Destination Wedding ~ A Novel Read Online Free
Author: Deanna Lynn Sletten
it lacked a deep love commitment. Did Claire actually love Steven? Did she love him enough to promise to spend the rest of her life with him? Or was love even necessary at their ages when stability and honesty were much more important? She didn't know.
Love, passion, and a deep connection were all things that Claire had already experienced in her married life the first time around, and where did that get her? She'd ended up alone when that passion had faded and Jim had left her. Maybe love and butterflies in the stomach and passion was overrated. Maybe what she had with Steven was mature and realistic. Maybe, just maybe, when she returned from her daughter's wedding in the Bahamas, she'd be ready to say yes.
Chapter Three
Monday morning found Claire in a state of panic as she arrived at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport by cab. It was only six o'clock a.m. and the airport was fairly quiet, the first flights of the day just starting to take off. As Claire stepped out of the cab and retrieved her carry-on bag and suitcase from the driver, she prayed she'd packed everything she needed. If she hadn't, it was too late now.
Claire stepped through the automatic doors and began looking around for the others in her group. When her eyes fell upon her soon-to-be son-in-law, Craig, one of the tallest in the group, she sighed with relief, and headed over their way.
Soon, the entire group was gathered together and the checking of the bags commenced. Each person was bringing a carry-on with their wedding clothes in it so if their luggage was lost, at least the wedding would go off without a hitch. Somehow, Mandy had stuffed her beautiful wedding gown into her small carry-on, and Claire hoped and prayed it would make the flight with as few wrinkles as possible.
It wasn't until after everyone had checked their larger bags that Claire had a chance to look around at their group and assess who was there. She knew Mandy and Craig were here, then there was Craig's parents, Janice and Carl, standing stiffly at the edge of the group. Kaylie and her boyfriend, Mark Carlson, and the best man Cameron Anderson and his wife Angela were all standing with Mandy and Craig. There were nine of them in all, counting Claire.
Claire frowned. She had been dreading seeing Jim and his wife, but as she looked around, she noted that they were missing from the group. She hurried over to Mandy and pulled her aside.
"Have you seen your father?" Claire asked. "He isn't here yet."
"Oh, with all that was going on I forgot to tell you," Mandy said. "I got a call from Dad on Saturday. He was in Chicago for work and he had to change his flight. He's flying out of Chicago this morning and meeting us in Miami."
"Oh. Diane, too?" Claire asked.
Mandy nodded. "I'm guessing she's with him. He didn't say otherwise and he didn’t say we should expect her here."
As the group headed over to go through security, Claire let out a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't have to sit and watch Jim and Diane throughout the three-and-a-half hour flight to Miami being all lovey-dovey and cuddly. The thought of it made her stomach sick.
Everything went smoothly and the group landed in Miami on time. Once there, though, they had to run, quite literally, to catch the small plane to Marsh Harbour on the Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. There, they met up with Claire's brother and sister-in-law, Glen and Lisa Goodwin, who'd just flown to Miami from San Diego.
"Uncle Glen! Aunt Lisa!" Mandy called with delight when she saw them at the gate. "I'm so happy you're coming along."
Glen smiled as he hugged his niece. "I wouldn't miss my only niece's wedding. You know that." He winked over to Claire. "Especially when it's in the Bahamas."
Hugs and introductions were dispersed all around and then they were hurried outside on the tarmac to board the tiny plane. Again, Claire hadn't seen Jim or Diane. Maybe his plane from Chicago was late. Maybe they'd have to come on
Love, passion, and a deep connection were all things that Claire had already experienced in her married life the first time around, and where did that get her? She'd ended up alone when that passion had faded and Jim had left her. Maybe love and butterflies in the stomach and passion was overrated. Maybe what she had with Steven was mature and realistic. Maybe, just maybe, when she returned from her daughter's wedding in the Bahamas, she'd be ready to say yes.
Chapter Three
Monday morning found Claire in a state of panic as she arrived at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport by cab. It was only six o'clock a.m. and the airport was fairly quiet, the first flights of the day just starting to take off. As Claire stepped out of the cab and retrieved her carry-on bag and suitcase from the driver, she prayed she'd packed everything she needed. If she hadn't, it was too late now.
Claire stepped through the automatic doors and began looking around for the others in her group. When her eyes fell upon her soon-to-be son-in-law, Craig, one of the tallest in the group, she sighed with relief, and headed over their way.
Soon, the entire group was gathered together and the checking of the bags commenced. Each person was bringing a carry-on with their wedding clothes in it so if their luggage was lost, at least the wedding would go off without a hitch. Somehow, Mandy had stuffed her beautiful wedding gown into her small carry-on, and Claire hoped and prayed it would make the flight with as few wrinkles as possible.
It wasn't until after everyone had checked their larger bags that Claire had a chance to look around at their group and assess who was there. She knew Mandy and Craig were here, then there was Craig's parents, Janice and Carl, standing stiffly at the edge of the group. Kaylie and her boyfriend, Mark Carlson, and the best man Cameron Anderson and his wife Angela were all standing with Mandy and Craig. There were nine of them in all, counting Claire.
Claire frowned. She had been dreading seeing Jim and his wife, but as she looked around, she noted that they were missing from the group. She hurried over to Mandy and pulled her aside.
"Have you seen your father?" Claire asked. "He isn't here yet."
"Oh, with all that was going on I forgot to tell you," Mandy said. "I got a call from Dad on Saturday. He was in Chicago for work and he had to change his flight. He's flying out of Chicago this morning and meeting us in Miami."
"Oh. Diane, too?" Claire asked.
Mandy nodded. "I'm guessing she's with him. He didn't say otherwise and he didn’t say we should expect her here."
As the group headed over to go through security, Claire let out a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't have to sit and watch Jim and Diane throughout the three-and-a-half hour flight to Miami being all lovey-dovey and cuddly. The thought of it made her stomach sick.
Everything went smoothly and the group landed in Miami on time. Once there, though, they had to run, quite literally, to catch the small plane to Marsh Harbour on the Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. There, they met up with Claire's brother and sister-in-law, Glen and Lisa Goodwin, who'd just flown to Miami from San Diego.
"Uncle Glen! Aunt Lisa!" Mandy called with delight when she saw them at the gate. "I'm so happy you're coming along."
Glen smiled as he hugged his niece. "I wouldn't miss my only niece's wedding. You know that." He winked over to Claire. "Especially when it's in the Bahamas."
Hugs and introductions were dispersed all around and then they were hurried outside on the tarmac to board the tiny plane. Again, Claire hadn't seen Jim or Diane. Maybe his plane from Chicago was late. Maybe they'd have to come on