For Better, for Worse, Forever Read Online Free PDF Page A

something.” She nodded politely, and he continued. “I got to thinking about it and I realized that you’ve finished high school and I haven’t. I figure you don’t want to be seen with some local high-school jerk. I’m really eighteen and I should have graduated last June, same as you, but don’t go thinking I’m some kind of dumb dork. You see, I had a rough year and I ended up missingtoo many days, so the administration said I had to repeat most of my senior year. I could have taken a test and gone straight into college. But I, um, I decided to hang back and graduate a year late.”
    His story surprised her. She suspected there was plenty he wasn’t telling her. She wasn’t about to dig it out of him either. The less she knew, the easier it would be not to become involved with him. “I didn’t have much use for high school by the time graduation rolled around,” she told him. “But I was glad I finished. You did what was right for you. And, by the way, I’ve never thought of you as some high-school jerk.”
    By now they were both through with their ice cream. “Look, would you like to take a walk on the beach with me? We can go over to the resort, and then I’ll be close to my job.” He stood and held out his hand. “Please.”
    She couldn’t say no—didn’t really want to—so she followed him outside, where they got into their separate cars and drove to the Buccaneer. Once there, they parked and he took her out onto the grounds. The tropical sun beat down and sprinklers arced over the golf course, tossing jewel-like drops of waterover the grass. He led her into a forest garden where huge multicolored hibiscus and bright-orange bird-of-paradise flowers grew in well-tended beds. Inside the garden the air felt cooler, and sun-dappled leaves shaded the winding pathways. “I’ll never get over how pretty everything is in St. Croix,” she said.
    Brandon stopped, peered down at her, and, touching the ends of her hair, said, “Yes. I agree. Things
are
more beautiful here.”
    Her heartbeat accelerated as she caught his message in his eyes. “So where does this path lead?”
    “Come. I’ll show you.”
    She followed, and minutes later the path led out of the garden and onto a sunny lawn. There she saw a latticed gazebo, painted white and trimmed with satin ribbons and cascades of white flowers. “How beautiful,” she exclaimed.
    “We must have just missed the party,” Brandon said. He stooped and picked up grains of rice and wild birdseed and tossed them playfully into the air.
    “What is this place?”
    “It’s the wedding chapel. People come from all over the world to be married here.”

5

    H er heart thudded, and reality crashed in on her. “Can we go somewhere else?” Brandon looked surprised. “There’s no-place prettier than here.”
    “But I don’t want to be here.” April spun and hurried back up the path into the garden. The flowers, which only minutes before had been breathlessly beautiful to her, now seemed waxen and surreal.
    “Wait!” she heard Brandon call. He ran up behind her and caught her arm. “Don’t run off. What’s wrong? What’s happened? I thought you’d like the place. You said St. Croix was perfect and this is one of the prettiest spots on the island.”
    He must think she was crazy. Her hands trembled, and her knees felt rubbery. Thesight of the wedding chapel had opened a wound on her heart that left her reeling and grief-stricken. “Which way to the beach?” she asked, struggling to hold back tears.
    “This way.” He took her quickly out of the garden, across rolling manicured grass, and down to the shoreline, where the gentle waves rolled onto the sand.
    There she stopped and breathed in great gulps of sea air, calming her racing heart. She kicked off her sandals and began to walk along the shore. The water washed over her footprints, blurring them. Brandon walked beside her, not speaking, allowing her the time she needed to gather her