Read Online The Unexpected Honeymoon by Barbara Wallace - Free Book Online

American staples for their big day.”
    â€œAmerican food didn’t go with my destination theme. I figured why travel all this way and not completely embrace the culture? Consistency makes for a far more memorable event.”
    â€œYou sound like an expert.”
    â€œNah, just something I learned from my grandmother. She was a seamstress, and always telling brides ‘you don’t want one bridesmaid sticking out like a sore thumb and ruining the photo.’ I figured the same advice applies to the rest of the wedding.”
    â€œInteresting logic.”
    â€œThank you.” Larissa decided to accept his remark as a compliment, whether he meant it as such or not.
    Almost twelve hours since she saw him last, and, with the exception of his five-o’clock shadow, he looked as darkly perfect as he did this morning. The wear and tear of the day enriched his appearance. The wrinkles in his suit added depth; the stubble gave him a feral edge.
    He ate with the same predatory grace that dominated all his movements. The prongs of his fork slipped neatly between his teeth, disappearing as his lips sealed shut, only to slip free a moment later. Larissa had never paid much attention to how a man ate before, but now she found herself following every bite.
    â€œIs something wrong?” he asked suddenly. “You’ve barely touched your appetizer. Don’t tell me after all your effort, you don’t like the dish?”
    â€œThe fish is delicious. I—”
I was too busy staring at your mouth to eat.
She speared a piece of fish with her fork. “I was thinking how nice it is to have someone to talk with. Privacy is great, but when you’re by yourself, things can get a little dull. Let’s face it, there’s only so much introspection a woman can do.” Not that she’d done much at all yet.
    Quiet settled between them, as they chewed their food. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” Carlos asked after a moment.
    You had to commend him for politeness. Most people would have gone ahead and asked, the question was so obvious. “You want to know what I’m doing here by myself in the first place.”
    â€œFar be it for me to downgrade my own resort, but La Joya is a couples getaway. If you wanted to spend time in the sun, there are dozens of quality Mexican resorts that cater to single guests. Why come here, especially considering you and your fiancé planned...?” He let the question drift away.
    â€œYou mean, why pour salt in the wounds by showing up at the same resort where I planned to be married?”
    â€œExactly.”
    Where did she start? Setting down her fork, Larissa folded her hands in front of her and tried to put her thoughts in order. Since she’d given the same speech to Delilah and Chloe, the answer should have come easily, but her mind didn’t seem to be working the same way today as it had been the past six weeks. “Six weeks ago, I would have said the same thing. Why come here. In fact, I had my hand on the phone the next day, planning to cancel everything. Plane tickets and reservations included.”
    â€œWhat made you change your mind?”
    â€œMichael D’Allesio.”
    â€œWho?”
    Goodness, but she hadn’t said that name in almost nine long years. “He was a boy I knew in high school.” Pimply-faced Mike D’Allesio who played trumpet in the band and worked Saturdays at the ice cream shop. He’d always smiled at her when she went to his window to order. “I asked him to go to the prom, and he said yes, only to take Corinne Brown instead.”
    â€œHe canceled?”
    Larissa shot him a look. Clearly he’d never been an unpopular chubby girl. “More like never followed through.”
    â€œYou mean, he stood you up?” A foreign concept to someone like him, who lived and breathed etiquette.
    â€œTurns out he only said yes because I put him on the spot and he