seemed to endanger her more, as her driver spent more time eye-
ing her as if she were an exotic animal than watching the road.
He was kind of sexy in a raw, swarthy, “I’m on vacation in the
tropics and what’s a girl to do” sort of way. He attempted to flirt with Steph in very broken English, but Steph’s total lack of any Portuguese vocabulary (except swear words she’d learned from
the bride-to-be) prevented her from any dirty repartee.
It was two p.m. local time when they arrived at her jaw
dropping accommodations at Pousada Maravilha. The blistering
sunshine that had welcomed them when they landed had com-
pletely vanished. and she and the driver managed to get under
cover just before the heavens released a torrential downpour.
Flirty Chauffer Dude carried both her suitcases and still managed 58
RAGE
to hold open the door for her. David and Yara’s wedding may
have been well timed for Fury’s schedule, but in Steph’s opinion, having it during Noronha’s rainy season should have been pondered a bit more thoroughly. She could actually feel her naturally wavy hair coiling in the humidity.
The moment she stepped inside, her keen aesthetic eyes
were immediately drawn upward, admiring the dramatic slopes
of the vaulted ceilings with their exposed beams. The floors were a mix of maple colored planks and pristine white tiles. The scat-tered rock gardens, thatched looking roof, and rustic wood sup-
ports gave the lobby the feel of a tiki hut that had a love child with a McMansion. The charcoal sky was framed dramatically
by the panoramic windows and the central skylight. As she
moved forward, the room opened wider for a 360 degree view of
Sueste Bay. A circle of rattan chairs were centered under the
skylight and divided the room. On the left were dining tables and a bar, on the right long white modern couches and low wood tables were strategically placed for optimal views of the bay and
the infinity pool. She approached the windows, seeing ham-
mocks swinging in the storm outside. Chaise tanning lounges
and pool mattresses completed the island chic décor.
“Teetee!” She heard the familiar battle cry of her favorite
little man. Steph dropped her camera bag and purse on the clos-
est couch in preparation for being pounced on by an eleven-
month-old monkey-boy. She turned in time to have him slam
into her legs full force, knocking her backwards onto the couch.
“Oh my goodness, Liam Sebastian Charles! You are a gi-
ant!” She groaned as he scampered up onto her as if he were
king of the mountain.
“Mamma. Milk!” He yelled in her face, and she grabbed
him and rolled him off of her tickling him. Cheyenne approached
them, gracefully balancing two Sippy cups.
“Bout time you got here.” Cheyenne nudged her knee. “We
got in at nine a.m. We slept some on the plane, but everyone else 59
TAMMY COONS & MICHELLE PACE
went off to take naps. That was one brutal flight.”
“Tell me about it. Cedric and I flew in from Panama City to
Recife yesterday. Then we had to spend the night before we
could catch the puddle jumper here. Be happy you were on a pri-
vate jet.” Steph laughed as Liam got in her face, effectively
blocking Cheyenne from her view and sticking out his tongue at
her. Steph tackled him onto the couch again. “Where’s Scot?”
Cheyenne nodded toward the dining area. “Having a drink
with David. Want one?”
“Very much so. Let me check in first.” Steph picked up
Liam and threw him over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry.
Cheyenne snatched up Steph’s bags and followed her to the
desk. The chauffer was hanging around smiling at her, and Steph
assumed he was angling for a tip, but when she tried to give him one, he waved it off. The staff was incredibly efficient and spoke excellent English. They told her the chauffer was Enrique and he worked for them. He took her bags from her with a wink and in
no time Steph, Cheyenne, and Liam turned the corner into the
dining area.
Steph couldn’t contain her smile when she saw Fury’s bass-
ist, Scot and drummer, David sipping drinks at the end of the
bar.
“D.J. Dave!” She cheered and David was on his feet and
hugging her so suddenly it took her by surprise. David still
looked like an old time movie star. Short hair, clean cut—he al-
ways seemed somewhat out of place in a rock band. But Steph
knew that when he held sticks in his hands, no one would ever
question that he belonged behind a drum kit.
“Steph, thank God!” he uttered in a hushed and panicked
tone. “Yara said she’d call the whole thing off if you didn’t
come.”
“Like I wouldn’t come when you guilt tripped me into it.”
She replied emphatically. Cheyenne and Scot both raised an eye-
brow. An evil grin played on David’s movie star face.
60
RAGE
“I told her she owed me. For teaching Yara how to swear
like a sailor in English.” Cheyenne and Scot both nodded. While
Fury was touring America, Yara had spent a great deal of time
hanging out with Steph and Cheyenne.
Steph rolled her eyes and swung Liam around by his arms.
“It’s cool. I’m here. Who am I rooming with?”
“Kara. Our nanny. Liam might spend a night or two with
you, if you know what I mean.” Scot shot her his perfectly
straight toothed smile and a wink as he wrapped his arms around
Cheyenne.
“Working on another one, are we?” Steph joked.
Cheyenne cringed visibly. “No way in hell.”
Scot looked stunned at her reaction as David finished off his
drink. Steph seized this opportunity to segueway into another
topic.
“What are you two drinking. and why don’t I have one?”
“Caipirinhas, of course.” Scot tossed some cash on the bar
and waved the bartender over.
“When in Rome. .” David agreed with a fidgety shrug.
Steph took the seat next to him.
“Where’s your bride-to-be?” she asked, patting him on the
back. David was rarely troubled, so his stricken expression made her nervous. He definitely looked like he could use a few more
drinks.
David heaved such a deep sigh that his shoulders rose and
fell dramatically. “At the spa. Daily facials, so she’s pimple-free for the ceremony.”
Steph nodded and wrinkled her nose slightly. Having spent
her pretty
