Destination Wedding ~ A Novel by Deanna Lynn Sletten Page A

better.
    Jim ate in silence, then ordered coffee when the waitress came around again. Claire noticed he hadn't touched the last drink, thank goodness. Maybe he was finally coming to his senses.
    "So. What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Claire asked as everyone finished up their meal.
    Mandy spoke up. "Craig and I have to go over to Marsh Harbour on the early ferry to register for our marriage license. We should be back by early afternoon, though."
    "Maybe we could all do something when we get back," Craig offered, but without enthusiasm. Claire figured that after tonight, he wanted to keep his parents as far away from her and Jim as possible.
    "What are you and Carl doing tomorrow?" Claire asked Janice.
    "We haven't made any plans yet," she said, tossing a sour look Jim's way.
    Claire gave up on conversation. She was getting nowhere.
    As soon as the Fishers were finished eating, they excused themselves from the table. "It's been a long day," Carl said. "Janice is feeling a bit chilled in this open air, too."
    The air felt nice to Claire after the warm day. She figured Janice was one of those women who felt cold all the time. "Please stay," Claire said. "You can wear my jacket if you're cold," she offered to Janice.
    The two Fishers stood. Janice wrinkled her nose. "No, thank you, Claire. We really should be off. I'm sure we'll run into you tomorrow."
    Mandy looked at her mother, and then Janice, an uncertain expression crossing her face. Stay with her parents or leave with the Fishers? Claire's heart went out to her.
    Craig made the decision for her. "Let's walk back with my parents," he said to Mandy. Mandy didn't look like she wanted to, but she nodded and stood up.
    "Are you coming?" Mandy asked her mother, completely ignoring her father.
    "I think I'll just sit here a while longer," Claire said. They all said goodnight and then they were gone.
    Claire turned narrowed eyes on Jim. "What the hell were you thinking, acting that way? Why would you want to purposely upset Mandy and Craig?"
    Jim didn’t reply. He looked at his bill, put some money on the table, then stood. "Let's go," he said. Then he turned and walked away.
    Claire had half a mind to throw a glass at him, but she refrained. She left money for her own meal and a tip, then followed behind Jim out into the dark, quiet street.
    Jim walked briskly ahead of Claire and she had to run to catch up. At this point, she was so angry at him, she thought of locking him out of their room. The thought of being in that small room with him all night made her want to scream.
    After a time, they came to a dock that jutted out into the harbor and was lit with tiny twinkle lights. Jim stopped, turned, and walked down the dock. Claire followed, although she had no idea why. At the end of the dock were benches on each side of it. Jim dropped down on one. Claire sat down on the other.
    "Why are you so nice to those snotty Fishers?" Jim asked. "It's obvious they think they're better than we are. They annoy the hell out of me."
    Claire frowned. "I'm nice to them, because I don't want to upset Mandy or Craig. We only have to be around the Fishers this one week and then we'll hardly ever see them. The real question is why were you such a jerk tonight?"
    Jim sighed and ran his hand through his hair and down to the back of his neck. "Don't you ever get tired of people telling you what to do?"
    The question took Claire by surprise. "What do you mean?"
    "I have Diane harping at me from one side and my boss pushing me around on the other. I come here and I'm supposed to be nice to a couple of snobs who aren't nice to me. It's all so stupid, don't you think?"
    Claire sat back against the bench. This wasn't the conversation she'd expected. She absently twirled her charm bracelet in circles around her wrist. "We all have to do things we don't want to sometimes. Sure, the Fishers are a pain, but our daughter is marrying into their family. We have to be civilized about it. And tonight, you were