After all, she had ended up marrying someone one day after his betrayal.

“Payton,” her mother started again but it was high and absurdly bright. Definitely hiding something. “Brad arrived almost an hour ago. As I told him when he knocked on the door, hoping to find you and get some time to finally talk, you had an early breakfast with Kate and a few of the others in the wedding party and would be along soon.”

Ahh. So her mother still thought their wedding could be saved. Payton actually felt a moment of pity for her. She wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear. But all in good time. First Payton owed the truth to Brad. And then she’d handle her mother.

Brad was still staring at her, almost in disbelief as he took in her barefooted appearance, the hair that was still uncombed and probably ratted in the back thanks to all the hairspray she’d used to keep the up-do for the ceremony. And possibly the bright glow that she felt emanated from every pore, she was that happy.

He scratched his head, barely mussing the thick dark blond mop on his head. “Payton? What’s going on? You went to breakfast like…this?” Even he didn’t sound like he believed it.

“Mother. Maybe you could check out the pool? Take a walk on the beach? It’s a glorious day outside.”

Just be anywhere else but here.

“I think I’ve had enough sun,” her mother said, ready to argue before taking a long pause. “But I would be happy to leave the two of you alone for just a moment. First, I need a word with you, darling. In private.”

“I’m sure that what you have to say can wait. Brad just—”

“No. It’s okay,” Brad said. “Look, Payton, I love you. I’m not going anywhere. Take a minute with your mother,” he said and walked to the door, “and I’m going to run to the front desk for a couple of bottled waters. We can talk when I’m back.” He gave her a reassuring smile, before opening the door, leaving them alone.

“Payton Elisabeth,” her mother now hissed, any pretense of goodwill and cheer gone. Payton finally looked at her mother. White linen pants and a short-sleeved matching top gave her mother a casual but elegant style that contradicted the fury on the woman’s face, her fingers clenched into fists. “Of all the ridiculous, short-sighted decisions you could make, you would choose the absolute worst. Dancing with that man like you did last night in such a vulgar display. I finally couldn’t bare it and had to retire to our room just to calm myself.”

Payton only smiled and shook her head, trying to be patient and understanding. But she was having a hard time of it seeing as how she was barely controlling her glee at what she was about to impart.

“You can wipe that smug grin off your face, young lady. I’m on to you. Onto everything. Had I not seen those photos of the two of you, I wouldn’t have believed it. Making a mockery of marriage like that in such a lewd, disgusting way. That behavior is deplorable and thank God I had the fortitude to look through everything and get on the phone with your father.”

“What are you talking about? What photos?” Payton asked, despite having a strong suspicion.

“You know very well which photos I’m talking about. After all, you went to great lengths to hide them from me, stuffing them in the back of that drawer like that. But it’s not the first time I had to search for the truth where you’re concerned, since I know I’d never get it from you. Honestly, Payton. I can’t imagine what on earth you were thinking. Getting married to a man when you are still betrothed to another.”

“I was thinking that for the first time, I was with someone who didn’t care about my lineage, my education, who my parents are…I was with someone who only saw me. Who made me happy.”

“You don’t even know him,” her mother said, coming dangerously close to a shout.

“I know everything I need to know about him. I know he’s honorable and smart, and he loves his family and wants only to make them proud. I know that when he looks at me, I can barely catch my breath. I know that with him I can finally be myself.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous. You don’t build a life with someone based on that. You and I both know that the only reason you did this was because you’re angry with Brad and hurt. But once the two of you finally talk and clear the air, get back home where you belong without the taint of this…adventure influencing you, you’ll see that Brad is who you want, who you’re meant to be with.”

“Whether I married Cruz or not, I still wouldn’t be getting back together with Brad, Mother. I don’t love him. I never really did. But right now, Cruz is my husband. He’s the man I married, the man I want to be with. And when we get back home in a few days—yes, that’s right, I’m staying here with him a few more days—we’re going to give this marriage a chance. Either with or without your support.”

Her mother smiled and shook her head as she walked over to the couch and took a seat. “Before you go shouting your intentions to the rooftops, perhaps there’s something you should know about this marriage of yours. Last night, after I saw that license I called your father immediately. He of course got on the phone with our attorney to try and figure out how to get you out of this mess. But it seems that my worries were all for naught. There is no marriage.”

“Maybe not in your eyes, Mother, and if that’s the way you feel about it, then I’m prepared to accept that. But it is real. And neither of us are ready to give up on it. I—I love him.”

She’d never uttered those words about any man before, not even to Cruz, but she knew with certainty that she did. And she’d never felt freer.

But whatever response she’d expected from her mother to this statement, her laughter was the least she’d expected. “The only marriage you two have is symbolic. Not legal. Trust me, honey. That little paper you have doesn’t mean anything.”

Payton didn’t believe it. Didn’t want to believe it. But there was something so definite in her mother’s tone that she found herself growing uneasy. “What did Daddy’s attorney say?”

“Something about filing paperwork and birth certificates, and some nasty business about blood tests before you’d even be given a marriage certificate. And even then, marriages can only be conducted by a civil servant—not some Mexican priest.”

The logic of what her mother was saying sank in.

Cruz wasn’t her husband. They were never married.

But it didn’t change how she felt. It didn’t change what was in her heart. “Be that as it may, Mother, it doesn’t change the fact that I love Cruz. That we want to be together.”

Her mother raised her brow. “You love him and you want to be together. How about Cruz? What does he want? Has he told you he loves you?”

Neither of them had spoken the words. It was too new, and they were still figuring this out. Not that any of this was her mother’s concern. “I’m not discussing the personal details of my relationship with you. In fact, right now I only have two people I need to talk to. Neither of them is you.”

Her mother examined her perfect manicure, picking off something invisible in the cuticle bed. “Very well, Payton. But let me remind you, less than twenty-four hours ago you were standing in that very spot telling me how you weren’t going to be like me. You weren’t going to settle on being second in anyone’s life. I’m warning you now. In the end, where men like Cruz are concerned, they’re always going to choose work first. Every time. And the sooner you resolve yourself to that inevitably, the less pain you’ll experience later on. Trust me, Payton. I know what I’m talking about. Cruz is no different than your father.”

She had thought she was impervious to whatever comments her mother could make. But she hadn’t expected this. To be likened to her mother? No.

She shook her head. “I’m nothing like you, and Cruz is nothing like Daddy.”