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trip sent her gut churning.
    “I think you should still go,” Renee said.
    “How can I go on my honeymoon now?”
    “Well, you’re not thinking of giving up the trip you’ve been looking forward to for so long just because of that jerk, are you?”
    Crystal stared at her hands. Damn it.
    “Anyway, getting away from everything would be the best thing for you right now.”
    Crystal shook her head. “I don’t want to go alone.”
    “I don’t think you should go alone.” Renee opened her purse and pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. “I rebooked the two tickets for this evening. I thought it would be better if you left right away. Why wait?”
    Renee was a travel agent and had handled all the arrangements. Crystal took the paper and glanced at the flight information.
    She gazed at her sister. “Are you going to go with me?” How had her sister arranged to take off two weeks from work on such short notice?
    “No. I had something else in mind.” Renee glanced toward Evan. “Um, do you think you could give us a minute?”
    “Sure.” Evan stood up. “I’ll go out for a walk.”
    Once he was gone, Renee turned her gaze back to Crystal. “Look, it’s clear that you two have some major chemistry going on. What’s wrong with getting away from the everyday routine and seeing where this thing between you goes?”
    “Well, maybe because I was supposed to get married today,” Crystal said in a dry tone.
    “But you didn’t. And your fiancé turned out to be a rat fink, so don’t let some misplaced sense of propriety get in the way of finding true happiness.”
    Crystal shifted uncomfortably. “Renee, you’re getting carried away.”
    Renee drummed her fingers on the table. “Maybe, but sometimes you really need a push, and I don’t want to see you ignore this chance.” She leaned forward. “Honey, forget happily-ever-after. Just think about having a wild, sexy time with a great-looking guy who thinks the world of you. That’s enough for now.”
    Her heart constricted. “But … he said he loved me.”
    “In the hotel suite?”
    “No, before the wedding. When we went for a walk. If I ask him to go away with me, maybe he’ll read too much into it. Maybe he’ll assume I’m ready for happily-ever-after with him.”
    “Now look who’s getting carried away. He knows what just happened, too. He knows you need time to sort things out. Don’t push him away because he told you how he feels about you. It’s so rare to find a guy who will express his feelings.”
    Crystal sat back in her chair. The thought of spending the next two weeks moping around her apartment filled her with dread, and she really didn’t want to give up her trip. The idea of enjoying those beautiful white beaches and azure water with Evan at her side made her heart thrum. Actually, thinking of making love with him on the soft white sand—or in the big king-size bed in the luxury villa—made her heart thump even faster.
    Evan was a self-employed consultant and had a great deal of flexibility in his schedule. He could probably take the time off.
    Oh, God, she was actually considering this.

 
    Five
    “Renee thinks I should still go on my honeymoon trip,” Crystal said as she walked beside Evan on their way back to the hotel.
    “So she mentioned. And it’s a good idea. Getting away for a while would be good for you.”
    They stopped at the curb, waiting for the light to turn green so they could cross the street.
    “Yeah, that’s what she thinks, too. And I don’t really want to go back to San Diego and hang around at home.” People at the office would hear about what had happened pretty quickly, since she had invited a few of her work friends to the wedding.
    And at some point, she’d run into Brent again. Maybe he’d even stop by to explain what had happened or to see how she was doing, and she wasn’t ready to face that anytime soon.
    Evan nodded. “You need to get away from your usual environment entirely. Is