Chapter Five

"Bright light..." Caitlin groaned, lifting a hand to her head.  Waking up had never been so difficult; her head throbbed, her tongue felt like shoe leather and she felt the violent need to vomit.

"You sound like Gizmo from that movie...'Gremlins'," Frank laughed.  He had been waiting for her to wake.  It was nearly noon and he had been up and around for hours.

"Since when do you watch movies?"  Caitlin was astonished.  He never gave her any indication he liked to watch movies.  She groaned and tossed back the blanket, shivering as the cool air hit her nude body. 

"Late night television has its limits," Frank said simply.  He held back a grin watching Caitlin try to get out of bed.  "Rough night?"

She sat up gingerly, but that didn't stop the room from spinning.  "Oh God..." she moaned, cradling her head in her hands.  After a minute, she stood and regretted the action when a dizzy spell immediately overtook her and she fell to her knees.

"Need some help, angel?"

"No, no.  I'm fine, really," she said sarcastically, crawling on hands and knees toward the bathroom.  "Why ever would you think I need help?"

"Oh, I don't know," he said, smirking.  "Maybe it was the magnum of Champagne you drank last night."

"Oh..." she said, suddenly remembering the previous night.  She finally reached the toilet, leaned over the bowl, and heaved violently.

"Poor thing," Frank said, holding her hair from her face and gently rubbing her back.

"Go...away," she groaned, slapping at his legs.

"How could I leave you during your hour of need?"

Another spasm overtook her.  "You're such a saint," she said sarcastically after it subsided.

Frank reached over her and flushed the toilet.  "Yes, I am," he chuckled, wiping her face with a damp washcloth.

She slumped back against the wall.  "I'll never drink that much again," she swore.

He laughed.  "I wonder if your three partners-in-crime are saying the same thing this morning."

Caitlin's eyes grew wide.  "You were there?"

He shrugged.  "It was getting late and you hadn't come home yet.  I was worried."  He moved to the garden tub and started a bath running.

Caitlin frowned.  "Why were you worried?  You knew where I was." 

"Let's just say, I know how Alex's mind works," he said, helping her from the floor and into the tub.

"You mean, the dancer?" When he nodded, she asked, "And you thought...what?"

"Rinse your hair, so I can wash it," he instructed her, trying to distract her.

Caitlin sunk down into the tub until her head was under water then came up sputtering.  "What were you thinking...that I would sleep with some stranger?"

"I didn't know about the dancer until I got there.  I just knew Alex was up to something," he confessed as he shampooed her hair.

"That feels good," she said, relaxing to the feel of his fingers massaging her scalp.  "Anyway, he was cute and all, but all I could think about was you."

Donovan smiled.  "That's good to hear.  Rinse."  He watched her slide under the water and swish her head around to rinse the suds from her hair.  "Feeling any better yet?" he asked when she sat back up.

"Much.  My head's still throbbing, though," she confessed, pouring rose scented gel into her bath sponge. 

"I'll go get you some aspirin."

"Thank you," she said as he went to the medicine cabinet.  He filled the small glass by the sink with cool water and brought it and the aspirin to her.

"What time are you and the guys leaving to go to Bangor?" she asked before swallowing the pills and washing them down with the water.

He shrugged.  "Probably around two o'clock.  We'll get there in plenty of time for our final fitting." 

"What time will you be back?"

He frowned.  "We're staying in Bangor for the night, remember?" 

"Oh...the bachelor party."

The doorbell rang cutting off her train of thought and he smiled.  "That should be Jason.  He was bringing Monica and Alex back."

"Oh, Frank.  Go check on them.  We all drank too much, make sure they're all right." 

"I'm sure they're fine.  Although they probably feel as bad as you."  He watched her frown and knew she wouldn't let up until he made sure Alex and Monica were okay.  "I'm going...I'm going.  Come join us on the beach when you're ready."

"Thank you.  And Frank..." she paused until he turned back to face her.  "I love you."

He smiled.  He didn't think he'd ever get used to hearing those words, but they sure sounded wonderful.  "I love you, too, angel."

Caitlin made her way downstairs fifteen minutes later.  Her hair was still damp from her bath and she had thrown on a comfortable lounge dress.  She felt much better after her bath, but her stomach was still a bit queasy.  Hearing voices outside on the beach, she went onto the screened porch and sat down.  Sunlight wasn't really a friend to her aching head.

Monica and Alex, she assumed, were immune to alcohol.  They were both frolicking on the beach with Jake, Cody and a very handsome and somehow familiar man. 

"Hey, Caity!" Monica yelled, running up to the house followed by the stranger.  "I want you to meet a friend of mine...Marcus Claymore" 

He held his hand out to Caitlin.  "Well, actually, we've already met."

Recognition dawned when the stranger winked at her.  "Oh...you're the dancer from last night."  Caitlin could feel the blush burn her cheeks.

"Yes, ma'am"

"You and Monica are friends?"

"More than that," he said, putting his arm around Monica's waist.  "We met when I went undercover as a male stripper a little over a year ago.  We've been together ever since."

Donovan was just making his way to the porch when he heard the conversation.  He was relieved the assumptions he made the previous night were incorrect.  He was glad; it just didn't seem like Monica.

Caitlin heard Jason's car pull up to the house.  When he dropped Alex and Monica off earlier, he hadn't come inside but headed right back home.  According to Alex, Misty was as bad off as Caitlin had been.  Jason was back to collect the men and head to Bangor.  Caitlin wouldn't see Frank again until she walked down the isle to stand beside him in front of Pastor Glenn.  Tomorrow was their wedding day.

She had insisted having the bachelor party the night before the wedding was a stupid idea.  What if they didn't get to the tailor early enough to get their tuxedos, or heaven forbid, what if they were late or didn't make it back?  Caitlin silently admonished herself for her troubled thoughts; she knew she was worrying for nothing, but that didn't stop the thoughts from spinning webs in her brain.

She put on a smile she didn't really feel and joined the group of people gathering around the door.  When Frank's arms encircled her waist, she felt the familiar thrill that always accompanied his touch.  She would miss him terribly until next they would be together.  His hand cupped the nape of her neck, holding her possessively as his lips descended to hers, capturing them in a passionate kiss.  She melted to the heat of his touch, meeting the demand of his kiss with her own; their tongues clashed and clung, lighting the torch of desire.

The sound of a throat clearing broke the spell and Donovan pulled away from Caitlin.  He smiled down at her.  "See you soon, Angel."

She returned his smile while she laid her palm against his cheek.  "Be safe, darling.  It will seem like eternity until I see you again."

"Don't worry, Caity!"  Cody said, smiling broadly.  "We'll take good care of him."

"That's what she's afraid of," Alex joked.

Caitlin laughed.  "Now, Jake.  As Best Man, it is your duty to make sure he gets to the church on time, so to speak."

Jake gave a mock salute.  "I'll make sure nothing goes wrong," he promised.

Hugs and waves and shouts of good-bye and the men were on their way and Caitlin was left with a gnawing sense of dread.  Tomorrow could not get there soon enough for her.