Fighting Destiny (14 page)

Nathan was caught off guard to see Darius and was a little disgusted with himself that he was unable to conceal his disdain for his host especially after the kindness he had shown
the academy with this event. This situation of uncertainty with Candasee was driving him crazy and he needed to have it resolved as soon as possible so that he could return to his normal easy-going self. He knew that he couldn’t compete with Darius’ money or what he could offer Candasee but he could compete for her love, and all was fair in love and war. He also wanted the publicity being offered to the academy through the travel show, so it would do him well to at least be civil.

Darius finally
walked over to him after they regarded each other intensely for a brief moment.

“
You have one determined delegate over there,” said Darius gesturing to the girl on the floor who was now being attended to by the medics.

“Yes, they all are!
This intensive will change one of their lives forever,” replied Nathan struggling to be diplomatic.

“I think it is great
that you are trying so hard to help these young people advance in their chosen careers,” said Darius knowing that Nathan was shocked by his sincere compliment. He’d always believed in giving a man his due even one who was determined to be his enemy. He never allowed his enemy to see his weakness and he knew from experience how to keep things professional and business-like when necessary.

“Thank you, Mr. Brogan, I was not aware that you knew of the full benefit of this intensive,” replied Nathan with surprise.

“You can call me Darius, and I always make sure that I know almost everything about person’s with whom I conduct business. It reduces the event of unexpected surprises that could hurt our association,” said Darius analysing Nathan’s response to being told that he had been researching his background.

Nathan looked surprised
but he maintained his cool and detached tone despite that.

“Naturally, and I agree that it would make good business sense to do that!”

“Oh by the way, I am sure that the events team explained to you the importance of us having a preview of the entertainment on the final night of the filming?”

“Yes
, we are holding a screening call tonight to complete putting together a programme with the talent we have here. These people are some of the most talented young people in the Caribbean,” replied Nathan with pride. Only the best were selected to attend this intensive through a gruelling audition process.

“Good, I am having a meeting with my events team tomorrow
morning at nine, concerning this. I believe that one of your instructors informed my team that you would be having auditions this evening around six o’clock?”

“Yes that is correct!”

“Good, I wanted to be sure of the time! When do you expect to be finished?”

“The auditions should take about two to three hours to see what everyone is offering and then the instructors will need to meet to decide on
how to sequence the best pieces,” replied Nathan.

“
Hmm, I didn’t realize it would take that long!” replied Darius wondering how that would affect Candasee’s ability to come and talk to him later. Would she be able to come earlier before the auditions started?

“
Okay, you can send Candasee to represent the academy at the meeting in the morning then and she can bring videos and liaise with the events team concerning any costumes needed for the dancers while she is there.”

“Candasee? Why her
, I am the head of this academy so I would think that you would have me attend the meeting instead!” replied Nathan extremely offended by Darius’ omission and furious at his poorly veiled attempt to be alone with Candasee.

“Under normal circumstances, yes, but I have always appreciated Candasee’s perspective on my business affairs
and she is the one directly involved with the dancers, isn’t she? I believe the equipment for the singers and instrumentalists are already available through your company. We need to outsource the necessary costumes and she is the person we need to consult with most, Isn’t she?” he replied chagrined that he’d broken his own rule about not allowing his opponent to see his weakness. Too late!
What was he thinking
?

Nathan bristled at the thought of being excluded from the meeting concerning his academy’s involvement.
Yes, he knew he got this opportunity entirely by accident and although he wanted it, Darius also needed him and what the academy had to offer too. He had lots of bargaining power too.

“I am going to have to insist on attending the meeting as well in the interest of the academy Mr. Brogan
,” said Nathan ignoring his invitation to chat on a first name basis. “I realize your familiarity with Candasee but she is just the artistic director of the modern and jazz dance program and not a member of the academy’s executive management team. I think you know as well as I do that we are helping each other out here!”

Darius admired the shrewd and calm way in which Nathan responded to him. In a business deal, he would take pleasure in this game of cat and mouse but Candasee was involved and Nathan had a power of influence
with her that he did not have again as yet. He was right of course. He should be the primary one at the meeting.

“
I apologize for offending you,” Darius conceded with a slight smile. “You are right about our mutual exchange. So, I expect you both to be there on time for nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

“Apology accepted,” Nathan replied, accepting the firm handshake he was offered.
He would by no means be lulled into thinking that this was a truce. Darius walked away and left the room and Nathan watched his retreating figure still seething with anger at the veiled insult that had been levelled at him. This man obviously thought everything happened at his beck and call. The faster he could find ways to discredit this man the better and this afternoon would be the beginning.

On her way back to the conference room after calling the medical team, a familiar voice called out to Candasee and stopped her in the lobby!

“I know that my only daugh
ter-in-law wouldn’t just pass by without talking to her mother!” exclaimed Marianne after recovering briefly from the shock of seeing Candasee here at the hotel. She was slowly beginning to get an inkling of what might be troubling her son now. He’d never gotten over the divorce and she knew that better than anyone. What was Candasee doing here?

Candasee
whirled around and ran back toward the sound of the voice she dearly loved. They were both about the same height and size but Marianne’s hair was cut in a short, chic style which suited her dashing clothing. Today she was wearing a shell-pink pantsuit with a white inner camisole and beaded sandals on her feet. She was the picture of relaxed island elegance.

“Mom!” cried Candasee as she
ran to embrace the older woman, “I missed you so much!” she said sincerely feeling tears stinging the backs of her eyelids and rolling down her cheeks.

When Darius introduced her to his mother
years ago, they also had an immediate mother-daughter connection. Marianne was the first and only woman she’d felt that motherly bond with and leaving Darius behind also meant that she was leaving Marianne’s love and understanding behind as well and that broke her heart too.

“Come
now, stand back and let me look at you,” said Marianne smiling and holding Candasee’s shoulders at an arm’s length. “Oh daughter of mine, I am so happy to see you! This has more than made my day!” she said pulling her back in for another hug!

“Oh Marianne, you have more than
made mine too!” echoed Candasee.

“W
hat are you doing here on Derrien Island?” asked Marianne. “Should I be getting my hopes up here?” she asked with a smile.

“I am working with a
regional eight-day arts and media intensive here at the hotel sponsored by Carthswright’s Academy in Barbados. Today is just day number two, so we still have some time to connect with each other!”

“
Six days is not a lot of time! I find it strange that Darius didn’t mention to me earlier that you’d be coming!” she quipped with an arched eyebrow.

“He didn’t know
either! Our hotel had to be changed at the last minute due to damages sustained in the recent heavy rains and Darius agreed to grant our group some concessions to host the event here.”

“Did
he now? Well that’s my son, always helpful. I knew that I raised him well,” she said smiling proudly. “So I take it then that you two have talked to each other?” she inquired leaving the question open-ended.

Candasee knew she could not hide anything from
Marianne; the woman was as sharp and as intuitive as they came.

“We have talked but I...
”

“I hope that I am not interrupting anything!” said Darius as he approached his mother and Candasee. Seeing her with Marianne reminded h
im of the close connection they shared and he was pleased that by all appearances it was still there.

“No, you aren’t Darius
,” said Candasee as she turned to look up to him. He was dressed in a navy blue polo with a light grey slacks and he was simply mesmeric to behold. Her eyes drifted from what he was wearing and back to his face and to his eyes as he regarded her intensely. The memories of what they shared on the beach only hours earlier came flooding back into her consciousness.

“
Uh, I have a class which I am supposed to be teaching now and I am sure they are wondering where I am,” continued Candasee making the motions to leave nervously. All it took was one look from Darius to remind her of their flaming encounter that morning and to set all her insides fluttering wildly.

“Wait
Candasee,” said Marianne, when can I see you again before you leave to go home? Six days isn’t giving me much time to spend time with you!” she said quickly looking from her son’s face to Candasee’s eyes. Their mirrored expressions told her all she needed to know. Six days would never be enough for either of them now that they were here together again.

“Uh,
I am not sure, but now that we’ve met I will definitely call you to make plans!” replied Candasee avoiding looking in Darius’ direction at all cost.

“You’d better! I will be holding you to that promise”, said Darius’ mother.

Candasee walked quickly across the lobby to get back to her class before Marianne had her confessing all of her feelings in front of Darius. She felt as though she was constantly running from him. As she neared the room she could see Nathan outside looking around and she called out to him and waved knowing that he must probably be looking for her.

Nathan released the breath he had pent up in his body as his thoughts came up with all kinds of scenarios of
what could happen if Darius met her along the path. Just the thought of her alone with her ex-husband was sending his pulse rate into stress and overdrive and he felt so unfocused that he thought at one point he had to talk himself out of going to find her.

Maybe Solange was right, this was crazy. He was t
he successful Principal of this academy but here he was pining over his fiancée and the possibility that he could lose her to her ex-husband. If only Solange would cooperate and keep Darius busy, he would have the freedom to sweep Candasee Maxwell off her beautiful feet.

“Hey, where were you?” he asked
a bit roughly, “Your class should have started about ten minutes ago?”

“Oh
, sorry about that, I ran into a close friend of mine who lives here on the island and we just talked for a little while. I am going to make arrangements to see her later. Don’t worry I didn’t forget my class!” replied Candasee nervously.

At the mention that it was a ‘
her
’ who delayed Candasee’s return, Nathan felt his body relax and the tension which was mounting inside of him drained away. He gave her a brief hug and let her pass by him and began counting the minutes till four o’ clock when Solange would arrive. He was still working on what he would tell Candasee to get her to go up to Darius’ office at that time. It all had to be synchronized perfectly. Perhaps he would play Darius’ game and beat him at it by asking Candasee to take a copy of the auditions sheet up there. She would go and find Solange looking all cosy and romantic and all her thoughts of reconciling with Darius would be gone. It wasn’t perfect but it could work!

Suddenly his phone rang and the display showed it was a call from his
oldest brother Graeme.
What does he want now?
, thought Nathan.

“Hey what’s up Graeme?”

“I should be asking you that. It’s been two days and you haven’t called us as yet about how the intensive is going”, Graeme stated accusingly.

“I didn’t think I needed to seeing that I am the one in charge here!” replied Nathan pointedly.

“You are, but remember this is a family enterprise so we are all entitled to know what is going on.”

“
Fair enough but I don’t need you looking over my shoulder every chance you get either!”