PROLOGUE
GENIE WAINWRIGHT STARED AT HER reflection in the mirror, and ignored the light but determined tapping at the door. She remained silent, soaking up the sadness of the now-empty bride’s chamber.
Just an hour ago, this room at the Jefferson Hills Country Club had been filled with revelry. Six bridesmaids—Ross’s sister, Genie’s sisters, Amanda and Amber, and three of Genie’s good friends, Shelly, Serena, and Jessica—throw in the maid of honor (her best friend Cami), Ross’s mother, Genie’s mother and grandmother, and it was like a pre-wedding party before the ceremony.
But that was before Aaron (Ross’s dad) called his wife out into the hallway. When she came back in, she’d lost the smile she’d left with. Genie had known in an instant that something was terribly wrong.
The silent isolation of the now-empty room wrapped its icy disdain around Genie, bringing her back to the present. She cleared her throat and pushed aside the memory of that devastating moment when her perfect life had ended. She didn’t want to relive it again. Not now. Not ever.
“Go away,” Genie said to the incessant knocker.
“Gene, open the door.” Cami’s unrelenting voice traveled through the walls.
Genie didn’t respond. Just kept staring at herself in the mirror. Her dark hair piled on top of her head still looked perfect. Her blue eyes were vacant of anything, even sadness, she thought. But that would come if she succumbed to the tears. She had to keep them imprisoned. She would not shed a single tear over that rat-bastard fiancé of hers—make that ex fiancé.
“Genie!” Cami yelled. “If you don’t open the door, I’m gonna kick it down.”
Yeah, right. Genie laughed a little.
“And you’ll have to pay for it,” Cami said in a firm voice.
“Go for it!” Genie said softly.
An instant later, there was a loud boom and the door swung open.
Genie jumped. Her heart slammed into overdrive. Cami peeked in, then disappeared back out into the hallway. Seconds later, she reappeared. Genie’s jaw dropped as she stared into the mirror, watching Cami waltz into the bride’s chamber in her sleeveless, knee-length blue dress, wearing a triumphant grin.
Genie glanced over her shoulder and twisted around to look at Cami’s feet. Stilettos. No way had she kicked in the door in those. Genie shook her head.
“I warned you.” Cami shrugged and dragged a chair up next to Genie. “I’m your best friend,” she said quietly. Sitting, she raked her light-brown hair behind her ear. “Why wouldn’t you open the door for me?”
“Because I know you.” Genie turned to look at her. “You’ll try to cheer me up.”
“Well, yeah…”
“Don’t you get it?” Genie asked. “There’s nothing that you or anyone else can say that’ll make this better.” It was hopeless. Genie knew that. Why didn’t everyone else?
“Really?” Cami bit her bottom lip and let her gaze roll around the room. When she settled back on Genie, she said in a tone that eventually landed in the realm of a question, “How about…a big-ass meteor crashed into Ross’s house and sent him straight to hell?”
A hint of laughter escaped before Genie could wrangle it in and shove it back down into the despair pitted in her gut.
“Admit it.” Cami nudged Genie. “It was funny.”
Genie nodded. “Yeah, okay. It was kind of funny.” For a minute. But it wasn’t enough to take away the emptiness that’d befallen her a couple of hours ago. Ross had left her—practically at the altar. He hadn’t had the guts to tell her himself that he didn’t want to marry her. He’d left that chore to his parents.
“Look, I know this is hollow comfort,” Cami said softly. “But even on his best day, Ross Harper was never good enough for you.”
“You’re right,” Genie said. It was hollow comfort. She looked at Cami, fighting the tears that were hell-bent on escaping. “I’m supposed to be headed to Hawaii right now. With my husband.” Her voice cracked. She choked the hurt back down into her gut.
“I’d still go…if I were you.” Cami nodded.
“What…?”
“Hell, yes!” Cami smirked beneath deliberately raised eyebrows. “Trade Ross’s share in. Upgrade. Go in style.”
Genie shook her head. “I can’t do that.”
“Says who?”
“I have to cancel the trip. Give him back half the money.” Genie’s voice wavered. “Don’t I?”
“No, you don’t,” Cami said with an arrogant laugh. “Ross owes you a hell of a lot more than a trip to Hawaii. That’s for sure.”
Maybe Cami was right. Ross did owe Genie for the hurt and humiliation he’d caused her today. But did she really want to spend the next week on the island of Maui—lovers’ paradise—alone?
Genie shook her head. “That’s just what I need. A week at a resort that caters to honeymooners.”
“The heck with that,” Cami said. “Go to Oahu. The north shore, where it’s nice and quiet. There’s that swanky resort up there. Sapphire Bay or something like that. My parents love that place.”
Well, if Cami’s parents loved it, that was a sure sign it wouldn’t be a singles’ playground.
Sapphire Bay sounded perfect. Exactly the kind of place Genie could mend her broken heart. A place where there would be no eligible men—at least none that’d pique her interest.
CHAPTER 1
DONNIE TAYLOR HAD COME FROM old Texas oil money. When he turned twenty-six, he’d gone to his father with the idea for Sapphire Bay Resort—an upscale haven set in paradise. His father had been hesitant, but Donnie’s mother had insisted—even though her son would be moving half a world away.
Five years later, Sapphire Bay Resort was no longer the best kept secret on the island of Oahu. Located on the North Shore, it appealed to the more discerning customer rather than the party crowd that liked to hang out at Waikiki. And that’s the way Donnie liked it.
He enjoyed living in paradise. He enjoyed running the resort. What he didn’t enjoy was his mother’s constant nagging about grandchildren. It had gotten worse when she decided to move to Hawaii about a year ago, after his father died.
Donnie hated disappointing her, but how could he make her see that he hadn’t met a women he’d want to spend the rest of his life with, much less father her children.