The Guest List (22 page)

No, she thought, squashing the idea, no matter what kind of payback it might give her, it just couldn’t happen. Zack was too important to her, and there was too much at stake. He had to stay put in Fort Lauderdale while her family were anywhere in the vicinity of North America.

Zack plus the Clancy family equalled a recipe for disaster.

‘Danielle?’ Zack urged. ‘So, what do you think, the Cessna?’

She realised he had been waiting on her reply and she had instead been staring at him blankly, as if in a trance.

‘Oh, yes, that would be great!’ she enthused quickly. ‘I love that plane.’

Zack smiled and leaned down to kiss her. ‘So spoiled . . .’ he teased.

She grinned at him, suddenly feeling a lot better about everything. This might all just work out. She supposed she could survive her family on her own – just for a weekend – and if Zack thought she was meeting with a client, it could be a quick trip in and out of St Lucia. No big deal. Fly in on Friday night, leave on Sunday morning. She could deal with her family as long as it was for less than forty-eight hours, and there was nothing that they could do or say to her on her own that she couldn’t take. Not even Betty.

Danielle was stronger than that.

She felt a surge of confidence rush through her and experienced a release of some of the anxiety in her stomach. This was manageable. Anything was manageable as long as you had a plan.

And she had a plan.

Cara couldn’t sleep. Every time she tried to close her eyes and relax her brain, another errant thought would pop into her mind, causing her a fresh round of anxiety.

She couldn’t get her parents’ negative reaction to the wedding out of her mind, to say nothing of Heidi’s complaints.

And it also hurt a little that Danielle hadn’t yet replied to her bridesmaid request of two days ago. Shouldn’t her big sister be excited – as Kim was – about standing beside her on her big day?

With the exception of Kim’s reaction, this whole thing hadn’t been going well at all, and this was before they’d even broached the subject with Shane’s parents.

They had decided that calling them again and again would be of no use, so instead the following day – actually later today, Cara deduced after looking at the clock on her bedside table that read
3
a.m. – they would simply drop in on Lauren and Gene and tell them the news face to face.

In truth, this had been Shane’s idea. Cara was dreading the visit and thought the previous suggestion of smoke signals seemed much more appealing.

She turned to her side, unable to get comfortable. Moments later she flipped on to her back, punching the pillow behind her head. She breathed heavily and considered getting up out of bed altogether. She hated insomnia; it was the worst.

Looking at the dark ceiling, Cara whispered, ‘Shane . . . are you asleep? Shane?’

Shane let out a grunt and mumbled, ‘Who could possibly sleep with all of that tossing and turning and noise?’ He didn’t sound happy. She heard a rustle from the other side of the bed and felt him move closer to her. ‘What’s wrong?’

She reached out, trying to scoot closer to him. She really needed some love and cuddling. All had definitely not been right in the world since this engagement, when it really should be a happy time. Shane pulled her close and kissed her on the head.

‘What is it baby?’

‘I’m really worried about going to see your parents. I’m scared of what’s going to happen.’

‘OK—’ She felt his arms tense around her.

‘And I am really stressed about how everyone is reacting to our idea for the wedding. I don’t see how this can work out. It seems like no one is happy to just go along with our plans.’

‘Seriously Cara, why are you worrying about this now? If people have their issues, they have their issues. Just ignore them.’

‘That’s easier said than done.’ She pushed away and sat up in bed, turning on the bedside light. She was so frustrated by his nonchalance. This was important.

Shane sighed heavily, and squinted at the sudden onset of brightness in the room. He looked at his fiancée, who was looking thoroughly annoyed.

As if seeming to consign himself to the fact that sleep would not be an option until he listened to the grievances coming from the other side of the bed, he sat up.

‘OK what?’ He rubbed his eyes and yawned, while Cara shot daggers in his direction.

‘How are you not upset about all of this?’ she complained. ‘This affects you too. Why am I the one that’s stressed? Why am I the only one doing all the worrying?’

Shane raised an eyebrow. ‘Upset about what? Worried . . . why exactly? Because some people are acting selfish and crazy?’ He gave a short laugh. ‘Sorry to say, that’s not a new development.’

‘I don’t see how this doesn’t bother you,’ stated Cara. She was angry and what upset her more was that Shane seemed unaffected by the entire situation, and oddly resigned to the idea that what was going on was normal behaviour, just how families acted when a wedding was being planned.

‘Cara, I’m not saying that, but don’t you see, they want you to be riled up. They want you to be upset and drive you into a tizzy.’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘The more concerned and upset you are, the more likely you are going to play into their hands and do what they want. I’m sorry, but I’ve always lived by the rule that you don’t argue with children or idiots and quite frankly, at the moment your family is acting like both.’

She looked at him sharply.
Her family?
Did he just say it was
her family
that was to blame?

She turned her body to face him, pointing a finger.
‘Excuse me? My
family? What about
your
family? They aren’t exactly acting like the epitome of class these days either; they haven’t even spoken to us in weeks. Not so well behaved, are they? Who do you think you are, saying that this is all my family?’

Shane sighed heavily.

‘OK, I’m sorry but you took me wrong. I think that all of them are acting silly—’

‘It’s
your
family who stormed out on us at dinner, and it’s
your
family who won’t even talk to us. My family might be nuts, but at least they aren’t controlling and domineering!’

A cloud passed over Shane’s face. When he spoke next, anger was evident in his voice.

‘Right, right. My family is so controlling and domineering. Such a pain in the arse. I think it’s fair to say that if we gave an inch to your mother, she would take a mile. I’m not sure of what your definition of controlling is, but in my book she pretty much lives up to it.’

‘Right, and if it was up to your mum, we would have to invite every stuck-up snob in Ireland to our wedding. Just so your parents can get their share of ass-kissing and one-upmanship! What a bunch of crap, Shane. Honestly.’

‘Oh, so now my parents are stuck up?’ he repeated sarcastically. ‘You know, they offered to pay only because they knew that your parents couldn’t afford it. Don’t hold that against me. Maybe if your parents were smarter, they wouldn’t have had to remortgage the house for Heidi’s wedding and wouldn’t be up to their eyeballs in debt.’

‘So my parents are idiots,’ she shot back. ‘That’s pretty fair. You know Shane, I never realised you were such an asshole. Why don’t you say what you really feel?’

‘You want me to say what I really feel? Is that it?’ Shane threw back the bedclothes and stood up. ‘OK, then, you asked for it. Your mother worries more about what people will think than about the feelings of her own family. Your father should be focused on retiring, yet he is more concerned with spending money on stupid weddings that don’t mean anything. Your sister Heidi is a spoiled, crazy child who seriously needs to be taken down a few pegs and her husband is so completely whipped that he is unable to form an opinion for himself. And from what I hear about Danielle,’ he added nastily, ‘she sounds like the only smart one of the lot of you for moving far, far away!’

Cara was shocked. Shane had really gone for it. She felt as if he had just attacked her. Worst of all was that every one of those insults was peppered with the truth, and she knew it.

‘You forgot Ben and Kim,’ Cara said, hurt tears springing to her eyes. ‘You wouldn’t want to leave them out. Please, continue – you might as well ridicule us all while you’re at it.’

Shane blanched, as if only then realising what he’d said. ‘Oh babe—’

‘I’m glad that you had the chance to get this all out now though,’ Cara continued as if he hadn’t spoken. ‘I mean, why on earth would you want to marry into a family that you so clearly don’t like?’

She turned away from him and swung her legs over the side of the bed. He reached out for her, but she pulled away. ‘Don’t,’ she said simply, turning her shoulder to him.

‘Cara, please. I didn’t mean to say all of that – it was heat of the moment stuff, I really didn’t mean it,’ he pleaded.

She shook her head and willed herself to fight the tears. ‘You know, your family isn’t so perfect either.’

He nodded his head. ‘I know, I know. I wasn’t trying to say that they are.’

‘They are very uppity, full of themselves. Your mother looks down her nose at everyone and everything. Your dad is so pompous and arrogant. Who the hell do they think they are? Acting like my family is some sort of lower-class peasants, completely beneath them.’

‘Cara,’ Shane said sharply, cutting her off. ‘Please, let’s not do this. Let’s not attack each other. Or our families.’

‘Well, you had the opportunity to do it to mine; I might as well tell you how I feel about yours.’ But her voice lacked the conviction. Truthfully, she didn’t have much of a problem with Shane’s parents. While she might not necessarily have identified with them or their society-driven ways, she certainly didn’t dislike them. She knew that her previous words about them lacked the vitriol that Shane’s had carried about her family and truthfully, the ease with which he’d delivered his genealogical analysis stung her and deeply hurt her feelings.

‘Babe. I am truly sorry. I was just mad. It was the heat of the moment. I don’t mean that stuff. Please – I’m sorry.’

Cara regarded him silently before speaking. ‘You know, they say that things spoken in the heat of the moment are usually true.’ She lowered her eyes; she felt that she couldn’t meet his. After all of the stress that they had been going through lately, the last thing they needed was this. She couldn’t escape the feeling that everything had been fine before they got engaged. Now they were fighting over family issues, which they had never done before.

Shane tried again to reach out to her. ‘Cara. Please. You know I love you and let’s face it, your family isn’t perfect, but neither is mine. Please honey.’ His eyes pleaded with her to accept his apology.

She finally allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. ‘What are we going to do?’ she asked glumly. ‘I don’t want to stress about all of this. I don’t want to fight with you.’

‘I know, and this is stupid. I love you, honey. You know that don’t you?’

Cara allowed the tears to come and buried her face into his chest. ‘Shane, this is all such a mess.’

He stroked her hair and made comforting sounds. ‘I know baby, I know. Come on, don’t cry. I don’t want to see you sad. I’m so sorry, I really am.’

‘I know you are,’ she sniffled. ‘It’s OK.’ And she realised that she did forgive him. Shane wasn’t mean-spirited and she knew that despite their faults, he liked her family.

It was just a fight. That’s all it was and it didn’t mean anything. They were in this together, and nothing that their families could throw at them could affect their relationship. They were a unit, a couple, forging a life together. And every couple had their ups and downs, didn’t they?

‘Cara, we will get through this. No matter what. OK? Everything will work itself out, your family will come round and we will straighten everything out with my parents today. And think of the positive. It’s not all bad news. You said Kim was excited.’

Cara snuffled again and nuzzled closer to Shane’s bare chest. ‘Yes, she was. She said she would be a bridesmaid, she said she couldn’t wait for the wedding,’ she mumbled.

‘See, that’s good. And pretty soon, once the surprise wears off, everyone else will realise just how much of a great time it is going to be, and want to get involved in all of it,’ Shane said encouragingly.

Cara looked up to meet his eyes. She had tear-streaked cheeks. ‘Do you think so?’

‘I know so. You’ll see. You’d have to be crazy not to get excited about a week in St Lucia.’ He smiled. ‘I know I am.’

Cara took a deep breath.

‘So you’re OK?’ Shane asked.

She nodded. ‘Yes. I just, you know, feel so tense about all of this. It’s just not how I expected it would be, that’s all.’

‘Nothing ever is,’ Shane said quietly. ‘But everything will work out. And I know we will have an amazing wedding, not to mention the rest of our lives together.’

She put her arms around his neck. ‘Thank you. I love you and I am lucky to have you.’

‘I’m not going anywhere baby. I’m in it for the long haul.’

‘Crazy family and all?’

He laughed. ‘Yes. Crazy family and all. If you can put up with mine, I’ll put up with yours.’

‘Deal,’ she giggled, already feeling better about things.

She had to think positive and not let the stress get to her. She had to keep her chin up, that’s all there was to it. Shane was right. They would get through this, her family would come round. They would straighten things out with his parents later that day, and everything would get back on track.

‘You plan on doing
what
?’

Upon arrival at the Richardson residence Cara and Shane had at least been permitted entry into his parents’ country estate, and somehow got through the short initial conversation that broke the ice and opened the floor for further discussion.

However, Lauren and Gene’s expressions, as their son and future daughter-in-law told them about their plans in St Lucia, were a sight to behold. They looked as if they had just stepped in dog dirt.

‘Mum, you heard me, Cara and I are having a beach wedding in St Lucia. On September twelfth,’ Shane stated.