Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

MARIGOLD

T he heat was merciless, even though the sun was sinking. I could feel every bead of sweat trickling down my back, soaking into the bodice of my dress. My strapless bra had long since decided it was done for the day, sliding southward as if it was trying to escape the heat. And those so-called anti-chafe shorts I'd invested in? They were failing spectacularly, proving to be nothing more than a cruel joke.

The hair at the nape of my neck was wet and sticky, a tangled mess that made me wish I could throw the whole updo into the ocean. So glamorous, I thought as I plastered on my best smile for what had to be the nine hundredth and third photo.

Sweat was literally trickling down my ass crack. I officially had swamp ass. It wasn't a condition I fully understood until now.

And if that wasn't bad enough, my dress seemed to be on a mission of its own, dodging and weaving to expose the one thing I didn't need showing, my breasts. In between shots, I pulled it up hastily, praying no one noticed. I could feel Courtney's eyes on me, her mouth twisted with a petty satisfaction.

I resisted the urge to glare at her. How did she manage to look so fresh and unaffected by this oppressive heat? I bet she didn't have a sweat-soaked bra or an errant dress riding down her chest. Honestly, I think she had sold her soul to the devil in return for perfect weather resistance.

As we moved to yet another location, I glanced over to where I last saw Zayn. Sure enough, he was still there, leaning casually against a palm tree with an inscrutable expression on his face. His gaze met mine and his lips twitched into a small smile that was full of promise and secrets. My heart skipped a beat. He had promised to wait for me, and he was keeping that promise even in this sweltering heat.

A breeze came off the water, hitting my sweat-soaked skin and actually cooling me down a few degrees. Grateful, I pasted on a smile and followed the photographer's orders. I could get through this. This little photo session couldn't go on forever, although it felt like it.

I tried to remember this was for Elaine. She had been there for me in the past, so I could pretend I wasn't in a tropical hell for a bit longer.

Courtney's voice rang out over the sound of the waves, cutting through my internal misery. "Hold your bouquets higher, ladies! And make sure you're creating angles with your bodies. We don't want anyone looking like a box."

I bit back a sigh, doing my best to comply. The last thing I wanted was for Courtney to single me out in front of everyone. I was already a little boxy, given the lack of length to my legs. The highest heels in the world were not going to make me look tall and statuesque.

But of course, that was exactly what happened.

"These are going to be Elaine's memories for the rest of her life," Courtney snapped, this time looking directly at me. "Don't ruin it."

From where I was standing, the only person ruining anything was Courtney herself. Her giant ego and childish personality hadn't evolved one bit since high school. Once a mean girl, always a mean girl.

I adjusted my bouquet, feeling the fake smile stretch wider across my face. I wasn't about to let her get to me today.

This was Elaine's day, not Courtney's, and nothing was going to ruin it—not even the persistent pinching in my thighs or the way my bra was now dangerously close to becoming a belt. It was currently doing a great job keeping my belly button up.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the photo session came to an end. I watched with a mixture of relief and amusement as Carlos scooped Elaine up into his arms and dashed toward the ocean. He spun her around in a wide circle, her dress and veil fanning out like a scene from a fairytale. The photographers, who'd been as relentless as Courtney, swarmed them, capturing every angle of the candid moment.

Elaine's laughter echoed across the beach, joyous and free. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I watched them. This was what Elaine had always wanted—a love that was as playful as it was deep, with a man who deserved every bit of her enormous heart.

As they reached the water's edge, Elaine tossed her bouquet into the waves, freeing her hands so she could wrap them around Carlos's neck and plant a kiss on his lips. It was a perfect moment, one that I knew Elaine would treasure forever.

Courtney, of course, couldn't leave it be. She gasped in horror and rushed after the bouquet, scooping it out of the waves as if it were made of gold rather than a few wilting flowers. "Elaine!" she scolded, her voice shrill. "That bouquet was supposed to be caught!"

Elaine, completely unbothered, just laughed and told Carlos to put her down. Then, with a mischievous grin, the two of them ran hand in hand into the ocean, suit and gown be damned.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched them. This was exactly what Elaine deserved—wild, uninhibited joy. I blinked the tears away quickly, not wanting anyone to see them and start asking questions. But Courtney's reaction almost made me laugh out loud. She stood there on the beach, the dripping, wilted bouquet dangling from her hand, glaring after Elaine and Carlos as if they'd personally offended her.

"I was supposed to catch it," she muttered under her breath, tossing the bouquet in the sand and stalking off in a huff. "Now it's ruined."

She reminded me of a frustrated mama trying to rein in her wild child. Elaine was and always had been a free spirit. I was so glad she wasn't letting anyone stifle that spirit.

The other bridesmaids and I exchanged a knowing look, shrugging as we tried not to laugh. Courtney's theatrics were par for the course at this point, but today they were particularly ridiculous. None of us cared that she was upset. We were too busy being happy for Elaine, and honestly, watching Courtney sulk was kind of entertaining.

We were there for our friend. Courtney was there to play up her role as the self-appointed queen of the bridal party. Courtney was used to being the star of the show. If she couldn't be the star, she wanted to control the star.

But Elaine was not to be controlled. She was living her best life.

With the photos finally over, we made our way back up to the reception area. It was hosted under twinkling string lights by one of the resort's pools, next to a large bar and restaurant with a canopy that provided some much-needed shade. As we walked, I could feel the coolness of the evening starting to settle in. I hoped it would dry some of the sweat that had been plaguing me all day.

I felt gross. The makeup artist that did all of our makeup had spackled our faces and then painted away before adding shellac to make sure our faces stayed in place. I just wanted to wash my face and let my skin breathe.

But before I could even think about cooling down, I had one mission: find Zayn and thank him for playing along with my ridiculous lie. The last thing I needed was for this whole fake engagement thing to blow up in my face before the wedding week was over. Courtney would eat up every second of my embarrassment. She would run ads in the local newspapers back home and put up billboards to tell everyone.

I didn't know how I was going to explain my impulsive actions or what I could possibly offer him to convince him to keep up with my ruse, but I was willing to do anything.

Seriously, anything.

I would get on my knees if that was what he wanted. Who was I kidding? That's what I wanted.

I would not be sad if he demanded more sex. I would certainly try and play it off, but I had not stopped thinking about that man's abilities in bed. He could bottle all that talent. There would never be a sad or angry woman again.

I looked around the crowd of pretty people hoping to see him. He'd been by the tree but disappeared. I didn't think he left. He said he would wait, and for some reason, I believed him. I trusted him to do what he promised. He had proven to be the kind of guy you could count on when shit was hitting the fan.

I scanned the crowd, searching for him among the guests who were already mingling and sipping cocktails. It didn't take long to spot him, standing near the bar with a drink in hand, looking as effortlessly handsome as ever. My heart did a little flip-flop, and I had to remind myself that this was all just a charade.

He wasn't actually my fiancé. But I did get to claim him as one of my very minimal conquests. I didn't know who I was ever going to brag to about getting to bed the hottest man to walk the earth, but I was going to remind myself of that fact every chance I got. When Courtney was talking shit and insulting me, I would remember I was the woman that got to spend the night with Mr. Hot and Sexy.

I watched him and that casual, cocky, devil-may-care way about him. If James Dean and Elvis Presley had a baby, Zayn would fit the bill. He was suave and oozed sexy from every pore. His thick black hair was flat at the front now, but he was every bit the sexsicle he had been when I first laid eyes on him at the airport.

"Zayn!" I called out as I made my way over to him, dodging a couple of guests who were deep in conversation.

He turned at the sound of his name, his expression shifting from casual to smoldering as he saw me approaching. "Marigold," he greeted with a smile. "You survived the photos, I see."

"Barely," I replied with a laugh, though I wasn't entirely joking. I looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. "Thank you for, you know, going along with everything earlier. I really appreciate it."

Zayn's smile widened before he took a sip of his drink. "No problem. I have to admit, it was kind of fun. I love fucking with people. Makes life exciting."

"Fun?" I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms as I stopped in front of him. "I didn't think pretending to be engaged to a stranger would be your idea of a good time."

He chuckled, his gaze steady on mine. "Well, you've got to keep things interesting, right? And you don't strike me as the kind of person who does anything halfway. I do see an upside to this little game. You're committed to the charade, right?"

I couldn't help but grin at that. "You've got me there."

"That means I can do this." He reached for me, snaking his arm around my waist and sliding it down to grab a handful of my ass.

It was nice, but all I could think about was whether the shapewear had bunched, and he was feeling it.

"And I can do this," he whispered.

He leaned in closer, his hot breath teasing my skin, and he gently kissed the crook of my neck, an intimate act that sent chills down my body. My heart raced as he pulled me closer, our bodies melding together. I could feel the hardness of his muscles against mine, and just when I thought I was about to lose myself in his touch, he pulled back.

Before I could say anything more, the emcee's voice boomed through the speakers, announcing the bride and groom's arrival at the reception. The guests erupted into cheers and applause as Elaine and Carlos made their grand entrance, hand in hand, beaming from ear to ear. Elaine's beautiful gown was sagging after the little dip in the ocean and Carlos's tux had been subjected to the same saltwater treatment but neither seemed to care. They looked so in love.

I wondered if I would ever find something like that. So far, the best relationship I'd had in a while was with Zayn, and that was totally fake.

Still, it was nice to pretend, even though it was only temporary.