He raised his glass to hers. “Here’s to learning to relax, new hobbies, and summer.”
“Here’s to all of that, yes.” She clinked his glass with hers. “And here’s to an excellent picnic. Thanks so much, Brent. This has been the best.”
…
They finished their lunches, chatting about “dream vacations.” Brent had several places he wanted to visit, and he was stoked to learn Jackie had many of the same locales on her travel bucket list. It did his heart good to learn that he and his fiancée were so much on the same page.
“Ooh. And Bora-Bora,” she added excitedly after devouring her last bite of the chocolate tart that he’d packed for dessert. He was glad he’d brought enough food for the two of them. He’d never seen Jackie eat this much, but he was glad she wasn’t worrying about things like that now. It was their wedding week, after all, like she said. It was good for both of them to loosen up a bit and chill.
“I’ve always wanted to go there, too,” he told her, not wanting this fun excursion to end. He realized they should get going shortly, because the day was wearing on and the tides would be changing soon. But he was having such a great time, he wanted to give their adventure a few more minutes. “We can drop in on Bora-Bora on our way to Australia.”
“Tasmania and New Zealand, too,” she said with a dreamy gleam in her eye. The thin gold chain around her neck held a delicate gold heart pendant, and Brent commented on the pretty accessory, which he’d never seen her wear before.
“Oh, thank you. I’ve had it for a while.”
“It suits you.” He knew he shouldn’t ask, because it might have been a romantic gift from another guy, but curiosity got the better of him. “Where did you get it?” Though he wasn’t normally the jealous type, the thought of her loving anyone else somehow brought his cool-tempered blood to a slow boil.
She fingered the dangling piece of jewelry. “Maybe we should keep this conversation moving forward?”
“We are moving forward,” he teased. “I’m just kind of wondering from what?” Or whom, he thought, feeling a lead weight in his stomach.
“If you must know.” She straightened her spine, looking sassy. “I got it from somebody special.”
“Figured as much.” Brent’s neck burned hot, and she tilted her chin at his expression.
“It wasn’t from another guy, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“What?”
“I gave it to myself for Valentine’s Day two years ago.” She shrugged and then said, “I deserved it.”
“I’m sure that you did. Do.”
She sighed, gazing out over the water, and Brent saw the sun had lowered in the sky quite a bit since they’d started out. They really needed to head in soon.
And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to break the moment.
“I guess I never told you about my dating past?” She asked this in an off-kilter way, almost like she couldn’t authentically remember.
“Past boyfriends, no.”
She started to speak and then thought better of it. “Maybe we shouldn’t go there now.”
“You don’t have to unless you want to. I honestly didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“I’m not uncomfortable, really. It’s just…” She bit her lip in thought. “I grew frustrated, I guess. Tired of the pre-holiday dump thing, so I—”
“Hang on,” he said, stopping her, because this he had to hear. “What ‘pre-holiday dump thing’?”
She stared at him in surprise. “You know, that thing coupled-up people sometimes do. A big holiday’s coming up. Maybe it’s Thanksgiving and an opportunity to meet each other’s families. Or Christmas, and expectations loom high for a big, amazing gift.” Her eyes widened dramatically on the word “high,” and Brent couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Ah, I see. So, to prevent any disappointments, there’s a breakup instead?”
“Which is seriously such a disappointment in its own right.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Those guys were utter jerks.”
“It wasn’t just them.” She rubbed her heart pendant. “I did my fair share of dumping, too.”
“Then it looks like I dodged a bullet. A pre-wedding dump could be the biggest dump of all.”
Jackie’s cheeks colored.
“Oh, wait. I didn’t mean…” He hung his head in shame, then peeked up at her. “That wasn’t how it sounded. I hope you know that I would never do that to you. I would never let you down on our wedding day.”
She stared at him a long moment, and he wondered why there was so much sadness in her eyes. “You’re really pretty wonderful, you know that?”
That was unexpected. “Um, thanks. So are you.”
“And the necklace?” She sniffed. “I gave it to myself because I wasn’t sure if anyone would ever…”
Her chin trembled, and Brent reached for her, leaning forward and rocking the canoe.
“Hey,” he said, steadying her smooth shoulders in his hands. “There will be lots of great Valentine’s Days ahead. I promise.” She viewed him doubtfully, and Brent’s heart ached. “You and I didn’t know each other last February. But we’re changing that now. We’re getting married. Married, Jackie,” he said hoarsely. “And I’m determined to make this work. You do believe I’m going to try?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“And you’ll try, too?” He searched her eyes when she didn’t answer. “I’m not asking for a miracle… Because the funniest thing is, I feel like one’s already happened.”
He inched closer, dying to kiss her, because the moment felt so right.
“Brent, I—”
Then both startled at the sound of Jet Skis roaring by.
Three teens were out joyriding and kicking up some serious wake. Jackie jerked back, and Brent tried to steady her, but their erratic movements sent their canoe rocking wildly as roiling waves crashed toward them, one after another.
The canoe teetered back and forth, and Jackie gripped its sides with white knuckles.
“Don’t move.” He snatched up a paddle in a vain attempt to stabilize the canoe, but it was already too late.
The canoe capsized.
Chapter Eight