Between The Vows

By rachannewrites

513K 16.3K 650

Nora James has spent her entire life taking care of her sisters. After her parent's messy divorce and her mot... More

Between the Vows
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Author Note
Chaper Five
Chapter Six
Author Note
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Author Note
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Update
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
The End
New Story (Coming Soon)
Author Announcement
Cover Reveal
Edited Version
Announcement!
pre-order update!
Author update!
giveaway alert!
BTV free on kindle!

Chapter Nine

15.3K 681 16
By rachannewrites

This chapter is dedicated to TorrieWrites. Look at the cover she made for this story! She's amazing at what she does. Thank you so much for this!
***

Call me crazy but having Liam as a planning partner was starting to feel like fun. And to tell you the truth, that kind of scared me, was I falling for this guy? I had informed Liam of my day off and he informed me that he was planning a dinner party at his house with some friends. Tonight.

While I could plan a party in my sleep, throwing it together in just a few short hours made me feel like a novice. I always liked everything to be perfect and especially since Liam had asked me to help, I wanted him to look good. The good news was, Liam jumped in, like always, taking the reins and calling and schmoozing the caterer and fortunately they were able to take on a last-minute job. Thank goodness for small miracles.

We spent the day at his house getting set up. It was a three-story white home that sat on stilts, overlooking the beach. His rental was located on the newbie side of the island, where most of the for-rent homes were. We brought the long dining table out onto the deck of the second floor and strung white lights from the ceiling above.

We took a short trip to my storage unit that held extra essentials for weddings. I grabbed the box of silverware from the back of the unit and we scrubbed them clean in the kitchen sink when we returned.

He had cases of beer delivered. After the delivery boy finished unboxing the beer and stacking them neatly in the bar fridge outside, Liam slipped him a twenty.

"I had no idea they delivered beer." I put a hand on my hip.

"Welcome to the twenty-first century, my dear." I rolled my eyes at his sarcastic remark.

We made another run, this time to the grocery store. He wanted to have a bonfire, of course, so we had to pick up the essentials. From there, we went over to the florist to buy a few arrangements for centerpieces. Poppy threw together a few for us and I was grateful for it. We invited her to the dinner and she gratefully accepted. Poppy graduated with Anna, so I had known her for a while. Most of the residents of Bridgeport move back home from college and most of them stay. It's easy to start a business here and be successful since there wasn't much competition. The residents have developed a family here and they supported local businesses.

"These are on the house." Poppy waved off the money Liam was trying to pay her. "They're my contribution to the party. I'll see you guys later." She waved as she helped the woman who entered the shop.

He dropped me off at my house and insisted I let him do the rest. I allowed it since I did want to shop for a new dress and go to Savannah's salon to get a blow-out.

When he was out of sight, I hopped in my jeep and drove to Forever Everly. The sales girls, Morgan and Darcy, were there and they waved hello as soon as I stepped into the store. I knew them well, they have worked here the last two years. They were still in high school and always talked to Savannah about their current crushes, which was Savannah's specialty. She loved to gossip and was good at it. Quinn came out of her office to say hello. Now being a client of mine, she told the sales girls to give me a discount.

"What's the occasion?" She asked as she followed me over to the dress section. The two girls followed, both picking up options along the way.

"Dinner with friends," I played it coy as I picked up a short black number.

"Honey, that dress screams more than friends," Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Anyone we know?"

"Um, I don't think so." I turned my back and pretended to look at more dresses. "Andrew's best man is having a get together at his house tonight."

"Liam Eastwood?" Darcy gasped.

"You're one lucky girl," Morgan said, shaking her head.

"Seriously." Darcy agreed.

"This will look great on you." Quinn handed over a dress. I went over to the dressing rooms to try it on. I slipped it on and looked in the mirror. It was a navy blue off the shoulder number with long sleeves, short in length with two sheer slits at the stomach.

I pushed the curtain and stepped onto the platform. I spun around and looked in the mirrors. The girls gasped.

"You have to get it," Morgan said. She handed me a stunning necklace that went with perfectly with the dress. It was chunky with polished sea glass that sparkled when it hit the light. "This will be perfect."

"Good choice, Morg," Quinn said, and Darcy agreed. I thanked the girls for their help and ran over to Savannah's salon. She about tackled me to the ground when I walked in.

She handed her client over to her assistant, who finished blow drying the girl's hair. I plopped in her chair and she insisted on lightening my highlights. After weeks of her begging me, I allowed it. I wanted to look the best I could tonight.

"Liam is going to fall over when he sees you!" She pulled her gloves off and moved the color bowl to the station next to her.

"This isn't for him," I argued. "I'm giving into you harassing me about my overgrown highlights."

A smile erupted on her face. "Whatever you say, Nor."

I waited until after seven to arrive. There were a few cars in the driveway, but I didn't recognize any of them. I was suddenly aware of my breathing. It caught in my chest then began to speed up. My palms were sweating so I wiped them on the cloth seats. I never felt like this when I was one-on-one with Liam, so why was I so nervous?

The soft knock on the window almost made me jump out of my skin. I put my hand on my check and looked over. Liam stood there with a smile on his face. He opened the door and grabbed my hand, helping me out of the car.

His breath caught. "Wow," He said. "you look good, James."

A small smile crept up. "Thanks," I said nervously. "you don't look so bad yourself."

He ushered me into the house and introduced me to a few people. They were crowded around the kitchen, chatting and picking at the appetizers. I stood there awkwardly, smiling and nodding at something someone said. I felt a hand on my back, so I turned around.

"James," Liam said. "I would like you to meet my sister, Stella." She smiled and shook my hand. Stella looked like Liam. She had dark features and brown eyes. She had high cheekbones and a petite figure. Her black hair was cut into a one-layer bob, resting just above her shoulders. Her pearly white teeth stood out against her dark red lipstick.

"I've heard so much about you." She began. "My brother never shuts up." Stella winked at him and he shot her a look.

He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was just telling her about you accepting my help in planning Andrew and Anna's wedding."

"Whatever," She turned to me. "is he at least being nice to you?" Stella raised a brow.

"He has his moments." I joked. Liam seemed nervous, but I wasn't sure why. He kept taking sips of his beer, looking over at the door. Just then, Anna and Andrew walked in, and they were greeted by everyone. Andrew shook hands with people while Anna smiled by his side, chatting with everyone she passed. They made their way over towards us.

"Stella!" Anna yelled and wrapped her arms around her. They chatted about all things pageants while I stood there, smiling along with their conversation and hoping Savannah would show up soon.

When she did, the four of us girls walked down to the beach, putting our feet in the water. We chatted about the wedding and how Stella was trying to talk her brother into letting her stay the remainder of the summer with him. Poppy joined us later and her and Anna spent a lot of time catching up. They hadn't spent much time together since high school, Poppy was busy with the family business and Anna was off doing her own thing.

Dinner was served at eight, so we made our way over to the long dining table on the second-floor deck. We took our appropriate seats, which happened to be next to each other, thanks to my placement of the cards. Liam's chair was empty, along with the seat next to his. A few minutes later, he appeared with a blonde girl in tow. She was tall, with long legs that seemed to stretch for miles. His expression was hard to read, but she had a smile plastered on her face. They sat down and when he looked over at me, I smiled.

She was whispering in his ear the entirety of dinner, but he looked straight ahead, chewing as he listened to her words. There was something going on and I wasn't sure what it was.

Even though Liam seemed somewhat detached while being somewhat polite as Joslyn blathered on with her opinions and twenty questions. I couldn't help but be suspicious if their might still be a spark between then. She couldn't keep her hands off him, if she wasn't touching his arm when she spoke, she was playfully leaning into his shoulder. If I wasn't there, would he succumb to her flirtations? I was curious to see if there was more to her than what meets the eye, or my ears, and I was just ready to interject myself into the conversation that was going on at the other end of the table, when I saw her fingertips graze Liam's thigh.

"Liam, so when are you coming back to Raleigh? The nightlife is totally lit. The new nightclub downtown is finally finished and if you aren't there before eleven, you probably won't get in."

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who had tuned into this enlightening conversation. Stella was to Liam's left, and it appears she had heard enough too. She leaned over and whispered to Liam, "I thought we were through with her."

Liam shot her a look and mumbled, "Not here."

Stella turned her head and dramatically rolled her eyes, catching a glimpse of mine as she did so.

The babbling continued, "I know you have the wedding and all, Liam, but you really are going to stay here for another month? What do you do with all your spare time?" I could sense Liam glancing my way, but I ignored his eyes.

"It's his ex-girlfriend," Anna whispered in my ear, almost as if she was clarifying the assumptions I had in my head. I wonder if she knew about us hanging out or if it was just her gossiping. "She wants to get back together." I felt a knot in my stomach and I wasn't sure why. I picked up my glass of wine and sipped, ignoring his eyes that kept lingering over to me.

I excused myself to the restroom, locking myself in. I stared at my reflection and practiced my breathing in the mirror. Liam was free to do what he wanted, we were friends after all. I was getting myself worked up for nothing. He wanted to help with the wedding and I needed a second set of hands, that was all. Nothing would probably ever come of us, after all he was leaving shortly.

I nodded as I whispered these things to myself and mustered up the courage to go back out. When I opened the door, Liam rushed in.

"I'm sorry about that," He was suddenly close. His body was almost pressed up against mine and I could feel his breath on my face. I looked up, into his dark brown eyes. "she heard about the party from Ryan." He was one of Liam's friends from college who I was introduced to when I first walked in.

"No need to be sorry," I said, looking down at my feet. "Significant others are always invited."

He was trying to read my expression, but I hid it well. "Joselyn and I aren't together." He clarified. "We broke up in December."

"Okay..." I tried to step around him, but he grabbed my hand.

"This night didn't turn out the way I planned." He whispered in my ear and I shivered. Goosebumps rose on my arms and I left before he noticed. I joined my friends at the table and busied myself in conversation.

For the rest of the night, I ignored Liam's eyes. Joselyn continued whispering in his ear and flirting with him. For someone who claims they weren't together, it sure didn't appear that way.

I said my goodbyes with nothing more than a presidential wave. I just didn't feel like making the rounds and I certainly wasn't going to go up to Liam and say goodnight, personally.

My quick exit caught his attention though and he scampered after me calling, "Nora, wait, I want to talk to you!" I almost stopped dead in my tracks because he never called me Nora and he had an earnestness in his voice; but, it was loud, and I pretended not to hear him and swiftly made an exit.

I got home around eleven with no intention of turning in for the evening. I went into the linen closet and grabbed the box of cleaning supplies. After stacking a few dishes into the dishwasher, I scrubbed the counters and the appliances. I vacuumed and dusted the bedrooms and living room, then mopped the tile floors. It was one thirty by the time I checked my clock and I still couldn't wind down.

I changed into my workout clothes and stepped out onto the back porch. The night was quiet, nothing but sound of the waves crashing and the crickets chirping. The moon was full tonight and the stars painted the night sky. It was so bright that I could see all the way down to the boardwalk and it beckoned me to take a short walk. There was a chill in the air, which made the hairs on my arms stand up. I zipped up my windbreaker and walked along the shoreline. I grabbed the Ziploc bag from my pocket and picked up shells along the way.

I collected seashells for centerpieces. Living in a beach town, almost every client requested a beach-themed wedding. I had bags full of shells I had collected over the years, just in case. It was also something I enjoyed doing.

The ocean was a part of me, I grew up around it. It was one of the reasons I decided not to leave Bridgeport. When something holds value in your life, it's hard to separate yourself from it. There were thousands of beaches around the world, but this one was mine. Sure, Bridgeport had its drama, but it's undeniable beauty was what made it special.

There was only one-way in-and-out of this town, over the rickety old bridge that was due for reconstruction. The second you passed the 'Welcome to Bridgeport' sign, you were welcomed by the bright blue ocean and sandy beaches that stretched for miles. After passing through the main part of town, you were welcomed by the beautiful Pastel Princesses. This town was what you longed for during those dreary winter months. Once May rolled around and the temperature rose, cars fled in and the beaches filled.

It was like Bridgeport came alive during the summer. The winter months consisted of residents of the island, but summer was a different story. The beaches were packed, and the nightlife went on until the wee hours of the morning. As much as I cursed the rowdy teenagers and the loud music booming from the boardwalk while I was trying to get some sleep, Bridgeport was home, and I never wanted to leave it.

I made my way back home once my bag was full. Grabbing mason jars from the cupboard, I carefully placed the shells inside, trying not to break them. I put them in boxes and placed them near the front door as a reminder to bring them to the storage unit in the morning. I had to meet the boys for their tux fitting and I considered canceling. Facing Liam would be awkward, I wasn't sure what he was thinking about me. I tried to remain emotionless, but sometimes I failed, allowing my feelings to come up to the surface, on display for everyone to see. There was something I felt for Liam, and it was starting to feel more than friendship.

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