Chapter 1
Emma laughed gently and touched Jack Saunders' shoulder. He smiled and seemed to unconsciously reach for her hand, the two of them leaning closer to one another. They looked so happy together, so perfectly in love that it was impossible to look at them without feeling their happiness. Jack leaned over and whispered something into Emma's ear. She blushed and giggled before reaching for her wine glass.
Emma looked radiant. I didn't know if I'd ever seen my little sister look so happy, and that happiness was translating into an inner beauty that shone out across the whole ocean. People on the other side of the world were probably wondering what was making that joyful glow. Jack matched her elation in a masculine way, his sandy hair blowing softly in the Caribbean wind as we finished the last of our dinners. They were the perfect couple.
The entire wedding party for Jack and Emma sat outdoors at a large wooden dinner table, the evening breeze blowing warmly. If the wedding dinner was anywhere near as fancy as this rehearsal dinner was, I would gain at least five pounds on this trip.
I typically didn't like traveling. In fact, I never traveled. I had never even left the Midwest, but I thought that this ocean breeze was something I could definitely get used to.
Jack and Emma sat at the head of the big square table as if they were the king and queen of the tropical island. I sat next to Emma with my parents on the other side of me. Across the table was Jack's best man, Owen. Down the line sat his younger brother, mother and father.
We were all gathered to celebrate the marriage of Jack to my little sister, Emma. Jack had flown the whole family, plus friends, out to an island in the Caribbean for the ceremony and paid for a week at the island resort for everyone. I had only been able to get four days off from my job at the hospital, and now I wished I had more in this beautiful place. I wasn't sure exactly what this trip had cost, but I knew it was far above what my paycheck could afford. Of course, for him it was no big deal. He could afford to do this because he was the President and CEO of DS Oil and Gas. He was a billionaire, after all.
The two of them were getting married on the very island where they met, on the very beach where Emma had saved a man's life while Jack kept cool next to her. This time, though, it was for real. For some wild reason, when they first met, they had decided to get married, despite hardly knowing one another. Emma said it was a crazy, spur-of-the-moment vacation memory thing, but I still thought she was insane. It wasn't a legal wedding, of course. They were outside of the US and there were no papers signed.
It should have ended there, except that the paparazzi happened to somehow get some pictures of their wedding and posted them everywhere. I actually found out my sister was married by reading the tabloid headlines at the grocery store. It had been the first time I ever actually bought one of those magazines. Before I could even talk to her, however, she had zipped off to New York City so that Jack could do damage control.
It took a while for the press to die down enough for her to come back to Iowa. By then, it was pretty apparent that she and Jack were a sure thing. Emma and I had some rather personal conversations, and I found myself marveling at my little sister. The things she was willing to put up with, particularly Jack's work schedule, were things that I wouldn't have tolerated. She loved him though, and she was willing to deal with it. He finally proposed over Christmas dinner. Now, here we were on the island for a beautiful spring wedding.
I was actually supposed to have gone on the vacation that started it all. Emma had won a trip for two from the local radio station, but I came down with appendicitis two days before the flight. During the week that she spent in the Caribbean, I spent my time hopped up on painkillers and antibiotics, and thinking that I was the one going to do crazy things. Sitting here, though, watching the two of them be so obviously in love, made me glad I hadn't come. My little sister deserved this kind of happiness.
I looked across the table and Owen was staring at me. As soon as we made eye contact, he grinned. My cheeks turned red and I quickly looked away. I hadn't had a chance to really speak with him yet since he had arrived late in the afternoon, just in time for the practice walk down the aisle.
He had sauntered up to the wedding area, breezing past the security guards and personal assistants with an easy familiarity. Emma introduced us in the moment before the wedding planner took control and started directing everyone to their places. He had held my hand for a split second longer than necessary when he shook it, as if he were reluctant to let go. From that moment on, he had flirted with me mercilessly.
Owen Parker. Probably the most gorgeous man I had ever met. Blonde hair that fell in perfect Disney hero fashion, dark blue eyes, and a jaw that could cut steel, not to mention the way he filled out a suit. He looked like he belonged on the cover of a romance novel, and the way he smiled at me only reinforced that impression.
Like Jack, Owen was also fabulously wealthy. He made more in a day working at Jack's company than I did in a year as a physician's assistant. Not only that, he came from old money, and he had been very wise with his investments over the years. I knew he was one of the few people that Jack trusted, because Jack knew that he had no interest in his money. In fact, the only reason he had this job was because it was a challenge to him; the money was just a perk.
Jack and Owen had been college roommates, and the friendship was an easy thing between them. I could only imagine what kind of trouble the two of them had gotten into in college. They probably broke a lot of girls' hearts
It was clear to see that Owen came from a lifetime of privilege and money. The way he nonchalantly ordered a thousand-dollar bottle of wine, used all the forks and spoons correctly, and the lack of concern for his expensive clothing all made it obvious to me that he had more money than he could ever spend.
During the entire rehearsal, he had kept grinning at me and mimicking the planner when she wasn't looking, forcing the rest of the wedding party to stifle our laughs. I wanted to like him, but something about his charm was too easy. I knew he could have any woman he wanted and that he was used to women falling in love with him. With how flirtatious he was being, I could make this my own vacation to remember if I wanted. . However, it was too easy for the best man and the maid of honor to hook up at a wedding, and I didn't want to be a cliché conquest.
I was trying my best to ignore him, but it was difficult.
Mr. Daniel Saunders, Jack's father, tapped his wine glass with a knife, sending a crystal ping for silence across the table. Everyone at the table quickly quieted as he stood slowly, the motion obviously taking more energy than expected, but he did his best. He lifted his glass in a toast.
"I would like to congratulate my son... and welcome Emma as a daughter." As quiet as he was, even with the noticeable pause in the sentence, his voice was still full of authority. Despite his evident physical weakness, he still held the power of a billionaire oil baron. He paused, taking a shallow breath, and the glass wavered in the air as his arm lost the strength to hold it. Mrs. Saunders stood up quickly beside him, wrapping her arm around him as though she were hugging him, but supporting him and his shaking arm in the process.
"We are glad to welcome you into the family," Mrs. Saunders continued for him, and Mr. Saunders gave her a grateful look. To a casual observer it appeared as though they were simply a loving couple, but I could see Mrs. Saunders' muscles tighten as she kept him upright.
"At first, I wasn't sure that this life would be what you wanted, Emma. But, the past few months have shown me that this is what you were born to do. The two of you make an unstoppable team and I can't remember the last time I saw my Jack this happy. Daniel and I are proud to welcome you to the family," Mrs Saunders said, flashing a smile around the table. Mr. Saunders smiled weakly, but with obvious joy as he slowly attempted to lift his glass.
I raised my own glass with a tip to the Saunders and took a sip of wine. It was a sweet white with just enough bubbles to tickle my nose. I pretended to look at the liquid in the glass, but I was really looking at Mr. Saunders. His suit was tailored perfectly, but it couldn't hide the tell-tale signs that he was losing the battle against his cancer. Despite the fine fabric, it hung off of him as though he were made of nothing but bones. I had seen enough patients come into the ER to know that this was going to be his last wedding. The tabloids were full of stories of advanced cancer, and from what I could see, it was a good thing Emma and Jack were getting married when they were. I wouldn't expect him to last more than a month at this point.
Mrs. Saunders helped her husband sit back down in his wheelchair, the white in her knuckles betraying the amount of strength she had to use as his legs gave out. I shook my head slightly and looked at Emma and Jack. Jack didn't seem to notice, or was doing a very good job of hiding his emotions. Emma smiled at the older man and he gave her a grin in return. She got along better with Mr. Saunders than she did with Mrs. Saunders. Despite Mrs. Saunders' kind toast, Emma had told me that she still felt like Mrs. Saunders was just waiting for Jack to grow bored with her. She was always polite, but Emma knew that she was never going to be the favorite daughter-in-law.
Life couldn't be that perfect, I thought.
"Well, I suppose now is the time for speeches. I have an exciting and dramatic one planned for tomorrow, but an impromptu one is called for today," said Owen, rising gracefully. He made the simple motion of rising somehow look choreographed and elegant. He instantly captured the attention of every eye at the dinner, and he flashed a handsome grin around the table.
"First, a word for Emma. I know that Jack has some bad habits. I was his housemate in college, and despite having the best staff in the building, I still found his dirty socks all over the floor. He also snores, forgets to put the lid down, and has a tendency to take everything far too seriously."
Owen paused for a moment and Jack called out, "Gee, thanks buddy."
"I saw a lot of girls come and go. I've seen him with supermodels, heiresses, lingerie models, and even once, a secretary." Emma frowned slightly, but Owen smiled, promising a compliment in the end. "But, I never saw him with a girl as beautiful, or a girl that made him as happy as you do. The two of you fit together like you were made for one another, and I couldn't be more happy for you both."
Emma smiled and Jack squeezed her hand. Owen turned slightly to face Jack.
"For Jack, you have something most of us can only dream of. You have a beautiful woman who puts up with the strange situations that our careers put us in. A woman who, somehow, has found a way to flourish within it. Hold onto her. The two of you have a beautiful future ahead. That being said, if you ever need a break from him, Emma, you know where to find me." Owen ended his speech with a suggestive wink and a raise of his glass.
Everyone at the table clapped loudly and laughed as Emma blushed slightly at the offer. Jack chuckled and kissed Emma's cheek, making her smile. I felt a slight stab of envy as my sister lit up. I was the older sister, but my little sister was about to get married and I didn't even have a date for the wedding. I immediately chided myself for feeling jealous. I loved that she was happy and so thoroughly in love. She deserved every moment of joy and prosperity.
Jack's little brother Robbie stood up once it was quiet.