“Did you check in with the groomsmen?”
s“Vance says that something happened with Rick last night and that he said he was going over to Dan’s villa to talk. Apparently Rick was pretty drunk and mad that Dan hadn’t chosen him to be the best man.”
“Maybe if they’re not at the villa, they’re someplace nearby? The beach?” I said. I still refused to believe that there was any possibility that Dan had taken off.
“Let’s go check.”
We got to the sliding doors before Camden stopped and put his hand on my shoulder. “Hey.”
I turned, my expression questioning.
He put my face in his hands, looking at me with such incredible tenderness. Then he pressed his lips on mine, kissing me with so much passion that somebody behind us yelled, “Get a room!”
“Sorry,” Camden said as he pulled back. “I just realized that I hadn’t greeted you properly this morning.”
“Uh-huh.”
He started walking away but I just stood there for a second because I was pretty sure that kiss of his had disconnected my legs. I took a tentative step forward and was relieved when I didn’t fall flat on my face.
“Come on,” he said, reaching for my hand, holding on to me tight.
We made it down to the beach closest to the hotel and did find Dan and Rick. Who were on their hands and knees.
“That’s not good,” I said.
Camden didn’t get it right away, and as we approached them I braced for the worst.
Dan glanced up at us as we approached and announced, “My idiot cousin lost Sadie’s wedding ring.”
Rick looked bleary-eyed and sheepish.
This was why people shouldn’t get drunk right before a wedding: they so often did stupid things. Like lose the bride’s freaking wedding ring.
“Aren’t you supposed to have the ring?” I whispered to Camden.
“Dan was going to give it to me this morning.”
“We’ve been out here for hours,” Rick complained. “We’re never going to find it.”
“Keep looking,” Dan said. “People who lose expensive rings don’t get to complain when they have to search for it.”
Much as I didn’t want to admit it, Rick was kind of right. “I know what to do.” Dan probably wasn’t in the mood to hear it, so I turned to Camden. “Believe it or not, this is not the first time this has happened to me. Get a real phone that has an actual data plan and look up the Ring Finders and give them a call. Tell them it’s an emergency, and I bet they’ll get someone out here right away to help. Finding lost rings is what they do. But don’t text them on your phone, because you want them to respond this century.”
“I can do that,” he promised.
“Great. I’ll check in with the front desk and see if a ring’s been turned in. I’ll also ask the concierge to keep an eye out for it.”
Camden nodded and I glanced at Dan. His face was pointed down, so I kissed Camden quickly. His face lit up with delight at my small gesture. At me making the first move. I told him, “I have to go. I’ll see you later. Let me know how things turn out. We’ll figure something out if it doesn’t turn up.”
I had to hurry. I had to stop in the lobby and talk to the concierge and then get back to have my hair and makeup done. If I didn’t get back soon my absence was going to be noticed. I said a small prayer that they’d find the ring and hoped that this was the worst thing that would happen today.
If I’d only known.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I sneaked into Sadie’s villa and was glad to see that Mary-Ellen’s face had continued to improve. Krista was getting her hair done and patted the seat next to her so that I could wait my turn. Sadie was with the makeup artist and everybody seemed calm, which was what I was going for.
Getting ready for a wedding was a bit like what I imagined a theater actor went through—putting on costumes, getting their hair and makeup done, going out to a beautiful set/backdrop, standing up in front of an audience to put on a show that was going to make them laugh and cry and cheer.
“You have Camden face,” Krista told me.
“What?” My thoughts had been in such a different place that I wasn’t even sure what she meant.
“There’s this expression you get when you’ve just seen Camden.”
“That’s not true,” I disagreed.
“It is. And you did see him.” When I didn’t argue back she grinned, sitting up straighter in her chair. “What’s going on? I want all the details.”