Inevitable by A.S Roberts

fell into step with Ruby, who offered me a concerned look. I shook my head at her and tried to convince her with a broad smile that it was nothing. I could still hear Nathan laughing behind me as I knocked on Frankie and Alex’s door. I opened it and plastered a mask onto my face.
    ‘I’m here, gorgeous girl… sorry about the delay… I was having trouble doing up my necklace. Here’s your something borrowed.’
     
     

     
     
    The wedding went by without a hitch. Just as the sun set in the pink and orange sky, my beautiful friend married the love of her life on the Blackmores’ private beach, by the soft glow of candles, which had been placed in the sand by Nathan and Scott, in the shape of a beautiful heart. The heart on a beach was a symbol that meant so much to the both of them.
    ‘Mine,’ came from Alex, and Frankie smacked his shoulder in her embarrassment. Alex was a typical alpha male and upon realising Frankie was very much now his, he stated it out loud for the small wedding party to hear. I knew about the little underwear she had decided upon, as a surprise for her husband-to-be, and as I watched him pull her quickly to him, it was obvious to me that he had just discovered his gift. He swept her up into his arms and carried her off the beach, whispering to her in deep gravelly tones, that thankfully for once I couldn’t make out. Laughter followed the newlyweds as he took off quickly and then broke into a run, with her in his arms shrieking. The few of us left behind laughed cathartically at their obvious love and infatuation with each other.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the bouquet heading straight for me.
    Well, I was the only single one here, who else would she aim it at?
    I caught it and stared down at the pretty combination of white roses and blue forget-me-nots. I pulled at a couple of the buds, straightening them out with my fingertips; flying through the air had very slightly altered the stunning arrangement. I was lost within my own thoughts. The sun had gone and I shivered in the slightly cooler breeze as I listened to the waves gently fondling the sand as they rolled up and down the beach. Ruby’s voice brought me out of my haze.
    ‘Is that OK with you, Bella?’ she asked.
    ‘Sorry… I was day dreaming… Is what OK?’
    ‘Nathan said you would help him tidy up the candles, if Scott and I go in and sort out the food for Alex and Frankie’s guests,’ she had very subtly gripped my forearm. It was evident in her manner that she hadn’t bought my “it’s all OK” body language from earlier.
    ‘That’s absolutely fine… it’s a great idea… it will only take us a few minutes and then we’ll join you,’ I tried to make my voice sound convincing and turned to see Nathan slowly walking around the heart, bending down his large frame and blowing out the candles.
     
     

     
     
    The rest of the happy party wandered away from the beach and back to the house, under Ruby and Scott’s direction. The gentle roll of the waves invaded my ears as I bent down and started to gather the candleholders one-handed.
    ‘SHIT…SHIIT!’ I dropped the bloody thing, as the shock of the searing pain hit me, and with it I also dropped the bouquet unceremoniously onto the sand, just out of reach of the water.
    ‘What the fuck are you doing, Bella?’ I heard Nathan as he came running over to me, then felt him grab my burnt, throbbing hand and peel open my fingers to stare at the damage. ‘Walk,’ he demanded and he led me the few steps down to the water’s edge. I followed him as he walked us barefoot into the surf and he pulled me down to squat next to him as he gently placed my hand into the cool water.
    ‘Keep it in there… what were you goddamn thinking?’ he interrogated. ‘Wasn’t it fucking obvious they were going to be boiling hot? That’s why I was blowing them out first to cool the fuckers down.’ I felt him lift his gaze and for the first time that day I met it gladly. It