Flight to Paradise (Flight Trilogy, Book 1) (13 page)

“Dear, it’s all going to be okay. I know how you must feel, but like I’ve told you, God has everything under control. You must believe that.”

At the moment, she found Martha’s confidence in the promise of a brighter tomorrow hard to accept. If God had everything under control, why wasn’t
she
the one exchanging vows with Ryan tonight? She knew Martha loved her and only meant the best, so she let it go. In need of a diversion, she said, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Oh, dear. You are so sweet.”

Keri hugged her again and then stepped back to get a full look at her. “You look great.”

“Thank you.”

“I should be the one asking how
you
are doing with all this?”

“Considering the circumstances…just fine.”

Without thinking, Keri peppered her with questions. “How is he doing? Do you think he’s going to be happy? Have you met this girl yet?” Realizing her anxious flurry of questions, she said, “Listen to me. I must sound like some pitiful wretch.”

Martha leaned close and whispered, “Remember, I feel the same way.”

While she chatted with Martha, her eyes constantly darted about the crowded lawn in hopes of spotting Ryan. She even wondered if she would recognize him after all the years.

I
can’t
walk
up
to
him
now
.
What
would
I
say
?

The embarrassing thought hit her of him reading what she had written in her last two letters, telling him how much she loved him, and how she knew they were meant for each other.

God
,
I
wish
I
hadn’t
been
so
stupid
!

Then she spotted him. Her heart fluttered. He was turned to the side talking to some guests.

She tried to remain calm. Her throat tightened, cutting off air while her heart pounded on her chest from the inside. She felt weak in the legs. Her body trembled.

Get
a
hold
of
yourself
.

Martha said, “Oh, there’s Ryan. Would you like me to go get him?”

“Not now. He looks busy. I’ll talk to him later.”

“Darlin’, I understand.”

“Thank you.” She felt relieved. “He looks great. Tell me, Martha, is he happy?”

Martha hesitated. “To be honest, I really don’t know. From the little I’ve seen, Emily shows him a lot of attention, but she just doesn’t seem like his type to me.”

Keri breathed deep and slowly exhaled—her heart still racing. “What do you mean?”

“She’s definitely a beautiful woman, but I’m not too sure there’s much behind that pretty face of hers.”

“Yeah, I know the type.” She felt the blood returning to her face and the trembling stopped. She hoped Ryan had not been tricked by the likes of a Jezebel.

“That’s what he liked most about you. You weren’t like the rest. Of course I already knew that.”

“You’re sweet.” Keri reached out and held Martha’s hand.

“I may be judging her, too soon, but there’s just something that doesn’t feel right. I can only hope Ryan didn’t let his heart deceive him. I’ve always tried to warn him that if he didn’t guard his heart, some cute little girl, who was only interested in herself and what
she
wanted, was going to come along and lead him into a trap.” She turned to Keri. “And that goes for you, too. Don’t ever compromise when it comes to marriage.”

“Martha, you don’t have to worry about me, and I’m sure Emily is a sweet girl and will make Ryan happy.” Keri had to lie. She didn’t want Martha to worry—she was worried enough for the both of them. She looked over where Ryan had been standing. He was gone. Her eyes searched the crowd.

There
he
is
!
I
need
to
talk
to
him
.
I’ll
know
if
he
loves
her
by
the
way
he
acts
toward
me
.
If
I
don’t
,
I’ll
never
have
another
chance
.

Martha took her hand. “Keri, I want you to do me a big favor.”

“Anything.” She kept her eyes on Ryan.

“Sit by me during the wedding.”

“What?” Shocked, she turned to Martha. “But I’m not family. I couldn’t do that. I’ll just sit with the guests. Maybe they can seat me in the row right behind you.”

“No.” She held both of Keri’s hands forcing her to keep eye contact. “I want you to sit right by my side. As far as I’m concerned, you are family.”

“I don’t know, Martha.” Keri looked for Ryan.

Where
is
he
?
I
can’t
lose
him
now
.
There’s
not
much
time
.

“If you don’t want to see an old woman get upset and make a scene, then you better plan on putting your pretty little self in the chair beside me.”

“Martha…I don’t know.”

“Well, I do. And you’re sitting with me.”

Keri hesitated briefly, but knowing she really didn’t have a choice, she said, “Okay, if you insist.”

“Now that that’s settled, let’s get on with the show.”

Keri took one last look for Ryan. Most of the guests had made their way to the seating area. He was gone. Even if she’d found him, Martha had her arm laced in hers so tight, she would never get away.

Martha pulled one of the groomsmen over and instructed, “Young man, I want you to take this lovely young lady to her seat and….” she said, pulling on the usher’s arm encouraging him to lean down, whispering in his ear, “be sure she is sitting in the seat right beside where you plan to seat me. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.”

The usher looked at Keri and offered his arm. Keri put her arm in his as they walked slowly down the aisle toward the front row.

“So, are you related to Ryan?” he asked.

“Just a close friend.”

“He didn’t tell me he had relatives that were models. You are a model aren’t you?”

“Not hardly.” She blushed at the comment. “Mrs. Mitchell and I are just good friends, and she insisted I sit with her. To be honest, it’s a bit embarrassing.”

“It’s just a wedding,” he said. “We’ll pretend you’re his sister. Nobody will know.” He stopped beside the first row and released Keri’s arm. “Just between you and me, there’s no way Ryan could ever have a sister as good-looking as you are. It’s just not in the gene pool.”

“Thank you,” Keri said.

“No problem. Now be sure to wait for me when the wedding is over. I’ll be back for you.”

She looked up at him for the first time. “Okay.”

Before he left, he whispered, “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Rex Dean. I’m a good friend of Ryan’s.”

“My name is Keri Hart. Nice to meet you.”

Even with her thoughts muddled, she couldn’t help noticing his striking appearance. Blue eyes, sandy blond hair, and a killer smile. If only for a moment, she forgot about the wedding, the front row, Martha, and even Ryan.

CHAPTER 21

Like an out of body experience, Keri sat paralyzed and helpless. Only minutes remained until the man she loved would be married to another woman.

She wanted to yell out:
Stop
the
wedding
!
It’s
not
right
!
Ryan
,
you
can’t
marry
this
woman
!
I
love
you
!
I
have
always
loved
you
!

But her thoughts went the way of all thoughts—unheard—while Ryan and his soon-to-be wife stood side-by-side, their backs to the crowd, like two plastic figures atop a wedding cake.

She imagined herself standing beside Ryan. The feeling of his eyes looking deep into her soul, expressing his love for her, made her drift into a “happy place.”

For a moment, the proceedings of the wedding became meaningless, like the frames of a silent film flickering past, until the minister’s deep voice jolted her back into the present. “Dear friends, Ryan and Emily wish to recite their vows.”

Facing each other, Ryan began, “I, Ryan, take you, Emily Anderson, to be my wife, my constant friend, my faithful partner, and my love, from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. With every sunset and every sunrise, I will be reminded of the importance of each day, and how it can only be lived once. It is my desire that my love for you will grow deeper than the mind can understand. I promise to love you unconditionally, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, for as long as we both shall live.”

As Ryan recited his vows, Keri clung to each word as though they were meant for her. If only for a brief time, her heart swelled with joy. Her fantasy abruptly ended with the high-pitched voice of a woman.

“I, Emily Anderson, take you, Ryan Mitchell, to be my husband, my partner in life, and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, love you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this day forward, for as long as we both may live.”

Keri turned her head away in disgust; the thought of Emily’s words bringing a wave of nausea to her stomach. She breathed deep and exhaled, trying to hold back the urge to vomit.

I
can’t
believe
this
is
happening
.
Not
now
!

She didn’t know which would be more embarrassing: jumping up and running down the aisle, hoping not to explode before she reached the grassy lawn beyond the seating area, or lowering her head and releasing the contents of her stomach at Martha’s feet?

She closed her eyes, praying the queasiness would pass. When she opened her eyes, she located Emily’s parents seated across the aisle on the front row. Her mother was a pitiful sight, frail and wrinkled, looking to be in her eighties, but probably not more than sixty. She looked as though she had been released from a nursing home or rehab center for the sole purpose of attending her daughter’s wedding. Her father was at least a hundred pounds overweight and appeared to be drunk. His eyes were frozen on the distant sky as though he cared less about the most important day in his daughter’s life.

She turned back to the ceremony when she heard Ryan and Emily reciting in unison. “In the presence of God and our friends, I take you to be my partner in life, promising to love you, so long as we both shall live.”

This
is
all
wrong
!

After exchanging rings, the pastor had them face the crowd and pronounced them, Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Mitchell, followed with the words, “You may kiss the bride.”

Wait
!

She swiveled her head around and saw nothing but blank stares on the faces of those watching.

Aren’t
you
supposed
to
ask
if
anyone
objects
?

Ryan and Emily kissed as the organ bellowed out Mendelssohn’s
Wedding
March
. Arm-in-arm, they turned and faced the crowd. With her eyes locked on Ryan’s face, studying his every expression, Keri’s heart jumped when she caught him glance her way. He smiled. She smiled back, thinking he’d noticed her. But his smile was directed at Martha. She realized she was invisible to him; undoubtedly the last person in the world he would expect to see at his wedding.

Ryan
,
please
look
at
me
.

If he broadened his field of view just an inch to the right, he’d see her, but instead he turned to Emily and smiled. They glided down the grassy aisle headed for the reception in the beautifully decorated Crown Room of the Del. As he passed, she felt more alone than ever. She’d lost him.

CHAPTER 22

Twenty minutes later, family and friends stood in the traditional receiving line, anxious for an opportunity to extend their heart-felt congratulations to the newlyweds. Rex, of course, was first in line. He cordially greeted Emily’s parents before standing in front of Emily.

“Well, you know the custom,” he said reaching for Emily’s hands. She glanced over at Ryan and back to Rex. “I’m finally going to get that kiss,” Rex said.

Ryan watched as Rex moved face to face with his new bride. Unlike the traditional peck on the lips he’d expected, Rex indulged himself with a full, open-mouth kiss. At first, Emily stood frozen, but within seconds, she was fully engaged, her tongue painting his lips and the inside of his mouth.

“Okay, Rex, that’s enough.” Ryan pushed on Rex’s shoulder encouraging him to break it off.

After one last kiss, Rex pulled Emily close and whispered into her ear loud enough for Ryan to hear, “I’ll be here when you get tired of wading around in the shallow water with that little shrimp…if you know what I mean.” Rex glanced over at Ryan, giving him a sly smile and then winked at Emily.

“Rex, you are so bad,” Emily said. She laced her arm around Ryan. Her cheeks red with embarrassment.

“I’ll see you kids later,” Rex said, then walked away.

Ryan stared down at Emily with a bewildered look.

“What?” she asked. “It was just a kiss.” She rolled her eyes.

What he had witnessed was more than a kiss, and there was no doubt Emily had enjoyed it—even encouraged it. The steady line of guests kept Ryan from laboring over the disgusting image of Rex making out with his new wife.

His gaze turned to the next guest in line. In near disbelief—like an apparition of a lost loved-one from a past life—he froze.

“Hi Ryan. Remember me?”

“Keri Hart! I can’t believe it’s you! I can’t believe you came.”