Pretenders (Firsts and Forever 3)

Wes gently gathered me into his arms and whispered, “I’m so glad I get to share this with you.” It was a reminder of the way he’d been with me at the start of the week, and it was confusing to see that side of him resurface.

I hugged him for just a moment before turning away embarrassedly and wiping my damp lashes with the back of my hand. This was the last thing he needed right now, me getting all emotional when he was about to deal with not only his family, but his ex-fiancé. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled, as a sleek, open-topped motorboat pulled up beside us.

“Don’t apologize,” he said, as he rubbed my back. “I’m actually glad you had that reaction.” When I glanced at him, he explained, “I’ve been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I’d barely taken the time to appreciate where we are right now. Frankly, that’s inexcusable. Someplace this beautiful has to be appreciated.” When I smiled at him, he grinned and wiped a stray tear from my cheek with his thumb.

Once our luggage was onboard and Wes had tipped the dock worker who’d assisted us, we climbed onto the boat. I went up to the captain and stuck my hand out as I said, “Hi, I’m Ash, and this is Wesley.”

He seemed a little surprised and introduced himself as Phillipe. Wes said, “Since it’s such a beautiful day, would you mind taking a spin around the lagoon before delivering us to our destination? It’s Ash’s first time in Bora Bora, and he hasn’t been able to see any of it yet.”

Phillipe, who spoke with a thick French accent, beamed at us and said, “It would be my pleasure, monsieur.”

We spent the next half-hour or so gliding around the clear, sparkling lagoon. At one point I spotted a sea turtle and shrieked with delight, which made Wes laugh.

He seemed more relaxed by the time we arrived at our destination. When we stepped onto the dock, I thanked Phillipe, then grabbed Wes in a hug and exclaimed, “That was so much fun!”

He put his arm around my shoulders as we walked up to the house. Meanwhile, a pair of staff members whisked away our bags with a golf cart. Apparently rich people kept interactions with their luggage to a bare minimum.

Ahead of us was a posh estate, which we approached from the back. It was perfectly symmetrical, white, and modern, with square columns and a blue roof, and it sat at the crest of a low hill, surrounded by palms and lush landscaping. A long, rectangular pool extended from the patio at the very center of the house, flanked by lounge chairs. I wasn’t sure what purpose it served. The absolutely breathtaking lagoon was just a few yards away, and I’d prefer to swim in that any day.

There were maybe twenty people gathered on the large, covered patio with drinks in hand, talking in small groups. As we approached, everyone fell silent and turned to stare at us. How special.

I felt Wes stiffen beside me. His arm was still around my shoulders, and I rubbed his back in an attempt to comfort him.

When we reached his parents, Wes moved his sunglasses to the top of his head and said, “Hello, Mother and Father. Happy anniversary.” He shook hands with his father and kissed the air somewhere to the left of his mother’s cheek before continuing, “I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Ash Landry. Ash, these are my parents, Doctors Geoffrey and Eloise Bennett.” That was the stiffest and most formal thing I’d ever heard anyone actually say out loud.

His parents were a distinguished-looking couple in their mid-sixties, and they were seated side-by-side on a small sofa with their backs perfectly rigid. The fact that they both wore stylish linen suits told me we’d underdressed.

I shook their hands while smiling like a fool and saying, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you both! I’ve heard so much about you.” Geoffrey seemed totally indifferent, and the judgement rolled off Eloise in waves.

“And we’ve heard nothing whatsoever about you,” she said, as she scrutinized me closely.

“Well, I’m sure we’ll take care of that right quick,” I said. Why exactly was my southern accent so thick right now? I sounded like I should be wearing Daisy Dukes and chewing on a piece of hay.

After Wes and his parents exchanged a few meaningless comments about our flight and the weather, he introduced me to his sister Camille and her husband Beau. Camille was a tall, elegant brunette who wore her hair in a chin-length bob exactly like her mother’s. She was dressed in a flawless off-white sheath dress, pearls, and tasteful beige pumps, and I purred. “Girl, look at you. Audrey Hepburn eat your heart out.”

Camille didn’t quite know what to say to that, so she went with, “Thank you.” Apparently she’d never met anyone campy before. She studied me curiously but seemed friendly, and so did her husband. Beau reminded me of a stock photo of a generic blond man—handsome, but totally unremarkable.