.
“Vern was a jerk,” Melanie said. “But thank God he did what he did. Talk about a silver lining, you hit the jackpot, Richelle. The love jackpot. Roy’s the real deal.”
“How did I get so lucky?” Richelle asked. “I keep pinching myself. A part of me wonders if this is all a dream, but everything that man does shows me he adores me.”
“He’s the one,” Melanie said.
“God, can you imagine if I’d married Vern?” Richelle shuddered.
“Sometimes something beautiful comes out of the ashes of disaster,” Melanie advised.
A smiling woman approached them with a tray of frothy drinks, garnished with a slice of papaya. Melanie and Richelle took them, and after thanking the woman, sipped them at the same time.
“Oh, wow,” Richelle said. “This is delicious.”
“I don’t think I want to leave,” Melanie chimed.
Richelle took another sip, and then said, “There’s only one thing that would make me happier than I already am.” Richelle ran a hand over Melanie’s shoulder. “Knowing that you’ve found the guy you’re destined to be with.”
Melanie waved a dismissive hand. “As I said, this trip isn’t about me. Soon, you are going to be marrying the man you are meant to be with. One I feel confident will cherish you for a lifetime. I’m thrilled for you. And here he comes now.”
Richelle turned, and her eyes lit up. “Room keys,” he said, presenting them to Richelle. “For you and Melanie.”
“Who are you rooming with?” Melanie asked.
“I’m with Edward until the big day. We’re all staying in the bungalows on the water, or, as they say here, the bures.”
Melanie looked toward their rooms in the distance and sighed. It was a far walk. And she was desperate to hit the bed.
“And don’t worry. Hotel staff is coming with golf carts to take us there. All we have to do is head to the edge of the path outside the lobby.”
Relief washing over her, Melanie looked at Richelle. “He’s a keeper.”
Richelle grinned. “No doubt.”
* * *
A short while later, Melanie and Richelle were in their room, where the sense of awe continued. The room was elegantly decorated, and boasted a large bathroom with a spa tub that was situated so that you could see the ocean while you bathed. The words Bula and Welcome were written in colorful rose petals on the king bed they would be sharing. There was a living room area with a sofa and a coffee table. And outside, there was a large patio with lounge chairs and steps literally walking down into the ocean.
But the focal point of the room was the floor. Amid the wood, there were two giant panes of glass enabling people to see into the water below the room.
“Oh, my God, I could stay in this room forever,” Richelle said, sighing happily as she sank into the sofa before one of the panes of glass. “Seriously—there are fish beneath our feet. Look!”
Melanie quickly hurried over to look, and sure enough, a school of fish was swimming among the coral beneath the room. “Breathtaking.” Then she faced Richelle. “As I remember telling you, sure the Caribbean is lovely, but why not do something different for your wedding? You only do it once, after all.”
Richelle grabbed a cushion off the sofa and hurled it at her. “You told me to do something different? Yeah, right! Remember your Jamaica solution? I’m