Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
They sipped their coffees while perusing the buffet table and then both decided to go for the Eggs Florentine—a sweet tribute to the bride. As they tucked in, all kinds of family stories emerged at the table. Nate had heard them a thousand times before, but having Tamara here made them so much fresher. The weird part was that she actually seemed to be enjoying the stories. Or, if she wasn’t, she was doing a good job of pretending.
His uncle Geoff used to be a fisherman and had lots of funny anecdotes about his time on the boats and working on the docks. He was telling a long story about losing power out on the water, but Tamara seemed perfectly happy to listen to the details. She even asked questions about commercial fishing and mentioned the great prawns they’d had yesterday. Uncle Geoff knew the Thai restaurant and the captain of the boat that supplied their seafood. Tamara seemed to be enjoying herself in a way Nate wouldn’t have guessed. Even though his family embarrassed him plenty of times, it didn’t matter. Not to him and apparently not to Tamara.
“Okay,” Tim said, standing next to his mom. “I don’t want to break things up, as I can see that everyone is having a great time. I just want to remind you all we’re trying for a two thirty p.m. start, so you’ve got some time to hang out if you want. I’m going to go get ready now, or there isn’t going to be a wedding.”
Nate could hear the nerves in his voice. His brother really was worried about making sure the day was perfect, even though it was a casual affair.
Soon, everyone left to get ready in earnest. The bridesmaids practically ran out of the dining room. Nate turned to Tamara and asked, “Would you like to take a little walk and explore the beach? We’ve probably got at least an hour before we should be back here to get changed.”
“That would be great. I need to walk off that breakfast.”
Holding hands, they made their way down to where the waves were breaking near the shore. It was a warm day, but the sea breeze cooled them off. As they strolled, Tamara collected pretty seashells, telling Nate she would make a wind chime with them when she got home. He helped her gather more shells, and before they knew it, Tarmara was using the skirt part of her dress as a basket.
When they returned to the beach house, they saw a green-and-white-striped awning had been set up on the sand, close to the property. Balloons and banners fluttered in the breeze, creating a simple but charming area for the ceremony.
Nate and Tamara hurried upstairs with their beach treasures to get cleaned up and changed. They both decided to have quick showers to clean off the sand. Nate went first, and five minutes later, Tamara had the bathroom to herself.
Thirty minutes later, Nate heard the door to the bathroom open and looked up from his phone. Tamara took his breath away. She was wearing a soft pink silk dress that showed off her curves to perfection. Her hair was up, but still messy, the way she often wore it, and green teardrops hung from earlobes.
Nate was virtually speechless. Finally, he managed to say, “Wow, Tamara, you look beautiful.”
She smiled at him as she slipped on a strappy pair of sandals.
“Thanks, Nate,” she said, blushing. “You look pretty handsome yourself.” Knowing he’d be Tamara’s date, Nate had chosen his outfit carefully. He wore a pale green linen blazer with a white linen shirt and linen trousers. Casual but sophisticated. His dark hair was still wet, and he hoped his glasses somehow added to the overall effect.
Taking her hand, he felt a little nervous at first, but once they got downstairs, they both began to relax. They made a striking couple, and several people commented on that.
It wasn’t a formal wedding, given that it would take place out on the sand and there were sure to be tourists and dog walkers passing by. Yet every member of the family was making the effort to look their best. Two of the assorted exes helped one another with the finishing touches to their makeup, while Nate’s mom adjusted a hat that might take off like a kite in the first breath of wind. Even Tamara was making a couple of last-minute changes to her hair, although Nate thought she looked perfect.
Nate’s aunt was in charge of arrangements, and around two fifteen p.m., the guests began to organize themselves. Florentine’s family and friends were the first to make their way down to the beach. They were followed by Nate’s family, and by the time all the guests were standing in place, anyone could see that something exciting was about to happen. There was quite a contrast between the wedding guests in their wedding finery and people just yards away, sunbathing and picnicking.