Until I Met You

Chapter Twenty-Seven

After a quickie rehearsal, the wedding party retreated to their respective bungalows for much-needed rest. She and Roman had curled up on her bed for a long nap. Later, they locked up and left together. She was on her way to Amelia’s for an intensive glam session: hair, make-up, the works. Roman was off to join Anthony after discovering a stream of messages demanding to know where he’d gone and what he was up to and why he wasn’t replying to any of his texts.

‘I won’t see you until sunset,’ he said.

He was walking away backwards, as he’d done that first night. Her heart swelled with nostalgia. She wanted to do it all again. ‘That sounds romantic.’

‘Except it’s not our happy ending, is it?’

Samantha wasn’t so sure. She’d dreaded this day. Now it was shaping up to be the best day of her life. ‘That’s fine! I don’t believe in fairy tales.’

‘What?’

He was too far along for them to carry on like this. ‘Never mind!’

‘What?’

‘Careful! Look out for the tree!’

Before she could finish her sentence, he’d veered off the path and slammed into a skinny palm. He bounced back with his usual grace, but that didn’t stop Samantha from laughing. ‘Ha!’

He grinned, waved goodbye, and disappeared around a bend. Samantha fought the urge to chase after him for one more hug, one last kiss. It wasn’t like her to be so needy. If she couldn’t collect herself now, how was she going to handle tomorrow? Would she cling to him at the airport gate?

She forced the gloomy feelings out of her mind and headed down the path leading to Amelia’s domain, lugging her make-up kit and bridesmaid’s dress in its garment bag. She wondered whether a glam session was even necessary. She felt gorgeous. She wouldn’t brag about it, but that was how she truly felt deep inside. Roman made her feel beautiful with every look, every touch. He couldn’t keep his hands off her wild hair, said outrageous things just to catch her smile. She could wear a potato sack to the wedding and still feel like the most beautiful woman there, although it was best not to test that theory.

Maya greeted her at the door, took custody of the garment bag with her bridesmaid’s dress, and invited her in. Once she got a glimpse of what was in store for them, Samantha got into the spirit of things. The vast living area had been transformed into a day spa. Rattan peacock chairs were arranged in a semicircle, uniformed aestheticians set up mani-pedi stations. They sprinkled pink and red hibiscus petals and drops of essential oil into foot baths. Flickering candles and soothing music added to the vibe. She wondered why she’d ever questioned this. Of course, this was necessary.

Amelia handed her a cup of cocoa tea. ‘It does all the good things that coffee does and none of the bad.’

‘Thank you.’

As she accepted the cup, Samantha asked herself if this was the same woman who’d come close to emptying a bottle of champagne on another woman’s head mere hours earlier. She couldn’t get over Amelia’s calm demeanour. It was as if the morning’s unpleasantness had happened to someone else. In a lavender silk housecoat with ‘Mother of the Bride’ embroidered on the lapel, she was ever the sophisticated host. Samantha understood at that moment that the wedding had never been in peril. Amelia would have never allowed it, not after all the trouble and expense she’d gone through.

Amelia nudged her along. ‘Go join the others.’

The others were scattered about. Naomi was already soaking her feet, headphones on, eyes closed, taking deep rhythmic breaths. Jen was gabbing to anyone who’d listen about the virtues of guided meditation. Jasmine was in a corner, tapping on her phone. Samantha assumed she was texting Jason, but when she put away her phone and reached for her own cup of cocoa tea, she announced that Hugo would be joining them.

Maya squealed with joy. ‘Yay! He’s my favourite.’

Samantha took her tea to her appointed chair, to the right of the bride. ‘Good to know, Maya.’

‘I’ll always love you, Sam!’ Maya fired back.

At Maya’s directive, a chair was added to the circle and a pedicure bowl placed at its feet.

Jen took the seat to Naomi’s left. ‘I hate to bring this up now ’cause we’re all so cosy, but I don’t think Hugo and Adrian are clicking.’

Jasmine responded with a sad little smile. ‘That’s why I told him to join us here. He needs a break.’

Samantha thought back to the evening when Adrian and Jason arrived to great fanfare. How happy they’d seemed to be reunited with their partners. Now Hugo and Adrian couldn’t stand to be together. How easily happiness unravelled. It was heartbreaking.

Jen had a plan. ‘Let’s lock them in a bedroom until they reconcile their differences.’

Naomi slipped off her headphones. She’d been listening all along. ‘If anyone locked me in a room with a soon-to-be ex, I promise you only one of us would come out alive. And it wouldn’t be him … or her.’

If there was a woman among Naomi’s exes, this was the first Samantha had heard of it.

Naomi offered her an indulgent smile. ‘Don’t look so shocked, Sammy. I don’t tell you everything.’