Chapter 2

My little medicine kit was gone.

When I stepped out onto the terrace, I heard Lexie calling for him.

She was sitting on the bench, wrapped in Zackary's jacket, her shoes tossed aside, her ankle red and swollen. Zackary was crouched in front of her, using my medicine to treat her scraped ankle.

He always knew where I kept my medicine kit.

He'd grabbed it without thinking when he left.

I stood in the shadows, listening as Lexie asked him, "What am I supposed to do tomorrow? Everyone knows I was left at the altar. If I'm stuck alone at the dock, they'll all laugh at me."

Zackary said, "No way, they won't."

"But what about Jenny? She's waited for you for so long. If you don't go to her, she'll be really hurt."

Zackary paused for a moment.

Lexie lowered her head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You should go back. She probably doesn't like you being here."

Zackary frowned. "Don't move."

Lexie sniffled, her voice even softer. "I can't let her get the wrong idea again. She already thinks I stole you from her."

"She's not like that."

"But I'm not like her," Lexie said, looking up at him, tears streaming down her face. "She can handle anything, but I can't. If you don't come for me tomorrow, I really don't know what I'll do."

As she spoke, she tried to stand up, but as soon as she put weight on her foot, she stumbled forward.

Zackary caught her right away.

She fell into his arms and didn't pull away right away.

Her fingers brushed against the whale tail cufflinks on Zackary's sleeve, the ones I gifted him.

She looked down for a moment, then whispered, "It's nice that Jenny has so many things that show you care about her. All I have is that one promise my dad made you before he died."

Zackary's face changed in an instant.

Lexie hurriedly wiped her tears. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up my dad. I'm really scared."

She leaned into his arms and whispered, "What about Jenny?"

Zackary was quiet for a long time before he finally spoke. "Jenny's not like you."

"How's she different?"

"She'd never do something reckless like that."

The wind blew in from the terrace, and my stomach twisted up tight.

Lexie lowered her voice even more. "But what if Jenny gets mad?"

Zackary looked down at her. "I'll coax her."

She gave a tiny smile.

I saw it.

As I steadied myself, a flood of memories came rushing back.

The year Lexie's dad died, I was the one by her side, handling everything with her.

When she first started hosting nature documentaries, she was so nervous on camera that she shook. I was behind the camera, giving her little signals to help her out.

When she said she couldn't handle fieldwork, I gave her the easiest job at the island's wildlife center.

At first, I really did want to look out for her.

But then, she started asking for more and more.

Then it was dinners with Zackary, his company, his jacket, celebrating special days with him.

And now, even my wedding.

As I turned to head back to my room, I could still hear Zackary comforting her. "I won't let you be alone tomorrow. Don't be scared. I'm here for you."

I'd heard those words before.

But that was ages ago.

When I got back to my room, I didn't turn on the lights.

The vow card was still on the table. The first line was: [Zackary, I've waited so many years for you, and all this time, I believed it was worth it.]

I looked at it for a long moment and then flipped the card over.

Outside, the lighthouse cast its glow through the window.

Before sunrise tomorrow, Zackary was supposed to come for his bride.

I barely slept that night.

After I got back to my room, I kept opening and closing my suitcase, putting my boarding pass in and taking it out again, tucking the vow card under the ring box, and washing the glass on my nightstand three times over.

If I didn't keep myself busy, that scene out on the terrace would just keep looping in my mind.

I couldn't stop picturing Zackary crouched in front of Lexie, patching her up with my meds. I kept seeing his hand on her waist as she fell into his arms. And I couldn't shake what he said, "Jenny's not like you. She'd never do something reckless like that."

The door lock rang.

Zackary came back just before one in the morning.

He pushed the door open and saw me crouched on the floor, packing my suitcase. His brows knitted together.

"Why aren't you asleep?" he asked.

I folded my thin jacket and tucked it into the suitcase's side pocket.

"Can't sleep," I said.

He glanced down at the suitcase. "We'll be back right after the wedding tomorrow. Why are you bringing so much stuff?"

"Just organizing a bit."

Zackary stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Did you step out onto the terrace?"

I didn't answer.

His face darkened a little. "Did you see me with Lexie out there?"

"Yeah, I saw you."