perfect situation for some serious making up. Nothing like a joyous wedding to put everyone in a good mood.”
“You’re so wrong,” Makayla said with a firm shake of her head. “Blade’s mood is going to be far from good when he sees me. He’ll never want to hear what I have to say.”
“Do you want him back or not?”
Makayla blinked back hot tears of the regret and pain she’d borne these past weeks without him.
“Of course I do! More than anything! I never stopped wanting him back. Every day,” Makayla muttered, brushing her knuckles over her eyes.
“Then you’ve got to at least try,” Jessica told her firmly. “That’s one cause that’s worth fighting for if you ask me.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Blade had to admit that the pristine beach provided the most stunning backdrop for a wedding. The beach and the unbelievably gorgeous sunset which glowed warmly as Gina and Ray exchanged their loving vows in front of the fifty-odd guests.
The sound of applause and laughter filled the air just as the newly wedding couple kissed. Blade thought his stepsister looked fantastic and he’d never seen her so happy.
The wedding continued with the reception beneath the decorated gazebos and Blade found himself drawn into the endless photo-taking, dancing and cake cutting. There was no denying that this was a beautifully planned occasion and he was happy he could be there to celebrate with Gina. No matter how messed up his love life was, Blade could still find it in himself to be glad for others who’d been fortunate to find happiness with someone else.
He managed to snag a dance with the new bride and she was gazing up at him with a warm smile as he swept her around the platform while the live Caribbean type music played.
“I hope we get to dance like this at your wedding, Blade,” Gina teased.
“Not the marrying kind, sis,” he said drily. “Not anymore.”
Gina’s look was gentle. “Makayla’s here, you know. She’s been waiting to see you.”
“I’m not in quarantine; she could have come up to me and said hello at any time,” Blade said gruffly. He couldn’t bear the mention of her name without flinching. He’d seen her of course, on different occasions during the ceremony. Always just a glimpse but always enough to make it feel like his gut was getting wrenched.
He’d known she’d be here so he’d been more than prepared. He had no cause to avoid her and if anything it looked like she was avoiding him. He wasn’t a grudge-filled teen so he’d be civil with her if necessary but so far, she’d kept out of his way and damned if he’d go seeking her out.
“I think it’s possible she’s interested in making up with you,” Gina ventured hesitantly. “I mean, she didn’t tell me much but from the way she’s been talking, she seems sorry to have broken up with you.”
Blade let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what game Makayla put you up to, but count me out of it, okay? And why would she even be talking about me? I’d have thought she’d been ready to move to London to start her once-in-lifetime job opportunity.”
Gina’s hand rested gently on Blade’s chest. “She’s not going to London anymore. She declined the move.”
Blade huffed. “That was stupid, if what she told me was anything to go by. This was supposed to be the game changer. The career boost of her dreams.”
Gina sighed deeply. “I’m not going to try to convince you of anything but –“
“Then don’t,” Blade said shortly, before cupping her face. “Focus on your wedding. That’s why we’re all here, okay? We’re here for you.”
Gina smiled a happy, shaky smile and moments later, her groom appeared and Blade gallantly handed his stepsister to the beaming Ray.
It was only as Blade walked over to the buffet table and picked up a glass of champagne that he realized his hand had a slight shake to it. Damn it all to hell! He couldn’t get Gina’s words out of his head about Makayla wanting
“You’re so wrong,” Makayla said with a firm shake of her head. “Blade’s mood is going to be far from good when he sees me. He’ll never want to hear what I have to say.”
“Do you want him back or not?”
Makayla blinked back hot tears of the regret and pain she’d borne these past weeks without him.
“Of course I do! More than anything! I never stopped wanting him back. Every day,” Makayla muttered, brushing her knuckles over her eyes.
“Then you’ve got to at least try,” Jessica told her firmly. “That’s one cause that’s worth fighting for if you ask me.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Blade had to admit that the pristine beach provided the most stunning backdrop for a wedding. The beach and the unbelievably gorgeous sunset which glowed warmly as Gina and Ray exchanged their loving vows in front of the fifty-odd guests.
The sound of applause and laughter filled the air just as the newly wedding couple kissed. Blade thought his stepsister looked fantastic and he’d never seen her so happy.
The wedding continued with the reception beneath the decorated gazebos and Blade found himself drawn into the endless photo-taking, dancing and cake cutting. There was no denying that this was a beautifully planned occasion and he was happy he could be there to celebrate with Gina. No matter how messed up his love life was, Blade could still find it in himself to be glad for others who’d been fortunate to find happiness with someone else.
He managed to snag a dance with the new bride and she was gazing up at him with a warm smile as he swept her around the platform while the live Caribbean type music played.
“I hope we get to dance like this at your wedding, Blade,” Gina teased.
“Not the marrying kind, sis,” he said drily. “Not anymore.”
Gina’s look was gentle. “Makayla’s here, you know. She’s been waiting to see you.”
“I’m not in quarantine; she could have come up to me and said hello at any time,” Blade said gruffly. He couldn’t bear the mention of her name without flinching. He’d seen her of course, on different occasions during the ceremony. Always just a glimpse but always enough to make it feel like his gut was getting wrenched.
He’d known she’d be here so he’d been more than prepared. He had no cause to avoid her and if anything it looked like she was avoiding him. He wasn’t a grudge-filled teen so he’d be civil with her if necessary but so far, she’d kept out of his way and damned if he’d go seeking her out.
“I think it’s possible she’s interested in making up with you,” Gina ventured hesitantly. “I mean, she didn’t tell me much but from the way she’s been talking, she seems sorry to have broken up with you.”
Blade let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what game Makayla put you up to, but count me out of it, okay? And why would she even be talking about me? I’d have thought she’d been ready to move to London to start her once-in-lifetime job opportunity.”
Gina’s hand rested gently on Blade’s chest. “She’s not going to London anymore. She declined the move.”
Blade huffed. “That was stupid, if what she told me was anything to go by. This was supposed to be the game changer. The career boost of her dreams.”
Gina sighed deeply. “I’m not going to try to convince you of anything but –“
“Then don’t,” Blade said shortly, before cupping her face. “Focus on your wedding. That’s why we’re all here, okay? We’re here for you.”
Gina smiled a happy, shaky smile and moments later, her groom appeared and Blade gallantly handed his stepsister to the beaming Ray.
It was only as Blade walked over to the buffet table and picked up a glass of champagne that he realized his hand had a slight shake to it. Damn it all to hell! He couldn’t get Gina’s words out of his head about Makayla wanting
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